Fort de Flémalle
50°36′27.8″N 5°27′54.0″E / 50.607722°N 5.465000°E
| Fort de Flémalle | |
|---|---|
| Part of Battle of Belgium |
The Fort de Flémalle is one of twelve forts built around
Description
The Fort de Flémalle is located about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southwest of the center of
The fort was built as an irregular trapezoid, almost triangular. A 6-metre (20 ft) deep by 8-metre (26 ft) ditch encircles the fort. The principal armament was concentrated in the central massif. The ditches were defended in
With the exception of the Fort de Loncin, the Belgian forts made little provision for the daily needs of their wartime garrisons, locating latrines, showers, kitchens and the morgue in the fort's counterscarp, a location that would be untenable in combat. This would have profound effects on the forts' ability to endure a long assault. The service areas were placed directly opposite the barracks, which opened into the ditch in the rear of the fort (i.e., in the face towards Liège), with lesser protection than the two "salient" sides.[1] The Brialmont forts placed a weaker side to the rear to allow for recapture by Belgian forces from the rear, and located the barracks and support facilities on this side, using the rear ditch for light and ventilation of living spaces. In combat heavy shellfire made the rear ditch untenable, and German forces were able to get between the forts and attack them from the rear.[3]
The Brialmont forts were designed to be protected from shellfire equaling their heaviest guns: 21 cm.[4] The top of the central massif used 4 metres (13 ft) of unreinforced concrete, while the caserne walls, judged to be less exposed, used 1.5 metres (4.9 ft).[5] Under fire, the forts were damaged by 21 cm fire and could not withstand heavier artillery.[6]
Armament
Flémalle's armament included two turrets with a single 21 cm Krupp gun, a 15cm turret with twin guns and two 12 cm turret with two Krupp guns, all for distant targets. Four 57 mm gun turrets were provided for local defense. The fort also mounted an observation turret with a searchlight. Eleven rapid-fire 57 mm guns were provided in casemates for the defense of the ditches and the postern.[2]
The fort's heavy guns were German, typically
First World War
In 1914 Flémalle was commanded by Captain-Commandant Falize with five officers and 150 men.[2] Liège first came under attack on 6 August 1914. When the Liège's fortifications proved unexpectedly stubborn, the Germans brought heavy siege artillery to bombard the forts with shells far larger than they were designed to resist. Flémalle was one of the last forts to come under heavy bombardment, and was the last of the Liėge forts to surrender. Following the explosion of the Fort de Loncin, the Germans sent delegations to the last two holdouts, Flémalle and the Fort de Hollogne, emphasisizing the consequences of continued resistance. Flémalle surrendered at 0930 on 16 August, two hours after Hollogne.[8]
Fortified Position of Liège
Flémalles armament was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the
Second World War
In 1940 Flémalle was commanded by Captain-Commandant Barbieux, with five officers and about 150 men. Following the successful German assault on
Present
Flémalle was partly stripped of its equipment during the German occupation, and again by a salvager in the 1960s.[2] The fort has been maintained by a preservation association since 1992, which has established a museum in the fort.[10]
References
- ^ ISBN 978-1-84603-114-4.
- ^ a b c d e Puelinckx, Jean. "Flémalle (fort de)". Index des fortifications belges (in French). fortiff.be.
- ^ Donnell, p. 36
- ^ Donnell, p. 52
- ^ Donnell, p. 12
- ^ Donnell, pp. 45-48
- ^ Donnell, p. 17
- ^ Donnell, p. 51
- ^ Donnell, pp. 55-56
- ^ a b Puelinckx, Jean. "Flémalle - Combats en 1940". Index des fortifications belges (in French). fortiff.be.
Bibliography
- Donnell, Clayton, The Forts of the Meuse in World War I, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 2007, ISBN 978-1-84603-114-4.
- Kauffmann, J.E., Jurga, R., Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II, Da Capo Press, USA, 2002, ISBN 0-306-81174-X.
External links
- Fort de Flémalle at fortiff.be