The GFM cloche was one of the most common defensive armaments on the

Maginot Line The Maginot Line (french: Ligne Maginot, ), named after the Minister of the Armed Forces (France), French Minister of War André Maginot, is a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built by French Third Republic, F ...

. A ''cloche'' (bell) was a fixed and non-retractable firing position made of a thick iron casting which shielded its occupant. By comparison, turrets could be rotated and sometimes lowered so that only the top shell was exposed. GFM is an acronym for ''Guetteur et Fusil-Mitrailleur'' (lookout and rifle-machine-gunner), which describes its purpose as a lookout and firing position for light weapons. Most of the bunkers or blocks in a Maginot Line ''ouvrage'' were fitted with several fixed armoured

cupolas In architecture, a cupola () is a relatively small, most often dome-like, tall structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome. The word derives, via Italian, fro ...

or cloches. The cupolas were designed to allow the soldiers to perform reconnaissance or repel an attack with an absolute maximum of cover, from inside the bunker. The armament of each cloche varied significantly, but were typically equipped with some combination of: * Light

machine gun A machine gun is a fully automatic, rifled autoloading firearm designed for sustained direct fire with rifle cartridges. Other automatic firearms such as automatic shotguns and automatic rifles (including assault rifles and battle rifles ...

s or

automatic rifle An automatic rifle is a type of autoloading rifle that is capable of fully automatic fire. Automatic rifles are generally select-fire weapons capable of firing in semi-automatic and automatic firing modes (some automatic rifles are capable of ...

s * Vision blocks * Mounted binoculars * A periscope (located on the top of the bell) * A 50 mm mortar Clochegfminterieur

Description

The cloche consisted of two sections of cast iron: a lining or base that sat over a corresponding circular shaft in the concrete combat block, and the cloche itself, for the 1929 model tall and in outside diameter, projecting about above a concrete apron. The apron sloped away from the cloche for drainage and to allow a depressed field of fire. The interior contained a platform arranged so that one occupant could fire from one of several openings in the thick bell. Firing openings were rectangular, and were fitted with a variety of shutters or firing ports, typically stepped to deflect shots away from the opening. A hose could be attached to the weapon to remove gun fumes. Ear-like lifting points projected to each side of the exposed portion of the cloche.

Variants

There were two principal types of GFM cloche, each with a set of subtypes. The 1929 Type A cloche was the initial model, with a short variant, a longer version, a wider version, and a model that could accommodate two soldiers. The 1934 Type B cloche was larger in diameter, with thicker armor. The gun ports were redesigned to fire through a ball fitting that was more resistant to opposing fire. Some Type A cloches were fitted with the new ports.

Periscope

Some GFM cloches possessed a shuttered fitting at the top of the bell through which a

periscope A periscope is an instrument for observation over, around or through an object, obstacle or condition that prevents direct line-of-sight observation from an observer's current position. In its simplest form, it consists of an outer case with ...

could be raised.

References

Bibliography

*Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. ''Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 2.'' Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2001. {{DEFAULTSORT:Gfm Cloche GFM

Description

Variants

Periscope

See also

References

Bibliography