Vleugelbunker (Command bunker 117a) - Burgh-Haamstede

Forty bunkers are scattered in the Zeepeduinen and the Slotbos of Slot Haamstede, which were part of the Atlantic Wall during World War II. The Wing bunker was a command bunker, built in 1943. From here, the Germans commanded all the defences on Schouwen.

The bunker had a size of 23.7 metres by 13.9 metres. Inside, 15 rooms were arranged, each with its own function. These included rooms for officers, crew members, supplies, and a radio and telephone room from which commands were relayed. There was also a periscope, which could be operated through the armoured observation turret. The trees that surround the bunker today were not there during the war. The German commandos could therefore keep an eye on the entire dune area.

There were two entrances. At one of those entrances, between the round peepholes, you can see a larger, square-shaped hole. Behind it was the machine gun post. If the enemy threatened to get closer, the whole area could be shelled from this point.

Because of its large size, it is popularly known as the Whale bunker. But there is another reason why it was nicknamed the 'Whale bunker'. On one of the sloping corners, you can see a concrete protrusion. This makes it look a bit like a whale's tail in terms of shape. This protrusion served to stabilise the bunker on the dry sandy soil. In the following years, the sand under this whale's tail blew away and the bunker was no longer stable. The result is the huge crack in the building.

From the bunker, you can walk through to an observation tower.

Photo: ©Zeeuws Archief