De Peel Raamstelling

English translation

The text above is the record as published by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed, in Dutch. The English below is a machine translation made by TreeAlive, not by the Rijksdienst voor het Cultureel Erfgoed; it has not been checked by a person. Where the two differ, the original is the record. Report a translation error: privacy@treealive.com

Description

Introduction

When in 1937 it was decided to extend the Peel-Raam line also north of the difficult terrain and easily defensible on the approaches Peel area between Deurne and Weert, it was decided, entirely in keeping with the times, that to protect the main resistance zone of the line the defence against armoured cars and tanks was of prime importance. For this purpose, the layout of an anti-tank ditch in the front line was necessary, the route of which was reconnoitred in 1937. This ANTI-TANK DITCH, formerly known as the Defence Canal, now Peel Canal, was constructed in 1939. Since the ditch was also intended to improve the water management in the agricultural region, it was possible to excavate the canal as part of public works. The route of the ditch was partly determined by the already existing Rode Beek, partly by the location of already existing reclamations, the water management requirements. Furthermore, obtaining as favourable a field of fire as possible was an element that had to be taken into account. At Wanroij and Oploo these factors determined the north-south oriented route, marked by characteristic sharp bends.

Description

The Defence or Peel Canal has retained at Wanroij and Oploo almost entirely the original course. Only at the height of the house Deurneseweg 36 at Oploo, at the crossing with the Kleine Beek, has the route been altered over some twenty metres. In total the canal has in both Wanroij and Oploo a length of 6.5 kilometres. The canal has a width of ten metres and (originally) a depth of 1.8 metres. Directly behind the sluices (2) the width in the basins is somewhat greater. This profile has been well preserved, particularly at Oploo. At Wanroij the canal is sometimes slightly narrower. The slopes of the canal only at the sluices, where they are executed in concrete, still have the original profile. These steep slopes were intended to make crossing by tanks or armoured vehicles impossible. Outside the sluices all slopes are of earth; over the last fifty years the profile of these has become less steep.

Valuation

The Defence Canal is of general importance. It has cultural-historical value as a particular expression of a cultural and geographical development, namely the fortification and subsequent defence of the Netherlands during the Second World War and as such is an important document of military history. It is of architectural and construction-historical importance due to the particular use of materials and the application of modern techniques, in particular in the adaptation of water management for military purposes. It has ensemble values as an essential component of a larger whole, which is of cultural-historical importance and is of importance due to the high quality of the buildings and the historical-spatial relationship with roads, waterways and soil conditions. It has great amenity value and is as a large-scale military complex and reminder of an important episode in national history rare.