Group Shelter Type P Meerdijk

The Group Shelter Type P at the Meerdijk is a concrete military shelter that is part of the defenses of the New Dutch Waterline, specifically built in the run-up to the Second World War (1936–1940). The location is along the Meerdijk near Asperen, a strategic point within the line network.

A Type P group shelter is designed to accommodate a group of approximately 10 soldiers. These bunkers are made of reinforced concrete, with walls and roofs that can be up to 1.5 meters thick to provide protection against artillery fire. They have a simple rectangular shape and are often half buried or partly hidden from view by earthen walls or vegetation.

Inside, the facilities are extremely basic: there is usually a single entrance, sometimes with a small hall or entrenched entrance, and space for benches or armies to rest on. There was often also an emergency exit or air shaft, as well as facilities for ventilation and communication (such as telephone lines).

The group shelters were intended as temporary shelters during shelling or bombing raids, and at the same time provided a base for infantry in the defense of the line. The Type P was a widely used standard design, recognizable by its sleek, functional concrete architecture.

Today, many of these group shelters have been preserved, including the one on the Meerdijk. Some have been restored or provided with information panels, and are part of walking routes or educational heritage projects around the Waterline. They commemorate the mobilization and defense of the Netherlands just before the invasion of May 1940.

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Source

• Text: Fedor de Vries + RJArmy.nl
• Photos: RJ Army.nl (1, 2, 3, 4, 7), Fedor de Vries (5, 6)