▁capture ▁Li ège ▁and ▁the ▁for ts ▁of ▁the ▁Fort ified ▁Position ▁of ▁Li ège ▁by ▁coup ▁de ▁main . ▁The ▁city ▁fell ▁on ▁ 6 ▁August ▁but ▁the ▁for ts ▁were ▁not ▁captured ▁and ▁on ▁ 1 2 ▁August , ▁five ▁German ▁super - he avy ▁ ▁how itz ers ▁and ▁four ▁batter ies ▁of ▁Aust rian ▁ ▁how itz ers , ▁began ▁system atically ▁to ▁bomb ard ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁def ences , ▁until ▁the ▁last ▁fort ▁fell ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁August . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁August , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁began ▁to ▁advance ▁along ▁the ▁Me use ▁River ▁towards ▁Nam ur ▁and ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁field ▁army ▁began ▁a ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁its ▁positions ▁along ▁the ▁G ete , ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Red ou bt ▁at ▁Ant werp . ▁On ▁ 2 0 ▁August , ▁the ▁German ▁ 1 st ▁Army ▁took ▁Br uss els ▁uno pp osed ▁and ▁the ▁Belg ian ▁field ▁army ▁reached ▁Ant werp , ▁with ▁little ▁inter ference ▁from ▁German ▁advanced ▁parties , ▁except ▁for ▁an ▁eng agement ▁between ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Division ▁and ▁the ▁German ▁IX ▁Corps ▁near ▁T ienen , ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁Bel gi ans ▁had ▁▁ ▁While ▁the ▁BE F ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁arm ies ▁conducted ▁the ▁Great ▁Ret re at ▁into ▁France ▁ ▁small ▁det ach ments ▁of ▁the ▁Belg ian , ▁French ▁and ▁British ▁arm ies ▁conducted ▁operations ▁in ▁Belg ium ▁against ▁German ▁caval ry ▁and ▁J äger . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁August , ▁a ▁squad