Fortresses of WWI: Fort de Loncin - The only fort at Liège that did not surrender
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Fort de Loncin was one of the twelve forts of the Fortification of Liège. Built exclusively out of unreinforced concrete, the fort was not able to withstand the bombardment of German 21cm guns, let alone the massive 42cm Big Bertha howitzer. However, Fort de Loncin was the only fort around Liège which did not surrender.
Built between 1881 and 1884, the Fort de Loncin was completely built out of concrete. The weak material and poor understandings of concrete mixing made the fort vulnerable, while poor living conditions reduced the ability of garrisoned troops to operate under fire. However, Loncin was provided with mechanical ventilation and better sanitary arrangements than other Belgian forts. It was armed with two 21cm howitzer turrets, one double 15cm gun turret, two double 12cm gun turrets and several smaller gun turrets and rapid-fire guns.
In 1914 the fort was the last of the Belgian forts to be attacked by the German army. It was massively bombarded before one of the two magazines, with twelve tons of explosives, was hit. The explosion destroyed most of the fort and killed 350 of the total 550 Belgian soldiers. The main reason for the destruction was the placement of the ammunition magazines, which were placed close to the surface and had never been upgraded since their destruction. However, Belgian authorities did learn from their mistakes and built the Fort Eben-Emael with their new understandings of construction and arrangement of barracks, magazines and sanitation.
Fort de Loncin was one of the twelve forts of the Fortification of Liège. Built exclusively out of unreinforced concrete, the fort was not able to withstand the bombardment of German 21cm guns, let alone the massive 42cm Big Bertha howitzer. However, Fort de Loncin was the only fort around Liège which did not surrender.
Built between 1881 and 1884, the Fort de Loncin was completely built out of concrete. The weak material and poor understandings of concrete mixing made the fort vulnerable, while poor living conditions reduced the ability of garrisoned troops to operate under fire. However, Loncin was provided with mechanical ventilation and better sanitary arrangements than other Belgian forts. It was armed with two 21cm howitzer turrets, one double 15cm gun turret, two double 12cm gun turrets and several smaller gun turrets and rapid-fire guns.
In 1914 the fort was the last of the Belgian forts to be attacked by the German army. It was massively bombarded before one of the two magazines, with twelve tons of explosives, was hit. The explosion destroyed most of the fort and killed 350 of the total 550 Belgian soldiers. The main reason for the destruction was the placement of the ammunition magazines, which were placed close to the surface and had never been upgraded since their destruction. However, Belgian authorities did learn from their mistakes and built the Fort Eben-Emael with their new understandings of construction and arrangement of barracks, magazines and sanitation.