Ouvrage Col de Brouis
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Col de Brouis 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 and two artillery blocks facing Italy
at an altitude of 871 metres (2,857.6 ft). The ouvrage is located about one kilometer north of Monte Grosso
. It was placed to control the Col de Brouis and the D 2204 road between the Breil
and Sospel
.
Two observation posts reported to Col de Brouis, including Cime du Bosc.
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
Alpine Line
The Alpine Line or Little Maginot Line was the component of the Maginot Line that defended the southeastern portion of France...
, also known as the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block and two artillery blocks facing Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
at an altitude of 871 metres (2,857.6 ft). The ouvrage is located about one kilometer north of Monte Grosso
Ouvrage Monte Grosso
Ouvrage Monte Grosso is a work 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 placed to control the Col de Brouis and the D 2204 road between the Breil
Breil
Breil may refer to:Places* Breil/Brigels, in Grisons, Switzerland* Breil, Maine-et-Loire, in the Maine-et-Loire department, France* Breil-sur-Roya, in the Alpes-Maritimes department, FranceOther...
and Sospel
Sospel
Sospel is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France near the Italian border and not far from Monte Carlo.-History:...
.
Description
The Y-shaped ouvrage has its ammunition magazine, barracks and usine near the entry block, with the main gallery diverging before running separately to blocks 2 and 3. Col de Brouis was built by a contractor named Borie starting in November 1931 and completed in October 1934, at a cost of 11.4 million francs. Its commander in 1940 was Captain Charvet.- Block 1 (entry): one machine gun clocheGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
and one machine gun embrasure. - Block 2 (artillery): one machine gun clocheGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
, one observation clocheVDP clocheThe VDP cloche was an element of the Maginot Line fortifications. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant. By comparison, turrets could be rotated and sometimes lowered so that only the top shell was exposed. VDP cloches...
, one twin machine gun clocheJM clocheThe JM cloche is an element of the Maginot Line. It is a non-retractable non-rotating cupola of steel alloy like GFM cloches, but are armed with twin heavy machine guns, as opposed to the lighter automatic rifles associated with the GFM. There are 179 JM cloches on the Maginot Line.JM is an acronym...
, one paired 47mm anti-tank gun/machine gun embrasure and one machine gun embrasure. - Block 3 (artillery): one machine gun clocheGFM clocheThe GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the Maginot Line. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant...
, one observation clocheVDP clocheThe VDP cloche was an element of the Maginot Line fortifications. A cloche was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant. By comparison, turrets could be rotated and sometimes lowered so that only the top shell was exposed. VDP cloches...
, one twin machine gun clocheJM clocheThe JM cloche is an element of the Maginot Line. It is a non-retractable non-rotating cupola of steel alloy like GFM cloches, but are armed with twin heavy machine guns, as opposed to the lighter automatic rifles associated with the GFM. There are 179 JM cloches on the Maginot Line.JM is an acronym...
and two 81mm mortar embrasures.
Two observation posts reported to Col de Brouis, including Cime du Bosc.
History
Col de Brouis saw little action in 1940, but was the scene of significant combat between retreating German forces and the Allies in April 1945.External links
- Col de Brouis (gros ouvrage) at fortiff.be