The Siege of Aubin-Neufchateau: Commander’s Log

Relive day by day the siege of the Belgian fortress of Aubin-Neufchateau as recorded in the commander’s log.

BI = B1 or Bloc 1. Armed with a twin 75mm gun turret and two machine gun cupolas.
BII = B2 or Bloc 2. Armed with a twin 75mm gun turret and two machine gun cupolas.
BIII = B3 or Bloc 3. Peacetime entrance. Armed with 3 machine gun cupolas and a machine gun in casemate.
BO = Bloc O. Air intake and observation bloc.
BM = Mortar Bloc. Armed with three 81mm mortars and an observation cupola.
BP = Bloc P. Wartime entrance and auxiliary air intake. Two observation cupolas and a machine gun casemate.
CI = C1 or Coffer 1. Protects the moat. Armed with a 47mm AT gun and a machine gun.
CII = C2 or Coffer 2. Protects the moat. Armed with two 47mm AT guns and two machine guns.
CIII = C3, or Coffer 3, or Anti-Tank Bloc. Armed with two 47mm AT guns in cupolas.

Day 9: Saturday the 18th of May 1940

0.20 20 rounds fired around the perimeter to secure the Glacis.
BP spots a German artillery battery near Julemont. 50 rounds of 75mm fired on the battery. The Germans abandon the position.

0.50, 2.00 and 3.15 BM fires 15 rounds all around the Glacis to secure the perimeter.

05.45 BM spots a German artillery battery down the road leading from Julemont to Mortier. B2 fires 50 rounds on the objective which is subsequently neutralized.

06.00 The garrison takes advantage of the relative calm to place 265 anti-personnel mines in front of every breach along the outer wall. The main access to the fort (Postern) is also mined.
Inform HQ that the phone line with Battice is cut off and communication is done over VHF radio.
Between the 16th and 18th of May, Aubin fortress has been on the receiving end of about 1000 tons of German shells and bombs. The outer wall along salient II-III (facing East near coffer CII) looks in bad shape. The Glacis and Massif are covered in craters. Rubble and soil are accumulating in the dry moat. For the first time since the 10th of May, the garrison is able to take the rubbish out as well as the buckets used as toilets which are in use in every combat bloc.

German Attacks and Fort Defenses

09.40 Bloc B3 (Main entrance) is on the receiving end of direct hits coming from the direction of Val-Dieu. The hits are regular and always in the same place. The Germans will target that one spot for over 24 hours, leaving a crater over 1 meter deep on the face of the main entrance bloc.

11.18 A German column composed of motorbikes, tanks and lorries is seen traveling in the direction of Julemont. Gun turrets ordered to target the Heuziere crossroad then the St Andre crossroad to try and intercept the convoy. A lot of planes are spotted flying at high altitude. Inform HQ about a risk of an aerial attack in the region.

11.55 Enemy traffic spotted between Julemont and Bombaye. Mortar Bloc fires 50 bombs on the Collines crossroad to try and disrupt it.

13.47 B1 spots some German activity near the Coolen farm. 10 rounds of 75mm fired in that direction.

Communications and Strategic Fire

Telegram received from Barchon. The Germans have requested that they surrender. BO sees a German gun near the Afnay crossroad. BM fires 25 bombs on the coordinates.

15.45 Another telegram received from Barchon fort. Cannot decipher it. Barchon seems to be on the brink and the Germans seem to be preparing a final assault on the fort. 50 rounds fired in that direction in the hope it might provide some cover fire/support. Pontisse fort is called to the rescue but is off the air.

16.56 Sentries detect a German battery. 50 rounds of 75mm ordered on the objective. A strong explosion followed by secondaries: Battery ammunition stores destroyed. German artillerymen are seen running away.

17.02 Bloc C3 warns us vehicles are seen at the 3 chimneys crossroad. C3 engages the convoys with its 47mm gun but the gun malfunctions after 12 rounds. B1 takes over with its 75mm gun. One lorry is destroyed. More German vehicles are spotted near « la Sabliere ». B1 opens fire again. Several German cars are destroyed, one burns. The Germans try to escape from the convoy on foot and are engaged by the fort’s machine guns.

Evening Engagements and Current Situation

The commandant will reprimand the gun crews for having opened fire without authorization. He will immediately follow the reprimand by congratulating them on a job well done. The garrison will learn later on the German convoy was in fact a German military police unit that drove by the fort as they had been told by other German units that Aubin had surrendered.

19.45 B2 reports a lot of traffic on the Julemont-Mortroux road. 50 rounds of 75mm are fired along the road to harass the Germans.

The fort’s situation at this time is as follows: Two out of four 75mm guns still in operation (1 per turret), all three 81mm mortars are in working order. Four out of five 47mm guns are working. 8017 rounds of 75mm and 81mm have been fired by the fort so far. As for the garrison, the toll stands at 6 dead, 15 wounded, and 24 missing in action (mainly the crews from the small bunkers of which the fort has no longer any news).

23.50 25 rounds of 75mm fired in the vicinity of the Remendael train station after muzzle flashes were spotted in the area. The muzzle flashes disappear.

The old Pontisse fortress surrendered today, after having expended almost all of its ammunition. In any case, its gun turrets were out of action, and it could no longer defend itself effectively or provide support to its sister forts.

The old Barchon fort fell to the Germans too, after heavy bombing and shelling disabled its gun turrets and a German assault breached its walls.

Only 4 forts out of 12 remain. The Germans will soon be able to fully focus on Aubin fortress which has been a thorn in their side since day 1…

See you tomorrow for Day 10.

-RBM.