Bunker Archaeology: Metaxas Line fortifications, the pumping station of Istibei fort, by Dennis Agrafiotis
Bunker Archaeology, WW2, WW2 in Greece, WW2 WrecksPhotos and research by Dennis Agrafiotis, submitted to www.ww2wrecks.com and used by permission
An important condition for the proper functioning of the bunker complexes at the Metaxas Line, was to secure their water supply.
This was achieved in some forts with the construction of underground pumping stations, which, due to their distance from the fort they served, were configured in small groups of active bunkers, presenting similarities with the advanced positions of the forts.
The usual layout of the underground pumping stations included the entrance hall next to which there were staff quarters and warehouses (for spare parts, lubricants, fuel, possibly ammunition, etc.), the engine room with the mechanical pumping equipment, the water tank and a well with a vertical metal ladder, in which the pipeline that carried the water to the fort was placed. At the top of the shaft there was an active bunker with machine guns.
A typical example of an underground pumping station of this type is the pumping station of the Istibei fortress, the location of which we identified after research with my friend Panagiotis Savvidis on June 6th 2021, as it was unknown, because it was not recorded on any map or plan .
On the surface of the machine gun bunker of the pumping station there are marks of shots.
The pumping station was not used after the war nor was it reconstructed as part of the re-use of the forts.
