Fort d'Arches

Entrance to the fort

The Fort d'Arches , briefly also called Fort de Berwick , was part of the belt fortress Épinal and one of the most modern and strongest in the 1st category in the 21st region (21 ^e corps d'armée).

designation

It was originally called Fort d'Arches , until the Minister of War, Georges Boulanger, implemented a presidential decree of January 21, 1887 that all forts, fortified artillery installations and barracks of the Système Séré de Rivières had to bear the names of former military commanders, which is why the fort then the name Fort de Berwick after the Marshal of France James Fitzjames, 1st Duke of Berwick . On October 13, 1887, Boulanger's successor, Théophile Ferron, canceled it with the note n ° 14980 of the same date and the fort was given its original name.

The construction

The fort was one of the first to be built in the Épinal area. Originally it was assigned to the "defensive bar of the Upper Moselle" (Rideau defensiv Haute Moselle), but responsibility changed in 1900 to the fixed place Épinal . It is located at an altitude of 475 meters below the municipalities of Arches and Pouxeux . From here it controlled the valleys of the Vologne and the Moselle and defended the area between the Fort de Parmont and the Fort de la Mouche . The system was completed by an annex battery .

It was one of the few that has been continuously improved and strengthened over the 40 year period. In 1876 it was the first to be equipped with casemate armor made of laminated steel . In 1889 it was the most modern fort of the French army and at that time already received an electricity station at the same time as Fort du Bourdiau in Maubeuge. It was also the first fort to be reinforced with concrete in 1896 immediately after the practice was adopted by the army command.

Construction dates and costs

• Construction time: June 1, 1875 to October 16, 1877
• Construction costs: 1,499,000 gold francs

Modernizations

Planned modernizations

1893 to 1894

• Equipped with a concrete bunker barracks, either:

a: Construction of a new concrete barracks with 252 seats in the throat of the fort next to Saillant 1

or

b: Reinforcement of the northern part of the existing (bricked) Friedenskaserne with 300 beds by a concrete cover

• Reinforcement of the most important corridors in the fort with concrete lining
• Concrete reinforcing the two armored Casemates Mougin and the two single-ditch caponiers
• Replacement of the double trench caponier with a trench swipe .
• Installation of a double armored turret Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890
• Connection to the network of the 60 cm field railway

1902

New ventilation for the concrete sections and the power station , where a group of generators were powered by petroleum engines.

Completed modernizations

• 1877 to 1878 : Installation of two Casemates Mougin , each equipped with a Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74 to secure the Vologne valley
• 1880 : Construction of an optical signal station
• 1880 to 1881 : The trench walls are clad with a layer of stone
• 1882 : Construction of an additional powder magazine, improvement of the NCO's quarters
• 1889 : Expansion of the trenches around the caponiers
• 1889 to 1890 : Reinforcement of the rooms in the entrance area, the bakery and parts of the main corridor
• 1889 to 1891 : Construction of a power station under the rooms of the entrance area. This was equipped with a steam engine that drove a 15 HP Compound-Pilon machine that operated on a four-pole dynamo "Gramme Lemonnier Type Dupleix". The current was 150 amps , the voltage 75 volts .
• 1890 to 1891 : Construction of a rock magazine at a depth of 10 meters. Two electrically powered freight elevators with a load capacity of 600 kg each lead from the store to the fort. An electric motor of the Sautter-Harlé type with 1750 watts, 70 volts and one of the Edoux type with 1400 watts and 70 volts were used for the drive . In the event of a power failure, the system could be operated manually by four men. The magazine was connected to the throat ditch by a 125 meter long corridor .
• 1890 to 1892 : Creation of large wire obstacles around the fort
• 1890 to 1900 : Construction of a field railway with a gauge of 60 cm to transport ammunition from inside the fort onto the ramparts
• 1895 : Handover of the rock magazine to the artillery
• 1896 to 1897 : Installation of a Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890 . This was ready to fire on October 12, 1897.

Inside of a Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890

1896 to 1897 : Improvement of the optical signal station and the connecting corridors. Installation of three observation armored domes ( Observatoire cuirassé ), construction of combat rooms for the commander. Installation of lighting, an infirmary and a food store in a former powder magazine.

• 1897 to 1898 : Construction of a concrete barracks in the throat between the entrance and Saillant 1. It contained six accommodation rooms with 50 seats each, a kitchen and latrines for the teams.
• 1898 : Repair work on the masonry in the trenches
• 1900 to 1901 : Installation of electrical lighting (at that time 47 kerosene lamps and candle lamps were still in use) and four fans from Genests & Herscher. The fans had a diameter of 30 and 40 centimeters and were used to ventilate the new barracks.
• 1900 to 1902 : Replacement of the capons in the outer moat wall by moat defenses, construction of an exit from the infantry shelter "Abri de Reimbrupt" on the wall, construction of two concrete gun platforms for Canon de 120 mm L modèle 1878 cannons with winch-operated ammunition lifts (only in the Fort d'Arches), reinforcement of the parapets to protect infantry and artillery, installation of 10 guerités blindées
• 1900 to 1903 : Construction of a reserve water cistern to supply the steam engine of the power station, installation of four machine gun towers Tourelle de mitrailleuses modèle 1899 . These were ready to fire in March 1903.
• 1900 - 1903 - 1911 : In 1900 it had already been shown that the Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890 armored turret was superior to the "Casemate Mougin" in all respects. The two casemates were therefore given up. They were removed and one of the front armor plates to reinforce the fire control and observation armored dome for the Tourelle de 75 mm R modèle in 1905 was moved to Fort de Dogny ( Verdun Fiery Place ), where it was installed. The remainder of the armor, 27.2 t, initially remained in place as scrap and was used in 1912 for blasting tests with melinite . Then the parts were sold to a scrap dealer.
• 1905 to 1907 : Installation of a retractable, armored headlight tower with a 90 cm “Fresnel” headlight to illuminate the apron. The device was handed over to the artillery on October 17, 1907.
• 1910 : Installation of four acetylene projectors to illuminate the trenches
• 1913 to 1914 : Replacement of the power plant's steam engine with three Aster generators with 35 HP each, which could be operated with oil or petroleum. Improvement of the electrical ventilation in the new concrete barracks with more powerful fans. Electrical lighting was installed throughout the fort. 304 16 candelas were installed in the galleries and barracks and 31 10 candelas were installed as tower lighting. The ventilation in the barracks, the latrines and in the power station was improved by installing 9 electrical supply air and 7 electrical extraction fans.

• 1914 to 1915 : Connection to the public electricity network for use in peacetime.

Armament

1877

On the ramparts	Under armor protection	Trench defenses	External battery
4 × Canon de 12 mle 1853-1859 4 × Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74 2 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm 3 x Canon de 4 modèle 1858 2 × howitzers 220 mm 4 × Mortier lisse de 22	two Casemates Mougin , each with a Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74	4 × Canon à balles (grappling guns) 4 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm	2 × Canon à balles (grappling guns)
Total guns: 31

1879

On the ramparts	Under armor protection	Trench defenses	External battery
3 × Canon de 120 mm L modèle 1878 5 × Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74 6 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm 3 x Canon de 4 modèle 1858 4 × Mortier lisse de 22	two Casemates Mougin, each with a Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74	4 × Canon à balles (grappling guns) 4 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm	2 × Canon à balles (grappling guns)
Total guns: 33

1881

On the ramparts	Under armor protection	Trench defenses	External battery
4 × Canon de 155 mm L modèle 1877 7 × Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74 4 x Canon Reffye de 85 mm 4 × Mortier lisse de 22	two Casemates Mougin, each with a Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74	4 × Canon à balles (grappling guns) 4 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm	2 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm
Total guns: 31

1906

On the ramparts	Under armor protection	Trench defenses	External battery
8 × Canon de 120 mm L modèle 1878 8 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 4 × Mortier lisse de 22	1 Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890 4 x Tourelle de mitrailleuses modèle 1899 3 x observatoires cuirassé 10 x Guérites blindées	4 × Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 4 × Canon de 12 mle 1853-1859	unavailable
Total guns: 38

1912

On the ramparts	Under armor protection	Trench defenses	External battery
8 × Canon de 120 mm L modèle 1878 8 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 4 × Mortier lisse de 22	1 Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890 4 x Tourelle de mitrailleuses modèle 1899 3 x observatoires cuirassé 10 x guerités blindées 1 x Tourelle de projecteur (headlight tower)	4 × Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 4 × Canon de 12 mle 1853-1859	unavailable
Total guns: 38

crew

• The planned war crew according to the order of July 30, 1909 consisted of:

Artillery staff: 1 officer

Engineer staff: 3 officers, 3 NCOs and men, 4 horses

Directorate: 1 officer

Infantry: 4 officers, 250 NCOs and men of the 170 ^e régiment d'infanterie

Artillery: 2 officers, 210 NCOs and men of the "8 ^e régiment d'artillerie à pied" (8th foot artillery regiment)

Pioneers: 1 officer, 31 NCOs and men of the "11 ^e régiment du genie" (11th engineer regiment)

Telegraph force: 4 men

Total: 11 officers, 410 NCOs and men, 6 horses

Equipment at the beginning of the war in 1914

Accommodation : under increased protection: 282 seats, 380 beds, plus 147 beds in the bricked area

Powder magazine : capacity 45 t black powder

Cartridge magazine : capacity 600,000 pieces

Kitchen : 3 cooking stoves from the François Vaillant company

Bakery : 1 brick oven with an output of 200 bread portions per day, 1 portable oven with an output of 180 bread portions per day

Well : 1 well with an electric pump for filling a cistern with a capacity of 403 m³

Bridge : A retractable bridge led over the valley ditch, which could be pulled on rails into the gate tunnel.

Communication : Optical connection to Fort de Bambois (7.28 km) and Fort de la Mouche (6.96 km) with the aid of a light signal device with a kerosene lamp with a 24 cm mirror. An electric telegraph led to the headquarters in Epinal and to Fort du Parmont .

Lighting : electric and kerosene lamps inside the fort, electric and candle lamps in the towers, acetylene lamps in the moat defenses.

• 

  The brick oven

• 

  Rails of the retractable gate bridge

• 

  Optical signal station

• 

  Inside a moat. Left the banister to the underground access

Armament

• 8 Canon de 120 on siege mounts (two of them on concrete platforms) with 700 shells each
• 8 Canon de 90 with 600 shells each
• 4 mortars "mortar de 22" with 300 shells each
• 1 double armored turret "Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm L modèle 1890" with 2000 shells (plus two spare tubes and a command armored dome)
• 2 command armored domes with controls for the retractable headlight dome
• 10 armored posts (Guérites blindées) on the ramparts
• 1 headlight dome with a Mangin mirror headlight 90 cm in diameter.
• 2 simple trench defenses each with a five-barreled revolver cannon of 40 mm caliber with 1,800 shells each, a "Canon de 12 mle 1853-1859" with 150 shells
• 1 double trench weir with two six-barrel revolver cannon Canon revolver 40 mm modèle 1879 with 1,800 shells each two "Canon de 12 mle 1853-1859" with 150 shells each

First World War

Occupation 1916

169 men

Armament

• Late 1915:

1 Tourelle Galopin with 380 grenades

4 machine gun turrets without ammunition

3 trench guards with a total of 4 40 mm revolver cannons and 4 “de 12 culasse” cannons with ammunition

• Late 1917:

1 Tourelle Galopin with 2000 shells per gun

4 machine gun turrets with ammunition

3 trench guards with a total of 4 40 mm revolver cannons and 4 “de 12 culasse” cannons with ammunition

8 fixed machine gun positions to protect a broken part of the wall

some machine guns for close defense

External systems

• none (the annex battery had been abandoned)

Second World War

The fort only fired one day and surrendered to the Germans on June 20, 1940. They then set up guns here, which covered the Fort de Longchamp and Fort de Dogneville with interference. In 1943 all steel parts were removed and scrapped by the Todt Organization .

Current condition

The fort is in a relatively preserved condition, but has been left to its own devices and left to decay. It belongs to the municipality of Pouxeux and is used by the Lorraine Nature Park Administration (Conservatoires d'espaces naturels de Lorraine) to provide shelter for bats . Entry is prohibited.

Coordinates: 48 ° 6 ′ 17 ″  N , 6 ° 32 ′ 55 ″  E

Footnotes and individual references

1. ^ Note n ° 5285 of March 25, 1886 from War Minister Boulanger to the General Commanders of the Military Regions; Presidential decree of January 21 on the renaming of forts, fortified artillery installations and barracks, as proposed by M. le général Boulanger, Minister of War.
2. ↑ including four on two concrete gun platforms
3. ↑ including four on two concrete gun platforms
4. ↑ identical to the Observatoire cuirassé
5. ↑ https://www.cen-lorraine.fr/

Web links

• Fort d'Arches on fortiffsere