Ouvrage Saint Ours Haut
Encyclopedia
Ouvrage Saint Ours Haut 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 infantry block, one artillery block, two observation blocks and one combination block in the vicinity of the Col de Larche. It is located on the territory of the commune of Meyronnes
. Construction began in March 1931, at a cost of 15.1 million francs.
The bulk of the subterranean galleries lie between Blocks 1 and 2, with branches running out to 3, 4 and 5.
As Italian troops of the Forli Division
advanced into France on 24 June 1940, they were bombarded by Saint Ours Haut's 75mm guns and 81mm mortars, supported by fire from Roche Lacroix
, stopping the advance. Saint Ours Haut fired 92 shots from the guns and 379 shots from the mortars. The armistice of 25 June brought fighting to an end.
After the 1940 armistice, Italian forces occupied the Alpine ouvrages and disarmed them. In August 1943, southern France was occupied by the German 19th Army, which took over many of the Alpine positions that had been occupied by the Italians until Italy's withdrawal from the war in September 1943.
In 1945, the Germans evacuated Saint Ours Haut during the night of 22 April, leaving it free to be occupied the following day by Free French forces. Immediately after the war, the Alpine 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...
, also known as the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one infantry block, one artillery block, two observation blocks and one combination block in the vicinity of the Col de Larche. It is located on the territory of the commune of Meyronnes
Meyronnes
Meyronnes is a commune in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department in southeastern France.-Population:-See also:* Ouvrage Saint Ours Haut* Ubaye Valley* Communes of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence department-References:*...
. Construction began in March 1931, at a cost of 15.1 million francs.
The bulk of the subterranean galleries lie between Blocks 1 and 2, with branches running out to 3, 4 and 5.
Description
- 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...
, one grenade launcher clocheLG clocheThe LG cloche was a defensive element common to many Maginot Line ouvrages. The fixed cupola was deeply embedded into the concrete on top of a combat block, with only the top surface visible. The opening permitted the ejection of grenades from the interior of the cloche, providing a means of...
and one heavy twin machine gun embrasure. - Block 2 (artillery): one heavy 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 grenade launcher cloche]], one 75mm gun embrasure and two 81mm mortar embrasures. - Block 3 (infantry): one machine gun cloche.
- Block 4 (infantry): one machine gun cloche.
- Block 5 (infantry): one machine gun cloche, one grenade launcher embrasure, three heavy twin machine gun embrasures and two 81mm mortar embrasures.
History
- See Fortified Sector of the DauphinéFortified Sector of the DauphinéThe Fortified Sector of the Dauphiné was the French military organization that in 1940 controlled the section of the Alpine Line portion of the Maginot Line facing Italy in the vicinity of Briançon...
for a broader discussion of the Dauphiné sector of the Alpine Line.
As Italian troops of the Forli Division
36 Mountain Infantry Division Forlì
The 36 Mountain Infantry Division Forlì was a Mountain Infantry Division of the Italian Army during World War II. The division was formed in October 1939 and in June 1940, was part of the First Army and took part in the Italian invasion of France. Afterwards it was moved to Albania for the...
advanced into France on 24 June 1940, they were bombarded by Saint Ours Haut's 75mm guns and 81mm mortars, supported by fire from Roche Lacroix
Ouvrage Roche Lacroix
Ouvrage Roche-la-Croix 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, two infantry blocks, one artillery block and two observation blocks in the vicinity of the Col de Larche. An aerial tram was...
, stopping the advance. Saint Ours Haut fired 92 shots from the guns and 379 shots from the mortars. The armistice of 25 June brought fighting to an end.
After the 1940 armistice, Italian forces occupied the Alpine ouvrages and disarmed them. In August 1943, southern France was occupied by the German 19th Army, which took over many of the Alpine positions that had been occupied by the Italians until Italy's withdrawal from the war in September 1943.
In 1945, the Germans evacuated Saint Ours Haut during the night of 22 April, leaving it free to be occupied the following day by Free French forces. Immediately after the war, the Alpine 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.
Present condition
Saint-Ours-Haut is under restoration and may be visited, as part of the Museum of WSaint-Ours-Bas.External links
- Saint-Ours (gros ouvrage haut de) at fortiff.be