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Following the 15 June 1940 breakthrough by German forces through the Saar gap, the
Germans advanced along the rear of the Maginot Line. The German 167th Infantry Division approached Kerfent, Bambesch, Einseling and TĂ©ting on 19 June. On the 20th the Germans assaulted Bambesch. Supporting fire from
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under the command of
Captain Broché comprised 161 men and 2 officers of the 156th Fortress Infantry Regiment. The units were under the umbrella of both the 3rd and 4th Armies, Army Group 2. The Casernement de Zimming provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Kerfent and other
408:
attacked
Kerfent with 88mm high velocity gunfire from a battery positioned atop Bambesch. Kerfent's cloches were hit by direct fire and Block 3 had to be abandoned after it was holed. The German batteries approached to within 100 metres (330 ft) to attack Block 2. Despite machine gun support
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Kerfent comprises three infantry blocks and a distant observation block. The blocks are linked by deep underground galleries, which also provide space for barracks, utilities and ammunition storage. The galleries are excavated at an average depth of up to 30 metres (98 ft).
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The site was surveyed by the
Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF), the Maginot Line's design and construction agency, and was approved for construction in October 1931. It was completed at a cost of 16 million francs by the contractor Borie of Paris. The
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Work for the unbuilt second phase included two separate entry blocks for munitions and personnel, two casemates, each with three 75mm guns, one 75mm gun turret block, one 81mm mortar turret block and one 135mm gun turret block.
495:
as the preferred term for the
Maginot positions, in preference to "fort", a term usually reserved for older fortifications with passive defenses in the form of walls and ditches. The literal translation of
433:
integrated command structure in the mid-1960s, Kerfent's underground facilities and open surface areas were used by the
Canadian 601st Communications Squadron as a communications center, supporting
437:. A microwave antenna was erected on Block 2. By 1970, Kerfent was listed for disposal, and was acquired by the commune of Zimming. The military antenna was replaced by a civil television antenna.
429:
After the war, Kerfent's combat blocks were mostly left in their damaged state, but the underground facilities were cleaned and maintained. From 1958 to 1961, prior to France's withdrawal from the
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to the public. However, the underground portions remain flooded with up to a metre of water, and the galleries are not safely accessible.
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353:: Observation block with two GFM cloches and one GFM/observation cloche, at a distance of 514 metres (1,686 ft) from the main
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347:: Infantry block with two GFM cloches, one twin machine gun turret and one JM/AC47 anti-tank gun embrasure.
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of 1944, but the observation block's cloche was used for weapons tests by the
Americans.
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did not mount heavy weapons. Bambesch surrendered at 1900 hours. The following day the
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was planned for construction in two phases. The second phase was to upgrade the
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is a large fortification with a significant artillery component, while a
271:
988:
756:
389:
for a broader discussion of the
Faulquemont sector of the Maginot Line.
263:
879:
Fortress France: The
Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II
794:
34:
891:
Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., JancoviÄŤ-PotoÄŤnik, A. and Lang, P.
43:
430:
992:
579:
Puelinckx, Jean; Aublet, Jean-Louis; Mainguin, Sylvie (2010).
409:
from neighboring
Mottemberg, Kerfent was forced to surrender.
278:
as a microwave communications relay station. In the 1970s the
980:
500:
in the sense of a fortification in English is "work." A
445:
A volunteer group has been organized to interpret the
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1077:
1044:
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956:Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques.
939:Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques.
922:Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques.
905:Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques.
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757:"Histoire de la Ligne Maginot de 1945 Ă nos jours"
417:Kerfent did not see significant action during the
958:Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5.
941:Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 3.
924:Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 2.
907:Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 1.
1004:
491:English-language sources use the French term
8:
327:and one retractable twin machine gun turret.
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333:: Infantry block with two GFM cloches, one
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15:
960:Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009.
943:Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003.
926:Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003.
909:Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001.
282:was sold to the commune of Zimming. The
519:
484:
66:
400:Kerfent was of limited use, since the
222:156th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF)
825:Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010).
660:Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010).
633:Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010).
606:Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010).
7:
893:The Maginot Line: History and Guide
877:Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W.
755:Seramour, Michaël (15 June 2007).
474:Czechoslovak border fortifications
14:
1483:Defensive Organization of Corsica
867:Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003.
459:List of all works on Maginot Line
48:Damaged Block 2 cloche at Kerfent
827:"Kerfent (petit ouvrage A34 de)"
159:Concrete, steel, deep excavation
65:
58:
42:
1504:Fortified sector of Faulquemont
1316:Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
1112:Fortified Sector of the Crusnes
698:"Festungsabschnitt Faulquemont"
387:Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
249:Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
203:Fortified Sector of Faulquemont
1410:Fortified Sector of the Vosges
1160:Fortified Sector of Thionville
1028:Fortified Sector of the Escaut
508:is smaller, with lighter arms.
1:
1354:Fortified Sector of the Sarre
1514:NATO installations in France
1438:Fortified Sector of Haguenau
1372:Fortified Sector of Rohrbach
1079:Fortified Sector of Montmédy
1046:Fortified Sector of Maubeuge
797:(in French). www.kerfent.com
335:grenade launcher cloche (LG)
325:automatic rifle cloche (GFM)
761:Revue Historique des Armées
700:(in German). darkplaces.org
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1228:Fortified Sector of Boulay
763:(in French) (247): 86–97.
323:: Infantry block with one
981:kerfent.com Official site
881:, Stackpole Books, 2006.
865:The Maginot Line 1928-45.
831:Index de la Ligne Maginot
666:Index de la Ligne Maginot
639:Index de la Ligne Maginot
612:Index de la Ligne Maginot
585:Index de la Ligne Maginot
53:
41:
31:
23:
662:"Kerfent (po de) Bloc 4"
635:"Kerfent (po de) Bloc 3"
608:"Kerfent (po de) Bloc 2"
581:"Kerfent (po de) Bloc 1"
435:RCAF Station Grostenquin
370:The 1940 manning of the
276:Royal Canadian Air Force
895:, Pen and Sword, 2011.
833:(in French). fortiff.be
668:(in French). fortiff.be
641:(in French). fortiff.be
614:(in French). fortiff.be
587:(in French). fortiff.be
375:positions in the area.
307:with artillery blocks.
290:Design and construction
186:Small artillery work (
1020:Maginot Line Ouvrages
851:Kaufmann 2011, p. 234
718:Kaufmann 2006, p. 172
815:Mary, Tome 5, p. 174
769:10.3917/rha.247.0086
745:Mary, Tome 5, p. 163
736:Mary, Tome 5, p. 210
727:Mary, Tome 3, p. 210
686:Mary, Tome 3, p. 111
569:Mary, Tome 2, p. 117
560:Mary, Tome 3, p. 112
544:Kaufmann 2006, p. 20
535:Kaufmann 2006, p. 13
206:└─Steinbesch/Zimming
106:49.12583°N 6.57889°E
526:Mary, Tome 1, p. 52
230:2 officers, 161 men
102: /
1460:Petit Maginot Line
863:Allcorn, William.
247:. Located in the
239:is a lesser work (
135:Controlled by
130:Commune of Zimming
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1291:Coume Annexe Nord
966:978-2-35250-127-5
901:978-1-84884-068-3
441:Current condition
419:Lorraine Campaign
234:
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173:
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111:49.12583; 6.57889
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1418:Grand-Hohékirkel
1301:Coume Annexe Sud
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122:Site information
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1428:Four-Ă -Chaux
1362:Haut-Poirier
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1140:Bois-du-Four
1135:Mauvais-Bois
1120:Ferme Chappy
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835:. Retrieved
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314:
305:gros ouvrage
304:
300:
296:
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283:
279:
252:
245:Maginot Line
240:
236:
235:
211:Work number:
199:└─sub-sector
187:
164:Battles/wars
143:Site history
26:Maginot Line
1467:Alpine Line
1251:Michelsberg
1064:La Salmagne
969:(in French)
952:(in French)
935:(in French)
918:(in French)
774:19 February
696:Wahl, J.B.
311:Description
148:In use
109: /
85:Coordinates
1498:Categories
1395:Schiesseck
1339:Laudrefang
1306:Mottenberg
1236:Hackenberg
1203:Galgenberg
1193:Kobenbusch
1188:Bois-Karre
1130:Latiremont
1059:Bersillies
515:References
256:Mottemberg
94:49°07′33″N
33:Northeast
1400:Otterbiel
1390:Simserhof
1380:Welschhof
1334:Einseling
1276:Bovenberg
1271:Berenbach
1097:Thonnelle
1054:Les Sarts
406:Wehrmacht
262:, facing
243:) of the
227:Strength:
219:Regiment:
156:Materials
151:Abandoned
97:6°34′44″E
1446:Hochwald
1385:Rohrbach
1329:Bambesch
1266:Anzeling
1208:Sentzich
1198:Oberheid
1183:Soetrich
1178:Immerhof
1173:Molvange
1102:VĂ©losnes
1092:Chesnois
1087:La Ferté
1069:Boussois
453:See also
425:Cold War
272:Cold War
260:Bambesch
24:Part of
1476:Corsica
1423:Lembach
1324:Kerfent
1281:Denting
1256:Hobling
1213:MĂ©trich
1145:Bréhain
1125:Fermont
498:ouvrage
493:ouvrage
447:ouvrage
379:History
372:ouvrage
366:Manning
355:ouvrage
351:Block 4
345:Block 3
331:Block 2
321:Block 1
284:ouvrage
280:ouvrage
264:Germany
1261:Bousse
1241:Coucou
1218:Billig
1150:Aumetz
964:
947:
930:
913:
899:
885:
871:
837:27 May
801:27 May
704:27 May
672:27 May
645:27 May
618:27 May
591:27 May
196:sector
138:France
35:France
1296:Coume
480:Notes
303:to a
127:Owner
962:ISBN
945:ISBN
928:ISBN
911:ISBN
897:ISBN
883:ISBN
869:ISBN
839:2010
803:2010
776:2010
706:2010
674:2010
647:2010
620:2010
593:2010
431:NATO
413:1944
395:1940
385:See
339:AC47
258:and
1036:Eth
765:doi
214:A34
1500::
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549:^
341:).
1012:e
1005:t
998:v
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