Fortfied Position Liège - Fort Pontisse

Fort Pontisse was built in 1888.

When it opened, it had two turrets with one 210 mm gun, one turret with two 150 mm guns, two turrets with two 120 mm guns each, and four turrets with one 57 mm gun for the fort's proximity defense.

When the 1st World War broke out in August 1914, these guns were actually obsolete at 26 ages old. So were the turrets. These were not able to cope with the heavier shells that had been developed in the meantime.

Except for the 57 mm guns, the guns were supplied by the Krupp company from Germany. The 57 mm guns were from Nordenfeld of Great Britain.

Fort Pontisse was the first fort to be shelled in August 1914 with the infamous “Dicke Bertha” howitzer from the Krupp company. This howitzer could fire shells of 420 mm. No fort of ‘La Position Fortifiée de Liège’ could withstand this caliber. Fort Loncin, for example, was completely blown up by a direct hit in the ammunition depot under the fort's central massif. The Dicke Bertha was positioned the village of Mortier on the northeast side of Liège.

When the Belgian forts around Liege were rearmed in the 1930s in relation to geopolitical developments in Germany, the fort received a turret with two 105 mm guns, and the four guns for proximity defense were replaced by 75 mm guns.

During the occupation of the fort from 1914 through 1918, the Germans carried out repair work on the fort. The fort was even fortified.

At the entrance gate, on the left side are the room of the watch commander in time of peace, the mortuary, and several warehouses, among others. On the right side are the room of the watch commander in time of war, the kitchen, washrooms for the men, warehouses, showers for the men, latrines, and a prison, the cachot (for soldiers with punishment).

The fort is no longer maintained and is increasingly falling into disrepair. The fort is open only by exception.

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Source

• Text: Ed Lewandowski
• Photos: Luc van Waeyenberge (1), Ed Lewandowski (2, 3, 4, 5)
• La Position Fortifiée de Liège, Coenen & Vernier