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Fortified Sector Of Savoy
The Fortified Section of Savoy ''(Secteur fortifié de la Savoie)'' was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Alpine Line portion of the Maginot Line facing Italy in the Savoy region. The sector constituted part of the Alpine Line portion of the Maginot Line, between the Defensive Sector of the Rhône to the north, and the Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné to the south. The works combined a number of pre-1914 fortifications with Maginot-style ''ouvrages'', with many forward-positioned cavern-style frontier stations or ''avant-postes'' that proved effective in holding invading forces near the order. The sector formed a discontinuous line about long along France's frontier with Italy, from the Aiguille des Glaciers on the Mont Blanc massif, through Bourg-Saint-Maurice to the Moulinière peak on the Massif des Cerces, to Valloire. The sector's fortifications barred the valleys and passes crossing the Alps, particularly the routes over the Little ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Savoy
Savoy (; frp, Savouè ; french: Savoie ) is a cultural-historical region in the Western Alps. Situated on the cultural boundary between Occitania and Piedmont, the area extends from Lake Geneva in the north to the Dauphiné in the south. Savoy emerged as the feudal County of Savoy ruled by the House of Savoy during the 11th to 14th centuries. The original territory, also known as "ducal Savoy" or "Savoy proper", is largely co-terminous with the modern French Savoie and Haute-Savoie ''départements'', but the historical expansion of Savoyard territories, as the Duchy of Savoy (1416–1860) included parts of what is now western Italy and southwestern Switzerland. The current border between France and Italy is due to the Plombières Agreement of 1858, which in preparation for the unification of Italy ceded western Savoy to France, while the eastern territories in Piedmont and Liguria were retained by the House of Savoy, which was to become the ruling dynasty of Italy. Geogr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Second Battle Of The Alps
The Second Battle of the Alps (french: deuxième bataille des Alpes; it, seconda battaglia delle Alpi) was a military campaign fought between combined Nazi Germany, German and Italian Social Republic forces, and the re-established Provisional Government of the French Republic, French Republic led by Charles de Gaulle. Background Since 1943, French general Charles de Gaulle, head of the Free France, Free French forces, had been planning revenge against Italy for the "stab in the back", the Italian invasion of France, invasion of southern France ordered by Benito Mussolini in June 1940, while France was falling to Nazi Germany, Germany during the Battle of France. While in Algiers de Gaulle began studying a plan for occupying Italian territory with French influences: the Aosta Valley, western Piedmont, and the coastal cities of Ventimiglia and Imperia in Liguria. The Armistice of Cassibile however caused the division of the Italian peninsula between the Kingdom of Italy in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chasseurs Alpins
The ''chasseurs alpins'' ( en, Alpine Rangers) are the elite mountain infantry force of the French Army. They are trained to operate in mountainous terrain and in urban warfare. History France created its own mountain corps in the late 19th century in order to oppose any Italian invasion through the Alps. In 1859–70 Italy became unified, forming a powerful state. The French army saw this geopolitical change as a potential threat to their Alpine border, especially as the Italian army was already creating troops specialized in mountain warfare (the ''Alpini''). On December 24, 1888, the first ''troupes de montagne'' ("mountain troops") corps were created from 12 of the 31 existing '' Chasseurs à pied'' ("Hunters on Foot'"/"Foot Rifles'") battalions. Initially these units were named ''bataillons alpins de chasseurs à pied'' ("Alpine Battalions of Hunters on Foot"/"Alpine Foot Rifle Battalions"). Later this was shortened to ''bataillons de chasseurs alpins'' ("Alpine Hunter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Sapey
Ouvrage Sapey 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, three artillery blocks and one observation block two kilometers west of Modane. The ''ouvrage'' was built beneath the older Fort du Sapey. The new work cost 12.8 million francs.Mary, Tome 4, p. 29 The ''ouvrage'' and fort were accessed by an aerial tram built in 1908, which also connected to Fort du Replaton, located down the slope from Sapey. Fort du Sapey The Fort du Sapey is the center of an ensemble of fortifications designed to protect Modane, the valley of the Arc and the terminus of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel to Italy, which was completed in 1871. The fort was built to the west of Modane at an altitude of about , on a hill that dominates the entire valley. The principal fort was built between 1884 and 1892 as part of the Séré de Rivières system. Construction was initially of stone, but concret ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Le Lavoir
Ouvrage Le Lavoir 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 two entry blocks, one infantry block, three artillery blocks and one observation block south of Modane, France, guarding the Col de Fréjus. The surface barracks at Le Lavoir were connected to Charmaix by an aerial tram.Mary, Tome 5, p. 18 Description *Block 1 (artillery): one heavy twin machine gun cloche, one anti-tank gun embrasure and two 75mm gun embrasures. *Block 2 (artillery): two 75mm gun embrasures. *Block 3 (observation): one observation cloche. *Block 4 (infantry): one grenade launcher cloche and two heavy twin machine gun embrasures. *Block 5 (artillery): one machine gun cloche, two 75mm gun embrasures and four 81mm mortar embrasures. *Block 6 (ventilation): unarmed. *Personnel entry: three machine gun embrasures. *Supply entry: one machine gun cloche, one heavy twin machine gun cloche, one heavy twin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Pas Du Roc
Ouvrage Pas du Roc is a work (''gros ouvrage'') of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry blocks, one infantry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block south of Modane and east of Ouvrage Le Lavoir in the vicinity of the Col de Fréjus. The position was incomplete at the outbreak of war in 1940.Mary, Tome 5, pp. 18–19 Description *Block 1 (infantry): One machine gun cloche, one grenade launcher cloche, two heavy twin machine gun cloches and one heavy twin machine gun embrasure. *Block 2 (observation): One observation cloche. *Block 3 (artillery): Two 75mm gun embrasures. *Block 4 (artillery): One machine gun cloche, four 81mm mortar embrasures and one additional embrasure. *Entrance block: One machine gun cloche (uncompleted), two of four machine gun embrasures completed. *Aerial tram entry: An additional entry served the position by aerial tram from Pont Nua, not completed. History During the Italian invasi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Saint-Antoine
Ouvrage Saint-Antoine is a work (''gros ouvrage'') of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, one infantry block and one artillery block overlooking Modane on the way to the Col du Mont Cenis. Ouvrage Saint-Gobain is just to the north, across the mountain valley. Saint-Antoine overlooks the approaches to the Fréjus Rail Tunnel and was part of an ensemble of forts, including Saint-Gobain, Ouvrage Sapey and Fort du Replaton that guarded the French end of the tunnel and the descent from the Mont Cenis pass. Description *Block 1 (artillery): two machine gun cloches, two 75mm gun embrasures and four 81mm mortar embrasures. *Block 2 (infantry): one observation gun cloche and two heavy twin machine embrasures. *Block 3 (entry): one machine gun embrasure and one heavy twin machine gun/47mm anti-tank gun embrasure. A casemate is located nearby, but not connected to the underground gallery network. It is the only CORF-design casema ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Arrondaz
Ouvrage Arrondaz is a lesser work (''petit 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, one infantry block, and one observation block fin the vicinity of the Col de Fréjus to the south of Modane at an altitude of . All but one of the blocks are presently buried by later construction. Description *Block 1 (observation): One VDP cloche, observation cloche.Mary, Tome 5, p. 20 *Block 2 (infantry): Two twin heavy machine gun embrasures. *Entry block: One machine gun embrasure. *Emergency exit block: One machine gun embrasure. A second position, or ''demi-ouvrage'', was planned for the other side of the Col du Fréjus road, linked by an underground gallery. The Ouvrage Stokes was to have two blocks, an entry and an emergency exit block, disposed similarly to the Arrondaz blocks, but with mortars. Construction of the ''ouvrage'' was canceled after the discovery of rock with gypsum ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fort Du Replaton
The Fort du Replaton is a fortification of the Séré de Rivières system in Modane, France. The fort was built to provide artillery cover for the French end of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel away horizontally. It is connected to Modane by an aerial tram, which continues on from Replaton to the Fort du Sapey on a much higher eminence. The Fort du Replaton was built between 1884 and 1892 using an arrangement that anticipated the later Maginot Line fortifications, and resembles Fort Saint Michel near Toul. It cost approximately 2 million francs. Unlike a Maginot fortification, Replaton was enclosed by a perimeter wall and had surface barracks. The original armament consisted of two 95mm and two 155mm guns along a communicating gallery on the rock behind. The fort received concrete reinforcement in the early 1900s. A renovation project in 1930 added 75mm guns in place of the 95mm weapons. The fort was fired upon in 1940 and 1944. It is the property of the Association de la Traversée es Al ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bourg St
Bourg or Le Bourg may refer to: Places France Bourg * Bourg, Aisne, a former commune in France, now part of Bourg-et-Comin * Bourg, Bas-Rhin, a former commune in Bas-Rhin, now part of Bourg-Bruche * Bourg, Gironde, also known as Bourg-sur-Gironde * Bourg, Haute-Marne * Bourg, Maine-et-Loire, a former commune of Maine-et-Loire, now part of Soulaire-et-Bourg * Bourg-Achard, in Eure (département) * Bourg-Archambault, Vienne (département) * Bourg-Argental, Loire (département) * Bourg-Beaudouin, Eure (département) * Bourg-Blanc, Finistère * Bourg-Bruche, Bas-Rhin * Bourg-Charente, Charente * Bourg-de-Bigorre, Hautes-Pyrénées * Bourg-de-Péage, Drôme * Bourg-des-Comptes, Ille-et-Vilaine * Bourg-de-Sirod, Jura (département) * Bourg-des-Maisons, Dordogne (département) * Bourg-de-Thizy, Rhône (département) * Bourg-de-Visa, Tarn-et-Garonne * Bourg-d'Oueil, Haute-Garonne * Bourg-du-Bost, Dordogne (département) * Bourg-en-Bresse, Ain * Bourg-et-Comin, Aisne (départeme ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Chatelard
Ouvrage Chatelard is a lesser work (''petit ouvrage'') of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also known as the Little Maginot Line. Begun in 1938, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block about one kilometer northeast of Bourg St. Maurice, in the village of Le Chatelard. A short gallery with cross galleries extends into the rock, with an emergency exit and ventilation shaft halfway back. The ''ouvrage'' was incomplete in 1940, under the command of Sub-Lieutenant Bochaton. Chatelard, along with Ouvrage Cave-à-Canon and several pre-1914 forts on the heights around Bourg-Saint-Maurice, were placed to block an advance over the Little St Bernard Pass toward Albertville.Mary, Tome 5, pp. 9–12 Description *Block 1 (combination): one machine gun turret planned and two machine gun embrasures, three heavy twin machine gun embrasures and one 47mm anti-tank gun embrasure. An additional block was planned with a machine gun turret, not completed. The position prese ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ouvrage Cave-à-Canon
Ouvrage Cave-à-Canon is a lesser work (''petit ouvrage'') of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. Started in 1937, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block about one kilometer east of Bourg St. Maurice, on the south bank of the Isère. A short gallery with cross galleries extends into the rock, with an emergency exit and ventilation shaft halfway back. The ''ouvrage'' was incomplete in 1940, under the command of Lieutenant Courteaud.Mary, Tome 5, pp. 9–12 Cave-à-Canon, and with Ouvrage Chatelard across the valley to the north, and several pre-1914 forts on the heights around Bourg-Saint-Maurice, were placed to block an advance over the Little St Bernard Pass toward Albertville. Description *Block 1 (combination): one machine gun turret planned and three machine gun embrasures, three heavy twin machine gun embrasures and one 47mm anti-tank gun embrasure. The Tarentaise region was liberated by Allied forces in March and April 1945.Mary, Tome 5, p.145 See ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
