| Ouvrage Bois-Karre | |
| Partof: | Maginot Line |
| Location: | Northeast France |
| Coordinates: | 49.4298°N 6.2042°W |
| Map Type: | France |
| Map Size: | 300 |
| Builder: | CORF |
| Materials: | Concrete, steel, deep excavation |
| Condition: | Preserved |
| Open To Public: | Yes |
| Controlledby: | France |
| Battles: | Battle of France, Lorraine Campaign |
Ouvrage Bois- Karre is located in the Fortified Sector of Thionville of the Maginot Line, facing the France - Luxembourg border. The petit ouvrage is situated in the Cattenom Forest between the gros ouvrages Soetrich and Kobenbusch, just south of Boust. It is unusual for a Maginot fortification in its construction as a single blockhouse, with no underground gallery system or remotely located entries. Bois-Karre has been preserved and is maintained as a museum.
Bois-Karre was surveyed by CORF (Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées), the Maginot Line's design and construction agency, in 1930. Work by the contractor Degaine-Dubois began in 1931,[1] and the position became operational in 1935,[2] at a cost of 10 million francs.[3] [4]
Bois-Karre was planned as an anchor point for a fortified line of retreat from the Cattenom salient formed by Kobenbusch and Oberheid. A firing chamber is arranged to cover the reinforcing line (bretelle de Cattenom), which was to be anchored at its other end by Block 2 of Ouvrage Galgenberg. The reinforcing line was never built.[5]
The single two-level combat block comprises two firing chambers and one machine gun turret. The west firing chamber was armed with a machine gun embrasure and a machine gun/47 mm anti-tank gun embrasure (JM/AC47). The east firing chamber was equipped with two JM/AC47 embrasures and a JM embrasure. Three automatic rifle cloches (GFM) on the surface provided spotting for ouvrage Métrich, along with a machine gun turret.[1] [6] The integral usine was equipped with two Renault engines.
Several casemates, observatories and infantry shelters are located around Bois-Karre, including
None of these are connected to the ouvrage or to each other. All were built by CORF.[1] The Casernement de Cattenom provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Bois-Karre and other ouvrages in the area.[7]
The garrison comprised 91 men and two officers of the 168th Fortress Infantry Regiment under Sub-Lieutenant Boulay.[1]
See Fortified Sector of Thionville for a broader discussion of the events of 1940 in the Thionville sector of the Maginot Line.
The ouvrage which retains a large portion of its equipment, has been restored and may be visited.[5] [8]