Ouvrage Billig

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Coordinates: 49°21′00″N, 6°19′00″E

Ouvrage Billig
Part of Maginot Line
Northeast France

Filter room at the entrace to Ouvrage Billig in October 2004
Built
Construction
materials		 Concrete, steel
In use Abandoned
Controlled by France
Battles/wars Battle of France
Ouvrage Billig
Type of work: Large artillery work (Grand ouvrage)
sector
└─sub-sector		 Fortified Sector of Thionville
└─Sub-sector of Elzange
Work number: A18
Regiment: 167th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF) - 151st Position Artillery Regiment(RAP)
Number of blocks: 8
Strength: 521 enlisted + 16 officers

Ouvrage Billig, a gros ouvrage or large fortification of the Maginot Line, was located in the Fortified Sector of Thionville, Moselle in northern France. It is located between the gros ouvrages Metrich and Hackenberg, facing Germany.

Contents

[edit] Description

This gros ouvrage is unusual in having one entrance for both vehicles and personnel.

  • Mixed entry: Inclined ramp, two automatic rifle/anti-tank gun embrasures (JM/AC47).
  • Block 1: Infantry block with one JM/AC47 embrasure, one machine gun embrasure (JM) and two automatic rifle cloches (GFM).
  • Block 2: Infantry block with one machine gun turret and one GFM cloche.
  • Block 3: Infantry block with one JM/AC37 embrasure, one JM embrasure and two GFM cloches.
  • Block 4: Artillery block with two 75mm gun embrasures, one 75mm gun turret, one grenade launcher cloche (LG) and one GFM cloche.
  • Block 5: Artillery block with two 75mm gun embrasures and one GFM cloche.
  • Block 6: Artillery block with 81mm mortar turret and one GFM cloche.
  • Block 7: Observatory block with one GFM cloche, one grenade launcher cloche and one periscope cloche (VDP).

[edit] Historique

Billig was not subjected to significant attack by the Wehrmacht in 1940. After World War II it was used for ordnance testing by the U.S. Army and German Army. The ouvrage was then abandoned by the French Army.

[edit] References

  • Allcorn, William. The Maginot Line 1928-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84176-646-1
  • Kauffmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W. Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II, 2006. ISBN 0-275-98345-5

[edit] Notes


[edit] External links

[edit] See also

v • d • e
Maginot line
Fortified sector of Escaut
Fortified sector of Maubeuge
Fortified sector of Montmédy
Ferté • Chesnois • Thonnelle • Velosnes
Fortified sector of Crusnes
Fortified sector of Thionville
Rochonvillers • Molvange • Soetrich • Kobenbusch • Galgenberg • Métrich • Billig • Immerhof • Bois Karré • Oberheid • Sentzich
Fortified sector of Boulay
Fortified sector of Faulquemont
Fortified sector of the Sarre
Fortified sector of the Lauter
Fortified sector of the Vosges
Petit Maginot Line
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