The defence of Parsetjärn
Dals-Ed
Parsetjärns skans is a fortification located in Dals-Ed municipality in Dalsland eight kilometers west of Ed. The report came on the morning of 9 April 1940 that Germany had invaded Norway. German forces reached Østfold on 11 April and occupied Moss on 12 April. Fredrikstad was taken over in the early hours of 13 April, by midday, it was Sarpsborg's turn, and in the afternoon, the occupation of Halden was a grim reality.
For the Swedish soldiers in Bohus County and Dalsland the question was now how to prevent German troops getting from Norway to Gothenburg. To strengthen the boarder defence, a large number of fortifications similar to this one were therefor built.
The fortification at the Parse Lake consist of two fixed points one at the main road on the north side of the lake, and one south of the lake. In between was an anti-tank obstacle, a concrete block with movable baulk barriers positioned athwart the main road. The barriers were removed for traffic reasons. Building of the fortifications began already 1940 and was completed by 1943. Both sections of the redoubt were defended by a frontier defense platoon of about 100 men.
The north fortification contains 13 fire trenches and one so-called "kg-hat" Close combat defense of this redoubt would come from these trenches. The four machine guns could fire either from a direct hit efficiency machine-gun defense with 2 pieces, or from open firing positions. The function of the machine-gun was to engage in the fighting at each particular fortification, but also to provide support for the south fortification where firepower could reach with telling effect.
Text: Ekomuseum Gränsland
