Kazemat, Fort Everdingen Culemborg

English translation

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Description

Cluster 501.

NEW HOLLAND WATERLINE

Introduction

Complete CAST STEEL CUPOLA CASEMATE TYPE G as a component added to Fort Everdingen in the run-up to the Second World War. In 1936, as a supplement to the reinforced concrete casemate, the so-called cast steel cupola casemate was introduced in the Netherlands, which was based on a system already applied in France in 1917. The armour cupolas used were small in size (favourable with regard to limited visibility and hit probability), round in shape (favourable with regard to deflecting hits and strength), relatively simple to produce in series, and they had an 'external' shooting aperture (favourable with regard to gases and sound). Moreover, they could be manufactured in the Netherlands, which significantly reduced dependence on foreign countries. A first order of 100 pieces in the Netherlands (from DEMKA) was followed by a second of 50 pieces from the Belgian Soc. Anonyme John Cockerill. In total, more than 700 must have been cast in a short time, but only a few of these have survived. The cast steel cupolas, with a diameter of 1.75 m and thicknesses of 10-17 centimetres, were installed in multiple casemate types with resistance classes W 12-15 to W 21-28. Shortly before the start of the Second World War, Cast Steel Cupola Casemates Type G were constructed in various places in the Dutch lines, in particular in the IJssel Line, the Maas Line, the Grebbe Line (each approximately 150) and the New Holland Waterline (approximately 80). The usual construction of reinforced concrete with one or more fixed shooting apertures was hereby abandoned in favour of a system that had a firing direction that could be projected within variable limits (up to 270°), within a cast steel cylinder with cupola roof. Cupola casemates were equipped with a light or heavy machine gun as armament; in the New Holland Waterline this was a heavy machine gun as standard. Most cupolas were placed in Standard Cupola Casemates Type G. During the Second World War, the vast majority of cupolas in the interior were demolished by the occupier from the casemates - partly by blowing them up - to be recast for other steel requirements. At the coast they were partly incorporated into the defence, but were mostly demolished after the war. Because of this, complete cupola casemates are rare; they are found, among other places, at Fort Vechten and also one specimen at Fort Everdingen, of which the location is known but which is largely covered with earth, is complete. Meanwhile the cast steel cupola casemate has been exposed, revealing that the rare access door at the rear was also still present.

Description

In the south-eastern slope of the earthworks of Fort Everdingen there is a complete CAST STEEL CUPOLA CASEMATE TYPE G. Standard Cupola Casemates Type G are relatively low, almost square reinforced concrete casemates (approximately 7.00 x 6.50 x 3.00 m; w x d x h), with at the height of the cupola hollowed out within it a rearward-sloping surface onto which any direct hits could ricochet. The shooting aperture in the cupola forms a rounded rectangular 'eyebrow' of approximately 10 cm thickness, which protrudes several decimetres and thus provided protection for the weapon mounted within, a heavy machine gun. The shooting aperture and the access to the casemate, which was situated in a recess behind the cupola, could be closed 'gas-tight' from within. The cast steel cupola and the corresponding door of the access are still present. The casemate nevertheless appears to have remained incomplete; a concrete cover layer is namely missing. The work bears the building number '87' painted on it in pink paint. The cupola casemate on the east side of Fort Everdingen served as a firing position for the defence of the access of the Southern Lek Embankment. The casemate also had a special function in the flanking of the Work at the Spoel situated further to the east.

Valuation

CAST STEEL CUPOLA CASEMATE TYPE G is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Holland Waterline as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and first implemented from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently by others over approximately 125 years strengthened and improved.

* Architectural-historical values, in particular as an expression of military-strategic architecture, which is based on: a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th and 20th centuries), b. the arms race with strengthening offensive means (19th and 20th centuries), c. the system of 'living' field fortification in depth (20th century).

This concerns a component from the period 1936-1940 that is an example of a complete cast steel cupola casemate (Type G) placed on a reinforced concrete base.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Holland Waterline. Also because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

* The casemate is representative (characteristic) because as part of a deconcentrated defence line it was added to the existing fortification system and it represents fairly great rarity value because only a few complete specimens have survived. Particular added value is derived by the casemate from its not entirely completed status and the provisionally applied building number.

* The casemate is largely well preserved, partly thanks to the earth covering which was removed around 2013.