In the first polder of later Flevoland, there were three air watch towers in the 1950s and 1960s. They bore the names 6K1, 6K2 and 6K3, which in practice were called Karel 1 to 3 when reported. Karel 1 stood on Urk, next to the Kerkje aan de Zee, Karel 2 stood in the Emmelerbos in Emmeloord and Karel 3 stood in the Enserbos in Ens. Karel 1 to 3 were part of an extensive network of a total of 276 air watchtowers, spread throughout the Netherlands.
The air watch towers were about 14 metres high and built of shock concrete, which many farm barns in the Noordoostpolder der were also made of. This shock concrete was supplied by the firm N.V. Schokbeton from neighbouring Kampen. This made it possible to build a complete tower of prefabricated concrete elements in just two weeks.
Air watch towers were used to scan the skies for fast and low-flying aircraft from the former Soviet Union, which were feared to fly into the country under the radar to drop bombs. It was finally the time of the Cold War. This scanning was done by locally resident military personnel from the Air Corps. These plane spotters had learned to recognise both our own and enemy planes by their silhouette and engine noise. Reporting a spotted aircraft was done by phone to the regional airguard centre to which the tower was attached.
Most of the air watchtowers were dismantled from the mid-1960s onwards, because with the advent of fighter jets that could intercept enemy aircraft as well as improved radar technology, the air watchtowers and their crews were no longer needed. Only 18 complete towers remained of the 276 national towers. Charles 1 to 3 were completely demolished, but the foundation remained in the ground.
The foundations of the air watchtowers in Emmeloord, in Ens and on Urk were subsequently made visible again and provided with information panels. This was done on the initiative of Stichting Canon de Noordoostpolder and Cultuurhistorisch Centrum Noordoostpolder in cooperation with luchtwachttorens.nl and the municipalities of Noordoostpolder and Urk. In this way, we keep alive the special history of the Netherlands in general and of Charles 1 to 3 in particular.
Karel 1, the air watch tower on Urk, stood next to the Kerkje aan de Zee.
Karel 2, the air watch tower in Emmeloord, stood in the Emmelerbos.
Charles 3, the air watch tower in Ens stood in the Enserbos.
The information on this page is based on research carried out by Sandra van Lochem, who also wrote and compiled the texts for the information panels. Would you like to read much more about air-raid watchtowers? Then do take a look at her website, luchtwachttorens.nl.
Visit the ‘Luchtwachttorens.nl’ website
