RRP in Flanders 1940

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Kelvin
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RRP in Flanders 1940

#1

Post by Kelvin » 07 Feb 2018, 09:58

Hi, 11e RRP (Regional Protection regiment) in Lille area, and 12e RRP in Dunkerque area and 28e RRP in Ameins, did these three units had joined the fighting in German invasion of Belgium and northern France in May 1940 ? Thank.

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Loïc
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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#2

Post by Loïc » 07 Feb 2018, 16:08

hello Kelvin

actually I would say that it was more the opposite, the fighting and the germans who came to them in Flanders-Artois-Picardy invading Northern France because this kind of units were mainly territorial static guard battalions and companies with oldest reservists (38-45 years old) for the defense of vulnerable points, the various companies or battalions of a regiment not really serving together but dispersed among several garrisons, if they could have tanks sections they could have also firemen-rescue companies certainly poorly armed or unarmed

both 11th and 12th Regional Regiments were concerned by the fightings since the 20th may until the 4th june as both ended in the pocket of Dunkerque

the 11e RR was not in Lille but in the western half of Pas-de-Calais dept defending Saint Omer, Calais, Boulogne, Hesdin, Montreuil-sur-Mer
it was its 3rd battalion converted into 511th Regional Battalion in garrison in Dunkerque

while the 12e RR was in garrison in Lille and its vicinity, 4 tanks sections but one battalion was passive defence

the 28e RRG Régiment Régional de Garde indeed was in Amiens, Abbeville, Albert and offered resistance when the german scythe from the Ardennes came to pick it on the Somme

Regards
Loïc L.


Kelvin
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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#3

Post by Kelvin » 08 Feb 2018, 07:51

Loïc wrote:hello Kelvin

actually I would say that it was more the opposite, the fighting and the germans who came to them in Flanders-Artois-Picardy invading Northern France because this kind of units were mainly territorial static guard battalions and companies with oldest reservists (38-45 years old) for the defense of vulnerable points, the various companies or battalions of a regiment not really serving together but dispersed among several garrisons, if they could have tanks sections they could have also firemen-rescue companies certainly poorly armed or unarmed

both 11th and 12th Regional Regiments were concerned by the fightings since the 20th may until the 4th june as both ended in the pocket of Dunkerque

the 11e RR was not in Lille but in the western half of Pas-de-Calais dept defending Saint Omer, Calais, Boulogne, Hesdin, Montreuil-sur-Mer
it was its 3rd battalion converted into 511th Regional Battalion in garrison in Dunkerque

while the 12e RR was in garrison in Lille and its vicinity, 4 tanks sections but one battalion was passive defence

the 28e RRG Régiment Régional de Garde indeed was in Amiens, Abbeville, Albert and offered resistance when the german scythe from the Ardennes came to pick it on the Somme

Regards
Loïc L.

Hi, Loic, thank a lot for your information, very detailed :D

Did unarmed 14e, 15e and 16e RRT were evacuated from battlefield once Lille and Dunkerque became battlefield ? Thank

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Loïc
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Re: RRT in Flanders 1940

#4

Post by Loïc » 09 Feb 2018, 03:18

hello

unfortunately I don't know the level of armament or disarmament of each RRT, I know only they were partially armed,

paradoxically them contrary to their more static fellow-RRP, at their great disappointment as being more older and ill-armed than active and youngs conscripts units or others reserve units, were quite surprised to be sent very close to the frontline and even sent oustide their own regions as it happened to several parisian and Normandy Labour regional regiments
it was because the operations needed manpower to build defensive sectors

so both local 14e 15e RRT renforced by the parisian 221e RRT (quadragenarian good fathers unit in horizon-blue with Gras rifles) of the Flanders Fortified Sector together with Spanish, International Labour and French Military Workers companies advanced in Belgium following the Armies to build a defensive line from the Belgian coast, Ypres, to the Lys river at the french-belgian border

while the 16e RRT was digging anti-tanks barrages around Lille and the border, became a battalion of the 12th Regional Regiment after the 26th may

all this people sharing the fate of 1st 7th Armies Fortified Sector of Flanders etc across Maritime Flander until Dunkirk and for many of them the way to the stalags after the 4th june

Regards
Loïc L.

Kelvin
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Re: RRT in Flanders 1940

#5

Post by Kelvin » 09 Feb 2018, 07:10

Loïc wrote:hello

unfortunately I don't know the level of armament or disarmament of each RRT, I know only they were partially armed,

paradoxically them contrary to their more static fellow-RRP, at their great disappointment as being more older and ill-armed than active and youngs conscripts units or others reserve units, were quite surprised to be sent very close to the frontline and even sent oustide their own regions as it happened to several parisian and Normandy Labour regional regiments
it was because the operations needed manpower to build defensive sectors

so both local 14e 15e RRT renforced by the parisian 221e RRT (quadragenarian good fathers unit in horizon-blue with Gras rifles) of the Flanders Fortified Sector together with Spanish, International Labour and French Military Workers companies advanced in Belgium following the Armies to build a defensive line from the Belgian coast, Ypres, to the Lys river at the french-belgian border

while the 16e RRT was digging anti-tanks barrages around Lille and the border, became a battalion of the 12th Regional Regiment after the 26th may

all this people sharing the fate of 1st 7th Armies Fortified Sector of Flanders etc across Maritime Flander until Dunkirk and for many of them the way to the stalags after the 4th june

Regards
Loïc L.

Hello, Loic, thank so much for your information. Have a nice day !

Kelvin

Kelvin
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Re: RRT in Flanders 1940

#6

Post by Kelvin » 27 Jun 2021, 15:34

Kelvin wrote:
09 Feb 2018, 07:10
Loïc wrote:hello

unfortunately I don't know the level of armament or disarmament of each RRT, I know only they were partially armed,

paradoxically them contrary to their more static fellow-RRP, at their great disappointment as being more older and ill-armed than active and youngs conscripts units or others reserve units, were quite surprised to be sent very close to the frontline and even sent oustide their own regions as it happened to several parisian and Normandy Labour regional regiments
it was because the operations needed manpower to build defensive sectors

so both local 14e 15e RRT renforced by the parisian 221e RRT (quadragenarian good fathers unit in horizon-blue with Gras rifles) of the Flanders Fortified Sector together with Spanish, International Labour and French Military Workers companies advanced in Belgium following the Armies to build a defensive line from the Belgian coast, Ypres, to the Lys river at the french-belgian border

while the 16e RRT was digging anti-tanks barrages around Lille and the border, became a battalion of the 12th Regional Regiment after the 26th may

all this people sharing the fate of 1st 7th Armies Fortified Sector of Flanders etc across Maritime Flander until Dunkirk and for many of them the way to the stalags after the 4th june

Regards
Loïc L.

Hello, Loic, thank so much for your information. Have a nice day !

Kelvin

Hello, Loic, I would like to ask if 17e and 19e PRT were also presented and trapped in Lille-Dunkirk pocket ? Thank

And did 13e RPT was abolished for other units before the campaign ? Thank

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Loïc
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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#7

Post by Loïc » 27 Jun 2021, 22:18

hello

indeed between 25th may and 4th june these 3 regional regiments were lost captured
rather in Boulogne for 13e RRP and Dunkirk for 17e and 19e RRT less few remnants

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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#8

Post by Kelvin » 28 Jun 2021, 08:15

Loïc wrote:
27 Jun 2021, 22:18
hello

indeed between 25th may and 4th june these 3 regional regiments were lost captured
rather in Boulogne for 13e RRP and Dunkirk for 17e and 19e RRT less few remnants
Hello, Loic, thank again for your help.

Kelvin
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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#9

Post by Kelvin » 17 Jul 2021, 15:18

Hi, Loic, I would like to ask you if several AA batteries of DAT 406e Regiment were captured in Dunkirk/Lille ?

Dunkerque : 201e, 202e,203e and 204e AA batteries

Calais/Boulogne : 205e and 207e AA batteries

Lille : 209e, 210e, 211e and 212e AA batteries

Lille-Turcoing 213e, 214e and 215e AA batteries

Thank

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Loïc
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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#10

Post by Loïc » 22 Jul 2021, 17:02

hello

or that is to say the 61e 62e 63e 64e Groupe were mainly captured

Kelvin
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Re: RRP in Flanders 1940

#11

Post by Kelvin » 27 Jul 2021, 07:56

Loïc wrote:
22 Jul 2021, 17:02
hello

or that is to say the 61e 62e 63e 64e Groupe were mainly captured
Hi, Loic, thank again for your reply.

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