Eben Emael

In World War II, daring assault 10 May 1940 by German glider troops to capture a Belgian fort. Eben Emael was strategically placed at the junction of the Albert Canal and Maas River, north of Liège, to guard a vital crossing-point and was considered to be impregnable as any assault would have to be made across either the river or the canal.

It was attacked by a squad of 85 German glider troops who landed on top of the fort and used special explosive charges to put the gun turrets out of action, but were unable to get into the fort itself as they were pinned down by crossfire from neighbouring forts. The following day German troops crossed the canal by boat to relieve the glider force, who had suffered relatively low casualties (6 dead and 15 wounded), and the fort surrendered. The gliders were quickly removed so for several years it was believed that the assault had been made across the canal.