Photogaphs of Maginot Installation Under Attack Location Question
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In an older (1977)publication titled Fortress A History f Military Defense by Ian V. Hogg there is a series of photographs on pp 136-137 attributed to an unlisted "German" source that display in very dramatic terms an attack on a maginot casemate with flame throwers and explosive charges The location of construction is
under attached is described as "near Ste Menhound" I would like information of what constuction this might of been and whether it is likely a "staged photograph"as I suspect it is.
Dernière modification par jolasjm le 24/06/2022.
Hello,
This is surely pure propaganda.
Firstly : Ste Menhound, as written, doesn't exist in France. The closest town name is Ste Menehould, but this town is 120 km away inland from the closest Maginot line casemates or ouvrages (Montmédy fortified sector).
Secondly : none of the Maginot line ouvrages or casemates have been attacked using flame throwers. Germans have threatened defenders several times to use them in order to get them to surrender, but have eventually never used them on ouvrages or casemates.
On the other hand, we know of several propaganda movies ("Sieg im Westen" for example) or photo shootings - for german periodicals like Signal - of reconstituted attacks, taken much later after the "campagne de France", for which they did use flame throwers to enhance the dramatic effect and impress the spectators or the readers. Shootings like this were for example done at the Schoenenbourg ouvrage, in 1941 I think.
The german intelligence was knowing quite well the Maginot line technical characteristics, probably including the fact that the most important constructions were designed to be under overpressure, using the ventilation system. This in itself was largely neutralizing the flame-thrower efficiency, as shown by the french army itself in the late 30's during experimentations of flame-thrower attack done in various places. The most important (indirect) effect was a quick saturation of the inlet air filters by the fumes generated by the flame-thrower.
To come back to your question : the place the pictures have been taken could be any of the places germans shooted post-action propaganda material. However, one can form the hypothesis that the reference to Ste Menhound (!) would point to the La Ferté ouvrage near Montmédy for this reconstitution as this is the closest Maginot line section from Ste Menehould (120 km). La Ferté is one of the few ouvrages that has been really attacked and taken by the german forces, with the terrible result of killing the 105 crew members by asphyxia in the gallery during the action. The german propaganda organisation did by the way take pictures during a reconstitution of the La Ferté attack for the "Signal" Wehrmacht periodical. This could be the pictures shown in the book you are referring to.
Regards
Jean-Michel
Hello,
This is surely pure propaganda.
Firstly : Ste Menhound, as written, doesn't exist in France. The closest town name is Ste Menehould, but this town is 120 km away inland from the closest Maginot line casemates or ouvrages (Montmédy fortified sector).
Secondly : none of the Maginot line ouvrages or casemates have been attacked using flame throwers. Germans have threatened defenders several times to use them in order to get them to surrender, but have eventually never used them on ouvrages or casemates.
On the other hand, we know of several propaganda movies ("Sieg im Westen" for example) or photo shootings - for german periodicals like Signal - of reconstituted attacks, taken much later after the "campagne de France", for which they did use flame throwers to enhance the dramatic effect and impress the spectators or the readers. Shootings like this were for example done at the Schoenenbourg ouvrage, in 1941 I think.
The german intelligence was knowing quite well the Maginot line technical characteristics, probably including the fact that the most important constructions were designed to be under overpressure, using the ventilation system. This in itself was largely neutralizing the flame-thrower efficiency, as shown by the french army itself in the late 30's during experimentations of flame-thrower attack done in various places. The most important (indirect) effect was a quick saturation of the inlet air filters by the fumes generated by the flame-thrower.
To come back to your question : the place the pictures have been taken could be any of the places germans shooted post-action propaganda material. However, one can form the hypothesis that the reference to Ste Menhound (!) would point to the La Ferté ouvrage near Montmédy for this reconstitution as this is the closest Maginot line section from Ste Menehould (120 km). La Ferté is one of the few ouvrages that has been really attacked and taken by the german forces, with the terrible result of killing the 105 crew members by asphyxia in the gallery during the action. The german propaganda organisation did by the way take pictures during a reconstitution of the La Ferté attack for the "Signal" Wehrmacht periodical. This could be the pictures shown in the book you are referring to.
Regards
Jean-Michel
Dernière modification par MDL/CHEF HARMAND le 24/06/2022.
Hello , tout le monde.
Il y a eu 105 tués pour "le crew "s'il vous plait , merci.
Cordialement.
David H
Hello , tout le monde.
Il y a eu 105 tués pour "le crew "s'il vous plait , merci.
Cordialement.
David H
Bonsoir David
J’ai corrigé l’erreur dans le texte de la réponse
Amicalement
Jean-Michel
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