This article has been simplified compared to my .doc / .pdf file since I did not attach pictures like the divisional insignia. I could also not easily add the different tables.
Best regard,
David
ARMORED UNITS IN THE 1940 WESTERN CAMPAIGN
1. GERMAN ARMORED UNITS
On 1st September 1939, the German Army is still immature, it lacks some equipment and is far from being organized around the Blitzkrieg concept. The chain of command is still very classical and the armored units have not the importance they will gain later in 1940. 5 Korps include motorized units but there is no specific group dedicated to large mechanized operations beyond the tactical level.
The Panzerwaffe formed in 1934 includes in 1939 7 Panzerdivisionen and 4 Leichten-Divisionen (light armored divisions) beside 4 ID (mot). It is the most powerful element of the Heer but only 16% of the tanks are armed with a 3.7cm or a 7.5cm gun, 84% of the tanks are Panzer I, Panzer II or command tanks. At the tactical, mobility and flexibility level the German mechanized units were superior to their Polish opponents in 1939 but the inter-arms cooperation (tank/infantry/artillery/air support) was not yet mature even if already tested on the very basic level in Spain with the Panzer I and several crews.
The size of the Panzerwaffe is too limited in 1939 and its practical use is not yet well defined, the old school favoring the classical warfare is still powerful in the German high command. All the Panzerdivisionen and Leichten-Divisionen are completely scattered ; only the 10th Armee has in some extend some concentrated mechanized troops. The Panzerwaffe of September 1939 is not mature and not directed towards a specific point (Schwehrpunkt) of the front. Fall Weiss allowed testing some tactical principles that the German HQ wanted to upscale. The Germans did more than replace losses between the Polish and French Campaigns. They created new divisions and improved their army in terms of equipments, chain of command and doctrine.
The German forces had been reorganized after the campaign in Poland (Fall Weiss) :
• At the eve of Fall Gelb there are 155 German divisions available (136 engaged), including 2 Waffen-SS motorized divisions instead of 105 divisions (63 engaged) in September 1939. The Leichten-Divisionen have been transformed into Panzerdivisionen. The Leichten-Divisionen have been transformed into Panzerdivisionen. Created in 1936, these Leichten-Divisionen were based on the model of the French DLM. In Germany like in France, the cavalry wanted its own tanks because it was frightened to loose influence. After Fall Weiss the 1., 2., 3. and 4. Leichten-Divisionen became the 6., 7., 3. and 4. Panzerdivisionen and the 5. PzD had been created. The German army in May 1940 had therefore 10 Panzer Divisionen, 6 ID (mot) and 1 newly created Kavalerie division.
• The 3. and 4. Wellen Infanterie Divisionen from the Polish campaign were largely improved, younger men were enlisted and the equipment was modernized. In 1940, 15 of these divisions were frontline units.
• The chain of command is less centralized and more flexible whereas in Poland the command structures were very traditional. Add to that the important communication means (many radio sets), a well organized logistics and you have a powerful army.
• The German tactics with good inter-arms cooperation (tank / aircraft couple, close air support provided by the Ju87s and Hs123s, omnipresent tactical air reconnaissance) were not mature in Poland but they are ready for Fall Gelb. The first trials with air-ground cooperation were to be held in Grafenwöhr training area 21st - 25th August 1939, but cancelled due to the oncoming war. Therefore, in September 1939 the Germans had no new Blitzkrieg tactics to use.
A complete new HQ and ad-hoc structure is created with Gruppe Kleist for the initial phase of Fall Gelb. It includes 3 motorized army corps, regrouping 5 armored divisions and 3 motorized infantry divisions, directed towards the Ardennes. Unlike in Poland, the mechanized elements are well concentrated and have a real strategic role. They are well supported by the VIII.Fliegerkorps concentrating all the 300 Ju87 dive bombers and 42 Hs123 assault biplanes. The 5.PzD and 7.PzD of the XV.Armee Korps (mot.) are only several kilometers north of Gruppe Kleist. Therefore 7 Panzerdivisonen are concentrated against the weak area of the Ardennes. In the area of Sedan, 1500 aircrafts are concentrated on a small area to support the German attack. It is the very first time in History that such armored and air support forces are concentrated on such a small area.
During the initial phase of Fall Gelb, the Germans used also extensively airborne troops (paratroopers and glider troops) and commandos (in German uniforms, in allied uniforms or in civilian clothes – Brandenburger commandos, assault engineers or elite infantry of the "Grossdeutschland" regiment etc.). Such a concentration of commandos and airborne troops having a real strategic role is probably also a first time in History.
Compared to the Polish campaign, in France the armored units were better armed (more tanks were armed with 3.7cm and 7.5cm guns (16% - 452 tanks - in Poland and 36% - 955 tanks - in France) and also better armored. There were Panzer IV Ausf.A/Bs in Poland but more Panzer IV Ausf.C/Ds in France. There were lightly armored early Panzer III in Poland but more Panzer III E/F in France. The Panzer II was built with 14.5mm armor and up-armored after the Polish campaign for the invasion of France. Also the early Panzer IIs had no vision cupola for the commander, which reduced probably the tactical awarness. The cupolas were retrofitted to the existing tanks over a period of time. The first Panzer III armed with a 5.0cm gun left the production line in July 1940. During that month 21 were built and 17 of these accepted by Army (according to Blatt G112, 15th December 1940 "Überblick über den Rüstungstand des Heeres"). Apparently if 5.0cm shells were already in production in June 1940 it was because the 5.0cm PaK38 were slowly being produced at this time, not because of Panzer III with 5.0cm guns used in France in 1940.
--> For all these reasons, the 1940 western campaign can be seen as the best example of the so-called Blitzkrieg. It worked also later against Greece and Yugoslavia but it couldn't work anymore in Russia which was too big.
The Panzerwaffe had 2636 German tanks on 10th May 1940 :
[Table giving the tank strength of the different Panzerdivisionen and the repartition of the different tanks]
These 2636 tanks include 965 ones (37%) armed with a 3.7cm or 7.5cm gun. Not counting here the additional 99 Panzerjäger I and 24 StuG A. Which leads to 2759 AFVs and 1088 ones (39%) armed with a 3.7cm, 4.7cm or 7.5cm gun. All the German tanks were concentrated in the 10 Panzerdivisionen. The German Panzerdivisionen might be very different in composition from one to an other and during the campaign itself because of various attachments at different times. The type 1 Panzerdivisionen (Guderian model) like the 1., 2. and 10.PzD and the type 1 bis like the 3.,4. and 5.PzD had 2 tank regiments with 2 battalions each. The type 2 Panzerdivisionen, originating from the transformation of the Leichten-Divisionen, are the 6., 7. and 8.PzD. They had a single tank regiment but with 3 battalions. Finally the 9.PzD was a "reduced" type 2 Panzerdivision with only one tank regiment of 2 battalions. Except the atypical 9.PzD which is engaged in the Netherlands, a Panzerdivision had a mean of 270 tanks including 170 light tanks and 100 medium tanks. The Panzer 35(t)s are concentrated in the 6.PzD and the Panzer 38(t)s are all in the 7.PzD and 8.PzD.
2. FRENCH ARMORED UNITS
During World War 1, the French tanks were part of the artillery and called AS for "artillerie d'assaut" (assault artillery … and not special artillery as it is often written). General Estienne, father of the French tanks, was indeed from the artillery. He worked since 1915 to use mobile and armored guns. The main task of the tanks was nevertheless to support the advance of the infantry.
In 1920, the tanks became part of the infantry with more than 3,000 FT17 tanks available. In 1940, 1297 FT17 tanks were still in service : 1062 tanks in France and 235 in the colonies. From the 1062 FT17 tanks in France, 462 were in combat units and many others were in airfield protection platoons, anti-paratroops tank companies, regional platoon of protection tanks, important buildings protection platoons etc.
During the inter-wars period, the infantry and the cavalry developed their tanks separately. The infantry had tanks long before the cavalry but created big armored/mechanized units (divisions) later. The cavalry first used only armored cars.
The development of the French tanks was hampered by several factors :
• The disarmament conference at Geneva and the League of Nations with the post-WW1 pacifism. Germany left the League of Nations and developed its own tanks despite the interdiction of the Versailles treaty.
• Financial and political issues from 1919 to 1930 leading to the main effort on light tanks instead of medium main battle tanks. They appeared less offensive and therefore in adequacy with the international pacifist context. From 1928 to 1934, only 2.4% of the budget for armament production was dedicated to the tanks.
• Too many dispersed efforts and projects
• Not one single arm (independent or not) regrouping all the AFVs. There were infantry and cavalry tanks whereas in Germany the Panzerwaffe became an independent arm concentrating all the tanks.
In 1936, the French army had still some 700,000 horses. Nevertheless, in 1940 it had 400,000 motorized vehicles including motorcycles, cars, trucks, tanks, armored cars etc. (more or less equivalent to the German army, the small US army for example had 12,000 vehicles at the same time which shows how quickly it increased its size afterwards).
In the cavalry the DLC = Division Légere de Cavalerie = Light Cavalry Division included some tanks and armored cars but the main armored unit was the DLM = Division Légere Mécanique = Light Mechanized Division. The term "light" referred to its speed and mobility not its strength since it was more powerful than the armored division of the infantry.
In the infantry the armored division was the DCR = Division Cuirassée de Réserve = Reserve Armored Division (cuirassée means armored). The acronym DCR was chosen in order to differentiate it from the already existing DC (= Division de Cavalerie = Cavalry Division). But it was indeed originally meant as "Division Cuirassée de Réserve", the word "reserve" being a political choice. These new units would not be ready until 1940 and were initially assigned to the HQ reserve, thus their name. But once in the field they were simply known as "Divisions Cuirassées", which was technically abbreviated as DCu, yet DCR was often retained (leading to the use of DCr). The BCC (bataillon de char de combat) were the tank battalions included in the DCR but on 10th May there were still about 35 BCC available for the armies beside several companies (CACC = Compagnie Autonome de Chars de Combat = independent tank company). They were dispersed in all the armies and all over the territory to support the infantry. During peacetime the BCC were depending from RCC = Régiment de Chars de Combat = tank regiments.
In 1940 the main tanks were :
Infantry tanks :
• Renault FT-17BS (light)
• FT-17c (light)
• FT-17m (light)
• FCM36 (light)
• Renault R35/39/40 (light)
• Hotchkiss H39 (light)
• Renault D1 (medium)
• Renault D2 (medium)
• Renault B1 (heavy)
• Renault B1bis (heavy)
• FCM-2C (very heavy)
Cavalry tanks :
• Hotchkiss H35/39 (light)
• Somua S35 (medium)
2.1 The French cavalry tanks
General Flavigny was the director of the cavalry from 1931 to 1936. In 1931, with general Weygand, he started big efforts to modernize the French cavalry and introduced motorized/mechanized elements, despite a low budget and many oppositions originating from pro-horse lobbies.
The development of the cavalry AFVs begun in 1930/1931 and three types of vehicles were studied :
• AMD = Auto-Mitrailleuse de Découverte = distant reconnaissance wheeled vehicles : Panhard P165/175, Laffly 80AM, Laffly 50AM, Laffly S15TOE were used at first but the main AMD in 1940 was the excellent Panhard P178. The Panhard 178, nicknamed "pan-pan", was a very good and reliable armored car. It has proven a superior designed armored car in 1940. It had a 2-men APX3 turret (hand-cranked) and its 25mm SA35 gun had good anti-tank capacities. The Panhard 178 was capable of relative high speed (72.6 km/h) and had two drivers (one forward and one backward) to change direction very quickly, increasing the overall maneuverability.
• AMR = Auto-Mitrailleuse de Reconnaissance = cross-country reconnaissance, tracked armored car / light tank : AMR-33 and AMR-35 ZT1, ZT2 and ZT3.
• AMC = Auto-Mitrailleuse de Combat = tracked (or half-tracked) vehicle that has better armament and armor, capable of heavy combat : at first the Panhard-Schneider P16 Mle1929 (used as AMR in 1940), Renault AMC-34 (YR), Renault AMC-35 (ACG1), Hotchkiss H35/39 and the most important, the very good Somua S35. The Somua S35 was fast, well armed and well protected. It was very liked by its crews who pulled away the embossed "SOMUA" plates and welded them on their new Sherman tanks in north Africa.
In 1932, 3 hybrid cavalry divisions (horses / armoured cars) are created but it remained a "oil and oats" solution, mainly because of the horse traditions and also because the modern armored cars and tanks were at first only slowly available. These DC = Division de Cavalerie = Cavalry Division were made up of half conventional horse mounted cavalry and half armored cars. The trainings revealed the issues of such units : if the armored cars moved at 25-45 km/h they were too fast for the horses and could not hold alone the area they just took, if the unit moved at 8 km/h, the rhythm of the horses, the armored cars' engine was overheating.
On 10th February 1940, there were 50% less horses in these units, 1 cavalry brigade instead of 2. This enabled to create more such units thanks to all the newly available tanks and armored cars. From the 3 hybrid units 5 DLC were created.
Each DLC includes about 7,800 men, 2,000 horses and 2,100 vehicles :
• 1 divisional HQ
• 1 cavalry brigade (BC = Brigade de Cavalerie) of 2 cavalry regiments (horse mounted)
• 1 light motorized brigade (BLM = Brigade Légère Motorisée) with :
--o a RAM (Régiment d’Auto-Mitrailleuses = armored cars regiment) including 13 Hotchkiss H35 tanks and 12 Panhard 178 (+1 radio car + 2 reserve armored car)
--o a RDP (Régiment de Dragons Portés = mechanized cavalry regiment) of 2 battalions including 23 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 and 5 motorcycle platoons
• 1 divisional AT squadron (EDAC = Escadron Divisionnaire Anti-Char)
• 1 divisional repair and recovery squadron
• 1 motorized artillery regiment (75mm Mle1897 and 105mm C with all-terrain tractors)
• 1 motorized AT battery (BDAC = Batterie Divisionnaire Anti-Char)
• 1 motorized engineer company (sapeurs-mineurs company)
• 1 mixed signals company
• 1 HQ horse-drawn transport company
• 1 HQ motor transport company
• 1 divisional quartermaster group
• 1 divisional medical group
Therefore each DLC had only an AFVs strength of 13 tanks and 35-37 armored cars = 48-50 AFVs. A DLC could in no way compete with a German Panzerdivision but they will nevertheless face them.
During combats, the 2 components (horse vs motorized) are often separated, the armored cars joining other motorized/mechanized elements. These hybrid characteristics could also be found in the motorized reconnaissance "battalions" of infantry divisions or army corps : 7 GRDI (= Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie), 5 of them including armored cars, and 3 GRCA (=Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée).
In 1932-1935, the first fully motorized unit, the 1e DLM, was born and developed. The 2e DLM was born in 1937 and the 3e DLM in February 1940. There will be 3 DLMs on 10th May 1940 (1e DLM, 2e DLM and 3e DLM) forming the French cavalry corps under command of general Prioux. The DLM is more powerful than the DCR, faster and more mobile. It is a unit fully adapted to modern mobile warfare.
The 1e DLM and 2e DLM became very well trained divisions (even at the divisional an corps level) with efficient crews and specialists. Manoeuvres and trainings were organized at large scale in 1935, 1936, 1937 1938, 1939 and the last divisional training in 1940.. They included deep penetration behind fortifications, cooperation with close air support and close inter-arms cooperation. The crew knew their tanks and how to operate them. The gunners were skilled and trained. The 3e DLM formed in 1940 had only reservists who did their military service on horse and some of them discovered their tank a short time before being engaged, except some officers and specialists originating from the other DLMs.
The cavalry corps and the corresponding HQ is created at the mobilization beginning September 1939. It is under the command of general Prioux until 25th May 1940 when he took command of the 1st army and general Langlois replaced him at the head of the cavalry corps. The cavalry corps contains initially only the 1e DLM and 2e DLM. The 1e DLM is then attached to the 7th army to operate in the Netherlands on 10th May 1940. It is replaced in the cavalry corps by the 3e DLM on 26th March 1940. During the 1940 western campaign the cavalry corps will regroup 1, 2 or the 3 DLMs. During the battle of Hannut, general Prioux had the actual command of a real French tank corps facing a German tank corps. They inflicted heavy losses to the Germans. The use of such a French tank corps is unique during the 1940 campaign except perhaps the formation of the "groupement Buisson" beginning June for the battles on the Aisne and Retourne Rivers south of Rethel which grouped the 3e DCR and the 7e DLM.
Each DLM included about 10,400 men and 3,400 vehicles :
• 1 divisional HQ
• 1 light motorized brigade (BLM = Brigade Légère Motorisée) with 2 armored cavalry regiments (RC = Régiment de Cuirassiers or RD = Régiment de Dragons).
• 1 light motorized brigade (BLM = Brigade Légère Motorisée) with 1 armored reconnaissance regiment (regiment de découverte) and 1 RDP (Régiment de Dragons Portés = mechanized cavalry regiment)1e DLM : 174 tanks (+ 16 reserve tanks) in the 1e BLM
• 4e RC (43+4 Hotchkiss H35 and 44+4 Somua S35)
• 18e RD (43+4 Hotchkiss H35 and 44+4 Somua S35)
2e DLM : 174 tanks (+ 16 reserve tanks) in the 3e BLM
• 13e RD (43+4 Hotchkiss H35 and 44+4 Somua S35)
• 29e RD (43+4 Hotchkiss H35 and 44+4 Somua S35)
3e DLM : 174 tanks (+ 16 reserve tanks) in the 5e BLM
• 1e RC (43+4 Hotchkiss H39 and 44+4 Somua S35)
• 2e RC (43+4 Hotchkiss H39 and 44+4 Somua S35)
• 1 divisional AT squadron (EDAC = Escadron Divisionnaire Anti-Char)1e DLM : 107 armored cars in the 2e BLM
• 6e RC : 40 Panhard 178 (+1 radio car + 2 reserve armored car)
• 4e RDP : 67 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 (+2 reserve armored cars)
2e DLM : 107 armored cars in the 4e BLM
• 8e RC : 40 Panhard 178 (+1 radio car + 2 reserve armored car)
• 1e RDP : 67 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 (+2 reserve armored cars)
3e DLM : 107 tanks / armored cars in the 6e BLM
• 12e RC : 40 Panhard 178 (+1 radio car + 2 reserve armored car)
• 11e RDP : 22 Hotchkiss H35 and 47 Hotchkiss H39
• 1 divisional repair and recovery squadron
• 1 motorized artillery regiment (with all-terrain tractors)
• 1 motorized AT battery (BDAC = Batterie Divisionnaire Anti-Char)
• 1 motorized AA battery (BDAA = Batterie Divisionnaire Anti-Aérienne)
• 1 engineer battalion (3 motorized companies plus a bridging company)
• 1 telegraph company
• 1 radio company
• 1 carrier-pigeon detachment
• 1 HQ motor transport company
• 1 divisional quartermaster group
• 1 divisional medical group
On 10th May 1940 the cavalry consisted in :
• 5 Divisions Légères de Cavalerie (DLC)
• 3 Divisions Légères Mécaniques (DLM)
• 1 Brigade de Cavalerie (BC)
• 3 Brigades de Spahis (BS)
• 23 Groupes de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée (GRCA)
--o 20 normal (horses)
--o 3 motorized
• 105 Groupes de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie (GRDI)
--o 52 normal (horses)
--o 7 motorized (5 with armored cars)
--o 46 reduced (in the colonies or late created units)
• A few corps francs de cavalerie (including armored cars) during the campaign
• 3 regiments in the 4e DCR of the infantry
During early June 1940, the remains of the 5 DLCs were to be converted to a DLM "type réduit", a reduced DLM :
• 1e DLC as 4e DLM
• 2e DLC as 5e DLM
• 3e DLC as 6e DLM
• 4e DLC as 7e DLM
• 5e DLC as 8e DLM
The deteriorating military situation meant only 4e DLM and 7e DLM were actually formed.
The 1e DLM, 2e DLM and 3e DLM are also reconstituted beginning June, as reduced DLMs, with men evacuated from Dunkirk and who returned to France after a transit in Great Britain. These 5 DLMs fought until 25th June 1940.
The cavalry tanks are organized in "escadrons" (1 escadron = 1 squadron) and in "pelotons" (1 peloton = 1 platoon). For example in a cavalry unit like the 4e Régiment de Cuirassiers there are : 44 Somua S35 and 43 Hotchkiss H35 (+4 reserve tanks of each model) :
• 1 regiment command tank (1 Somua S35)
• 1 Somua S35 squadrons group = 43 Somua S35 :
--o 1 Somua S35 squadrons group command tank (1 Somua S35)
--o 1st squadron (21 Somua S35) (one "escadron" with 4 "pelotons")
---- 1 squadron commander tank
---- 4 platoons of 5 tanks
--o 3rd squadron (21 Somua S35s) (one "escadron" with 4 "pelotons")
---- 1 squadron commander tank
---- 4 platoons of 5 tanks
• 1 Hotchkiss squadrons group = 43 Hotchkiss H35 :
--o 1 squadrons group command tank (1 Hotchkiss H35)
--o 2nd squadron (21 Hotchkiss H35) (one "escadron" with 4 "pelotons")
---- 1 squadron commander tank
---- 4 platoons of 5 tanks
--o 4th squadron (21 Hotchkiss H35) (one "escadron" with 4 "pelotons")
---- 1 squadron commander tank
---- 4 platoons of 5 tanks
2.2 The French infantry tanks
After World War 1, the Schneider and Saint-Chamond tanks were retired and mostly only FT17 tanks were available. The Renault FT17 light tanks were replaced by the Renault D1, Renault R35 (later R39 and R40), Hotchkiss H39 and FCM36. In 1935, The Renault R35 and the Hotchkiss H35 tanks were produced but already in 1937 they appeared insufficient. The Renault R35 was adopted by the infantry and the Hotchkiss H35 by the cavalry only. It was rejected by the infantry which accepted only the later Hotchkiss H39, better armored (40mm) and with a more powerful engine (120 hp on 2800 rpm for 36.5 km/h onroad and 16km/h in medium difficult offroad). The 37mm SA38 L/33 gun was nevertheless rare and most of the tanks had only the 37mm SA18 L/21 gun. The heavier Renault D2 was produced in 1937.
The Renault B1bis tank was developed between 1921 and 1938. During this time it became heavier (increased armor to 60mm) and more intricate and despite an always more powerful engine (307 hp) it had lost in autonomy compared to the initial project. The B1bis was before all conceived in the 20's and 30's as infantry support tank, transported by railway behind the frontline, used to pierce the frontline by neutralizing the MG nests and fortifications, moving at the speed of the infantry, opening the way to the infantry and the cavalry which were in charge of exploiting the breakthrough. Destroying a strongpoint and moving then to the next position to neutralize. The B1bis tank's autonomy (about 150 km) was therefore totally sufficient according to this doctrine and was in fact not bad at all compared to the other tanks of 1940. Nevertheless this heavy tank used a lot of fuel, especially during combats because the tank had to turn on the spot to aim the 75mm hull gun. The practical autonomy was of about 6 hours. The Renault B1bis tank is able to cross ditches 2.75m wide, to climb slopes at 41° (90%) (on hard ground) and to cross obstacles 1.33m high.
General Delestraint managed to use this tank at the rhythm of a medium tank, engaging it successfully in tank vs tank warfare, but it was not able to follow the fast and mobile strategic warfare imposed by the German Panzerwaffe. The infantry high command refused to equip the DCR with the Somua S35 tanks of the cavalry, despite being better adapted to mobile tank vs tank combats.
Both the Hotchkiss H39 and the heavy B1bis were better tanks than the Renault R35 in terms of speed and mobility. Beside all the infantry and cavalry AFVs that were mentioned, some 30 others AFVs were studied and tested.
All the BCCs which were used to from the DCRs were already available, they were not new units but the creation of an armored division was a new project. The first half DCR was born on 2nd September 1939 and a second one on 5th September 1939. The 1e DCR and 2e DCR were created on 16th January 1940 and the 3e DCR on 20th March 1940. Since at least 4 months training were required to make of these DCRs operational units, the 3e DCR was not completely ready on 10th May 1940. A 4e DCR will be created on the field during May 1940.
On 10th May 1940, beside the French cavalry units, the 10 Panzerdivisionen concentrating all the German tanks encountered the 3 new DCRs and about 30 BCCs dispersed in the armies from Switzerland to the North Sea / Channel.
Each DCR included about 6,400 men and 1,700 vehicles :
• 1 divisional HQ
• 1 heavy tank half-brigade of two heavy tank battalions
• 1 light tank half-brigade of two light tank battalions1e DCR : 62 + 1 command tank = 63 Renault B1bis (+6 reserve tanks)
• 28e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
• 37e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
2e DCR : 62 + 1 command tank = 63 Renault B1bis (+6 reserve tanks)
• 8e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
• 15e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
3e DCR : 62 Renault B1bis (+6 reserve tanks)
• 41e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
• 49e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
4e DCR : 49 Renault B1bis (+3 reserve tanks) and 19 Renault D2
• 46e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis
• 47e BCC : 18 Renault B1bis
Attachements :
• 19e BCC : 40+5 Renault D2
• 1 mechanized infantry battalion (BCP = Bataillon de Chasseurs Portés)1e DCR : 80 Hotchkiss H39 (+10 reserve tanks)
• 25e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39
• 26e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39
2e DCR : 80 Hotchkiss H39 (+10 reserve tanks)
• 14e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39
• 27e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39
3e DCR : 62 Renault B1bis (+6 reserve tanks)
• 42e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39
• 45e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39
4e DCR : 80 Renault R35 (+10 reserve tanks), 39 Somua S35, 40 Hotchkiss H39
• 2e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39
• 24e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39
Attachements :
• 3e RC : 39 Somua S35 + 40 Hotchkiss H39
• 1 motorized artillery regiment (with all-terrain tractors)
• 1 motorized AT battery added to the two first DCR in February 1940
• 1 motorized engineer company
• 1 mixed signals company
• 1 HQ motor transport company
• 1 motor transport company
• 1 divisional quartermaster group
• 1 divisional medical group
The above composition was not final, there were to be further changes. It soon became apparent in training that the division had too few infantry. An extra battalion was planned to be added but the Germans attacked before anything was done. The lack of reconnaissance troops was also noted and something was planned to remedy this : a 131e, 132e and 133e GRDI each of a motorcycle squadron and an AMR squadron began to form in early June 1940. The 3 motorcycle squadrons were to come from the 7e RDP, a unit of the projected 4e DLM. Fall Rot, the second stage of the German offensive on the Somme and Aisne Rivers, beginning June, forced to cancel the formation of these units.
The 4e DCR was exception to the above organization as it was effectively an emergency formation initially used to block German progress towards Paris (involved in battles like Montcornet and Crécy-sur-Serre) and later to eliminate the German bridgehead at Abbeville on the Somme River. Formed on 15th May 1940, with only a few units ready when ordered to the front it was nearly two weeks before it reached its peak strength beginning June. The units were not trained to act together and at the beginning even the engineers were used as supporting infantry. The 4e DCR seems strong but the units were at first engaged one by one as they arrived and had often not their theoretical strength.
The tanks from the infantry are organized in "compagnies" (1 compagnie = 1 company) and sections (1 section = 1 platoon) :
Renault B1bis company – heavy tanks :
company commander : 1x B1bis
1st platoon (section) : 3x B1bis
2nd platoon (section) : 3x B1bis
3rd platoon (section) : 3x B1bis = 10 tanks
For the whole battalion :
3 companies = 30 tanks
+ 1 battalion command tank = 31 tanks
+ 3 reserve tanks in the "compagnie d'échelon" = 34 tanks in a B1bis battalion.
Renault R35 company – light tanks :
company commander : 1x R35
1st platoon (section) : 3x R35
2nd platoon (section) : 3x R35
3rd platoon (section) : 3x R35
4th platoon (section) : 3x R35 = 13 tanks
For the whole battalion :
3 company = 39 tanks
+ 1 battalion command tank = 40 tanks
+ 5 reserve tanks in the "compagnie d'échelon" = 45 tanks
NUMBER OF FRENCH TANKS IN FRANCE ON 10th MAY 1940, IN COMBAT UNITS : 2307 (2777)
• Hotchkiss H35 : 328
• Hotchkiss H39 : 474
• Renault R35/39 : 900
• FCM36 : 90
• Somua S35 : 264
• Renault D2 : 45
• Renault B1bis : 206
Modern tanks : 2307
• Renault FT17 : 462 (obsolete)
• FCM-2C : 8 (obsolete)
Obsolete tanks : 470
3. BRITISH ARMORED UNITS
On May 1940, 23 years after the first tank attack led by 49 British tanks, Great Britain has only achieved one exemplar of a kind of basic armored unit but grossly without supporting infantry, artillery, engineers or services.
In 1927, an experimental armored unit is tested by the British with 65 tanks, 16 tankettes, one motorized infantry battalion, supporting artillery and engineers. It is disbanded 2 years later and judged without interest.
In 1931, other trials are made with the 1st brigade, Royal Tank Corps (RTC), but the unit is only created for summer trainings.
In 1934, 4 battalions of the RTC are permanently regrouped : 150 obsolete tanks. One training of this mobile force proved to be a complete failure : bad coordination, the tanks were completely dispersed, isolated and "neutralized" one by one. This led the armored unit project to be completely neglected.
In 1934, Great Britain tested 1 tank brigade while the German had 1 operational battalion. In 1935, they had still 1 experimental tank brigade but the Germans had already 3 armored divisions. In 1937, there was a project for a possible armored division and the Germans had 4 armored divisions. The reluctance of the British high command delayed the development of an armored arm.
In 1934, the British high command had a project of reorganization of the army, implying the motorization of the cavalry but it faced the opposition of the pro-horse lobbies, which were even stronger than in France or Germany. At first Dragoons, Lancers, Hussars and Horse Guards didn't want to change their traditions.
Between the cavalry and the new and tiny RTC the relations were often very bad, the first one seeing the new one as being devoid of elegance and traditions.
Nevertheless, major general Blakiston-Houston, general inspector of the cavalry, announced that there was no future for the horse mounted cavalry. The regiments would have to be transformed in mechanized/motorized units, beginning with 3rd Hussars, Queen's Bays, 4th Hussars and 9th Lancers. The lack of equipments delayed the operation, which happened only on the paper.
The first modern tanks appeared only in the 3rd Hussars during 1937. The first operational unit is the 4th Hussars in November 1937. The last horse unit disappeared in 1941.
The RTC, whose expansion was strongly slowed down in 1934, continued its development during May 1937. 9 battalions were formed in 1938 and 5 others in 1939. This development created tensions between the cavalry and the RTC. The Royal Armored Corps (RAC) was therefore created, concentrating all the AFVs. Great Britain avoided therefore the cavalry/infantry tanks rivalry that can be found in France, but developed its mechanized units years later.
Germany was creating an independent and powerful Panzerwaffe. In France the industrial effort was similar to the German one but less efficient due to the inability to choose a unique doctrine and to unify all the AFVs in one arm (independent or not). United Kingdom had lost considerable time and was the last one to choose to have powerful armored units. The first modern British tanks, the A9 and A13 cruisers, are only available in December 1938.
In October 1939, the new born 1st armored division (AD) had in charge the defense the south British coast and is completely dispersed, all trainings being cancelled. In January 1940, the 1st AD was again grouped and went on with the training. On 16th/17th May 1940, 1 week after the German attack, the 1st AD (general Evans) was sent to France, without artillery, infantry or engineers. The AA and AT units are incomplete. The British AT units received French 25mm AT guns (a total of 220 25mm SA34/37 for the BEF). Several tanks had no guns, no episcopes or no radio set and there are grossly no spare parts. Part of the 1st AD remained to defend Calais.
NUMBER OF BRITISH TANKS IN FRANCE ON 10th MAY 1940 : 308
• 4th battalion Royal Tank Regiment : 50 Matilda I and 5 Vickers MkVIb
• 7th battalion Royal Tank Regiment : 23 Matilda II, 27 Matilda I and 7 Vickers MkVIb
• 13th / 18th Hussars (1st Division) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
• 4th / 7th Dragoon guards (2nd Division) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
• Lothian & Border Horse (48th Division) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
• 15th / 19th Hussars (3rd Division) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
• Innskilling Dragoon guards (4th Division) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
• East Riding Yeomanry (3rd Corps) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
• Fife & Forfar Yeomanry (51st Highland division) : 28 Vickers MkVIb
TOTAL :
• Matilda I : 77
• Matilda II : 23
• Vickers MkVIb : 208
Only the 23 Matilda II are armed to fight against tanks, the other tanks have only MGs.
The 1st Armoured Division is arriving on 17th May 1940 only :
2nd Armoured Brigade
o 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
o 9th Queen's Royal Lancers
o 10th Prince of Wales Lancers
3rd Armoured Brigade
o 2nd battalion Royal Tank Regiment (not present in France)
o 3rd battalion Royal Tank Regiment
o 5th battalion Royal Tank Regiment
Tank strength :
• Vickers MkVIb : 134
• Cruiser MkI (A9) : 24
• Cruiser MkII (A10) : 31
• Cruiser MkIII (A13) : 95
284 extra tanks but only 150 cruisers able to fight against tanks.
The British tanks except the Matilda II were all too lightly armored and the crew inexperienced. All the British light tanks could be easily penetrated even by the German 2.0cm guns which were not efficient against the French tanks. Some of these British tanks were fast but they did not use this potential advantage to hit and run. As described by German testimonies in Abbeville for example : while fired on, the British tanks generally just stopped to fire or to regroup, allowing the German AT gunners to concentrate easily on sitting ducks. The French tanks at least, even the lighter ones, had the luck to have a 40mm thick armor.
In Abbeville and Arras alone the British lost 167 of their 588 tanks (28% losses) in hours. The first attack on Abbeville for example was led by the 1st AD which lost 120 tanks out of 165 (73% losses), the attack failed in only 2 hours. The counter-attack in Arras involved 60 Matilda I and 16 Matilda II but also 60 French tanks (45 Hotchkiss H35 of the 13e BCC and 15 Hotchkiss H39 + Somua S35 of the 3e DLM). It cannot be called a success with the heavy losses that were sustained by the British troops before retreating : 62% of the British tanks (47 tanks), about 50% in the infantry and 75% of the reconnaissance vehicles (16 armored cars). The French troops covering the right flank were soon confronted to direct 10.5cm artillery and Flak fire as well as Pak and tanks. They were even fired at by British AT guns. They destroyed at least 3 Panzer IV and 6 Pz38(t) from the Pz.Rgt.25 when covering the retreat of the British troops. The French lost about 20 tanks and the Germans about 20 tanks during the battle of Arras.
Several other British tanks were lost around Calais and Boulogne but most of the remaining tanks simply abandoned or lost due to mechanical breakdowns and could not be recovered and repaired in front of the advancing German troops. The 1940 British army shared the same weaknesses as the bulk of the contemporary French one like the inability to wage mobile battles, slow-thinking command, and what we would today call poor C3I, and did no better job in May/June 1940 than the French army. They were beaten the same way and led their battles more or less according to the same tactics of infantry support.
