B1bis "Bourrasque" from 1/15e BCC

[David Lehmann]

The fate of the B1bis n°257 "Bourrasque" from 1st company, 2nd platoon of the 15e BCC.

B1bis n°257 "Bourrasque" crew :
Commander : lieutenant Paul Sauret
Driver : sergent Seguin
Driver assistant / loader : caporal Gentner
Radio / loader : chasseur Mogrédien

This report is a direct testimony of the crew of the B1bis "Bourrasque" from the 1/15e BCC and from Lieutenant Devos, the intelligence officer of the battalion. It can be found in the following book focused on the 15e BCC : "CHARS B AU COMBAT - Hommes et matériels du 15e BCC " by Stéphane Bonnaud and François Vauvillier.

On 16th May evening the 1/15e and 2/15e BCC B1bis tank crews are exhausted after heavy fights and a 160km movement. The crews haven't slept for grossly 2 days and they have spent during the past day 16 hours in the tanks including 6 hours for combat. Without supply they have very few fuel left and several slower damaged tanks are separated from the battalion during the night between the 16th and the 17th May 1940.

The B1bis "Martinique" (lieutenant Vaucheret) has engine problems and meets the B1bis "Tempête" (lieutenant Perré) which is immoblized next to Sains-Richaumont (see map) at about 20.30 PM. The Tempête has only its 3rd gear still working and is immobilized on a climbing road. The B1bis "Martinique" despite its engine problems will tow the B1bis "Tempête".

Further on the road, in La Hérie (see map), they meet the B1bis "Aquitaine" (sous-lieutenant Picard) whose Naeder hydraulic system is out of use (the tank therefore cannot turn anymore) and the B1bis "Toulon" (aspirant Rollier) on which the engine has issues and the brakes don't work anymore. With these tanks there is also the B1bis "Bourrasque" (lieutenant Sauret) which is totally operational and protects the damaged tanks.

Completely isolated in the night, without news about the battalion's main position and the German troops being on the move, the 5 tank commanders decide with an aching to scuttle the B1bis "Martinique" and "Aquitaine" in order to try to save the 3 other tanks. The B1bis "Martinique" and "Aquitaine" explode between 0.00 PM and 0.30 PM (17th May 1940).

One passing French truck embarks sous-lieutenant Picard and the rest of the crew of the B1bis "Aquitaine", they will manage to join elements of the battalion in Homblières (6km east of Saint-Quentin, see map).

The B1bis Bourrasque tows the B1bis "Toulon" and "Tempête" where Lieutenant Vaucheret and his men took place (crew of the B1bis "Martinique"). They take the direction of the south, thinking it would be the best choice to avoid the German troops.

On 17th May 1940, at 03.00 AM (01.00 AM according to lieutenant Perré), they meet a column of 10 German tanks coming from the south. The Germans don't see them or don't react. According to lieutenant Sauret this event happened next to the Murcy farm, 500m north of Montceau-le-Neuf (see map).

At about 06.00 AM the French B1bis tanks convoy meets a German truck coming this time from the north. Caporal Gentner (an Alsatian), threatens them with his pistol and orders them to stop but they don't acknowledge. A 47mm shell destroys the trucks whose passengers flee in the fields. In the wrecked truck the French tankers take a few maps and several rifles with ammunitions but they find nothing that could clearly tell them the situation of the current French or German positions.

The French convoy contiues but 1km north-west of Pargny-les-Bois (see map) the B1bis "Bourrasque" has not enough fuel to continue. Decision is taken to give all the remaining fuel in the 3 tanks (30 liters) to the B1bis "Bourrasque" which is the single one totally operational. The tank will have the task to find fuel and to return towing the 2 damaged tanks.

Before leaving, the B1bis "Bourrasque" destroys a German liaison car and a side-car met on the road. The lieutenant Sauret takes with him lieutenant Vaucheret (normally commander of the Martinique), sergent Seguin, sergent Courberand (normally driver of the Martinique) and caporal-chef Gentner. The crew is therefore composed of 5 men instead of 4 (personnal note : the soldier Mogrédien has been left behind, perhaps they took the most experienced men only, including member of one other tank).

They cross Pargny-les-Bois and Crécy without issue. In Crécy they go to the east, on the road towards Dercy. On the road they meet German tanks and troops from the 1.PzD (Nedtwig group). At full speed and all weapons firing they force the way through the Germans (destroying, they think, a German armored car) . They are under the fire of the German tanks and Seguin the driver is during a moment blinded by the German fire ; he leaves the road but Courberand corrects the heading and the B1bis continues to move down the road.

Further on the road, the B1bis "Bourrasque" crushes a few side-cars and destroys several trucks and 2 armored cars (this would be the K1 convoy according to the KTB of the 1.PzD).

Arriving in Mortiers (see map) the engine stops, there is no fuel anymore, the tank is immobilized.

Many shells are hitting the tank from various directions. The driving post is hit and one splinter / shrapnel hurts Gentner at the jaw. The B1bis "Bourrasque" fires all its ammunitions (the 75mm SA35 hull gun is useless since the tank is immobilized) against the now surrounding German troops and tanks.

Without ammunition, in an immobilized tank and with German troops around the tank shouting to the French to surrender the crew has no escape possibility. All the hatches are blocked by hits except the top rear hatch on the rear, next to the engine compartment. The crew surrenders and exits through this hatch … They are now POWs on 17th May 1940 at 11.15 AM.

The PK (Propaganda Kompanien) have filmed this event and took later many photos of the tank even after having moved and inspected it.

Aspirant Rollier and lieutenant Perré are waiting all the day long near Pargny-les-Bois (see map) at their combat posts in the two damaged B1bis "Toulon" and "Tempête" the return of the B1bis "Bourrasque". Each time a German vehicle appears they open fire on it. From a German trucks convoy they destroy the two first ones, the other fled.

On 17th May at 6.30 PM the officers decid to let the NCOs and men leave the position. They take MGs from the tanks with them as well as the previously captured German rifles. Perré and Rollier are alone, each one in the turret of a B1bis, Perré guarding the north and Rollier the south of the road.

At 7.00 PM a German ammo truck is destroyed, the explosions will last during half an hour.

At 8.00 PM a German light tank is destroyed on the road by Perré. Rollier on its side destroys 2 tanks and a car.

At 9.00 PM it is clear that lieutenant Sauret will never come back again. The French officers try to put fire to their tanks and abandon them. They try to join the French lines, walking during the night.

On 18th May 1940 morning, exhausted, they stop in a wood at 1500m of Nouvion-le-Comte (see map). They observe many German troops on the road (from the 10.PzD).

At night they continue their progression and reach the Oise river were the bridges have been blown. They cross the river by swimming in front of Travecy and reach Vendeuil (see map). One habitant of the town give them some food and tell them were they can find French troops.

They are transferred to Ferté-sous-Jouarre to the HQ (east of Paris) to make their report and two days later they join their battalion, the 15e BCC, in the Compiègne forest north east of Paris.

Finally, these 5 B1bis of the 15e BCC had been lost.

During the 17th May 1940, the B1bis "Bourrasque" destroyed (according to French reports) :
· several trucks (number not known)
· 1 car
· several side-cars (number not known)
· 2-3 armored cars

"Toulon" and "Tempête" blocking the road near Pargny-les-Bois destroyed (according to French reports) :
· 2 trucks
· 1 ammo truck
· 3 tanks
· 1 car

Total :
· several side-cars
· 2 cars
· several (at least 4) trucks
· 2 or 3 armored cars
· 3 tanks

Regards,

David