Coucou was approved for construction by CORF (Commission d'Organisation des Régions Fortifiées), the Maginot Line's design and construction agency, in June 1930 and became operational by 1935,[1] at a cost of 12 million francs.[2] The contractor was Enterprise de Travaille de Fortification.[3]
Description
Coucou is a petit ouvrage[nb 1] with two combat blocks, overlooking the village of Kemplich. The blocks are linked by an underground gallery with barracks and a utility area (usine).[6] The galleries are excavated at an average depth of up to 30 metres (98 ft).[7]
Block 2: infantry block with two GFM cloches, one retractable machine gun turret, two machine gun embrasures and one 47mm anti-tank gun (JM/AC47) embrasure.[9]
In addition, the ouvrage was linked to the Abri du Coucou[nb 2] by an 80-metre (260 ft) underground gallery. The above-ground infantry shelter was armed with two GFM cloches and five automatic rifle embrasures. It possessed its own generating plant.[6][11] Other nearby posts include:
Abri des Chênes-Brûlés: Subterranean infantry shelter (abri-caverne) with two GFM cloches.
Observatoire des Chênes-Brûlés: Observation post with one VP observation cloche and one GFM cloche, reporting to Mont-des-Welches.[6]
An observation block was planned for a second phase, never executed, directly over the caserne.[6]
Manning
In June 1940 the garrison comprised 113 men and 3 officers of the 164th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF). The commanding officer was Chef d'Escadron Ebrard until 13 June 1940, succeeded by Captain Roques.[6]
The Casernement de Veckring provided peacetime above-ground barracks and support services to Coucou and other positions in the area.[6][12]
Coucou played no significant role in either the Battle of France in 1940 or the Lorraine Campaign of 1944. After the Second World War it became part of the Mòle de Boulay, a strongpoint in the northeastern defenses against Soviet attack.[13]
Coucou remained under Army control until after 1971, when it was declassified and sold.[14]
^English-language sources use the French term ouvrage 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.[4] The literal translation of ouvrage in the sense of a fortification in English is "work." A gros ouvrage is a large fortification with a significant artillery component, while a petit ouvrage is smaller, with lighter arms.[5]
^An abri is an infantry shelter, sometimes underground or under earth cover. An abri in the main Maginot Line often closely resembles a casemate, but is more lightly armed and can hold more occupants.[10]
^Puelinckx, Jean; Aublet, Jean-Louis; Mainguin, Sylvie (2010). "Coucou (po A20 du) Bloc 1". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
^Puelinckx, Jean; et al. (2010). "Coucou (po A20 du) Bloc 2". Index de la Ligne Maginot (in French). fortiff.be. Retrieved 20 May 2010.
Allcorn, William. The Maginot Line 1928-45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 2003. ISBN1-84176-646-1
Kaufmann, J.E. and Kaufmann, H.W. Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II, Stackpole Books, 2006. ISBN0-275-98345-5
Kaufmann, J.E., Kaufmann, H.W., Jancovič-Potočnik, A. and Lang, P. The Maginot Line: History and Guide, Pen and Sword, 2011. ISBN978-1-84884-068-3
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 1. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001. ISBN2-908182-88-2(in French)
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 2. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. ISBN2-908182-97-1(in French)
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 3. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. ISBN2-913903-88-6(in French)
Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 5. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2009. ISBN978-2-35250-127-5(in French)
