Ouvrage Mont Agel
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Mont Agel is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
, also called the Little Maginot Line. The 1930s ouvrage was built in and around the earlier mountaintop Fortress of Mont Agel. The ouvrage forms a backup to the main curtain of Alpine Line forts, and was not initially planned as part of the Alpine Line proper. Its intended function was primarily to provide heavy, long-range artillery support from a location well to the rear of the line. However, the planned 145mm heavy guns were never installed. Its site on Mont Agel
, at an altitude of 1118 metres (3,668 ft), is the highest point in the vcinity of Nice
and Menton
and commands the entire coastline, as well as the approaches from Sospel
to the north. The site is presently occupied by Base Aérienne 943 of the French Air Force and functions as an air defense control station.
. The mountaintop position is unusual in having two 75mm gun turrets: due to restricted fields of fire, most Alpine ouvrages had their guns in casemates. Mont Agel, with its commanding site, could make appropriate use of turreted guns. A 145mm gun turret was planned, but not built.
The Maginot blocks are concentrated in a relatively small area on the west side of the summit plateau, to the north of the Séré de Rivières reduit. They are not presently used by the French Air Force installation.
, the post is at a lower altitude and closer to the sea than Mont Agel, and affords a clear view of the coast and sea at times when Mont Agel is in or above the clouds. The post has two blocks: an entry block with a machine gun port and the observation block with one machine gun/observation cloche
.
Four other observation posts are associated with Mont Agel, including Mont-Gros principal, Mont-Agel abri nord and Cime de Cabanelles. The Observatiore Est de Mont-Agel is a larger post designed and constructed to CORF standards, sometimes called Block 8 of Mont Agel even though it was not connected to the ouvrage.
Two instruction casemates were built at Mont Agel, facing north. A 75mm gun casemate is located between the réduit and the ouvrage on the southwest corner of the plateau, while an 81mm mortar casemate is located at the north end.
of fortifications. The main réduit was sited on the southwestern side of the roughly 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) by 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) summit plateau, overlooking Nice. It is now the site of the main facilities of Base Aérienne 943 and has been extensively altered. A barracks was located near the center of the plateau, while several batteries, designated by number, were located around the plateau, all enclosed by a wall. Battery A became the Maginot entry. Battery B has been obscured by later changes, but its underground magazine remains. Battery C mounted four 95mm guns at the middle of the east side of the plateau. Battery D was located on the southeast side of the plateau, with Battery E nearby. None of these batteries exist in their original state. In 1897 six emplacements were prepared for additional artillery, ranging from 90mm guns at positions 1 and 2 to 220mm mortars at Battery 3. Battery 4 was a prepared site for field artillery, and Battery 5 was planned for four de Bange 120mm or 155mm guns.
On 23 June 1940 Mont Agel's 75mm gun turrets fired at least 1251 shots at Italian forces assaulting Ouvrage Cap Martin
, destroying an Italian armored train in the process.
On 6 September 1944, allied cruisers opened fire with eight-inch guns on Mont Agel, forcing the German garrison to withdraw into the galleries. A ground attack followed and the ouvrage was captured.
The ouvrage and Fortress Mont Agel are presently occupied by Nice Air Base
of the French Air Force
and feature a prominent set of radome
s.
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 1930s ouvrage was built in and around the earlier mountaintop Fortress of Mont Agel. The ouvrage forms a backup to the main curtain of Alpine Line forts, and was not initially planned as part of the Alpine Line proper. Its intended function was primarily to provide heavy, long-range artillery support from a location well to the rear of the line. However, the planned 145mm heavy guns were never installed. Its site on Mont Agel
Mont Agel
Mont Agel is a mountain located on the border between France and Monaco. The culminant point of this mount, at above sea level, is situated on the French side, but the highest point of Monaco, a pathway named Chemin des Révoires, is situated on its slopes, at an altitude of 161 metres...
, at an altitude of 1118 metres (3,668 ft), is the highest point in the vcinity of 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...
and Menton
Menton
Menton is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Situated on the French Riviera, along the Franco-Italian border, it is nicknamed la perle de la France ....
and commands the entire coastline, as well as the approaches from 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:...
to the north. The site is presently occupied by Base Aérienne 943 of the French Air Force and functions as an air defense control station.
Description
The ouvrage consists of three entry blocks (including a terminal for an aerial tram) with a guard block, one infantry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block facing ItalyItaly
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 mountaintop position is unusual in having two 75mm gun turrets: due to restricted fields of fire, most Alpine ouvrages had their guns in casemates. Mont Agel, with its commanding site, could make appropriate use of turreted guns. A 145mm gun turret was planned, but not built.
- Block 1 (personnel entry): no armament.
- Block 2 (materials entry): no armament.
- Block 3 (aerial tram entry entry): no armament.
- Block 4 (entry guard block): two machine gun ports and one machine gun turretGFM 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...
, intended to defend the three entry points in Blocks 1-3. - Block 5 (artillery turret block): two 75mm/1933 guns in one retractable turret.
- Block 6 (artillery turret block): two 75mm/1933 guns in one retractable turret.
- Block 7 (infantry block): one machine gun/observation turret.
- Block 8 (observation block, Observatiore Est de Mont-Agel): one machine gun port, one machine gun turret and one machine gun/observation turret. Block 8 is not connected to the rest of the complex by a gallery.
The Maginot blocks are concentrated in a relatively small area on the west side of the summit plateau, to the north of the Séré de Rivières reduit. They are not presently used by the French Air Force installation.
Observation posts
The observatory Mont-Gros de Roquebrune 43°45′58"N 7°26′35"E is an observation block intended to spot the fall of shot for Ouvrage Mont Agel. Located near RoquebruneRoquebrune
Roquebrune may refer to the following communes in France:* Roquebrune, Gers, in the Gers département* Roquebrune, Gironde, in the Gironde département* Roquebrune, the former name for Roquebrune-Cap Martin, in the Alpes-Maritimes département...
, the post is at a lower altitude and closer to the sea than Mont Agel, and affords a clear view of the coast and sea at times when Mont Agel is in or above the clouds. The post has two blocks: an entry block with a machine gun port and the observation block with one machine gun/observation cloche
VDP cloche
The VDP cloche was an element of the Maginot Line fortifications. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant. By comparison, turrets could be rotated and sometimes lowered so that only the top shell was exposed. VDP cloches...
.
Four other observation posts are associated with Mont Agel, including Mont-Gros principal, Mont-Agel abri nord and Cime de Cabanelles. The Observatiore Est de Mont-Agel is a larger post designed and constructed to CORF standards, sometimes called Block 8 of Mont Agel even though it was not connected to the ouvrage.
Two instruction casemates were built at Mont Agel, facing north. A 75mm gun casemate is located between the réduit and the ouvrage on the southwest corner of the plateau, while an 81mm mortar casemate is located at the north end.
Forteresse du Mont Agel
The Fortress of Mont Agel was built between 1889 and 1892 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...
of fortifications. The main réduit was sited on the southwestern side of the roughly 1000 metres (3,280.8 ft) by 500 metres (1,640.4 ft) summit plateau, overlooking Nice. It is now the site of the main facilities of Base Aérienne 943 and has been extensively altered. A barracks was located near the center of the plateau, while several batteries, designated by number, were located around the plateau, all enclosed by a wall. Battery A became the Maginot entry. Battery B has been obscured by later changes, but its underground magazine remains. Battery C mounted four 95mm guns at the middle of the east side of the plateau. Battery D was located on the southeast side of the plateau, with Battery E nearby. None of these batteries exist in their original state. In 1897 six emplacements were prepared for additional artillery, ranging from 90mm guns at positions 1 and 2 to 220mm mortars at Battery 3. Battery 4 was a prepared site for field artillery, and Battery 5 was planned for four de Bange 120mm or 155mm guns.
History
The Mont Agel ouvrage was originally planned as a series of casemates in the eastern edge of the summit plateau, with four casemates each for 75mm and 155mm guns. An access gallery would run across the width of the plateau to an aerial tram station. The plan that was adopted and built was much more compact and could fire in all directions. The ouvrage was built by Thorrand et Cie. between November 1931 and July 1933 at a cost of 23 million francs, including the observation post. The aerial tram cost 1 million francs.On 23 June 1940 Mont Agel's 75mm gun turrets fired at least 1251 shots at Italian forces assaulting Ouvrage Cap Martin
Ouvrage Cap Martin
Ouvrage Cap Martin is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also called the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage, located on high ground in Roquebrune, consists of two artillery blocks and one combination block facing Italy...
, destroying an Italian armored train in the process.
On 6 September 1944, allied cruisers opened fire with eight-inch guns on Mont Agel, forcing the German garrison to withdraw into the galleries. A ground attack followed and the ouvrage was captured.
The ouvrage and Fortress Mont Agel are presently occupied by Nice Air Base
Nice Air Base
Nice Air Base of the French Air Force is divided between two sites: one at the summit of Mont Agel near Nice in the Alpes-Maritimes département, and the other at Gardanne in Roquebrune-Cap-Martin. The Mont Agel base uses the facilities of the former Ouvrage Mont Agel of the Alpine Line...
of the French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
and feature a prominent set of radome
Radome
A radome is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a microwave or radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material that minimally attenuates the electromagnetic signal transmitted or received by the antenna. In other words, the radome is transparent to radar or radio waves...
s.
External links
- Mont Agel (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be
- Mont Gros de Roquebrune (observatiore) at fortiff.be
- Mont Agel (forteresse du) at fortiff.be
- Mont Agel (réduit du) at fortiff.be
- Base Aérienne 943, official site