Jump to content

User:Acroterion/National Redoubt (Belgium)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Belgian National Redoubt refers to the fortifications built between World War I and World War II to replace or supplement obsolete fortifications around Antwerp and Ghent. The National Redoubt consolidated the Fortified Position of Antwerp (Position Fortifiée d'Antwerp) and the Ghent Bridgehead (Tête du Pont de Gent) into a defended region into which the Belgian Army could retreat in the event of invasion, receiving resupply though the port of Antwerp and preserving the government and army of Belgium.[1]

The Antwerp fortifications competed for resources at a time when Belgium was building expensive modern fortifications on the German border such as Fort Eben-Emael as part of the Fortified Position of Liège, modernizing the Brialmont fortifications of Liège and Namur and building lighter fortifications on the Albert Canal and the Dyle.[2]

Antwerp fortifications

[edit]
1906 maps of Antwerp showing the first and second fort rings

Inner forts

[edit]

The inner ring of Antwerp forts was constructed around 1860, together with a comprehensive set of bastioned city walls, wet ditches, advanced works and auxiliary citadels. These forts were made obsolete by advances in the range and explosive power of artillery in the late 19th century. In 1906 the forts were termed the "safety ring."

  • City Walls of Antwerp
    • Citadelle du Nord
  • Fort de Dourde
  • Tête de Flandres
    • Belvedere
    • Fort de Calico
    • Fort Isabelle
    • Fort de Burgh

Brialmont forts

[edit]
Fort 2 (Wommelgem)

Clockwise, starting north of the city at the Schelde:

River Schelde

Third Antwerp Ring

[edit]
Aerial view of Fort Breedonk

Clockwise, starting north of the city at the Schelde:

River Schelde

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Kauffmann, p. 102
  2. ^ Kauffmann, pp. 101-104
  3. ^ "Tyhe Belgian Fortress of Antwerp - 1914".

References

[edit]
  • Kauffmann, J.E., Jurga, R., Fortress Europe: European Fortifications of World War II, Da Capo Press, USA, 2002, ISBN 0-306-81174-X.
[edit]