The Fortin of Beho

A shelter (fortin or bunker) is a military construction made of reinforced concrete consisting of one or more rooms and weapons consisting of a machine gun(s) and/or anti-tank gun, sometimes equipped with electric searchlights. The weapons fire on the assailant through a hole in the wall known as a firing slit. These shelters usually measure 3.20 m by 3.20 m, height 2.50 m from the foundations. The dimensions of the room or internal firing chamber are 2.20 m by 2.20 m, height 1.70 m. Volume: about 8 m³. The construction of one of these shelters required 17 cubic meters of reinforced concrete. The wall thickness ranged from 40 cm to 60 cm. The garrison of a shelter varied from four men for the smallest to 20 men for the largest. The one in Beho is larger, so it certainly could house a greater number of soldiers.

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