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The Circolare 7000

The publication of the Circolare 7000 in 1938 revolutionise the design of the Vallo Alpino. Instead of the works described in the Circolare 200 small independant casemates had to be built. They would be armed with one or two machine guns and/or an anti-tank gun. In some cases the casemate could be armed with two guns. The interior of the new casemates would be very rudimentary. There would be one sleeping room with at least three beds, some tanks from the drinking and colling water and an ammuntion stock. No generator or ventilator would be provided.

An example of a casemate of the Circolare 7000: Postazione 37c, Caposaldo della Scala, VIII SettoreThe casemates had to be built to protect the dead angles of the existing works and in non-defended areas where they could form a defense line. They were nicknamed "Appostamenti Pariani" (Pariani posts) afther the Chief-of-Staff general Pariani that was responsible for these instructions. The names of the casemates of the Circolare 7000 differ from sector to sector. In the IX Settore (Moncenisio) they were called Postazione (post) while in the III Settore (Valle Stura) they were indicated as Opera.

An exemple of such a line of the Circolare 7000 can be found near St. Rhémy where some casemates were constructed the defend the road to the St. Bernard Pass. Eventually three casemates of the Circolare 7000 have been built here:
  • Opera 1 that defends the road coming from the pass with one MG and a AT gun. It was camouflaged as a house.
  • Opera 2 that covers the valley east of the road. It has two machine guns and one AT gun. Like Opera 1 it looked like a house with its tilled roof and stone wall.
  • Opera 3 overlooks the two other casemates. It has a front room with five embrasures, probably for light MGs.