Ouvrage Plan Caval | |
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Part of Maginot Line, Alpine Line | |
Southeast France | |
Plan Caval | |
Coordinates | 43°59′50″N7°26′35″E / 43.99726°N 7.443°E |
Site information | |
Controlled by | France |
Site history | |
Built by | CORF |
In use | Abandoned |
Materials | Concrete, steel, rock excavation |
Battles/wars | Battle of France, Operation Dragoon |
Ouvrage Plan Caval | |
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Type of work: | Small artillery work (Petit ouvrage) |
sector └─sub-sector | Fortified Sector of the Maritime Alps └─Authion, Quartier Cabanes-Vielles |
Regiment: | 75th BAF, 158th RAP |
Number of blocks: | 3 |
Strength: | 11 officers, 287 men |
Ouvrage Plan Caval is a lesser work (petit ouvrage) of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also known as the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of two infantry blocks and one observation block facing Italy. The ouvrage is located on the heights of L'Authion, surrounded by older fortifications. Three additional blocks were planned to make it a gros ouvrage but were not built. Cost for the full ensemble was estimated at 23 million francs. [1]
The ouvrage consists of three blocks facing Italy at an altitude of 1,870 metres (6,140 ft). The ouvrage was manned by 287 soldiers in 1940, under the command of Captain Philipp. [2] Plan-Caval was located to control the Maglia and Cayros valleys, as well as providing flanking cover the La Béole and Saint-Véran. An extensive set of underground barracks and magazines near the uncompleted entrances was never started, so that the ouvrage as constructed consists mostly of a single narrow gallery connecting the combat blocks. [1]
Plan Caval is also associated with a nearby casemate with one machine gun embrasure and one advance post bunker. [9] The advanced post is a small blockhouse with three machine gun embrasures. [10]
Other, older fortifications exist in the same neighborhood. The Batterie du Plan Caval and its associated barracks are immediately to the west of the ouvrage. [11]
Ouvrage Bovenberg is a lesser work of the Maginot Line. Located in the Fortified Sector of Boulay, the ouvrage is located between petits ouvrages Berenbach and Denting, facing Germany. It consists of two infantry blocks and two artillery blocks.
Ouvrage Village Coume is a lesser work of the Maginot Line. Located in the Fortified Sector of Boulay, the ouvrage consists of three infantry blocks, and is located between petits ouvrages Bovenberg and Coume Annexe Nord, facing Germany. The position saw little action in World War II. It was sold in the 1970s and stripped by salvagers.
Ouvrage Laudrefang is a lesser work of the Maginot Line. Located in the Fortified Sector of Faulquemont, the ouvrage consists of one infantry block, and is located between petits ouvrages Einseling and Teting, facing Germany. Laudrefang was originally planned as a gros ouvrage. With a heavy armament for a petit ouvrage it successfully defended its neighbors against German attack during the Battle of France. Laudrefang is abandoned and flooded, and was heavily damaged by German bombardment in 1940.
Ouvrage Fermont is a gros ouvrage of the Maginot Line, part of the Fortified Sector of the Crusnes in northeastern France, near the community of Montigny-sur-Chiers. It is located near the commune of Montigny-sur-Chiers, between the petit ouvrage Ferme Chappy and the gros ouvrage Latiremont. The position is near the western end of the Line, about four kilometers east of Longuyon, facing Belgium. There was significant combat at Fermont during the last stages of the Battle of France. It was repaired and reactivated during the 1950s and 1960s as a strongpoint in the event of an invasion by Soviet forces. After being abandoned by the military, it has been restored and is maintained as a museum.
Ouvrage Mauvais-Bois is a petit ouvrage of the Fortified Sector of the Crusnes on the Maginot Line. It is located between the gros ouvrage Latiremont and the petit ouvrage Bois-du-Four, facing the Belgium/Luxembourg border. The original plan for the position was for two phases of construction, resulting in a gros ouvrage provided with heavy artillery. The increase in tension between France and Germany in the late 1930s caused resources to be diverted elsewhere, and only the first three combat blocks were built. In 1940 the ouvrage was regularly bombarded, but not directly attacked by German infantry. When the French military divested itself of the majority of the Maginot fortifications, Mauvais-Bois was the second to be sold.
Ouvrage Aumetz is a small work, or petit ouvrage of the Maginot Line. It is part of the Fortified Sector of the Crusnes and is located near the community of Aumetz in the Moselle département of France. The petit ouvrage flanked by the gros ouvrages Bréhain and Rochonvillers, all facing the France-Luxembourg border. Aumetz was initially planned as a gros ouvrage of six combat blocks, but only three infantry blocks were built. Aumetz saw limited action during the Battle of France. In the 1970s it was the first Maginot position to be offered for sale to the public.
Ouvrage Col du Granon is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, one infantry block and one observation block covering the Col du Granon as part of the defenses of Briançon and Grenoble. The ouvrage lies at an altitude of 2,329 metres (7,641 ft).
Ouvrage Restefond is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one artillery block and three observation blocks at the summit of the Col de la Bonnette. The entry block and an artillery block were not completed, and a further block was never built. At 2,733 metres (8,967 ft), Restefond is the highest Maginot ouvrage.
Ouvrage Col de Restefond is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of three infantry blocks. It is located directly adjacent to the Col de Restefond road at an altitude of 2,680 metres (8,790 ft). Construction work was completed in 1934, but the ouvrage was not armed until 1938.
Ouvrage La Moutière is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line at an altitude of 2440 meters. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, one infantry block and one observation block, with an unarmed exit block. The ouvrage supported the Ouvrage Restefond on the crest of the pass, guarding its southern flank. It also covered the Col de la Barcelonnette to the north. The position was built between 1931 and 1935.
Ouvrage Col du Caire Gros is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of two entry blocks at an altitude of 2,048 metres (6,719 ft). Additional blocks were planned but not built.
Ouvrage Col du Fort is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one infantry block and one observation block at an elevation of 1,717 metres (5,633 ft). An additional block was planned but not built.
Ouvrage Gordolon 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 and two infantry blocks at an altitude of 728 metres (2,388 ft). Gordolon was built by Borie contractors at a cost of 21.4 million francs. Work started in November 1931 and was completed in April 1934.
Ouvrage Flaut is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line, also called the Little Maginot Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, one infantry block and one artillery block at an altitude of 771 metres (2,530 ft). The position was intended, acting with Ouvrage Gordolon, to stop an approach by Italian forces from the north towards Nice through the Vésibie Valley.
Ouvrage La Béole is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block and two observation blocks at an altitude of 1,548 metres (5,079 ft). The ouvrage consists of two entry blocks and one observation block facing Italy. The ouvrage was manned by 94 soldiers in 1940, under the command of Sub-Lieutenant Caillard. Additional blocks were planned but not built. The ouvrage was never provided with electricity. Three more blocks were planned but not built.
Ouvrage Col de Brouis 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 and two artillery blocks facing Italy at an altitude of 871 metres (2,858 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.
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 the largest ouvrage in the Alps It is part of the fortifications surrounding Sospel, which protect the approaches to Nice from the north.
Ouvrage Champ de Tir, also known as Champ de Tir de l'Agaisen is a lesser work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. It is located at an altitude of 672 metres (2,205 ft), less than 1 kilometer to the northwest of Ouvrage l'Agaisen. The ouvrage consists of two entry blocks and one infantry block, sited to control the valley of the Nieya and to observe for l'Agaisen.
Ouvrage Roquebrune is a work of the Maginot Line's Alpine extension, the Alpine Line. The ouvrage consists of one entry block, two artillery blocks and one observation block facing Italy. The fortification is located on the heights behind Roquebrune at an elevation of 321 meters overlooking Cap Martin and the bays of Roquebrune and Menton. The ouvrage was manned by 293 men of the 58th Demi-Brigade Alpin de Forteresse (DBAF), supported by the 157th Régiment d'Artillerie de Position (RAP), under the command of Captain Gayot.
Ouvrage Chesnois, also known as Ouvrage Chênois, is a gros ouvrage of the Maginot Line, located in the Fortified Sector of Montmédy, facing Belgium. The ouvrage lies between the towns of Montlibert and Thonne-le-Thil. It possesses six combat blocks. It is located between gros ouvrage Thonnelle and petit ouvrvage La Ferté. The position was sabotaged and abandoned by French forces that were ordered to retreat from the exposed position in June 1940 during the Battle of France. The ouvrage is now abandoned and sealed.