Kazemat (B10), Aan de voorzijde van het eerste bastion Rhenen

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:

The Grebbelinie is a water line approximately 60 kilometres in length, which makes use of the wet conditions in the western, lowest-lying part of the Gelderse Vallei. It is a unique example of a water line constructed in the eighteenth century. Because no major interventions have taken place in the structure of the line since then, most of the line embankment, the weirs and the earthen defensive works have been preserved. The Grebbelinie comprises embankments, earthen forts, sluices, casemates, outposts, anti-tank ditches, inundation areas, trenches, bunkers etc. Because it was always assumed that the line had to be defended by a temporary field army, no permanent accommodation for military personnel was built in the Grebbelinie.

The line was directed against a possible advancing enemy from the east. By inundating land, enemy troops could be halted. The Grebbelinie was intended to ensure that this happened in a controlled manner. The water in the inundated area had to be deep enough to prevent enemy vehicles and artillery from passing, but not so deep that the enemy could approach the line using vessels. At locations that were too high to be inundated, defensive works were erected. In laying out the inundation areas, use was made of the lower-lying fields. In order to flood the area as efficiently as possible, the line was divided from south to north into 11 compartments. The water was held back in each compartment by means of a weir that ran across the line embankment.

After occasional fortifications had been laid out in this area since the end of the 16th century, in 1744 a start was made, on the proposal of the then Director-General of Fortifications B.J. de Roy, on the construction of the earthen embankment that would later become the Grebbelinie dike. The embankment had to hold back the water, so that the Gelderse side of the dike could be inundated. Furthermore, the plan provided, on account of the difference in height between the Nederrijn and the Zuiderzee, for the construction of weirs or cross-dikes that could hold back the water. In this way, a series of water-filled compartments was created, which descended further northward like a series of steps. In total, eight weirs were constructed to enable the area to be flooded in a controlled manner. In 1786 further fortifications were laid out.

The first time the line was put on alert was in 1793 when France declared war on the Netherlands. The water level in the Rhine at that time was, however, too low to flood the line. Because the advance was not continued, the French did not reach the line at that time. However, when the French under General Pichegru returned at the end of 1794, the line could be flooded. But a severe frost period in early 1795 meant that the French armies could cross the frozen rivers and inundations without difficulty.

Ultimately, the French gave the line its final form in 1799. They devoted much attention to improving the defence of the weirs and laid out earthen outposts there. Because Napoleon incorrectly believed in 1809 that there was no longer any danger from the east, the Grebbelinie was decommissioned as a defensive work.

It was not until 1846 that the importance of the Grebbelinie for national defence was recognised again. To protect the railway line Utrecht - Arnhem, this was laid across the fort at the Buursteeg. In 1860 it was determined that the Grebbelinie was to be one of the most important defensive lines of our country. Following this, new dam sluices were installed in the most important weirs, so that the area in front of the line could be flooded more quickly. In 1866 the Omleidingskanaal was laid out to the east of Veenendaal, which meant the inundation time could be reduced from 20 to 12 days. Nevertheless, the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie became the most important defensive line, because inundations there could be accomplished more quickly and easily.

Only during the mobilisation of 1939-1940 did the Grebbelinie, under the name Valleilinie, become the main defensive line of our country. Because shortly before this the Valleikanaal had been dug to improve drainage in the Gelderse Vallei, a continuous canal had now been created between the Nederrijn and the IJsselmeer, which could also serve as an anti-tank ditch and also offered better opportunities for flooding the area.

Large areas on the east side now came under water and farms that were in the field of fire were demolished. Around Veenendaal, extensive trenches and anti-tank ditches were dug and 271 concrete machine-gun casemates were built. In March 1940 the main defence of the eastern front of Fortress Holland was relocated from the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie to the Grebbelinie. This led to the construction of even more trenches, anti-tank ditches and barbed wire obstacles, particularly in the non-inundable areas between Woudenberg - Renswoude and Veenendaal. On 10 May German troops invaded our country. Although the battle at the Grebbeberg became most well-known, heavy fighting also took place at other locations on the line. The Germans ultimately made the final adjustment to the line in 1944. The line now received the name Pantherstellung. The objective of the line was to halt an enemy advancing towards Germany and the main direction of fire was this time to the west and south. More than 20 cannon casemates were built, of which 12 are now preserved. In 1951 the Grebbelinie was permanently decommissioned as a defensive line.

The casemate was built in 1939-1940 on the first of the three bastions at the Grebbe as part of the reinforcement of the Valleilinie.

Description:

A DEFENSIVE WORK built in 1939-1940, consisting of a concrete machine-gun casemate of the S3 type. The casemate was built as part of the reinforcement of the Valleilinie and is located on and in the front face of the first bastion.

This is a light casemate of the S3 type or Stekelvarken 3, so named because of the iron pins on the outside to which camouflage material could be attached and the three firing ports. The casemate was intended for one light machine gun for frontal and flanking fire. The three firing ports together had a field of fire of 110 degrees. The two unused firing ports could if desired be closed with a 2cm steel shutter. There were no provisions for observation. The casemate has a rectangular floor plan with a straight front and rear side. The dimensions are: rear side 5.20 metres, side sides straight 1 metre, side sides slanting 2 metres and front side 2.50 metres. The height including floor slab is 3 metres. The casemate consists only of a fighting chamber with a rear exit, three rifle firing ports and has walls of 80 cm reinforced concrete. Chamfers have been made around the perimeter of the roof to cause shells to ricochet.

Valuation:

The casemate is of general importance because of:

Cultural-historical value due to its commemorative value because of its role during the fighting operations in 1939-1940.