Ouvrage Bréhain Explained

Ouvrage Bréhain
Partof:Maginot Line
Location:Northeast France
Coordinates:49.4443°N 5.9038°W
Map Type:France
Map Size:280
Builder:CORF
Materials:Concrete, steel, deep excavation
Controlledby:France
Battles:Battle of France, Lorraine Campaign

Ouvrage Bréhain is part of the Fortified Sector of the Crusnes of the Maginot Line, located near the community of Bréhain-la-Ville in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department of France. Bréhain is flanked by petits ouvrages Mauvais Bois and Aumetz. The gros ouvrage was equipped with long-range artillery, and faced the border with Luxembourg. It saw no major action in either the Battle of France in 1940 or the Lorraine Campaign of 1944. While not open to public visitation, it has been secured and is in relatively good condition when compared to other abandoned Maginot positions. A flanking casemate has been restored and may be visited.

Design and construction

Bréhain was approved for construction in May 1931. It was completed at a cost of 84 million francs by the contractor Ballot of Paris.[1] Compared with its neighbours, the ultimate plans for Aumetz, Bréhain, Bois-du-Four and Ouvrage Mauvais-Bois closely resemble each other, but Bréhain is the most fully realised, with only one unbuilt combat block and an unconnected casemate block. Its neighbours were built as petits ouvrages, to be developed with full tunnel networks at a later date.[2]

Description

Bréhain is a large ouvrage with a gallery system extending over 1500m (4,900feet) from end to end. The munitions and personnel entries are located far to the rear of the compactly arranged combat blocks, with the entries hidden in the woods. An "M1" ammunition magazine is located just inside the ammunition entry, while the underground barracks are located near the junction of the two entry galleries. From there a long, straight gallery runs at an average depth of 30m (100feet) to eight combat blocks.[3] [4] [5] As part of an uncommenced second phase, Bréhain was to receive a second 135 mm turret. A gallery was projected to link the turret block to the Casemate de l'Ouest de Bréhain, which was built as (and remained) an unconnected infantry combat block.[6]

The ouvrage has two entries and eight combat blocks:

Casemates and shelters

A series of detached casemates and infantry shelters surround Bréhain, including

The Casernement d'Errouville provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Bréhain and other fortifications in the area.[19] The Observatiore de la Ferme du Bois-du-Four near the petit ouvrage Bois-du-Four reported to Bréhain,[20] as did the Observatiore de Haut-de-la-Vigne near Mauvais-Bois.[21]

Manning

The 1940 manning of the ouvrage under the command of Commandant Vanier comprised 615 men and 22 officers of the 128th Fortress Infantry Regiment and the 152nd Position Artillery Regiment. The units were under the umbrella of the 42nd Fortress Corps of the 3rd Army, Army Group 2.[22]

History

1940

See Fortified Sector of the Crusnes for a broader discussion of the events of 1940 in the Crusnes sector of the Maginot Line.On 21 June 1940 Brehain engaged advancing German troops, but saw no serious action [23] Bréhain's chief efforts went to the support of neighbouring fortifications, with 20,250 75mm, 1,780 81mm and 2,220 135mm shells fired between September 1939 and June 1940. 4200 shots were fired in support of actions at Esch 10–14 May 1940, and 10,145 shots of all kinds were fired 13–25 June 1940.[24] The 22-June-1940 armistice brought an end to fighting.[25] However, the Maginot fortifications to the west of the Moselle did not surrender immediately, maintaining their garrisons through a series of negotiations. Bréhain, along with Mauvais-Bois, Bois-du-Four and Aumetz surrendered on 27 June.[26]

Cold War

In 1951 Bréhain was renovated for use against a potential invasion by Warsaw Pact forces, becoming part of the môle de Rochonvillers strongpoint in company with Rochonvillers, Molvange and later Immerhof.[27] After the establishment of the French nuclear strike force, the importance of the Line declined, and most locations were sold to the public or abandoned.[28]

Current condition

The site has been secured since its abandonment and is in relatively good condition. It remains the property of the Army.[29] Casemate C2, located along the RN 52 road, has been restored and may at times be open to the public.[17] [30]

See also

Notes

  1. Mary, Tome 1, p. 52
  2. Mary, Tome 3, pp. 84–86
  3. Mary, Tome 2, p. 35
  4. Kaufmann 2006, p.30
  5. Web site: Artilleriewerk (G.O.) Bréhain - A6 . Wahl. J.B.. darkplaces.org. de. 4 May 2010.
  6. Mary, Tome 3, p. 85
  7. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Entrée munitions. Puelinckx. Jean. Aublet . Jean-Louis . Mainguin . Sylvie. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010.
  8. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Entrée hommes. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  9. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 1. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  10. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 2. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  11. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 3. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  12. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 4. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  13. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 5. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  14. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 6. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  15. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 7. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  16. Web site: Bréhain (go A6 de) Bloc 8. Puelinckx. Jean. 2010. Index de la Ligne Maginot. fortiff.be. fr. 4 May 2010. etal.
  17. Web site: Tourisme sur la ligne Maginot. 2010. Le Tunnel. fr. 14 May 2010.
  18. Mary, Tome 3, p. 86
  19. Web site: Festungsabschnitt Crusnes. Wahl. J.B.. darkplaces.org. de. 5 May 2010.
  20. Mary, Tome 3, p. 85
  21. Mary, Tome 3, p. 84
  22. Mary, Tome 3, p. 79
  23. Kaufmann 2006, p. 172
  24. Mary, Tome 3, p. 205
  25. Mary, Tome 3, p. 207
  26. Mary, Tome 5, p. 228
  27. Mary, Tome 5, pp. 161, 171
  28. Mary, Tome 5, pp. 174-175
  29. Web site: Bréhain. bunkertours.co.uk. 4 May 2010.
  30. Kaufmann 2011, p. 217

Bibliography

External links

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