KW-line

The K-W Line, an abbreviation for the full title of Koningshooikt–Wavre Line, was the main Belgian line of defence against a possible German armoured invasion through the centre of Belgium, during the initial phase of the Second World War.

The K-W Line, also known as the Dyle Line (Dijle-line) (named after the river Dijle) or Iron Wall, was requested by the Belgian Ministry of Defence and built between September 1939 and May 1940. It consisted of a connection of bunkers and barricades between the village of Koningshooikt and the city of Wavre. The barricades were either Cointet-elements connected by steel cables, railway tracks drilled partly into swampy areas, concrete ditches filled with water or other steel constructions that could hold off armoured vehicle attacks.

In 2009, an inventory of surviving emplacements was begun.

In October 1936, Belgium abandoned its previous military alliance with France, fearful that after the German Remilitarization of the Rhineland, bringing German forces to its borders, it would get involved in a Franco-German war. It was recognised that a policy of neutrality could only be viable if Belgium possessed strong defences. Existing defence plans were therefore pursued more vigorously. A strong defence line was created along the Albert Canal, running eastwards from Antwerp to the modern fortress of Eben Emael and from there to the southwest along the River Meuse. Although this was a powerful position, it had been understood from the outset that Belgium could not resist a major German invasion alone and that despite its neutrality would need to cooperate with the French army to block a German advance. Eben Emael was too close to Germany, and the salient it created was too large, to make it practical for assisting French forces to occupy such a forward position. For this reason a shorter defence line was planned between Antwerp and Namur in the south. This should be the "line of main resistance", while the Albert Canal-Meuse line would function as a "covering line", delaying the enemy long enough for allied help to arrive and entrench itself. However, the Belgian government was hesitant to start any large-scale construction along this line as it could be seen by Germany as a breach of neutrality as well as an invitation to occupy the area to the east of it.

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