Oud-Stuyvekenskerke.—The Tower (February 1917).
The above assault was to be the only one the first line of Pervyse ever had to grapple with.
The main-guard of Schilderbrug with its advanced posts, (one outlook post on the road and two sentry posts on the water with the intermediate ones) gave the troops a sufficient security to allow the men, in spite of the rafale fires which from time to time poured upon the line, to say: “It is fine in Pervyse”.
The line was organized since the early days of its occupation, then was gradually improved to become during the last years of war a model of stabilized trench warfare area.
Even the station itself, where an artillery observation-post had been constructed, was wedged in a powerful stronghold whose solid concrete shelters for machine-guns were forming the bastions.
One of the above mentioned machine-gun pits, that of the south eastern angle may still be seen and will give a thorough idea of the organization.
The observation-post of the railway station, one of the main O. P. s. of the Belgian front, had a vast field of view and was provided with visual apparatus of the highest precision.
It was connected in 1917, by means of two telephone wires with alternative courses, to Dunkirk signalling post and that, in order to warn the city of the firing intended for her by the Leugenboom gun.
The report of the monster, perceived at Pervyse was at once communicated to Dunkirk where the receiving station was to alert the town by means of the powerful steam-whistles or other such alarm signals.