Earth-house (from “Guerrilla’s guidebook”, 1942)

[Whiteruthenian]

Íàøà Ïîáåäà. Äåíü çà äíåì - ïðîåêò ÐÈÀ Íîâîñòè
Íàøà Ïîáåäà. Äåíü çà äíåì - ïðîåêò ÐÈÀ Íîâîñòè
Íàøà Ïîáåäà. Äåíü çà äíåì - ïðîåêò ÐÈÀ Íîâîñòè

EARTH-HOUSE

The simplest earth-house is a dug pit, over which a wooden frame of bearing parts and flooring is installed, and on top a layer of earth lies. In the wintertime for earth-house a site with untouched snow covering should be chosen, the best option – in the woods, where the ground freezes through less.

On the sides of the pit the bottom bearing parts are laid, made of thick logs. From them like a finial the wooden rafters (in the fig. 216 – “Стропила”) rise. Over them layers of brushwood and earth are laid. It’s good to lay a layer of clay which won’t let water seep. An earth-house for 6 persons is 1,8 m in high, 3,2 m in width and 4 m in length (fig. 216). Steps lead from the outside into the earth-house, and the entrance itself is covered with cloth of a tent.

The guerrilla earth-house must have also a reserve exit in case of the enemy’s assault. For that in the face wall (opposite the entrance) a big window 50x60 cm should be made. If there is no glass the window can be stuck with oil-impregnated paper. This window will serve as a man-hole in case of an unexpected alert.

Heavier flooring of the earth-house can rest on the x-shaped thick poles, which are installed at the distance of 1,5 m one from another and rest on the ledges between the surfaces of the plank beds and the walls of the pit. The ends of the x-shaped poles rest on sleepers. On the bearing parts of the x-shaped poles the baulk is laid. The baulk bears the rafters, which are laid at the distance of 25-30 cm one from another. For more reliability of the canopy the top ends of the rafters should protrude over the baulk (at the distance of 15-20 cm). Over the rafters the layer of brushwood or needle-leaved branches is laid 5-10 cm thick. Over them the layer of earth is laid (15-20 cm).

The entrances are bared with poles at a height of 1,4-1,6 m and covered with earth. The side walls are dressed with poles, which rest against the x-shaped poles and rafters, and also are supported with earth coat.

The earth-house is heated with compact furnaces. The flue is led out through the roof through a steel sheet. It is possible to lead out the flue in a wall insulating it from wooden parts with earth.