Ouvrage Monte Grosso

Ouvrage Monte Grosso 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, four artillery blocks and two observation blocks facing Italy. It was the largest ouvrage in the Alps[1] It is part of the fortifications surrounding Sospel, which protect the approaches to Nice from the north.

Ouvrage Monte Grosso
Part of Maginot Line, Alpine Line
Southeast France
Ouvrage Monte Grosso is located in France
Ouvrage Monte Grosso
Ouvrage Monte Grosso
Coordinates43.9136°N 7.46309°E / 43.9136; 7.46309
Site information
Controlled byFrance
Site history
Built byCORF
In useAbandoned
MaterialsConcrete, steel, rock excavation
Battles/warsItalian invasion of France, Operation Dragoon
Ouvrage Monte Grosso
Type of work:Large artillery work (Gros ouvrage)
sector
└─sub-sector		Fortified Sector of the Maritime Alps
└─Sospel, Quartier Brouis
Work number:EO 2
Regiment:85th BAF, 158th RAP
Number of blocks:7
Strength:10 officers, 363 men

Description

Monte Grosso, like L'Agaisen to the southeast, features gun turrets on a commanding height, at 967 meters. Monte Grosso possesses two turrets, one of 75mm and a unique 135mm turret, both retractable. Monte Grosso was built between November 1931 and June 1935, by a contractor named Borie. The cost was 40.4 million francs, of which 4.6 million francs were for the access road.[2]

  • Block 1 (entry): one machine gun cloche, one grenade launcher cloche and three machine gun embrasures.[3]
  • Block 2 (artillery): one machine gun cloche, one twin machine gun embrasure, two 75mm/29cal gun embrasures and two machine gun embrasures.[4]
  • Block 3 (mortar): one machine gun cloche and four 81mm mortar embrasures.[5]
  • Block 4 (artillery): one machine gun cloche and one twin 75mm/33cal gun turret.[6]
  • Block 5 (artillery): one grenade launcher cloche and one twin 135mm howitzer turret.[7]
  • Block 6 (infantry): one observation cloche, one machine gun cloche and two twin machine gun embrasures.[8]
  • Block 7 (infantry): one observation cloche, one machine gun cloche and twin machine gun embrasure.[9]

An additional block near the entrance with a GFM cloche and two 75mm mortars was never built. The galleries extend along the length of the Monte Grosso ridge.[10]

History

On 15 June 1940, as Italian troops advanced into France, Monte Grosso fired on Italian mortar positions. On the 20th, it received fire from Italian 149mm guns, with a hit on its 75mm turret. The gun remained in operation[1]

See also

References
  1. Kaufmann 2006, p. 17
  2. Mary, Tome 4, p. 29
  3. Puelinckx, Jean; Aublet, Jean-Louis; Mainguin, Sylvie (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 1". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  4. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 3". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  5. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 4". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  6. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 5". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  7. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 6". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  8. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 7". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  9. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Monte Grosso (go du) Bloc 8". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 26 January 2010.
  10. Mary, Tome 5, p. 56–57

Bibliography
  • Allcorn, William. The Maginot Line 1928-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN 1-84176-646-1
  • Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W. Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II, Stackpole Books, 2006. ISBN 0-275-98345-5
  • Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovič-Potočnik, A. and Lang, P. The Maginot Line: History and Guide, Pen and Sword, 2011. ISBN 978-1-84884-068-3
  • Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 1. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001. ISBN 2-908182-88-2 (in French)
  • Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 4 - La fortification alpine. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009. ISBN 978-2-915239-46-1 (in French)
  • Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009. ISBN 978-2-35250-127-5 (in French)
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