Groepsschuilplaats, Betonnen werken Ruigenhoek-De Gagel Maarssen (Stichtse Vecht 26)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 32. Group Shelters Type P.

NEW HOLLANDIC WATERLINE

Introduction

GROUP SHELTERS TYPE P are twentieth-century, mass-produced additions to the existing defence. Group Shelters Type P are located at various sites on and around Forts de Gagel and Ruigenhoek. Most are situated in the area between and around these two forts and the westerly located Fort Blauwkapel. Most of the remaining (11) are located on Fort Ruigenhoek and are attributed to this fort, and respectively Fort de Gagel (3). (Concrete) (group) shelters were a response to the arrival of heavy projectiles and high-explosive grenades. The latter have a high-explosive charge. Depending on the weight of the artillery and the protection against it, a classification into resistance or protection classes has existed since 1928, consisting of two numbers, for example W 12-15. The first indicates that the protection is sufficient for impacts of projectiles up to that calibre (in centimetres); the second that protection also exists against one or at most a few impacts up to this higher calibre. The earliest types of concrete shelters offered only protection against shrapnel and were called 'shrapnel-proof'. The Group Shelters Type P were built according to more or less uniform or standard design in the years 1939-1940 at multiple locations in the Netherlands. The total number of built examples is approximately 700, of which around 570 in the New Hollandic Waterline; the majority (approximately 400) of these still exists. The construction programme of the Group Shelters Type P was not completed at the outbreak of the Second World War and a number of examples remained visibly unfinished. Type P (also called 'the pyramid' because of its distinctive shape) is supposedly the most well-known type of concrete defence work in the Netherlands. The type originated from the so-called VIS 77 (Voorschrift Inrichten Stellingen no. 77), from 1928, and was intended, among other things, to form part of the defence of a number of new accesses, including in particular (motorway) roads. The Group Shelter Type P usually came into being in the immediate vicinity of already existing or contemporary casemates, gun emplacements, fortifications or trenches. The traditionally entirely closed front or frontal face of the Group Shelters Type P was intended to be covered by earthworks, which could form part of a glacis to protect the trench or a covered way. These earthworks are now mostly no longer present or only barely recognisable, but in particular on forts or in otherwise terrain distinguished by relief, there is sometimes still protection. There are various variants of the Type P, both in terms of dimensions and protection class as well as in execution and detailing. For example, there are examples built in the protection classes W 12-15 and W 21-28 in dimensions ranging from approximately 5.50 by 7.20 by 4.70 metres to 6.50 by 8.20 by 4.90 metres (width by depth by height). Many examples of Type P were built in inundatable areas, whereby in a number of cases a visibly evident pile foundation was applied, while often a retaining wall or trough with steps against inundation water was introduced in the then elevated, square access and in still others a concrete foundation slab protruding all round is present. The examples within the complex Works between Fort Ruigenhoek and Fort De Gagel are largely situated in a recognisable linear sequence that extends from Fort de Gagel, via Fort Ruigenhoek to Fort Blauwkapel. More than twenty Group Shelters Type P belonging to the same linear sequence are located on these three forts.

Description

In the municipality of Stichtse Vecht there are three GROUP SHELTERS TYPE P. These are single-storey, usually in reinforced, approximately 100 to 180 centimetre thick cast concrete executed, shrapnel-proof, military shelters, which could provide shelter for ten to twelve infantrymen / artillerymen. Group Shelters Type P are built on a rectangular ground plan. The visible height above ground level varies. Both blind side walls and the throat wall are executed vertically to approximately three metres height. Above this these walls bend inward at approximately 45 degrees, then transition into a flat roof. On the right in the throat wall is an access opening at locally varying height above ground level. The entirely vertical, closed front wall reflects the 45-degree angles and thus ends as a 'truncated pitched gable'. In a number of cases iron hooks were cast into the wall(s) which could serve to secure camouflage material. A characteristic component on top of the shelter type P is the conical, concrete 'outlet', which was intended for the application of a periscope. These periscopes were, however, never actually installed in practice. The interior of the Group Shelters Type P consists of a short passage (usually with a concrete retaining wall or balustrade and usually a few descending steps) and from there a 'lock' oriented to the left which could be sealed by a (consisting of several parts) heavy steel door with bolts. Via a second, similar door, to the right a rear, almost square space could be reached, the actual shelter. Access could be covered from this space via a loophole. The doors, however, were rarely or never installed in practice. The ceilings, located at approximately two metres above floor level, are flat and rectangular. In a number of cases interior components are still present, such as (remains of) wooden benches or a support for the firearm for covering the entrance. The Group Shelters Type P within the complex Works between Fort Ruigenhoek and Fort De Gagel are (almost) without exception visibly and recognisably situated in the terrain, albeit far from always in accessible areas. An earth covering is not (any longer) present; however, here and there traces or (reconstructed) parts of trenches / group nests are visible.

Valuation

The GROUP SHELTERS TYPE P within the complex Works between Fort Ruigenhoek and Fort De Gagel are of general interest because of:

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

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

These are components from the period 1939-1940, namely concrete shelters for personnel.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Hollandic Waterline in general and because of the mutual functional, functionally-spatial and physical coherence with the other components of the complex and Forts de Gagel, Ruigenhoek and Blauwkapel, where small concrete works belonging to the same adaptation of the defence system are located.

* The components are representative (characteristic) because they are clearly recognisable as components of a deconcentrated defence line added to the existing fortification system.

* The components are reasonably well preserved and can still be well recognised in the field as built components.