Description
Rochonvillers is located on the heights of the Aumetz plateau, giving it a command of the surrounding countryside. As a powerful position in the Line, Rochonvillers' role was to control the open country between the Moselle and the Meuse, in concert with its neighbors. The ouvrage formed part of the "principal line of resistance", an element of defense in depth that was preceded by a line of advance posts close to the border, and backed by a line of shelters for infantry. The gros ouvrages like Rochonvillers were so large that their fighting elements were in the line of resistance while their entrances, and hence their supply lines, were in the third line, surrounded by infantry, as much as a kilometer to the rear. The entrances were in turn served by narrow-gauge (60 cm) railways that branched from a line paralleling the front and in turn connecting to supply depots. The rail lines ran straight into the munitions entry of the ouvrage and all the way out to the combat blocks, a distance of 2,250 meters (7,380 ft).
Rochonvillers covers an unusually large area. The combat blocks are connected to each other and to the subterranean barracks, magazines and entries at the rear by underground galleries at an average depth of 30 meters (98 ft). The locations of the entrances in a ravine allowed a relatively short inclined descent to the gallery complex. Stairs, ammunition hoists and chutes for spent casings rise to the surface at each block. The central utility plant or usine is just inside the personnel entry. Rochonvillers, as one of the largest ouvrages, was given a large "M1" magazine some distance in from the munitions entrance, an arrangement would be useful for a command post in later years. A large barracks is located at the junction of the personnel and munitions galleries.
- Ammunition entry: inclined plan, with the automatic rifle cloches (GFM), one machine gun/47mm anti-tank gun embrasure (JM/AC47), modified during the 1980s. Access forbidden.
- Personnel entry: shaft, two GFM cloches, one JM/AC47 embrasure. Access forbidden.
- Block 1: Infantry block with one machine gun turret, one GFM cloche and one machine gun cloche (JM).
- Block 2: Artillery block with one 75mm gun turret.
- Block 3: Artillery block with one 75mm gun turret and two GFM cloches.
- Block 4: Observation block with one GFM cloche and one observation cloche (VDP).
- Block 5: Artillery block with three 75 mm gun embrasures, one 135mm gun embrasure, one GFM cloche and one grenade launcher cloche (LG). Access forbidden.
- Block 6: Artillery block with one 135 mm gun turret, one GFM cloche and one grenade launcher cloche. Access forbidden.
- Block 7: Artillery block with one 135 mm gun turret and two GFM cloches. Access forbidden.
- Block 8: Infantry block with one JM/AC37 embrasure, one JM machine gun embrasure, one machine gun turret and two GFM cloches. Access forbidden.
- Block 9: Infantry block with one machine gun turret and one GFM cloche.
An emergency exit was proposed via an access gallery to the nearby Rochonvillers iron ore mine in 1934, but was not pursued. An abortive plan of 1939 proposed a connection between the Abri du Grand Lot, the Abri du Bois d'Escherange and on to gros ouvrage Molvange.
Read more about this topic: Ouvrage Rochonvillers
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