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The Maginot Line retains endless fascination for many students of the Second World War, especially those fortunate enough to have gone underground at a grand ouvrage or two. As a consequence, no shortage of books exists on the topic. Of those, the principal volumes are, understandably enough, written in French. And, of those French volumes, the three previous titles in the Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot series by Jean-Ives Mary and his co-authors are probably the best of the lot.
We reviewed the first three books in the Mary series several years ago and at that time expected the fourth and concluding volume to appear within a year or so. In fact, it required a wait of more than six years before the fourth title arrived, and in the meantime the series has been expanded so that a fifth book is now in the pipeline and due in the near future. We trust it won't require another six years for that one to see the light of day!
Whatever the wait, volume four is a fine addition to Mary's resume, and it gets added to our list of best works on the subject. More-or-less as expected, it covers the sector of the Line facing Italy. The authors divide the book into five chapters:
- Development of the Maginot Line in the Alps
- Architecture of the positions
- Components of the line
- Infantry units
- Artillery units
The first chapter discusses the evolution of planning and the actual construction of the positions south of Switzerland. Many quite revealing photographs from the inter-war years accompany the text, showing in surprising detail how the construction progressed. The authors also give time lines for the various projects and provide tables showing how much each major position cost the French treasury.
The second chapter deals with the architecture of the completed positions, providing an inventory of casemates and blockhouses and so forth, all illustrated with pre-war photographs, photographs of the same positions as they appear today, and detailed diagrams showing firing positions, floor plans, connecting tunnels, etc. While the ouvrages on the "main" part of the Maginot Line in the northeast were mostly built underground, the positions in the Alps were often carved out of solid rock.
Although each position was uniquely designed according to the local terrain, they all tended to utilize the same basic components and armaments, and the third chapter investigates them. These include observation turrets, gun turrets, gun embrasures, artillery, machine guns, mortars, etc. As usual, photos and diagrams fully illustrate all the types and variations.
The fourth chapter shifts gears and examines the infantry units manning the Maginot positions. Each demi-brigade and battalion is listed with brief notes, composition, changes in composition, dates of deployment, insignia, and principal officers. Again, photos of the troops and officers accompany almost every unit. Altogether, this amounts to almost fifty pages.
As an example of how the authors handle each unit, here's part of what they provide for the 157th Alpine Fortress Demi-Brigade.
157e DBAF
SECTEUR FORTIFIE DU DAUPHINE (SFD)
La 157 demi-brigade alpine de forteresse recoit la garde du drapeau du 157 RI.
INSCRIPTIONS AU DRAPEAU DU 157 RI: Ypres 1914, Verdun 1916.
DECORATION AU DRAPEAU: Croix de guerre 1914-18 (une palme).
Apres sa dissolution le 28 aout 1939, la 157 DBAF est reformee aussitot a deux bataillons charges de la defense de la Haute-Ubaye - Ubayette et de la zone de Restefond (Haute- Tinee):
- 73 BAF (ouvrages de Restefond)
- 83 BAF (ouvrages de la Haute Ubaye - Ubayette).
Le IV bataillon du 440 regiment de pionniers lui est rattache ainsi que plusieurs SES:
-12, 14, et 28 BCA (jusqu'en fevrier 1940)
-11 et I5 BCA (jusqu'en mai 1940)
- 299 RIA (a partir de fin avril 1940)
PC: Jausiers (Villa Morella puis caseme Breissand a partir du 4 novembre 1939)
Stationnement en juin 1940:
73 BAF: quartiers Les Sagnes et Restefond (sous-secteur Jausiers)
83 BAF: quartier Meyronnes (sous-secteur Ubaye - Ubayette).
Apres le cessez-le-feu, la 157 DBAF se replie sur Jausiers et Toumoux le 29 juin puis se regroupe dans la region de Saint-Firmin-en-Champsaur et Chauffayer.
Demobilisee dans la region de Corps, mi-juillet, elle y est dissoute le 31 juillet 1940. Ses elements d'active sont verses au bataillon departemental des Hautes-Alpes (futur III/159 RIA) et il l'unite de gardiennage 11/14.
The final chapter gives the same kind of information for artillery units over the course of about twenty-five pages.
In case it wasn't self-evident, the text of this volume—just like the first three—is written entirely in French. However—just like the first three—so much of the data comes from tables, charts, diagrams, and photos that a firm grasp of the language isn't really required.
And, as the preceding should have made clear, this volume isn't about combat operations, it's about the Maginot Line itself and the troops manning the positions. For information about combat operations we must turn elsewhere.
Published at approximately the same time as Mary's fourth volume, Maginot Line 1940 by Romanych and Rupp deals almost exclusively with German attacks against the Maginot Line in the northeast. Of course, given the standard Osprey style, Romanych and Rupp begin with a two-page chronology stretching from 3 September through 4 July. "Origins of the Campaign," amounting to four pages, follows with a brief history of la Ligne Maginot and the overall German battle plan for 1940. The authors then discuss the opposing commanders and opposing armies, providing fairly detailed OBs for those parts of the German and French armies involved in the Maginot fighting.
The bulk of the book looks at German attacks on the Line. By this point the campaign had already been decided, and German armies already threatened to envelop the static Maginot positions from the rear. Likewise, most of the interval troops—French mobile forces manning positions between and behind strongpoints rather than within them—had already been withdrawn. Nevertheless, as the authors demonstrate, the German assaults were no easy affairs, and most positions continued to resist.
Here's an example:
Seven casemates near the villages of Hoffen and Oberroedern were selected for attack. The main attack was against casemates Aschbach-Ouest and Est, and Oberroedern-Nord, located north and east of Oberroedern. If seized, a sizeable gap in the casemate line would be created. However, with its place of attack well within range of Hochwald's and Schoenenbourg's artillery, the 246. Infanterie-Division was destined to fail.
The attack began in mid-afternoon with shelling by 105mm and 150mm howitzers, followed by Stukas carrying 500kg bombs. Despite a large number of bombs dropped, the Stukas hit only Casemate Oberroedern-Nord and the nearby Hoffen shelter, which was the sector's command post. The latter was significant because it had to be evacuated just before the German ground attack, disrupting the French command and control. Otherwise, the bombardment failed to reduce the French defences or morale. During the bombardment, German assault teams advanced on the casemates using nearby ravines for cover and concealment. With the final approach, 37mm anti-tank and 88mm Flak fired on the casemates' embrasures and cupolas. The intensity of the fire forced French crews to evacuate the cupolas and close the weapon embrasures. Several cupolas were knocked out, including one at Casemate Oberroedern-Sud, where a French soldier was decapitated when an 88mm shell penetrated its embrasure. In addition, the 88mm guns destroyed several small blockhouses that covered the ravines, killing several French soldiers.
At 1800hrs, after the Stuka bombing ended, German troops emerged from the ravines and charged forwards. As the Germans reached the obstacle belt they drew heavy machine-gun fire from the casemate crews who were now back at their battle stations. All assaults were repulsed, except at Casemate Oberroedern-Nord where German infantry and engineers breached the barbed-wire entanglements and surrounded the casemate. In a desperate fight, Oberroedern-Nord's crew held off repeated assaults with assistance from nearby Casemate Aschbach-Est.
Meanwhile several waves of Stukas bombed Hochwald and Schoenenbourg to suppress their artillery. However, damage from the aerial bombing was minimal and both fortresses poured artillery fire into the Oberroedern area, pinning down the German assault formations and reinforcements. With the attack bogged down, Gen. Lt. Erich Denecke requested a new wave of dive-bomber attacks to cover a withdrawal. While the Stukas bombed the casemate line and Fortress Schoenenbourg, most assault teams managed to disengage and pull back into the ravines. The 246. Infanterie-Division's operation against Secteur fortifie de Haguenau ended in failure. German losses for the period 14 to 20 June were 62 killed, ten missing and nearly 300 wounded.
After the end of the 246. Infanterie-Division's attack, German artillery continued to shell the Haguenau fortifications. The next day, 21 June, siege artillery of schwere Artillerie-Abteilung 800 took position and began shelling Fortress Schoenenbourg. During each salvo, Schoenenbourg's crew retracted its turrets to protect against a direct hit. In between the crew raised the turrets and engaged in counter battery fire against the German artillery. By the time of the armistice, Fortress Schoenenbourg was the most shelled fortress of the Maginot Line having been periodically shelled by artillery rounds ranging from 105mm to 420mm from 15 May onwards. Additionally, Stukas dropped approximately 160 bombs on the fortress. In return, Schoenenbourg fired 15,802 75mm rounds. For all the pounding, no significant damage was inflicted on the fortress.
The authors also cover Operation Kleiner Bar, the German 7th Army assault across the Rhine against the thinner Maginot defenses around Markolsheim and Neuf-Brisach, commencing on 15 June. It's an interesting engagement, and the only other account of which we're aware is an anonymous booklet picked up in Markolsheim in 1983.
Despite the German assaults, many Maginot positions—although isolated—remained unconquered and defiant at the time of the armistice. Local commanders only surrendered in the following days upon receiving direct orders from the French high command to do so. Although Romanych and Rupp make no mention, these local surrenders were for the most part handled in a most ungentlemanly fashion by the victorious Germans. (See, for example, Blitzkrieg in the West: Then and Now by Jean Paul Pallud.)
The Osprey volume concludes with a brief "Aftermath" and a page about the battlefield as it exists today.
Both these titles should find favor with anyone interested in the Maginot Line. Of course, the French volume is considerably thicker, packed with far more information, and consequently of greater importance to anyone trying to learn about positions and units. It also covers a relatively neglected segment of the line. The Osprey title is also worthwhile, explaining in considerable tactical detail how some of the strongest stretches of the line were actually attacked and defended. Despite the relative slimness of their volume, Romanych and Rupp provide a fair amount of bang for the buck.
We'll add both books to our Maginot shelf.
Available from online booksellers, local bookshops, or directly from the publishers.
Thanks to the publishers and distributors for providing these review copies.
Reviewed 7 March 2010
Copyright © 2010 by Bill Stone
May not be reproduced in any form without written permission of Stone & Stone
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