Ouvrage Roche-la-Croix 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, two infantry blocks, one artillery block and two observation blocks in the vicinity of the

Col de Larche The Maddalena Pass (Italian: ''Colle della Maddalena'' French: ''Col de Larche'', historically ''Col de l'Argentière'') (elevation 1996 m.) is a high mountain pass between the Cottian Alps and the Maritime Alps, located on the border between Ita ...

. An

aerial tram An aerial tramway, sky tram, cable car, ropeway, aerial tram, telepherique, or seilbahn is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion. With this form of lift, the grip ...

was provided for better access. The position is located at the top of a sheer escarpment that dominates

Meyronnes Meyronnes (; Vivaro-Alpine: ''Maironas'') is a former commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France. On 1 January 2016, it was merged into the new commune Val-d'Oronaye.Séré de Rivières system The system was named after Raymond Adolphe Séré de Rivières, its originator. The system was an ensemble of fortifications built from 1874 along the frontiers and coasts of France. The fortresses were obsolescent by 1914 but were used during ...

between 1883 and 1889. The earlier fort's walls and ditches were kept on two sides of the ''ouvrage''.Mary, Tome 5, p. 35–37 The fort's pre-Maginot armament was six 138mm guns in casemates with a magazine excavated in the rock. Most of the fort apart from the ditch and caponiers was obliterated by the Maginot construction.

Description

Construction began in March 1931. Costs amounted to 16.7 million francs, including 1.7 million francs for the aerial tram.Mary, Tome 4 - La fortification alpine, p. 29 *Block 1 (entry): one machine gun embrasure. The space around the entry block is very limited. The aerial tram entrance on the upper level was linked to the main ''ouvrage'' in 1937 via an avalanche-protected tunnel-like shelter constructed above grade and armored with rocks, using a counterweighted 60 cm rail system at a 50% slope. *Block 2 (infantry): two machine gun embrasures and one grenade launcher embrasure. This block and Block 3 are effectively

counterscarp A scarp and a counterscarp are the inner and outer sides, respectively, of a ditch or moat used in fortifications. Attackers (if they have not bridged the ditch) must descend the counterscarp and ascend the scarp. In permanent fortifications th ...

positions, covering the ditch of the old Séré de Rivières fort, and reached by galleries outside the enclosure of the old fort. *Block 3 (infantry): two machine gun embrasures and one grenade launcher embrasure. *Block 4 (observation): one machine gun cloche and one observation cloche. *Block 5 (artillery): one twin 75mm gun turret, one grenade launcher cloche, two 75mm gun embrasures and one 81mm mortar embrasure. *Block 6 (artillery): one observation cloche and one grenade launcher embrasure. The position was called the ''observatoire de l'égout'' ("observatory of the sewer"), on a lower level, perched on a vertical cliff face. It was added in 1937–38 to provide additional flanking coverage to Saint-Ours. A proposed gallery to connect the ''ouvrage'' to the nearby above-ground peacetime barracks was not pursued. The Roche-la-Croix supérieure battery , or "Fort Supérieure", was built between 1884 and 1889 to protect the original Fort Roche-la-Croix (or Fort Inférieure). It continued in that role, equipped with two machine guns and an 81mm mortar. The Abri du Ancien Camp as well as the observation posts La Duyère and Les Calanches were associated with Roche-la-Croix. Additional fortifications on the opposite site of the valley form a barrier to an advance through the Ubayette valley. The battery and the original Redoute de Roche-la-Croix are closely associated with the system of fortifications centering on the

Fort de Tournoux The Fort de Tournoux is a fortification complex in the Ubaye Valley in the French Alps. It was built between 1843 and the early 20th century to defend France against invasion from Italy and Savoy. It was described as the "Military Versailles of ...

to the west, built in the late 19th century.

History

:''See

Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné The Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné (''Secteur Fortifié du Dauphiné'') was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Alpine Line portion of the Maginot Line facing Italy in the vicinity of Briançon. By compar ...

for a broader discussion of the Dauphiné sector of the Alpine Line.'' Roche-la-Croix fired on an Italian patrol that crossed into French territory on 17 June 1940. As Italian troops of the Forli Division advanced into France on 20 June, they were bombarded by Roche-la-Croix's 75mm gun turret, supported by fire from Saint Ours Haut, stopping the advance.Kaufmann 2006, p. 178 The turret fired four salvos the following day. On the 22nd, Roche-la-Croix's turret was used for counter-battery fire against Italian artillery, followed by fire on Italian forces advancing along the Col des Monges, supported by fire from Block 6 of the main ''ouvrage'' and Roche-la-Croix Supérieure. Additional fire was directed to support the defense of Ouvrage Plate Lombard. On the 24th the turret and casemate fired at the Col Rémi and the Tête-Dure, as well as the Col de Larche. The armistice of 25 June brought action to an end. During this period Roche-la-Crox fired 1909 shots from the turret, 401 from the casemate and 128 shorts from the mortar battery. After the 1940 armistice, Italian forces occupied the Alpine ''ouvrages'' and disarmed them. In August 1943, southern France was occupied by the German 19th Army, which took over many of the Alpine positions that had been occupied by the Italians until Italy's withdrawal from the war in September 1943. Free French forces assaulted Roche-la-Croix on 22 April 1945, with the German garrison surrendering after 17 hours. Immediately after the war, the Alpine region was regarded as an area of medium priority for restoration and reuse by the military. By the 1950s the positions in the Southeast of France were restored and operational again. However, by 1960, with France's acquisition of nuclear weapons, the cost and effectiveness of the Maginot system was called into question. Between 1964 and 1971 nearly all of the Maginot fortifications were deactivated.

Present condition

Roche-la-Croix has been preserved and may be visited during the summer months.Kaufmann 2011, p. 263

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. *Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovič-Potočnik, A. and Lang, P. ''The Maginot Line: History and Guide'', Pen and Sword, 2011. *Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 4 - La fortification alpine.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009. *Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009.

External links

Roche-la-Croix website

Roche-Lacroix (gros ouvrage de)
at fortiff.be
Roche-Lacroix (redoute de)
at fortiff.be
Roche-Lacroix (batterie supérieure de)
at fortiff.be {{DEFAULTSORT:Roche La Croix, Ouvrage

ROCH Roch (lived c. 1348 – 15/16 August 1376/79 (traditionally c. 1295 – 16 August 1327, also called Rock in English, is a Catholic saint, a confessor whose death is commemorated on 16 August and 9 September in Italy; he is especially invoked a ...