Sharpshooters defending the banks of the Nèthe, 1914

Lantern slide, World War One, Western Front (1914-1918), 1914.

The Nèthe (or Nete) River, to the south east of Antwerp, was part of a defensive system around the port. Known as the 'National Redoubt', it consisted of over 40 forts and several lines of defences. Following the loss of Liege, the Belgian Army had retreated to Antwerp and prepared for a siege.

While the main German invasion force elected to bypass Antwerp and advance through Belgium and into France, it was still necessary to detach four divisions towards Antwerp in order to prevent the 145,000 Belgian troops there attacking the main force's flank. After resisting several sorties from the city, the Germans finally launched an all-out attack on Antwerp in September. After a month-long siege the city fell on 9 October.

From a box of 70 lantern slides associated with the attack on Belgium, 1914.