Fort de Leveau
Encyclopedia
The Fort de Leveau, also known as Fort Schouller, is located in the commune of Feignies
Feignies
-References:*...

, France. It is part of the fortifications of Maubeuge, located to the northwest of the city, overlooking the railroad to Mons
Mons
Mons is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut, of which it is the capital. The Mons municipality includes the old communes of Cuesmes, Flénu, Ghlin, Hyon, Nimy, Obourg, Baudour , Jemappes, Ciply, Harmignies, Harveng, Havré, Maisières, Mesvin, Nouvelles,...

. The Séré de Rivières system
Séré de Rivières system
The Séré de Rivières system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 and first used at the beginning of the First World War along the frontiers and coasts of France...

 fort was built 1882-1884, one of six forts built at the time. It is maintained as a museum by the town of Feignies.

Description

The fort is a typical example of a Séré de Rivières system, with a low wall, surrounded by a ditch, which is in turn defended by caponier
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...

s. The roof of the barracks is concreted and supports an artillery platform, or cavalier. The ditch was traversed by a drawbridge, no longer extant. The position was heavily bombarded in 1914. In 1893, four 120mm guns were moutned on the cavalier, while additional armament including 90mm guns were added in casemates. A 1914 project added a turret for two 75mm guns. However, the turret was not armed and equipped at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

.

In the 1930s the fort was chosen as a site for fortifications associated with the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...

 extension around Maubeuge, part of the "New Fronts" program. An observation post, a casemate and a blockhouse were built on the fort. The casemate was furnished with a 25mm anti-tank gun, a machine gun port and an automatic rifle port.

History

In 1870, France was partly occupied by the Prussian army
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...

. As a result of this defeat, the Séré de Rivières system
Séré de Rivières system
The Séré de Rivières system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 and first used at the beginning of the First World War along the frontiers and coasts of France...

 of fortifications was planned and constructed to defend the nation. Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Maubeuge is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is situated on both banks of the Sambre , east of Valenciennes and about from the Belgian border.-History:...

, located close by the border between France and Belgium
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...

, received a complete ring of forts. Construction started in 1882, completing in 1884 for a garrison of 97 men. The armament was improved in 1893, and the fort was renovated again in 1914.

In the opening stages of World War I the German army laid siege to Maubeuge, beginning 29 August 1914. On 7 September, the Fort de Leveau was bombarded by 25 42 cm projectiles and a number of 30.5 cm rounds., heavily damaging the fort, with one shot hitting the barracks and killing up to 120. At 1400 on the 7th, French forces evacuated the fort, shortly before the general surrender of the Maubeuge fortress. After occupying the fort, the Germans blew up the caponiers, the unfinished 75mm gun turret and other portions of the fort.

In the 1930s, France invested in the construction of the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...

, which covered the eastern frontiers of France. The frontier with Belgium was regarded as a lesser priority because France's war plan called for the French Army to advance into Belgium and conduct an offensive there. Belatedly, France began construction of a limited series of defenses around Maubeuge in the mid-1930s. These fortifications were individually assaulted and captured in the opening phases of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The Leveau fortifications were attacked on 18 May 1940 and were subdued that afternoon, with one defender dead. In 1944 the fort saw fighting between Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...

and German forces.

The site was acquired by the town of Feignies in 1993 and is administered as a museum by the Association de Sauvegrade du Fort de Leveau. In 1998, excavations recovered the remains of nine soldiers killed in the 1914 siege, who were re-interred at the Assevent cemetery.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK