Ouvrage Rochonvillers

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Coordinates: 49°24′00″N, 6°02′00″E

Ouvrage Rochonvilliers
Part of Maginot Line
Northeast France

Block 5, Gros Ouvrage 'Rochonvillers November 2004
Built
Construction
materials
Concrete, steel
In use Retained by French Army
Open to
the public
No
Controlled by France
Battles/wars Battle of France
Ouvrage Rochonvillers
Type of work: Large artillery work (Grand ouvrage)
sector
└─sub-sector
Fortified Sector of Thionville
└─Sub-sector of Angevillers
Work number: A8
Regiment: 169th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF) + 151st Position Artillery Regiment (RAP)
Number of blocks: 11
Strength: 756 enlisted + 26 officers

Located above the town of Rochonvillers, the Ouvrage Rochonvillers is one of the largest of the Maginot Line fortifications, with the largest artillery block in the Line. The ouvrage is part of the Fortified Sector of Thionville in the Moselle. The ouvrage is located between the petit ouvrage d'Aumetz and the gros ouvrage Molvange, facing Luxembourg with two entries and nine combat blocks.

Contents

[edit] Description

  • Ammunition entry: inclined plan, with the automatic rifle cloches (GFM), one machine gun/47mm anti-tank gun embrasure (JM/AC47), modified during the 1980's.
  • Personnel entry: shaft, two GFM cloches, one JM/AC47 embrasure.
  • Bloc 1: Infantry block with one machine gun turret, one GFM cloche and one machine gun cloche (JM)
  • Bloc 2: Artillery block with one 75mm gun turret.
  • Bloc 3: Artillery block with one 75mm gun turret and two GFM cloches.
  • Bloc 4: Observation block with one GFM cloche and one observation cloche (VDP).
  • Bloc 5: Artillery block with three 75 mm gun embrasures, one 135mm gun embrasure, one GFM cloche and one grenade launcher cloche (LG).
  • Bloc 6: Artillery block with one 135 mm gun turret, one GFM cloche and one grenade launcher cloche
  • Bloc 7: Artillery block with one 135 mm gun turret and two GFM cloches
  • Bloc 8: Infantry block with one JM/AC37 embrasure, one [[cloche JM|JM machine gun embrasure, one machine gun turret and two GFM cloches
  • Bloc 9: Infantry block with one machine gun turret and one GFM cloche

[edit] Manning

The manning of the ouvrage under the command of Commandant Guillemain comprised 782 men and 26 officers of the 169th Fortress Infantry Regiment and the 151st Position Artillery Regiment.

[edit] History

The ouvrage was renovated in the 1980s. The ammunition entrance was provided with an anti-blast screen.

[edit] Current condition

The ouvrage remains under the control of the French Army, but is no longer occupied.

[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

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