tonycad Posted 10 December , 2005 Share Posted 10 December , 2005 The bunkers first featured, I think, with photographs from bkristof of the opening ceremony in April this year. I have seen reference to them being built by the British in 1914, but I suspect this is more rightly 1915, and were occupied by them until the Spring offensive of 1918, when they were captured by the Germans. They were built into the base of one of the secondary peaks of Mount Kemmel, and it is salutary to think that this was one of the most westerly areas penetrated by the Germans in 1918 They had long been obscured, and were dug out and renovated, and opened in Spring 2005, with free and open access to the public. This is the view of the three bunkers after a short walk of only a few yards from the road. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roel22 Posted 10 December , 2005 Share Posted 10 December , 2005 Nice picture! Last time I was there, some ten years ago, it was in ruins and hardly accessible. Is it possible to get in now and -if so- how far? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonycad Posted 10 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2005 There is no access into the bunkers, but it was possible to take this photograph of one of them through the entrance. It shows the heavy corrugated iron plate having rotted in places, revealing the concrete originally poured over them. This bunker is now a bat sanctuary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonycad Posted 10 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2005 I have seen this bunker described as an ADS, but if it did play this part it must have been during the 1918 Spring offensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonycad Posted 10 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 10 December , 2005 This is the view of the roof of the 'bat' cave, with the rotting iron roof, as referred to above. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 10 December , 2005 Share Posted 10 December , 2005 The bunkers are a part of the entrance of the British HQ builded under the hill in 1917 ! It was from the top of that hill the British officers watched the explosions of june 1917. The bunkers were indeed captured in spring 1918 and indeed the Germans used one as ADS. They also possibly blmewn it up when they left it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 10 December , 2005 Share Posted 10 December , 2005 In the first one you can still see left and rtight at the end the entrances of the tunnels, who are now completely collapsed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roel22 Posted 10 December , 2005 Share Posted 10 December , 2005 Still I'd like to take a look behind the wooden wall in the picture and the collapsed part behind it. Can't believe it was all blown up. If the Germans wanted to make sure nobody would be able to use the tunnels again, just blowing up the entrance would have done the trick for them. But I know, I know: taking a look is too dangerous to even consider it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 11 December , 2005 Share Posted 11 December , 2005 Where exactly are these bunkers on Kemmel? Thanks. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkristof Posted 11 December , 2005 Share Posted 11 December , 2005 On the road from Kemmel village to Loker, on the right hand side. Lettenberg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Mackenzie Posted 11 December , 2005 Share Posted 11 December , 2005 Kristof. Many thanks - I hope to go and see them in January. Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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