Fort de Fléron
Encyclopedia
The Fort de Fléron is one of twelve forts built as part of the Fortifications of Liège in the late 19th century in Belgium
. It was built between 1881 and 1891 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont
. Contrasting with the French forts built in the same era by Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières
, the fort was built exclusively of unreinforced concrete, a new material, rather than masonry. The fort was heavily bombarded by German artillery in the Battle of Liège
. Fléron was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the fortified position of Liège
in an attempt to forestall or slow an attack from Germany. Located in the center of Fléron
, the fort has been buried and is surrounded by apartments.
, in the center of Fléron. The fort formed an isosceles triangle whose base is 300 metres (984.3 ft) long and whose sides measured 235 metres (771 ft). A 6 metres (19.7 ft) deep by 8 metres (26.2 ft) ditch encircled the fort. The principal armament was concentrated in the central massif. The ditches were defended in enfilade by 57mm guns in casemates resembling counterscarp
batteries, firing at shot traps at the other end of the ditch. One of the larger forts of Liège, it was armed with heavy artillery in rotating turrets, concentrated in a central massif. The compact center was surrounded by four turrets with lighter guns for close defense.
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. 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.
The large weapons were all German products, made by Krupp
in Essen
, but the armor was by Cockerill
(Belgium), Ateliers de Creusot (France) or Grüson
(Germany). The fort was provided with signal lights to permit communication with the neighboring Fort de Loncin
and Fort de Liers
. The guns were fired using black powder rather than smokeless powder
, producing choking gas in the confined firing spaces that spread throughout the fort.
The fort was manned by 307 artillerymen and 80 infantry under the command of Commandant-Captain Mozin.
II, which was planned to deter a German incursion over the nearby border. The 21cm turrets were replaced with longer-range 15m turrets, the 15cm turret was replaced by a turret with machine guns and grenade launchers, and the 12cm turrets were replaced with turrets containing twin 105mm guns. These new weapons were German in origin. Three 75mm turrets were added as well. This was accompanied by improvements to ventilation, protection, sanitary facilities, communications and electrical power. An air intake tower was added on the other side of the now-vanished Line 38 railroad tracks, which has itself been demolished. New barracks were built at this time for peacetime accommodation. The fort was manned by 250 men, 20 non-commissioned officers and 13 officers.
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. It was built between 1881 and 1891 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont
Henri Alexis Brialmont
Henri Alexis Brialmont was a Dutch-born Belgian military engineer. He was one of the leading fortifications engineers in the 19th century....
. Contrasting with the French forts built in the same era by Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières
Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières
Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières was a French military engineer and general whose ideas revolutionized the design of fortifications in France. He gave his name to the Séré de Rivières system of fortifications constructed after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870...
, the fort was built exclusively of unreinforced concrete, a new material, rather than masonry. The fort was heavily bombarded by German artillery in the Battle of Liège
Battle of Liège
The Battle of Liège was the opening engagement of the German invasion of Belgium, and the first battle of World War I. The attack on the city began on 5 August 1914 and lasted until the 16th when the last Belgian fort finally surrendered...
. Fléron was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the fortified position of Liège
Fortified Position of Liège
The fortified position of Liège was established following World War I by Belgium to fortify the traditional invasion corridor from Germany through Belgium to France. The Belgian experience of World War I, in which the Belgian Army held the invading force for a week at Liège, impeding the German...
in an attempt to forestall or slow an attack from Germany. Located in the center of Fléron
Fléron
Fléron is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Liège. On January 1, 2006 Fléron had a total population of 16,088. The total area is which gives a population density of 1,172 inhabitants per km²....
, the fort has been buried and is surrounded by apartments.
Description
The Fort de Fléron is located about 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) southeast of the center of LiègeLiège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
, in the center of Fléron. The fort formed an isosceles triangle whose base is 300 metres (984.3 ft) long and whose sides measured 235 metres (771 ft). A 6 metres (19.7 ft) deep by 8 metres (26.2 ft) ditch encircled the fort. The principal armament was concentrated in the central massif. The ditches were defended in enfilade by 57mm guns in casemates resembling counterscarp
Counterscarp
A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides of a ditch used in fortifications. In permanent fortifications the scarp and counterscarp may be encased in stone...
batteries, firing at shot traps at the other end of the ditch. One of the larger forts of Liège, it was armed with heavy artillery in rotating turrets, concentrated in a central massif. The compact center was surrounded by four turrets with lighter guns for close defense.
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
Counterscarp
A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides of a ditch used in fortifications. In permanent fortifications the scarp and counterscarp may be encased in stone...
, 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. 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.
Armament
Fléron's armament included 21cm, 15cm and 12cm gun turrets for distant targets and 57mm gun turrets for local defense. It also mounted an observation turret with a searchlight. Rapid-fire 57mm guns were provided in casemates for the defense of the ditches and the postern.The large weapons were all German products, made by Krupp
Krupp
The Krupp family , a prominent 400-year-old German dynasty from Essen, have become famous for their steel production and for their manufacture of ammunition and armaments. The family business, known as Friedrich Krupp AG Hoesch-Krupp, was the largest company in Europe at the beginning of the 20th...
in Essen
Essen
- Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of...
, but the armor was by Cockerill
Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie
Cockerill Maintenance & Ingénierie is a mechanical engineering group headquartered in Seraing, Belgium, producing machinery for steel plants, industrial heat recovery equipment and boiler, and shunting locomotives and military equipment ....
(Belgium), Ateliers de Creusot (France) or Grüson
Gruson
-References:*...
(Germany). The fort was provided with signal lights to permit communication with the neighboring Fort de Loncin
Fort de Loncin
The Fort de Loncin is one of twelve forts built as part of the Fortifications of Liège in the late 19th century in Belgium. It was constructed between 1881 and 1884 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont...
and Fort de Liers
Fort de Liers
The Fort de Liers is one of twelve forts built as part of the fortifications of Liège in the late 19th century in Belgium. It was built between 1881 and 1884 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont...
. The guns were fired using black powder rather than smokeless powder
Smokeless powder
Smokeless powder is the name given to a number of propellants used in firearms and artillery which produce negligible smoke when fired, unlike the older gunpowder which they replaced...
, producing choking gas in the confined firing spaces that spread throughout the fort.
The fort was manned by 307 artillerymen and 80 infantry under the command of Commandant-Captain Mozin.
First World War
The forts south and east of Liège first came under attack on 4 August 1914. Heavy German infantry attacks were met with unexpectedly strong resistance, resulting in heavy German casualties. 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. German forces infiltrating between the forts captured the center of Liège on 6 August and were able to set up siege artillery in the city itself, attacking the forts from the rear. Fléron was hit with heavy artillery starting on the 11th, and by the next day was being hit at a rate of up to 250 shots per hour. A German delegation requesting the fort's surrender was turned away at midday, but conditions inside the bombarded fort were poor, and the fort's ammunition hoists were inoperable. That night the firing continued with close-range mortar fire. On the 13th a 42cm gun opened fire. Commandant Mozin surrendered the fort at 0945 hours on the 14th, having lost the means to fight back and unable to remain in the asphyxiating fort. The fort suffered five killed in the battle. Twelve more died as prisoners of war.Fortified Position of Liège
Fléron's armament was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the Fortified Position of LiègeFortified Position of Liège
The fortified position of Liège was established following World War I by Belgium to fortify the traditional invasion corridor from Germany through Belgium to France. The Belgian experience of World War I, in which the Belgian Army held the invading force for a week at Liège, impeding the German...
II, which was planned to deter a German incursion over the nearby border. The 21cm turrets were replaced with longer-range 15m turrets, the 15cm turret was replaced by a turret with machine guns and grenade launchers, and the 12cm turrets were replaced with turrets containing twin 105mm guns. These new weapons were German in origin. Three 75mm turrets were added as well. This was accompanied by improvements to ventilation, protection, sanitary facilities, communications and electrical power. An air intake tower was added on the other side of the now-vanished Line 38 railroad tracks, which has itself been demolished. New barracks were built at this time for peacetime accommodation. The fort was manned by 250 men, 20 non-commissioned officers and 13 officers.
Second World War
From 10 May to 16 May 1940 Fléron was repeatedly attacked by air. The electrical system was destroyed the first day, compelling all firing adjustments and loading to be done by hand. The fort fired on German forces in the area, as well as providing covering fire to neighboring forts. Targets included the Citadel of Liège, the airport, and the Chàteau de Tancrémont. The fort also fired on attacking aircraft. Heavy aerial attacks on 17 May wrecked the communications center and the 15cm turrets. The 105mm guns ran out of ammunition, and a 75mm gun was inoperable. The fort's commandant, Captain Gline, believed that the fort was no longer capable of effective resistance, and with the permission of his superiors released the garrison to join the field army. Four were killed and six wounded during the action.External links
- Le fort de Fleron 1914 & 1940
- Fort de Fléron at fortiff.be