Design and construction
The site was surveyed by the Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), the Maginot Line's design and construction agency, in early 1931. Fermont was approved for construction in May 1931. It was completed at a cost of 77 million francs by the contractor Allary of Paris. While the existing ''ouvrage'' is a fully realized ''gros ouvrage'' of the typical ''fort palmé'' ("palm-shaped") form, a second phase, never executed, was planned to add four more combat blocks. The ''fort palmé'' is a distributed fortification, with its entrances and underground support areas more than a kilometer to the rear, connected to the combat blocks by a long underground gallery. The "palm" is composed of the grouped combat blocks, linked by galleries to the main trunk.Description
Fermont comprises two entrance blocks, three infantry blocks, three artillery blocks, and one observation block. The combat blocks are connected to the entries and support areas by a gallery system extending over from end to end. The munitions and personnel entries are located far to the rear of the compactly arranged combat blocks, with the entries hidden in the woods. Both entry blocks required elevators to reach the level of the gallery, as the preferred inclined or level tunnel could not be achieved in the local topography.Kaufmann 2011, p. 214 A partial "M1" ammunition magazine is located just inside the ammunition entry, while the underground barracks are located near the junction of the two entry galleries. From there a long, straight gallery runs at an average depth of to the combat blocks. Fermont was served by a 60 cm-gauge narrow-gauge railway, which enters at the munitions entrance and runs all the way out through the galleries to the combat blocks. On the surface, the railway connects to supply points to the rear and to other ''ouvrages''. * Block 1: artillery block with one retractable turret for two 75mm guns, one grenade launcher cloche and one light machine gun cloche. * Block 2: infantry block with one retractable turret for two machine guns and one light machine gun cloche. * Block 3: observation block with one observation cloche, one light machine gun cloche and two retractable machine gun turrets. * Block 4: artillery block with three embrasures for 75mm guns, one retractable machine gun turret and one light machine gun cloche. * Block 5: artillery block with one retractable turret for two 81mm mortars and one light machine gun cloche. * Block 6: infantry block with one retractable turret for two machine guns and one retractable 81mm mortar turret. * Block 7: infantry block with one twin heavy machine gun embrasure, one machine gun/ 47mm anti-tank gun embrasure (JM/AC47), one grenade launcher cloche and one light machine gun cloche. * Personnel entry: one JM/AC47 embrasure, one light machine gun embrasure and two light machine gun cloches. * Ammunition entry: one JM/AC47 embrasure, two light machine gun embrasures, one grenade launcher cloche and two light machine gun cloches. Unbuilt blocks: * Block 8 (unbuilt): artillery block with one retractable turret for two 75mm guns and one light machine gun cloche. * Block 9 (unbuilt): artillery block with one retractable turret for two 135mm guns, one grenade launcher cloche and one light machine gun cloche. * Block 10 (unbuilt): infantry block with two twin heavy machine gun embrasures, JM/AC47 embrasure and two light machine gun cloches. The block was to be located well in advance of the main combat blocks.Mary, Tome 3, pp. 84–86 * Block 11 (unbuilt): infantry block with two twin heavy machine gun embrasures, two JM/AC47 embrasures, two heavy twin machine gun cloches and two light machine gun cloches. The additional blocks were planned for the late 1930s, but were not built as resources were diverted elsewhere. The M1 magazine was to be doubled in size at the same time.Casemates and shelters
A series of detached casemates and observation points surround Fermont, including the: * Casemate de Puxieux: Single block with one JM/AC47 embrasure, one JM embrasure and two GFM cloches * Observatoire de Puxieux: One VP observation cloche, one mortar cloche and one GFM cloche, reporting to Fermont. * Casemate du Bois-de-Beuveille: Single block with one JM/AC47 embrasure, one JM embrasure, one mortar cloche and one GFM cloche. The casemate is close to the main ''ouvrage'' entrances, on the far side of the hill. * Observatiore de l'Haut-de-l'Anguille: One VP observation cloche and one GFM cloche, reporting to Fermont. None of these are connected to the ''ouvrage'' or to each other. The Caserne Lamy provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Fermont and other fortifications in the area.Manning
The 1940 manning of the ''ouvrage'' under the command of Captain Aubert comprised 553 men and 19 officers of the 149th Fortress Infantry Regiment and the 152nd Position Artillery Regiment. The units were under the umbrella of the 42nd Fortress Corps of the 3rd Army, Army Group 2.History
:''See Fortified Sector of the Crusnes for a broader discussion of the events of 1940 in the Crusnes sector of the Maginot Line.'' At the opening of the Battle of France in May 1940 Fermont exchanged gunfire with thePost-War
By 1951 work was proceeding on renovation of many of the northeastern ''ouvrages'', including Fermont, with the aim of restoring their combat capability to block a potential advance by theCurrent condition
The ''ouvrage'', which retains a large portion of its equipment, was restored in 1977Kaufmann 2011, p.181 and may be visited during the summer months. The museum is operated by the ''Association des Amis de l'Ouvrage de Fermont et de la Ligne Maginot''. The ''ouvrage'' contains a working 60 cm rail line, which is used to carry visitors from the entry to the combat blocks. A museum on the surface features turrets from other ''ouvrages'', including three from Bréhain and one from Molvange.See also
* List of all works on Maginot Line * Siegfried Line * Atlantic Wall *Notes
References
Bibliography
*Allcorn, William. ''The Maginot Line 1928-45.'' Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. *Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W. ''Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II'', Stackpole Books, 2006. *Degon, André; Zylberyng, Didier, ''La Ligne Maginot: Guide des Forts à Visiter,'' Editions Ouest-France, 2014. *Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovič-Potočnik, A. and Lang, P. ''The Maginot Line: History and Guide'', Pen and Sword, 2011. *Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 1.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001. *Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 2.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. *Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 3.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. *Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009.External links