Ouvrage Barbonnet
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Barbonnet is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
, also called the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block and one infantry block facing Italy
. The ouvrage was built somewhat behind the main line of fortifications on the old Fort Suchet, which was already armed with two obsolete Mougin 155mm gun turrets
.
Fort Suchet was built between 1883 and 1888 at 850 meters altitude two kilometres to the south of Sospel
, dominating the road from Nice
to the Col de Tende
. This corridor represented the main invasion route to Nice from the north.
Fort Suchet and Ouvrage Barbonnet operated separately, the former manned in 1940 by elements of the 157th and 158th Régiments d'Artillerie de Position (RAP) and the latter by the 95th Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (BAF), which also provided infantry support on the surface. The entire position was commanded by Captain Imbault. The Maginot fort's kitchens were used by the garrisons of both fortifications, but the mess halls were separate.
Two flanking infantry blocks were proposed but not carried out, one to the south with two heavy twin machine gun positions, a GFM cloche and an observation cloche, and a detached position to the north with a GFM cloche.
A small blockhouse and casemate are located to the south of the main fortification. Casemate Barbonnet Sud was equipped with one FM machine gun and two automatic rifle positions.
Barbonnet's Maginot fortifications were built between November 1931 and February 1935 by a contractor named Borie, at a cost of 10.8 million francs.
fortifications that were designed to respond to the rapid development of artillery
in the late 19th century. Built between 1883 and 1886, Suchet is a rough trapezoid with a wall and ditch around its perimeter, defended by caponier
s. It crowns a prominent peak 340 metres (1,115.5 ft) above the surrounding valley, giving the peak a sawn-off appearance. The fort's primary armament were four 155mm guns in Mougin twin turrets, named "Jeanne d'Arc" and "Bayard." In 1888 the fort also mounted two reserve 155mm guns, ten 95mm guns, one 32mm mortar and several smaller weapons. At the time of its completion, Fort Suchet was one of the three strongest forts in France. A third Mougin turret outside the fort was proposed in 1903, along with two machine gun turrets. None were built, but the existing turrets were reinforced with concrete in 1913-1914, along with minor improvements to other features. Electricity was provided at this time. More concrete was added to the north caponier
in 1928, with ventilation improvements for the turrets in 1930. An aerial tram was proposed for access, but not pursued. A 1934 project to install a deeply buried magazine under the Mougin turrets caused cracking in the fort's masonry, and the project was abandoned. A 1938 project to link to the Maginot fortification was likewise not pursued.
The Mougin guns were used in June 1940 to fire on Italian positions. The guns were replaced after the war with similar weapons taken from forts in the northeast of France, the Fort de Frouard (Jeanne d'Arc turret) and the Fort de Villey-le-Sec
(Bayard turret), near Nancy and Toul
, respectively. In 1963 the fort was deactivated and the Bayard guns were returned to Villey-le-Sec, where the turret has been restored to operating condition.
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
Alpine Line
The Alpine Line or Little Maginot Line was the component of the Maginot Line that defended the southeastern portion of France...
, also called the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block and one infantry block facing Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. The ouvrage was built somewhat behind the main line of fortifications on the old Fort Suchet, which was already armed with two obsolete Mougin 155mm gun turrets
Mougin turret
The Mougin turret is a land-based revolving gun turret that housed some of the heaviest armament in French fortifications of the late 19th and early 20th centuries...
.
Fort Suchet was built between 1883 and 1888 at 850 meters altitude two kilometres to the south of Sospel
Sospel
Sospel is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France near the Italian border and not far from Monte Carlo.-History:...
, dominating the road from Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
to the Col de Tende
Col de Tende
Col de Tende is a high mountain pass in the Alps, on the border of France and Italy.It separates the Maritime Alps from the Ligurian Alps. It connects Nice and Tende in Alpes-Maritimes with Cuneo in Piedmont....
. This corridor represented the main invasion route to Nice from the north.
Fort Suchet and Ouvrage Barbonnet operated separately, the former manned in 1940 by elements of the 157th and 158th Régiments d'Artillerie de Position (RAP) and the latter by the 95th Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (BAF), which also provided infantry support on the surface. The entire position was commanded by Captain Imbault. The Maginot fort's kitchens were used by the garrisons of both fortifications, but the mess halls were separate.
Ouvrage Barbonnet description
Barbonnet has only two blocks, an entry block and an artillery block, and, like all Maginot fortifications, is entirely subterranean. The Mougin battery is not linked to the Maginot fort. A link had been contemplated and a fully integrated design was prepared in 1929, but the arrangement of Suchet's magazines and concerns about structure and cost prevented work on a link from taking place. In particular, the magazines of Fort Suchet were not considered proof against modern artillery. Block 2 is just to the south of the old fort, outside its walls and facing south, with its galleries, usine and magazines running under the east side of Suchet, at an elevation of 748 metres.- Block 1 (entry): one machine gun clocheGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
and three machine gun embrasures. - Block 2 (entry): one machine gun cloche, one grenade launcher clocheLG clocheThe LG cloche was a defensive element common to many Maginot Line ouvrages. The fixed cupola was deeply embedded into the concrete on top of a combat block, with only the top surface visible. The opening permitted the ejection of grenades from the interior of the cloche, providing a means of...
, three machine gun embrasures, two 75mm/29cal guns and two 81mm mortars.
Two flanking infantry blocks were proposed but not carried out, one to the south with two heavy twin machine gun positions, a GFM cloche and an observation cloche, and a detached position to the north with a GFM cloche.
A small blockhouse and casemate are located to the south of the main fortification. Casemate Barbonnet Sud was equipped with one FM machine gun and two automatic rifle positions.
Barbonnet's Maginot fortifications were built between November 1931 and February 1935 by a contractor named Borie, at a cost of 10.8 million francs.
Observation posts
Four observation posts are associated with Barbonnet, including Avellan and Petit Ventabren.Fort Suchet description
Fort Suchet was built as part of the Séré de Rivières systemSéré de Rivières system
The Séré de Rivières system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 and first used at the beginning of the First World War along the frontiers and coasts of France...
fortifications that were designed to respond to the rapid development of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
in the late 19th century. Built between 1883 and 1886, Suchet is a rough trapezoid with a wall and ditch around its perimeter, defended by caponier
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
s. It crowns a prominent peak 340 metres (1,115.5 ft) above the surrounding valley, giving the peak a sawn-off appearance. The fort's primary armament were four 155mm guns in Mougin twin turrets, named "Jeanne d'Arc" and "Bayard." In 1888 the fort also mounted two reserve 155mm guns, ten 95mm guns, one 32mm mortar and several smaller weapons. At the time of its completion, Fort Suchet was one of the three strongest forts in France. A third Mougin turret outside the fort was proposed in 1903, along with two machine gun turrets. None were built, but the existing turrets were reinforced with concrete in 1913-1914, along with minor improvements to other features. Electricity was provided at this time. More concrete was added to the north caponier
Caponier
A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" - which strictly means capon-cote i.e. chickenhouse.The fire coming from the feature A caponier is a type of fortification structure. The word originates from the French word "caponnière" -...
in 1928, with ventilation improvements for the turrets in 1930. An aerial tram was proposed for access, but not pursued. A 1934 project to install a deeply buried magazine under the Mougin turrets caused cracking in the fort's masonry, and the project was abandoned. A 1938 project to link to the Maginot fortification was likewise not pursued.
The Mougin guns were used in June 1940 to fire on Italian positions. The guns were replaced after the war with similar weapons taken from forts in the northeast of France, the Fort de Frouard (Jeanne d'Arc turret) and the Fort de Villey-le-Sec
Fort de Villey-le-Sec
Fort de Villey-le-Sec, also known as Fort Trévise, is a fortification of the 19th century, built as part of the Séré de Rivières system of fortifications in Villey-le-Sec, France, one of the defenses of Toul. It is a unique example for its time of a defensive enclosure around a village...
(Bayard turret), near Nancy and Toul
Toul
Toul is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:Toul is located between Commercy and Nancy, and situated between the Moselle River and the Canal de la Marne au Rhin....
, respectively. In 1963 the fort was deactivated and the Bayard guns were returned to Villey-le-Sec, where the turret has been restored to operating condition.
Present status
The Maginot and Séré de Rivières works may be visited in the summer months, and house a museum.External links
- Barbonnet (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be
- Barbonnet (fort du mont) at fortiff.be
- Fort du Barbonnet/Fort du Suchet at fortiffsere.fr
- Fort du Suchet/Barbonnet at Chemins de mémoire