Fort de Roppe

Main entrance with a former drawbridge over the Kehlgraben

Mortar 220 mm as used in the artillery equipment

The Fort de Roppe , (temporarily: Fort Ney ) was built between 1875 and 1877. It was part of the inner belt of fortifications around the city of Belfort in eastern France in the Franche-Comté region . This belonged to the Barrière de fer (Iron Barrier). At the beginning of the war it had already been reinforced and adapted to the improved possibilities of artillery towards the end of the 19th century.

designation

For a short time it was named after the Maréchal Michel Ney . By presidential decree of January 21, 1887, the Minister of War, Georges Boulanger , implemented that all forts, fortified artillery installations and barracks of the Système Séré de Rivières must bear the names of former military commanders. On October 13, 1887, this was reversed by Boulanger's successor, Théophile Ferron, and the fort was given its current name.

tasks

Among other things, it had the task of monitoring the roads and railways between Mulhouse and Giromagny , as well as preventing enemy access to the dominant heights of the Arsot. Together with the forts of Salbert and Giromagny, an occupation of the area north of Belfort as far as the Vosges should be prevented. Together with the fort in Giromagny, it also controlled the road to Colmar and Basel ; it secured the flank of Fort de Bessoncourt and supported Fort du Salbert .

Legend 1: Entrance
1a: Covered west access via ramp driveway
2: Gaps between spaces
3: Machine gun towers
4: Stairway for simple trenches in Saillant II
5: Simple trenches in Saillant II
6: Covered northeast entrance from Rampenstrasse
7: Hollow beams
8: Covered northwest entrance from Rampenstraße
9: Stairway to double trenches in Saillant III
10: Double trenches
11: Stairway to single trenches in Saillant IV (This was destroyed by an explosion in 1930 and was replaced by a defensive structure. This explains why the stairs are not accessible .)
12: Casemate for trench defense
16: Bakery
17: Washroom
18: Small powder magazine
19: Large powder magazine
20: Latrines
21: Front courtyard
22: Courtyard
23: Concrete war barracks
24: Friedenskaserne
26: Wallstrasse

description

The Fort de Roppe is located on a peak at 511 meters above sea level near the town of Roppe north of Belfort and can only be entered via a drawbridge.

• Construction period: January 1, 1875 to December 31, 1877
• Crew in 1885: 13 officers, 28 NCOs and 606 men
• Ammunition magazine capacity: 100 t + 54 t black powder

in the cartridge chamber: 20140 cartridges for the 138 mm cannons and 44857 cartridges for the 70 mm cannons

• The fort did not have a powder laboratory
• Bakery: initially two ovens with an output of 150 portions each per day

In the new bakery from 1907 four ovens, each with 200 portions per day

• Fountain:

in the fort a well, three cisterns and 2 tanks with a total capacity of 411.3 m³

in the covered shelter: 1 well with a capacity of 33.9 m³, a cistern of 16.2 m³ and a concrete container of 101.3 m³

in the battery Est: a cistern with 57.9 m³

• Telecommunications:

to Fort Salbert until modernization only via light signal

in the fort and its outbuildings via an electric telegraph

• Peaceful accommodation: 449 beds
• War occupation 1914: 1042 men

413 beds

102 seats in the concrete barracks

90 seats in the standby caverns in the envelopes - plus 180 seats in the four, not yet finished standby shelters

252 places in the cavern outside

92 seats and 93 sleeping places in the tank battery of the 75 mm turret

Modernizations

Projected modernizations

• Modernization program from 1900:

Construction of two shelters for 40 men each and an underground gallery connecting the fort with the cavern . Improvement of communication within the system and the powder magazine, replacement of the capons with one double and two single trench strokes in the Contreescarpe , change of the parapets .

Installation of two armored observation domes, a retractable Galopin system turret with two and a turret with a 75 mm R 05 cannon outside the Vorwerk (Ouvrage). Construction of a combat post for 60 men opposite the gun turret

• 1908 Reinforcement of the armor according to the 1900 project

Installation of two armored observation domes ( Observatoire cuirassé ) and eight machine gun towers on the fort and in the apron. Replacement of the 155L turret with the 155 R 07 model

• Projects 1908–1911

Construction of an armored battery of two 155 R 07 towers outside the Vorwerk and equipped with two armored observation towers. Connected to the fort by a postern. (Completion was planned for 1915/16.)

Examination of the system of a bakery and an electric power plant in the fort

• Project 1914

Installation of two 155 C towers to cover the blind spots . Was not pursued because the war began and was finally abandoned in 1917.

Completed modernizations

• 1890: Construction of an external shelter for 252 men and a magazine for ready-to-use ammunition with a capacity of 800 rounds 155 mm.
• 1905–1909 Complete renovation of the fort. The peace barracks are reinforced with a concrete ceiling and space for 646 men. Construction of a "Casemate de Bourges" ( interim spaces ) to flank the area against the Fort Mont Rudolphe. Replacement of the three capons with three trench strokes in the Contreescarpe.
• 1906–1908: Construction of a shelter for 25 men, a 115 armored battery with a 75 R 05 gun turret, which covered the area to Fort de Bessoncourt. This was ready to fire on April 14, 1908.
• 1907–1909: Construction of three machine gun towers (ready for use on August 4, 1909) and three armored observation domes.
• 1907–1910: Construction of a 155 R 07 gun turret
• 1910–1914: Construction of seven shelters and several protected fighting rooms in front of the fort
• 1913–1914: Connection to the external power supply and installation of electrical installations
• 1914–1915: Start of work on an armored battery with two towers of the 155 R 07 type and on a standby shelter (work was stopped due to the war.)

Armament

1879

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
4 × Canon de 155 mm L modèle 1877 guns 14 × guns Canon de 138 modèle 1873–74 (138 mm) 7 × guns Canon de 80 modèle 1877 3 × mortars Mortier lisse de 22 (220 mm) 3 × mortars Mortier lisse de 15 (150 mm)	2 × 155L cannons in mortar casemates	10 × guns 40 mm
Total guns: 53

1882

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
6 × guns 155L (155 mm) 5 × guns 138 mm 5 × Canon de 120 mm L modèle 1878 guns 4 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm (Canon de 7) 3 × Canon Reffye de 75 mm (Canon de 5) 3 × Mortier lisse de 22 (220 mm) 3 × Mortier lisse de 15 (150 mm) 2 × mortars 220 mm	2 × Canon de 155L guns in mortar casemates	5 × guns 70 mm 4 × revolver cannon (40 mm)
Total guns: 40

1886

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
4 × guns 155L (155 mm) 5 × guns 138 mm 9 × guns 120 mm 8 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm guns 2 × 220 mm trench mortars 2 × mortars Mortier lisse de 22 (220 mm)	2 × 155L cannons in mortar casemates	5 × guns 70 mm 4 Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879
Total guns: 39

1903

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
4 × guns 155L (155 mm) 8 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 guns 2 × mortars Mortier lisse de 15 (150 mm) 4 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 (battery "Est") 4 × guns 120 mm (upper battery "Est")		5 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm guns 5 × Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 4 × cannons Canon 12 de culasse modèle 1884
Total guns: 31

1906

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
4 × guns 155L (155 mm) 8 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 guns 13 × mortars Mortier lisse de 15 (150 mm) 4 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 (battery "Est") 4 × guns 120 mm (upper battery "Est")		5 × Canon Reffye de 85 mm guns 5 × Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 4 × Canon 12 de culasse modèle 1884
Total guns: 42

1912

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
4 × guns 155L (155 mm) 2 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 guns 10 × mortars Mortier lisse de 15 (150 mm - in reserve) 4 × guns 90 mm (upper battery "Est")	3 × armored machine gun turrets modèle 1899 1 × turret (Galopin system) 75 R05 (external) 1 × Casemate de Bourges 3 × armored observation towers 1 × Gun turret Tourelle Galopin de 155 mm R modèle 1907	5 × Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 4 × Canon 12 de culasse modèle 1884
Total guns: 37

1914

Fort and annex battery	Armor and casemates	Trench defenses
4 × guns 155L (155 mm) 2 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 guns 10 × mortars Mortier lisse de 15 (150 mm - in reserve) 4 × Canon de 90 mm modèle 1877 guns (upper battery "Est") 3 machine gun departments	3 × machine gun turrets 1 × turret 75 R05 (external) 1 × Casemate de Bourges 3 × armored observation towers 1 × turret 155 R7	5 × Canon revolver de 40 mm modèle 1879 4 × Canon 12 de culasse modèle 1884
Total guns: 40

Plan of the cavern.

Combat value increases

Since 1893 the fort was connected to the other forts around Belfort by a strategic railway line. During the First World War, underground galleries reinforced with concrete were built below the fort as accommodation for the troops, which were connected to the fighting stalls via various galleries. A 155 mm armored turret, three machine gun turrets, a further casemate and shelters were built on the bulwarks for further reinforcement. The annex batteries were equipped with one 75 mm and two 155 mm armored turrets. The batteries to the east of the fort were connected to the main plant by postern . The capons were replaced by trench strokes .

During the First World War (during which the fort was not involved in any combat operations) as well as in the interwar period, a network of 17 heavily concrete underground galleries was created, which connected the different parts of the plant and were intended as barracks and shelters.

Plan of the underground galleries.

Second World War and today's condition

In 1940 the fort was part of the fortified region of Belfort ("RF Belfort") of the 8th French Army , Army Group 3 and the 7th battery of the 159th Artillery Regiment (RAP - Régiment d'artillerie á pied) occupied. Since March 16, 1940, the RF Belfort belonged to the 44th Fortress Corps (CAF - Corps d'artillerie fortresse). The German occupation forces used it as a store for ammunition and material.

The fort is owned by the French army and is undamaged. It is no longer used, is left to its own devices and slowly grows. It is not open to the public.

Web links

Commons : Fort de Roppe  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Fort de Roppe at Fortiff 'Séré

Individual evidence

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. ↑ with the note n ° 14980 from the same date
3. ↑ Cédric Vauborg, Julie Vauborg: Le fort de Roppe ou continued Ney . Fortiff 'Séré 2010. Retrieved September 18, 2010 (French).
4. ↑ the first number indicates the caliber of the gun, followed by the model name
5. ↑ in the French fortifications, the strokes in between spaces were principally called ›Casemate de Bourges‹
6. ↑ The original name "canon de revolver" is misleading, as it is a multi-barrel gun based on the Gatling system. This is sometimes referred to in French as a mitrailleuse.
7. ^ Jean-Yves Mary, Alain Hohnadel: Hommes et ouvrages de la ligne Maginot. Tome Trois. Histoire et collections, Paris 2003, ISBN 2-913903-88-6 , pp. 150, 152. ( L'encyclopédie de l'armée française )

Coordinates: 47 ° 40 ′ 50 ″  N , 6 ° 53 ′ 59 ″  E