../s3_ae.gif Maginot line - Collar of Raus and Baisse by Véran Saint
Photographs: Daniel Ellena, Jean-Jacques Mills, etc Documents SHAT, Cima, etc ©2011 Autoédition Cima.
General information

General information

Collar of Raus: before station of the SFAM (7° 24' 46''E ; 44° 01' 26''N)

Before station consists of a shelter to 5 blocks, connected to each other by underground buildings and, as for very before station, certain site of weapons are isolated from the shelter, with open sky or under concrete. Here we have: a block concreted for FM, a site for mortar and “a sheet subway” shelter used apart from alarms.

Drop by Véran Saint: fortification CORF of infantry (7° 25' 23''E ; 44° 00' 59''N)

This fortification was in construction in 1940 and forever finished. Completed, it would have comprised 3 blocks: B1 of entry, B2 (another entry) armed with two FM and a JM under concrete, B3 of observation with a GFM.
Only B2 is built.
These two fortifications CORF were carried out by the MOM (Military Labour) and not by a civil company, after invitation to tender.

Tourism

The path of high excursion GR52 is ideal for the visit of the places. One parks his vehicle on the park of Aution (while coming from Nice or Chin) then one follows the GR52 on 3 kilometers, in an unforgettable landscape.
Be wary and take your precautions. We seldom had very a long time the beautiful blue sky of the photographs presented in this document and, in this area, time can pass to the storm, without preventing, in a few tens of minutes.
History. 1940

Not history (1940)

col_de_raus.gif
June 14, 1940
S.E.S (Section of Scouts Skiers) of 75e BAF (Alpine Battalion of Fortress) is ordered by sergeant TSCHANN. It depends on before station on the Collar on Raus. Its mission is to control the two kilometers located between before station and the border: Higher Capelet (altitude 2637m) and Summit of the Devil (altitude 2685m).
On June 14, while trying to climb at the observatory of the “higher Capelet”, it is taken with part by an Italian machine-gun installed on the Macruera mount. Assessment: 1 dead (Alpine RIGOT) and a missing (Alpine LAGIER).
June 20
The Italian heavy artillery was installed on the peaks border, on both sides of the Summit of the Devil. With guns and mortars it carries out “shootings of preparation” on the two fortifications (Collar of Raus and Baisse by Véran Saint) for launching an attack by infantry. The destruction, inter alia shelters “subway”, is currently still quite visible but no victim has to regret.
Then, the French artillery of mountain, by its well adjusted shootings of “counter-preparation”, blocks the Italian attempt.
22-23- June 24
Italian appears still somewhat, vis-a-vis the Collar of Raus, but without insisting in addition to measurement; their bearing principal effort on the East of the Maritime Alps.
Collar of Raus

Collar of Raus

Overall pictures

Overall pictures

raus_ellena_3.jpg
raus_ellena_1.jpg From right to left one observes successively: block 1, block 3, block 2, block 4 (observatory with strong current of the ground), the isolated concreted block (behind block 4) and finally block 5 (on the same level as block 1).
raus_ellena_2.jpg Photo steering collar of the border (in North). One notices, on the left, a possibility of retreat under cover, in the event of need.
Blocks

Blocks of the underground fortification

raus_jjm_b1.jpg Block 1 (Northern entry). A Southern entry is with block 2.
raus_jjm_b1_2.jpg
raus_jjm_b3.jpg Block 3.
raus_jjm_b2.jpg From left to right: block 5 (in bottom on the left photograph), block 4 (with the strong current of the ground behind B2), block 2.
raus_jjm_b5.jpg From left to right: block 5 (in bottom on the left photograph), block 4 (with the strong current of the ground), isolated block (behind B4), block 2.
raus_jjm_b5_2.jpg Interior of B5.
raus_jjm_b4.jpg Bell of observation of B4.
Outsides

External sites

raus_jjm_seul.jpg Isolated block, for FM.
raus_jjm_mortier.jpg Site for mortar.
raus_jjm_metro.jpg Three “sheet subway” shelters used as quartering in times of peace and apart from alarms. They were abused by the Italian artillery shootings.
Véran saint

Drop by Véran Saint

Environment

Environment

saint_veran.jpg General sight. One can see: block 2 (in the center), the quartering of the time of peace out of sheet subway (on the left), Philippe Cuny (with the extreme left) and, all with far, the Collar of Raus.
Let us recall that this fortification is unfinished. Only one of its three blocks was built, work having been stopped in June 1940 with the declaration of war of Italy.
Details

Details of the block

saint_veran_jjm_entree.jpg Entry and crenel for FM.
saint_veran_ellena_b2.jpg Crenel for FM.
saint_veran_ellena_b2_jm.jpg Crenel for JM.
saint_veran_ellena_caserne.jpg Quartering of time of peace and except alarms, destroyed by Italian artillery.
etc

Etc

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