French armored trains?

[OldBill]

Did the French have any armored trains in France? Were there military trains?

[Manuferey]

No, the French did not have armored trains in 1939 or 1940, nor for that matter in WW1 either.

However, the French Army used railway guns during both World Wars.

Emmanuel

[Loïc]

I had only in memory the war of 1870
there is a book published about this unusual topic few months ago but I don't have it
Les trains blindés français 1826-1962

and according to
http://rha.revues.org/index7307.html
it seems that there were armored trains in Morocco in 1940

Loïc

[OldBill]

Thank you Loic! I shall see about getting that book.

[Manuferey]

Merci Loïc ! Au Maroc en 1940 donc. Possibly to maintain security along a major railroad then.

Looking further, I found that the French also had two armored trains deployed in Indochina in WW2, one in Tonkin and one in Cambodia. The latter participated in the war against Thailand patrolling the railroad between Phnom Penh and Poipet but never opened fire in anger.
The same post also mentioned a Spanish Republican armored train that ended up in France at the end of the Spanish civil War.
Source: http://deuxiemeguerremondia.forumactif. ... oie-ferree

In addition, the French Army used a first then a second armored in Indochina in 1946-1948
Source: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemin_de_ ... re_(France)#Sections_de_chemins_de_fer_de_campagne_en_France

Emmanuel

[OldBill]

Thanks fellows. I love finding out these obscure bits!

[PT Dockyard]

I believe they also had one during the Intervention in North Russia 1919. I will have to check my sources.

Dave G
The PT Dockyard

[PT Dockyard]

Here is a video of the one in Indochina

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x72ioy ... le?start=9