Fort de Boncelles was built between 1881 and 1884 according to the plans of General Henri Alexis Brialmont.

The Fort de Boncelles is located about 8.3 kilometres (5.2 mi) south of the center of Liège.

The service areas were placed directly opposite the barracks, which opened into the ditch in the rear of the fort (i.e., in the face towards Liège), with lesser protection than the two "salient" sides.

[2] The Brialmont forts were designed to be protected from shellfire equaling their heaviest guns: 21 cm.

[6] The fort's heavy guns were German, typically Krupp, while the turret mechanisms were from a variety of sources.

Because the Liège fortifications had proved to be unexpectedly stubborn, the Germans brought heavy siege artillery to bombard the forts with shells far larger than they were designed to resist.

Non-structural improvements included forced ventilation and moving latrines, kitchens and the bakery into the main fort.

[6] Boncelle's armament was upgraded in the 1930s to become part of the Fortified Position of Liège II, which was planned to deter a German incursion over the nearby border.

[11] The fort was bombarded from the air and by artillery in May 1940 by the Germans, killing the commandant, Numa Charlier, and others of the garrison.