Namur

The "Namur Fortified Position (Position fortifiée Namur)" consisted of nine fortresses (four large ones and five small ones) located in Cognelée, Emines, Marchovelette, Malonne, Saint-Héribert, Suarlée, Andoy, Dave and Maizeret. All fortresses had been built during the Brialmont period.

The defence of Namur was led by Lieutenant General Michel.

On 21 August 1914, after the fall of the “Liège Fortified Position”, the German troops started the siege of Namur which was defended by the 4th Army Division under the command of Lieutenant General Michel.

The German troops had drawn lessons from the fights around Liège and limited themselves to systematically bombing the fortresses around Namur with heavy 30.5cm and 42cm guns. On 24 August 1914 the Namur garrison surrendered. The last fortress in Namur surrendered on the next day.

The units of the 4th Army Division withdrew from Namur and went through France to finally arrive in Zeebrugge and Ostend in early September. From the Belgian ports they were redeployed in Antwerp.