FORT BATTICE

BELGIUM

by

DAVID HUNT

(Note from the Curator: Photo`s are very detailed so please be patient on the download)

Fort Battice was one of the four `modern` forts built between April 1934 and 1940 as part of the Belgium outer defences of Liege (Luttich).

It had a garrison establishment of 22 Officers, 92 NCO`s and 758 men manning four 120mm guns, six 75mm guns, four 60mm anti-tank guns with some 62 machine-guns.

Battice was sited in a strategic position covering the main road from Aachen to Liege about 17km from the German border.

The fort has a pentagonal layout with huge anti-tank ditches on four side and is tunnelled into a 340m high hilltop to a depth of about 30m. A railway cutting ran along the northern (5th) side.

The fort covers an area of about 47ha (116 acres) with 6km of underground passages including magazines, command post, power station and accommodation and has 15 emplacements on the surface.

During the German advance into Belgium in May1940, the fort was first attacked with artillery fire on 11th May. Later attacks apppear to have included direct fire from 88mm Flak and Stuka dive bombing. The Germans did not attack with either armour or infantry. The garrison finally surrendered on the morning of 22nd May after 12 days of siege.

Photograph shows B5 on the south flank with machine cupola and a `patrol entry point`.

 

Photograph shows the B1 position covering a former railway line.

This was armed with two 60mm anti-tank guns, a machine-gun and a searchlight.

The face suffered significant battle damage and the site is now a memorial. The fort is to the right, out of the picture.

This photograph shows one of the battle damaged guns covering the entrance to B1 and enfilading the railway.

This photograph shows the second gun on B1.

An observation turret at Joncay covering the valley to the north.

This is the same position showing the retractable ventilation shafts for the fort.

This photograph shows turret complex B6 with machine-guns covering the anti-tank ditch at the southwest corner of the fort.

This is a close-up of B6 with the domed top ofthe twin 75mm retractable gun turret just visible on the horizon.

This photograph shows the 15m wide western anti-tank ditch looking northwards.

The 5m ditch is on the left and the fort on the right.

Copyright Graham G Matthews@PSG2002