Ouvrage Roquebrunne
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Roquebrune is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block facing Italy
. The fortification is located on the heights behind Roquebrune
at an elevation of 321 meters overlooking Cap Martin
and the bays of Roquebrune and Menton
. The ouvrage was manned by 293 men of the 58th Demi-Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (DBAF), supported by the 157th Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP), under the command of Captain Gayot.
Block D was unbuilt, planned for four 81mm mortars, and Block E, also unbuilt, was planned as an infantry block. The subterranean connecting galleries, ammunition magazines, usine and barracks are arranged in a branching pattern. Four observation posts are associated with Roquebrune, including the Abri Est de Mont-Gros and the Observatoire Croix-de-Muratoire.
Block 3 is essentially the same as the large artillery casemates built by CORF for the main Maginot line in northeastern France, with 75mm guns on the upper level and 81mm mortars firing upwards out of the pit in front of the guns. The block is sunk into the ground, compared to the more typical batteries in the Alps, which were usually built into the side of a cliff or rock wall. Block 2 fired 599 rounds of 75mm shells and 770 81mm mortar rounds in June of 1940.
Roquebrune retains its peacetime barracks overlooking the Mediterranean. The barracks have recently been restored. The ouvrage is occupied by the maintenance department of the local parks and recreation authority. The interior is not accessible but is in good condition, while the exteriors of the blocks are easily accessible.
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
, and is more closely associated with that fortification.
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...
. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, two artillery blocks and one observation 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 fortification is located on the heights behind Roquebrune
Roquebrune
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...
at an elevation of 321 meters overlooking 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...
and the bays of Roquebrune 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 ....
. The ouvrage was manned by 293 men of the 58th Demi-Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (DBAF), supported by the 157th Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP), under the command of Captain Gayot.
Description
The ouvrage was built between November 1931 and July 1933 by Thorrand et Cie., at a cost of 20.3 million francs.- Block 1 (entry): Two FM embrasures, 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 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...
. - Block 2: (artillery block) two 75mm guns, two two 81mm mortars, one machine gun clocheJM clocheThe JM cloche is an element of the Maginot Line. It is a non-retractable non-rotating cupola of steel alloy like GFM cloches, but are armed with twin heavy machine guns, as opposed to the lighter automatic rifles associated with the GFM. There are 179 JM cloches on the Maginot Line.JM is an acronym...
and 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...
. - Block 3: (artillery block) two 75mm guns, two 81mm mortars, two machine gun cloches and one grenade launcher cloche.
- Block 4: one machine gun port, one machine gun/observation cloche and one grenade launcher cloche. The block provides emergency egress from the ouvrage.
Block D was unbuilt, planned for four 81mm mortars, and Block E, also unbuilt, was planned as an infantry block. The subterranean connecting galleries, ammunition magazines, usine and barracks are arranged in a branching pattern. Four observation posts are associated with Roquebrune, including the Abri Est de Mont-Gros and the Observatoire Croix-de-Muratoire.
Block 3 is essentially the same as the large artillery casemates built by CORF for the main Maginot line in northeastern France, with 75mm guns on the upper level and 81mm mortars firing upwards out of the pit in front of the guns. The block is sunk into the ground, compared to the more typical batteries in the Alps, which were usually built into the side of a cliff or rock wall. Block 2 fired 599 rounds of 75mm shells and 770 81mm mortar rounds in June of 1940.
Roquebrune retains its peacetime barracks overlooking the Mediterranean. The barracks have recently been restored. The ouvrage is occupied by the maintenance department of the local parks and recreation authority. The interior is not accessible but is in good condition, while the exteriors of the blocks are easily accessible.
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
Ouvrage Mont Agel
Ouvrage Mont Agel is a work 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...
, and is more closely associated with that fortification.
External links
- Roquebrune (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be