Gérard Leman
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Gerard Mathieu Leman (Liège January 8 1851- October 17 1920) was a Belgian general.
In the pre-WWI period he was responsible for the military education of king Albert I of Belgium. At the outbreak of World War I he was commander of the forts surrounding the Belgian city of Liège. Leman was determined to hinder the German advance as much as possible.
Over 18.000 labourers were set to work building fortifications around Liege. During a visit by a Belgian minister, Leman was told that these projects would compromise the neutrality of Belgium. Leman was unimpressed and replied that Belgium would come to thank him if war would break out; if no war came “they could take away his general’s stars”.[citation needed]
During the Battle of Liège the German army under the command of General Otto von Emmich was unable to break through his fortifications; only after they used very heavy artillery (Big Bertha and other heavy guns) against the forts did they succeed in knocking them out. Leman was knocked unconscious by the bombardment, and was rescued by the Germans from under the debris of Fort Loncin. He was a prisoner of war in Germany until the end of World War I. Leman insisted that the report of his capture mention that he did not surrender but was captured unconscious.
After the war he returned to a heroes welcome in Belgium. He died in 1920.
Categories: Articles lacking sources from January 2007 | All articles lacking sources | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | 1851 births | 1920 deaths | Belgian generals | Belgian people of World War I | Military personnel of World War I | World War I prisoners of war
