Fort d ' Andoy The Fort d ' Andoy is one of nine forts built as part of the Fortifications of Namur in the late 19th century in Belgium . It was built between 1888 and 1892 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont . Contrasting with the French forts built in the same era by Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières , the fort was built exclusively of unreinforced concrete , a new material , rather than masonry . In 1914 the fort was heavily bombarded by German artillery in the Battle of Namur . Andoy was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the fortified position of Namur in an attempt to forestall or slow an attack from Germany . It saw action in 1940 during the Battle of Belgium , and was captured by German forces . The fort is presently abandoned on private property . Description . The Fort d ' Andoy is located about southeast of the center of Namur . The fort forms a triangle in plan , and is one of the larger Namur forts . A deep by ditch encircles the fort . The ditches were defended in enfilade by 57mm guns in casemates resembling counterscarp batteries , firing at shot traps at the other end of the ditch . The principal armament was concentrated in the central massif , closely grouped in a solid mass of concrete . Belgian forts made little provision for the daily needs of their wartime garrisons , locating latrines , showers , kitchens and the morgue in the fort ' s counterscarp , a location that would be untenable in combat . This would have profound effects on the forts ' ability to endure a long assault . The service areas were placed directly opposite the barracks , which opened into the ditch in the rear of the fort ( i . e . , in the face towards Namur ) , with lesser protection than the front and " salient " sides . The Brialmont forts placed a weaker side to the rear to allow for recapture by Belgian forces from the rear , and located the barracks and support facilities on this side , using the rear ditch for light and ventilation of living spaces . In combat heavy shellfire made the rear ditch untenable , and German forces were able to get between the forts and attack them from the rear . The Brialmont forts were designed to be protected from shellfire equaling their heaviest guns : 21 cm . The top of the central massif used of unreinforced concrete , while the caserne walls , judged to be less exposed , used . Under fire , the forts were damaged by 21 cm fire and could not withstand heavier artillery . Armament . Andoy ' s guns included one twin 15 cm turret , two single 21 cm turrets and two twin 12 cm turrets , all for distant targets . Four 57mm turrets with another eight 57mm guns in embrasures providing defense of the fort ' s ditches and postern . The fort also mounted an observation turret with a searchlight . The fort ' s heavy guns were German , typically Krupp , while the turret mechanisms were from a variety of sources . The fort was provided with signal lights to permit communication with neighboring forts . The guns were fired using black powder rather than smokeless powder , producing choking gas in the confined firing spaces that spread throughout the fort . First World War . Andoy fired its first shots of World War I on 14 August 1914 . German fire first hit the fort on 21 August . Andoy was heavily targeted by German artillery from 22 August to 24 August 1914 , hit by an estimated 450 to 600 305mm projectiles . The Germans did not bother with infantry assault at the Namur forts as had been tried at Liège , at a heavy cost , preferring to batter the Namur positions with artillery . The Namur forts fell quickly . Andoy was hit in the kitchen and magazine on the 21st , damaging their overhead protection . The 15 cm turret and on 57mm turret were put out of action . The utility plant was damaged on the 22nd , killing Lieutenant Tasnier and five or six soldiers . Heavy damage caused panic in the garrison , but the fort continued to hold out with help from supporting infantry . Andoy ' s remaining armament fired on German positions on the 23rd , but the 21 cm turret was destroyed , killing seven , followed by the destruction of two more turrets . The utility plant was knocked out entirely , leaving the fort with no electricity or ventilation , and the air quickly became unbreathable . Artillery fire stopped in the afternoon of the 23rd , and the interval troops and three functioning 57mm turrets repelled a German infantry assault . Shelling resumed during the night . On the 24th , with the ceiling of the main assembly hall threatening to collapse . Commandant Nollet assembled his 215 remaining men , sabotaged his last functioning armament and surrendered at 1115 hours to the 11th Battalion of the German 32nd Infantry . The Germans occupied the fort from 1914 to 1918 . In 1915 the Germans undertook an improvement program for Andoy and other Namur positions , remedying some of their faults . By 1916 the fort ' s latrines and bakery had been moved for better protection , the postern and main entry were reinforced , and ventilation had been substantially improved . The fort ' s concrete was augmented with additional material and metal supports . Fortified Position of Namur . Andoy ' s armament was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the Fortified Position of Namur , which was planned to deter a German incursion over the nearby border . Protection was substantially increased and armament was modernized . This was accompanied by improvements to ventilation , protection , sanitary facilities , communications and electrical power . Four 57mm turrets were re - equipped with 75mm guns , and new guns were mounted in the other cupolas , except for the 21 cm turrets , which were not re - used . A ventilation tower was added at the end of a tunnel , that could serve as an observation post for spotting artillery fire . The area surrounding the fort was equipped with improved shelters for the interval troops . Second World War . In May 1940 the Fort d ' Andoy was commanded by Commandant Degehet . Following the opening of hostilities between Belgium and Germany , the fort fired on German aircraft without effect . German troops approached on the 13th , taking fire from the fort . Heavier forces , including armored vehicles , approached on the 14th . In the 15th the supporting infantry was ordered to retreat . That afternoon the Germans began to take control of Namur . The fort ' s air tower took fire from light artillery . Heavier combat took place the next day , and firing became general by the 16th . On the 18th Andoy fired in support of the Fort de Marchovelette , but Marchevolette surrendered at 2000 hours . On the 21st the Fort de Saint - Héribert and the Fort de Malonne requested support . Andoy fired its 75mm guns on the distressed forts , but they were overrun . On the 22nd German forces began a sustained attack on Andoy , supported by 88mm high - velocity guns . The Fort de Maizeret and the Fort de Dave fired on Andoy in support of the defenders , successfully repelling the initial assault . Some of the observation positions were destroyed by German fire , but enough remained in operation to allow coordination with the neighboring forts . Maizeret and Andoy were attacked on the 23rd . Dave supported the two forts , who supported each other . The garrison noted that the fort ' s eclipsing turrets could not rise fast enough to avoid being hit by 37mm anti - tank guns before they could fire . The attack intensified so that the turrets and observation cupolas could not be occupied . Saint - Héribert , Maizeret and Malonne surrendered , and Andoy ' s armament was reduced to one 75mm gun and a grenade launcher turret . The Germans delivered an ultimatum under a flag of truce , demanding the surrender of the fort and threatening aerial bombardment . Andoy ' s remaining weapons were sabotaged and the fort was surrendered by Commandant Degehet at 1730 , receiving military honors from the Germans . The garrison was taken into custody and sent to prisoner of war camps in East Prussia . There were a total of four Belgian dead at Andoy . More than 300 Germans had been killed or wounded in the actions of May around the fort . Present . The Fort d ' Andoy is on private property and is not open to the public . It was never repaired or rehabilitated after World War II . It is used as a hunting ground and is in poor condition , overgrown with vegetation .