267:, 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 Namur), with lesser protection than the front and "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 Brialmont forts were designed to be protected from shellfire equaling their heaviest guns: 21cm. The top of the central massif used 4 metres (13 ft) of unreinforced concrete, while the caserne walls, judged to be less exposed, used 1.5 metres (4.9 ft). Under fire, the forts were damaged by 21cm fire and could not withstand heavier artillery.
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336:, which was planned to deter a German incursion over the nearby border. Protection was substantially increased and armament was modernized. This was accompanied by improvements to ventilation, protection, sanitary facilities, communications and electrical power. The area surrounding the fort was equipped with improved shelters for the interval troops.
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After its renovation, Maizeret was armed with one twin 105mm turret, four 75mm single turrets, one twin machine gun turret and two twin grenade launcher turrets. Machine guns provided close protection. Ventilation was provided by an air inlet in a nearby ravine. The 75mm turrets could be lowered for
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In the summer of 1914 the Fort de
Maizeret was under the command of Captain-Commandant Poncelet, with about 400 men. The fort was bombarded by invading German forces beginning on 21 August 1914. The Germans did not bother with infantry assault at the Namur forts as had been tried at Liège, at a heavy
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The Fort de
Maizeret is on private property and is not open to the public. It was never repaired or rehabilitated after World War II. A quarry has been excavated just to the east of the fort. One of the counterscarp positions is directly on the edge of the quarry, overlooking the Meuse. The present
220:, the fort was built exclusively of unreinforced concrete, a new material, rather than masonry. In 1914 the fort was heavily bombarded by German artillery in the Battle of Namur. Maizeret was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the
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and two twin 12cm turrets, all for distant targets. Three 57mm turrets with another six 57mm guns in embrasures providing defense of the fort's ditches and postern. The fort also mounted an observation turret with a searchlight.
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cost, preferring to batter the Namur positions with artillery. The Namur forts fell quickly. Maizeret was abandoned by
Poncelet and his garrison on 22 August, its ability to resist destroyed by the heavy German artillery.
352:, but was inactive on the following two days. On the 18th, Maizeret again supported Marchovelette. On the 19th there were skirmishes and two wounded Germans were captured. In the 20th, Maizeret supported the
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The three forts on the right bank of the Meuse were linked by a military railway, with a repair shop for the rolling stock at
Maizeret. Materials delivered from the Meuse were moved to Maizeret by an
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The Fort de
Maizeret in May 1940 was commanded by Captain-Commandant Hambrenne. The fort opened fire against distant targets on 14 May. On the 15th Maizeret fired in support of the
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299:, while the turret mechanisms were from a variety of sources. The fort was provided with signal lights to permit communication with neighboring forts. The guns were fired using
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batteries, firing at shot traps at the other end of the ditch. The principal armament was concentrated in the central massif, closely grouped in a solid mass of concrete.
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Belgian forts made little provision for the daily needs of their wartime garrisons, locating latrines, showers, kitchens and the morgue in the fort's
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in an attempt to forestall or slow an attack from
Germany. It saw action in 1940 during the
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The Fort de
Maizeret is located about 9 kilometres (5.6 mi) east of the center of
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Maizeret's armament was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the
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Maizeret's guns included one twin 15cm turret, one single
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573:"Historique du Fort de Maizeret: 2ème guerre mondiale"
541:"Historique du Fort de Maizeret: 1ère guerre mondiale"
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516:(in French). Viile du Maizeret. Archived from
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295:The fort's heavy guns were German, typically
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451:"Historique du Fort de Maizeret: Avant 1914"
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204:is one of nine forts built as part of the
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610:The Forts of the Meuse in World War I
390:The Forts of the Meuse in World War I
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612:, Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 2007,
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575:(in French). Village du Maizeret
543:(in French). Village du Maizeret
453:(in French). Village du Maizeret
218:Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières
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49:
487:Index des fortifications belges
1:
627:, Da Capo Press, USA, 2002,
623:Kauffmann, J.E., Jurga, R.,
208:in the late 19th century in
784:Fortified position of Namur
704:Fortified position of Namur
334:Fortified Position of Namur
328:Fortified Position of Namur
222:fortified position of Namur
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655:Fort du Diable (Maizeret)
388:Donnell, Clayton (2007).
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31:
23:
657:at Maizeret: Le Village
489:(in French). fortiff.be.
358:88mm high-velocity guns
206:Fortifications of Namur
26:Fortifications of Namur
723:Fort de Saint-Héribert
392:. Osprey. p. 32.
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279:from the river below.
214:Henri Alexis Brialmont
743:Fort de Marchovelette
350:Fort de Marchovelette
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183:Unreinforced concrete
483:"Maizeret (fort de)"
520:on 30 December 2010
340:better protection.
97:50.46361°N 4.9875°E
93: /
608:Donnell, Clayton,
561:Donnell, pp. 55-56
439:Donnell, pp. 45-48
321:
319:The forts of Namur
134:Controlled by
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765:
666:at Zone Interdit
618:978-1-84603-114-4
512:Danzain, Pierre.
481:Puelinckx, Jean.
399:978-1-84603-114-4
226:Battle of Belgium
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193:Battle of Belgium
191:Battle of Namur,
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748:Fort de Maizeret
738:Fort de Cognelée
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514:"Fort du Diable"
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344:Second World War
305:smokeless powder
202:Fort de Maizeret
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121:Site information
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102:50.46361; 4.9875
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64:Fort de Maizeret
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19:Fort de Maizeret
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718:Fort de Malonne
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603:Bibliography
577:. Retrieved
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545:. Retrieved
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522:. Retrieved
518:the original
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455:. Retrieved
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354:Fort d'Andoy
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303:rather than
301:black powder
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271:Construction
265:counterscarp
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258:counterscarp
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201:
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188:Battles/wars
160:Site history
142:Open to
668:(in French)
659:(in French)
650:(in French)
311:World War I
289:21cm turret
256:resembling
232:Description
100: /
76:Coordinates
773:Categories
373:References
250:57 mm guns
85:50°27′49″N
579:17 August
547:17 August
524:17 August
457:17 August
254:casemates
180:Materials
155:Abandoned
152:Condition
88:4°59′15″E
283:Armament
246:enfilade
34:Maizeret
24:Part of
364:Present
210:Belgium
170: (
137:Belgium
129:Private
38:Belgium
631:
616:
396:
297:Krupp
242:Meuse
238:Namur
165:Built
126:Owner
629:ISBN
614:ISBN
581:2012
549:2012
526:2012
459:2012
394:ISBN
200:The
172:1888
168:1888
116:Fort
113:Type
711:PFN
252:in
248:by
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589:^
495:^
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380:^
147:No
36:,
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689:t
682:v
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174:)
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