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← Timeline
Antwerp
Tag
(15)
1914
August
17
Belgian government moves from Brussels to Antwerp
On 17 August 1914, with the Germans approaching, the Belgian government left Brussels and moved to Antwerp, the country's strongest fortress.
18
Key event
Battle of the Gete
On 18 August 1914 the Belgian army faced the Germans on the Gete. Threatened with encirclement, King Albert I ordered a retreat to the fortress of Antwerp.
19
Belgian army withdraws from the Gete to Antwerp
On 19 August 1914 the Belgian army withdrew from the Gete to the fortress of Antwerp. In the towns it left, German troops committed crimes against civilians.
25
Battle of Mechelen begins
On 25 August 1914 the Belgian army sallied out of the fortress of Antwerp and attacked the Germans near Mechelen. It was the first Belgian sortie from Antwerp.
27
Battle of Mechelen ends
On 27 August 1914 the Belgian army's first sortie from Antwerp ended. After three days of fighting near Mechelen the Belgians returned behind the line of forts.
September
27
Key event
Siege of Antwerp begins
On 27 September 1914 the Germans began the siege of Antwerp, Belgium's last fortress. The next day heavy mortars began to smash the outer forts.
28
Germans occupy Mechelen
On 28 September 1914, in the first days of the siege of Antwerp, the Germans took Mechelen, the city of Belgium's archbishops, shelled since August.
October
02
Germans occupy Dendermonde
On 2 October 1914 the Germans again occupied ruined Dendermonde on the Scheldt, threatening the road by which the Belgian army could leave Antwerp.
03
British marines arrive in Antwerp
On 3 October 1914 Winston Churchill arrived in Antwerp. That night the Royal Marine Brigade arrived and took up positions on the Nete near Lier.
06
British 7th Division lands in Belgium
On 6 October 1914 the British 7th Division, sent to help Antwerp, began landing at Zeebrugge. It came too late, but covered the Belgian army's retreat.
07
Belgian government moves to Ostend
On 7 October 1914 the Belgian government left Antwerp and moved to Ostend. The army was withdrawing across the Scheldt and residents fled the bombardment.
08
Second British air raid on Germany
On 8 October 1914 RNAS pilot Reginald Marix bombed a shed in Düsseldorf and destroyed the airship Z IX. Spenser Grey failed to find his target at Cologne.
09
Fall of the last forts of Antwerp
On 9 October 1914 the Germans found the inner ring forts abandoned and entered Antwerp. The burgomaster signed the fortress's surrender at Kontich.
10
Capitulation of Antwerp
On 10 October 1914 Antwerp formally capitulated. Governor Deguise surrendered at Fort Sainte-Marie, and thousands of soldiers were interned in the Netherlands.
1918
November
19
Belgians return to Antwerp
On 19 November 1918 Belgian troops reoccupied Antwerp. The fortress, which had capitulated in October 1914, returned to Belgium after more than four years.