Work by Belgian engineers to construct field defences around Antwerp had gone on since the beginning of the war and positions between the forts had been built, inundations formed and the foreground cleared of obstructions.
Belgiske ingeniører havde arbejdet med at bygge forsvarsstillinger omkring Antwerpen siden begyndelsen af krigen, og stillinger mellem forterne var blevet opført, oversvømmelser etableret og forterrænet ryddet for forhindringer.