FRENCH DEFENCES

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1934, Page 7

FRENCH DEFENCES

Underground Network I ■' PRACTICALLY INVULNERABLE ’ ’ LONDON, June 12. A correspondent of the Daily Telegraph supplies au account of the frontier defences of France. This is of special interest to those who served in the last war. and who were familiar with the pill-box type of defence adopted by the Germans in the later stages of the war. An additional sum of £24,960,000 for national defence has been voted, and about £10,000,000 of this is intended for completing frontier defence. These defences, says the correspondent, were planned in 1928 by the Minister of War, Andre Maginot, and are known as the “Maginot Line.” They have already cost £27,536,000. The first line is usually composed of small works, including concrete turrets serving as a protection for machineguns. Two, three, or four gunners are sufficient to fill these small posts at the frontier edge. A short distance behind this line are situated more important works, which can shelter a section and in which appear light or medium guns coupled with more mac-hine-guns. These posts are supplied by formations which in peace time occupy barracks in the proximity, but which in war time will be stationed -in other works—underground like the first ones}, and protected by a. veritable armour of concrete. Strategic tunnels connect these works, allowing the movement of troops to pass unobserved by the enemy. ARMOURED TURRETS.

Long-range guns protect the concrete turrets, which are capable of resisting any bombardment. The quality of the material employed is such that it would be necessary for ten powerful shells to fall on exactly the same spot in order to demolish one of the smallest turrets—those which contain only machine-guns. But, as all are planned to allow of flanking fin*, the destruction of .1 single turret would not permit troops to pass the first line—it would be necessary to destroy a whole series of them. Besides which, once the first line was crossed, it would tie necessary to pass the other two, which are still more firmly established. 'These defensive iworks would be of no account if they were not invulnerable, not only against shells, but also against gas. According to the present state of chemical warfare, the armoured turrets and their annexes, arc claimed to be impenetrable. In any case, there is nothing to prevent the soldiers occupying thorn from being provided with gas masks. FEELING OF SECURITY. 'Three or four men used to handling a machine-gun would, therefore, it is stated, suffice to prevent the advance of a regiment, ami they would be practically invulnerable, even under a violent artillery bombardment, a bombardment from the* air, or from gas attacks. 'The feeling of security which they would enjoy would double their force and resistance. Food supplies an<l munitions for several days are stored in the magazines, or in the redoubts next to the sleeping il cellars” of the occupants. Soldiers of one year’s training who have to be initiated into the meaning of present tactics must go through an intensive training which many young men would be unable to stand were they not well prepared before they joined the regiment. For this reason steps an* being taken in France to develop societies for military training, which have assumed such importance in Germanv.