Ouvrage Saint Antoine
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Saint-Antoine is a work (gros ouvrage) of the Maginot Line
's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line
. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, one infantry block and one artillery block overlooking Modane
on the way to the Col du Mont Cenis. Ouvrage Saint-Gobain is just to the north, across the mountain valley. Saint-Antoine overlooks the approaches to the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
and was part of an ensemble of forts, including Saint-Gobain, Ouvrage Sapey
and Fort du Replaton
that guarded the French end of the tunnel and the descent from the Mont Cenis
pass.
A casemate is located nearby, but not connected to the underground gallery network. It is the only CORF-design casemate in the southeastern fortifications. It is equipped with one machine gun cloche, two machine gun embrasures and two heavy twin machine gun embrasures.
. In 1944, Saint-Antoine, which had been disarmed and occupied by the Germans, was recaptured relatively easily on 13 September. The fortifications of the Maurienne had suffered little damage during the war and by the end of 1944 were partly repaired and placed into service. Immediately after the war, the Maurienne 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.
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...
. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, one infantry block and one artillery block overlooking Modane
Modane
Modane is a commune in the Savoie department in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It was part of the Kingdom of Sardinia until 1860.-Transportation:...
on the way to the Col du Mont Cenis. Ouvrage Saint-Gobain is just to the north, across the mountain valley. Saint-Antoine overlooks the approaches to the Fréjus Rail Tunnel
Fréjus Rail Tunnel
The Fréjus Rail Tunnel is a rail tunnel of length in the European Alps, carrying the Turin–Modane railway through Mount Cenis to an end on connection with the Culoz–Modane railway and linking Modane, France and Bardonecchia, Italy...
and was part of an ensemble of forts, including Saint-Gobain, Ouvrage Sapey
Ouvrage Sapey
Ouvrage Sapey 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, three artillery blocks and one observation block two kilometers west of Modane. The ouvrage was built beneath the older Fort du Sapey...
and Fort du Replaton
Fort du Replaton
The Fort du Replaton is a fortification of the Séré de Rivières system in Modane, France. The fort was built to provide artillery cover for the French end of the Fréjus Rail Tunnel away horizontally...
that guarded the French end of the tunnel and the descent from the Mont Cenis
Mont Cenis
Mont Cenis is a massif and pass in Savoie in France which forms the limit between the Cottian and Graian Alps.A road over the pass was built between 1803 and 1810 by Napoleon...
pass.
Description
- Block 1 (artillery): two machine gun clochesGFM 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...
, two 75mm gun embrasures and four 81mm mortar embrasures. - Block 2 (infantry): one observation gun 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...
and two heavy twin machine embrasures. - Block 3 (entry): one machine gun embrasure and one heavy twin machine gun/47mm anti-tank gun embrasure.
A casemate is located nearby, but not connected to the underground gallery network. It is the only CORF-design casemate in the southeastern fortifications. It is equipped with one machine gun cloche, two machine gun embrasures and two heavy twin machine gun embrasures.
History
Saint-Antoine saw no significant action during the 1940 Italian invasion of FranceItalian invasion of France
The Italian invasion of France in June 1940 was a small-scale invasion that started near the end of the Battle of France during World War II. The goal of the Italian offensive was to take control of the Alps mountain range and the region around Nice, and to win the colonies in North Africa...
. In 1944, Saint-Antoine, which had been disarmed and occupied by the Germans, was recaptured relatively easily on 13 September. The fortifications of the Maurienne had suffered little damage during the war and by the end of 1944 were partly repaired and placed into service. Immediately after the war, the Maurienne 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.
External links
- Saint-Antoine (gros ouvrage du) at fortiff.be