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This photos doesn't show the German Westwall, but a part of the passive defenses of Saint-Maurice, one of the three main fortresses of Switzerland. During World War Two the Swiss built several anti-tank barrages, ranging from walls to concrete blocks. These were still maintained after the war. Only few were demolished around towns and villages or if they restrained the traffic on main roads.
Saint-Maurice was strategically important, because it prevented the enemy from passing from France to Italy and vice versa and also blocked some access roads of the central reduit. Since it could be attacked from both the North (France) and the South (Italy) it had defenses on both sides. The barrage shown blocks a valley north of Saint-Maurice and has to prevent that the enemy tries to outflank the AT casemates. The barrage was covered by the artillery of the forts Dailly and Savatan and by the 10,5 cm AT guns of Cindey. Even in the eighties the Swiss have built several AT barrages which were covered by Centurion tank turrets. They are harder to spot, because they are mostly covered with vegetation. These barrages consists of tilting triangular concrete blocks. Once a tank hits these blocks they turn over, blocking the tank which exposes its vulnerable underbelly, so it becomes any easy target. |