Ouvrage Plan Caval

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Ouvrage Plan Caval
Part of Maginot Line, Alpine Line
Southeast France
Bunker plan caval.jpg
Plan Caval
France location map-Regions and departements-2016.svg
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Ouvrage Plan Caval
Coordinates 43°59′50″N7°26′35″E / 43.99726°N 7.443°E / 43.99726; 7.443
Site information
Controlled byFrance
Site history
Built byCORF
In useAbandoned
MaterialsConcrete, steel, rock excavation
Battles/wars Battle of France, Operation Dragoon
Ouvrage Plan Caval
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]

Contents

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]

Description

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]

See also

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Ouvrage Roquebrune

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

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References

  1. 1 2 Mary, Tome 5, pp. 53–54
  2. Puelinckx, Jean; Aublet, Jean-Louis; Mainguin, Sylvie (2010). "Plan Caval (po de)". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  3. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (po de) Bloc 1". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  4. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (po de) Bloc 2". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  5. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (po de) Bloc 3". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  6. Puelinckx, Jean; eta al (2010). "Plan Caval (po de) Bloc 4". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  7. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (po de) Bloc 5". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  8. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (po de) Bloc 6". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  9. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (casemate de)". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  10. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (avant poste de)". Index de la Fortification Française 1874-1914 (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 18 February 2010.
  11. Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Plan Caval (batterie du)". Index de la Fortification Française 1874-1914 (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 25 February 2010.

Bibliography