Ouvrage Monte Grosso
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Monte Grosso is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
, also known as the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, four artillery blocks and two observation blocks facing Italy
. It was the largest ouvrage in the Alps
It is part of the fortifications surrounding Sospel
, which protect the approaches to Nice from the north.
to the southeast, features gun turrets on a commanding height, at 967 meters. Monte Grosso possesses two turrets, one of 75mm and a unique 135mm turret, both retractable. Monte Grosso was built between November 1931 and June 1935, by a contractor named Borie. The cost was 40.4 million francs, of which 4.6 million francs were for the access road.
An additional block near the entrance with a GFM cloche and two 75mm mortars was never built. The galleries extend along the length of the Monte Grosso ridge.
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 known as the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, four artillery blocks and two observation blocks 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...
. It was the largest ouvrage in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
It is part of the fortifications surrounding 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:...
, which protect the approaches to Nice from the north.
Description
Monte Grosso, like L'AgaisenOuvrage L'Agaisen
Ouvrage L'Agaisen is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also known as the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block above Sospel. Additional blocks were planned but not built...
to the southeast, features gun turrets on a commanding height, at 967 meters. Monte Grosso possesses two turrets, one of 75mm and a unique 135mm turret, both retractable. Monte Grosso was built between November 1931 and June 1935, by a contractor named Borie. The cost was 40.4 million francs, of which 4.6 million francs were for the access road.
- 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...
, 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...
and three machine gun embrasures. - Block 2 (artillery): one machine gun cloche, one twin machine gun embrasure, two 75mm/29cal gun embrasures and two machine gun embrasures.
- Block 3 (mortar): one machine gun cloche and four 81mm mortar embrasures.
- Block 4 (artillery): one machine gun cloche and one twin 75mm/33cal gun turret.
- Block 5 (artillery): one grenade launcher cloche and one twin 135mm howitzer turret.
- Block 6 (infantry): one observation clocheVDP clocheThe 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...
, one machine gun cloche and two twin machine gun embrasures. - Block 7 (infantry): one observation cloche, one machine gun cloche and twin machine gun embrasure.
An additional block near the entrance with a GFM cloche and two 75mm mortars was never built. The galleries extend along the length of the Monte Grosso ridge.
History
On 15 June 1940, as Italian troops advanced into France, Monte Grosso fired on Italian mortar positions. On the 20th, it received fire from Italian 149mm guns, with a hit on its 75mm turret. The gun remained in operationExternal links
- Monte Grosso (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be