Antwerp, Battle of

In World War I, German siege of the Belgian port 27 September–9 October 1914. British and Belgian troops mounted a fierce resistance which failed to save the city but did delay the German advance enough to prevent a push straight through to the English Channel. Antwerp remained under German occupation until the end of the war.

The siege began with a German howitzer bombardment of the 30 forts placed around the city in two rings, reinforced by intermediate works and inundation west of the river. The Belgians prepared to evacuate the city and 9,000 British naval and marine reinforcements arrived 3 October 1914 to cover the evacuation. The outer ring of forts was abandoned 6 October and the Germans moved their siege artillery forward to begin bombarding closer the city itself and take the inner ring of forts. The Belgian army began its withdrawal that night, covered by a combined British-Belgian rearguard, which held for three days under intense attack until the last troops withdrew 9 October and the city surrendered.