Fort de Comboire: XIV Corps and artillery command post
The command post of the XIV Corps under General Beynet was located at Fort Comboire at this point in the battle.
Par Jean Paul Noir, Florent Mezin et le Cne Courtois du Musée des troupes de Montagne. et Sources: Juin 1940, Voreppe Rempart de Grenoble, co-écrit par Jean-Claude BLANCHET et Gaston REGNIER.
The XIV Corps was the unit responsible for defending the Tarentaise, Maurienne, Briançonnais, Queyras and Ubaye regions from the Italians and Germans.
From this command post, General Marchand, commander of the XIV Corps artillery, gave instructions and orders to draw up topographical plans for the three batteries of the 104th RALA (heavy artillery regiment), which had been set up between Noyarey and Sassenage. He also drew up the points of engagement and the positions of the observatories that would be set up on the afternoon of 23 June 1940. It was also from Fort Comboire that the engineer commander Dutrou, head of signals for the XIV Corps, took charge of all the telephone installations for the artillery deployment.
For this feat in battle, General Beynet and the XIVth Corps were cited in the army order:
« During the days of the 20th to 25th June, when the XIVth army course under his command was undergoing the concentrated effort of German and Italian forces, stubbornly led and ardently ensured the simultaneous defence of its front, its flank and its rear, against forces superior everywhere. To the very end, it maintained the entire defensive position entrusted to it, and almost everywhere preserved the terrain of its outposts, even beyond its mission ».
Sincères remerciements à la commune de Claix, au DMD 38 et au Musée des Troupes de Montagne pour leur soutien!
Notes et références
[1]Nota deltraduttore : si tratta di un livello di ricompenza pare alla Medaglia d’oro al valormilitare italiano
