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Report - - Ouvrage Latiremont, France - August 2017 | European and International Sites | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Ouvrage Latiremont, France - August 2017

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WildBoyz

Is this the future?
28DL Full Member
History

Ouvrage Latiremont is a gros ouvrage (large work) of the Maginot Line – a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built by France in the 1930s to deter invasion by Germany. The site of Ouvrage Latiremont was selected and approved by the Commission d’Organisation des Régions Fortifiées (CORF) in 1931. It cost eighty-eight million francs (approximately twelve million in pound sterling) to construct the fortification. The design of Ouvrage Latiremont is known as a casemate fortress – a fortified or armoured structure, also referred to as a vaulted chamber, from which guns are fired. Once completed, 75mm and 81mm guns were installed and a second phase was planned, to add additional 75mm and 135mm gun turret blocks. However, the second phase of the development never went ahead as the funding was allocated elsewhere.

Latiremont has two main entrances and six combat blocks (three infantry blocks and three artillery). It also comprises more than five kilometres of underground tunnels and galleries; these are at an average depth of thirty metres. A small narrow-gauge railway system, which was connected to a regional military railway system, once linked all six sections of the fortress and it was used to transport supplies, such as equipment, food and ammunition. There were said to be several stations inside Latiremont which were large enough to service and store large trains. Once fully operational, Latiremont was placed under the command of Commandant Pophillat. Pophillat had twenty-one officers and five-hundred and eighty men of the 149th Fortress Infantry Regiment at his disposal.

Following the 1939 invasion of Poland, Britain and France declared war on Germany. Thereafter, between the September 1939 and June 1940, Latiremont fired over 14,4 52 75mm rounds and 4,234 81mm rounds at German forces. The fortress, though, was not directly attacked until June 1940. On the 21st June 1940, the German 161st Division led by Colonel Gerhard Wilck, which brought 210mm howitzers and 305mm siege mortars with them, launched their attack against Latiremont. While the attack was underway, a small number of German units moved to the rear of the Maginot Line where they were able to cut power and communications. Despite heavy resistant from Latiremont and nearby fortress Fermont, firing ceased on 25th June and both garrisons surrendered to the German forces on 27th June. For the remainder of the war, the area was used for a German propaganda film, to document the June 1940 attacks, but it did not see any further significant fighting.

In 1951 the French government attempted to restore many of the northeastern ouvrages, to defend against a potential advance by the Warsaw Pact. However, following the establishment of the French Nuclear Strike Force, the importance of the Maginot Line diminished. Latiremont was subsequently abandoned by the military in 1967. Today, the fortress remains abandoned and has suffered heavily from water ingress.

Our Version of Events

Aside from drinking beer, this explore was our reason for being on the other side of the English Channel. We weren’t certain at all if the place would be doable, but after reading about it we decided it was probably worth the risk. Nonetheless, towards the end of our trip there was a sudden drop in team morale. This resulted in us taking a vote in an Aldi car park, over French bread and Biscoff, on whether or not we should crack on and drive for three more hours to reach Latiremont, or turn tail and check out a few old manors as we headed back to the ferry terminus. With the votes all in and tucked nicely into a hat, we made a short ceremony out of revealing the results. In the end, the remainers won, four to two, so there would be no leaving Europe just yet.

We finished off our Biscoff and spent our remaining Euros on food in Aldi before we set off for Latiremont. Our combined wealth got us a couple of tins of beans, a box of mushrooms and some spices to sprinkle on top. Someone did offer to buy our car in the car park after we got the supplies in, but we had to insist we really needed it to get home to England. The potential buyer still didn’t seem to see that as a problem though. It was quite a mission to shake him.

The drive over to the border of Luxembourg was very pleasant. We played some banging tunes and arrived at the location with plenty of time to spare. At first, we had anticipated that finding the fortress in the forest would be quite a challenge, but as it turned out we stumbled across it within ten minutes of being there. Gaining access to the gros ouvrage was a little more tricky of course – it is a military fortress after all!

Once inside, we found ourselves in a standard-looking bunker. There were signs and evidence that guns had been positioned in here, and at first we thought that was that. Most bunkers we’ve entered have been fairly compact and bare, and you can usually get through all the rooms very quickly. Our minds were blown, then, when we discovered a lift shaft and, after peering down to see how high it was, realised we couldn’t see the bottom. Obviously extremely excited at the point, at the prospect the place was going to be absolutely huge, we began to make our way down a staircase next to the lift shaft.

We made our way down the steps, which went on for a long, long time, until we reached the bottom where we found ourselves in a cold tunnel surrounded by enormous blast doors. It was at this point we realised we’d underestimated how big this place really is. For the next few hours, then, we made our way through different snaking tunnels, and explored many side rooms and chambers leading off from them. One of the best parts of the explore that we came across was some sort of old gun turret. There were plenty of others things to see as well though. This place was certainly a bit of a time capsule. The only problem, however, was that we started to lose track of where we were inside the fortress. It’s very easy to get lost in the labyrinth-like corridors and rooms and we’d eaten all the bread earlier in the day, so making a breadcrumb trail had been out of the question. Eventually, we felt as though we were well and truly lost so decided it was time to find a way back to the surface. It took a little while, and a few false turns, before we found a tunnel that sort of looked familiar. We followed it and, thankfully, ended up back where we started.

All in all, then, this explore was absolutely fantastic – certainly one of the best military fortifications we’ve ever explored. It’s also steeped in interesting history about the war. Anyone who happens to find themselves near Luxembourg should definitely pay this place a visit. You never know your luck after all, you might find a way inside like we did.

Explored with Ford Mayhem, MKD, Rizla Rider, The Hurricane and Husky.

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HughieD

28DL Regular User
Regular User
You get a double like for that. Amazing stuff Wildboyz. The commentary was ace as always. Really well lit photos too. Top stuff...really enjoyed that.
 
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WildBoyz

Is this the future?
28DL Full Member
You get a double like for that. Amazing stuff Wildboyz. The commentary was ace as always. Really well lit photos too. Top stuff...really enjoyed that.

Haha. Thanks Hughie, appreciate the feedback!
 

Grom

Camera Drowner
Regular User
Nice! Its an enormous place isn't it. Could easily spend a whole day just to see it all.
 

WildBoyz

Is this the future?
28DL Full Member
Nice! Its an enormous place isn't it. Could easily spend a whole day just to see it all.

Yeah, we seriously underestimated how big it really is! Very easy to get lost in here if you're not careful :P
 

Saul

Basterd
28DL Full Member
Latiremont is a goodun. I wish I had taken more external pictures of these places. Nice one.
 

freshwateriow

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Yeah, we seriously underestimated how big it really is! Very easy to get lost in here if you're not careful :p
Maybe heading to Latiremont in the near future, is it easy to find the way in. Seen a couple of restored Maginot forts up north so know the general layout. We will be travelling up from Switzerland. Lots of smaller Maginot Line stuff down here along the Rhine and French Swiss border.
 

Grom

Camera Drowner
Regular User
There was a couple ways in, one was pretty obvious through a wide open door, the other was less obvious in a deeply wooded area. I do recall walking around for the best part of an hour until we found it.
 

freshwateriow

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Thanks. I assume the open door is either the Ammunition or Personnel entrances or are these the armoured doors that open from the artillery casemates over the dry moat. Just trying to get some idea of where to head. Was there any signs of security or is it just abandoned? Cheers.
 

Old enough to know better

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
Maybe heading to Latiremont in the near future, is it easy to find the way in. Seen a couple of restored Maginot forts up north so know the general layout. We will be travelling up from Switzerland. Lots of smaller Maginot Line stuff down here along the Rhine and French Swiss border.
I was in Latiremont last September and tried to get in again this June. Don't know others are getting in but munitions entrance has been blocked. If I'd had a hydraulic jack I could've just about forced doors open far enough to get in. Doors open outward and there's a concrete step stopping them now.
 

Old enough to know better

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
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I got in last year through the munitions entrance door but it's now blocked. Looking at the order of your photos it seems like you got in through one of the gun batteries in the forest? let me know because I'm dead set on going back this september. Great photo's by the way.
 
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