Tribute to French armoured

[Maillon21]

2ème Division Blindée, 501ème Régiment de Chars de Combat, 2ème compagnie. (2nd Armoured Division, 501st Combat Tank Regiment, 2nd company)

 

N°20 Montmirail

https://mega.nz/file/rfwE0LaJ#f5clKO6s4P0uVRcuEK_irEOHRVL0Ot8xbpNYVi4KoSg

 

N°21 Romilly

https://mega.nz/file/qK4GjDRR#EW9bNx_bOAMrNrF289exQbXxrNKKXnzv22VPy2KAUw4

 

N°24 Champaubert

The CHAMPAUBERT was destroyed during an attack with the MONTMIRAIL along a very wooded road at Anglemont at the foot of the Vosges on October 2, 1944. Four of the five crew members were killed. The fifth was seriously injured.

https://mega.nz/file/bfwRTKqB#1YkJ_ynhvlA8lINrdc8AtXGhzCEitX5RTCevQiIcAKc

 

These three tanks were the first to enter Paris on the evening of August 24, 1944

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Maillon21

[ShampooX]

Oui Oui!!

[Maillon21]

7 minutes ago, ShampooActual said:

Oui Oui!!

J'en ai encore plein! ?

I got plenty more!

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 2nd Company

 

N° 18 Austerlitz

https://mega.nz/file/DLwhBQ4Q#h0-s9E5jNYzFzLHPXGO54yCdl3WsyztDahbq2E4Q_6w

 

N° 19 Iéna

Destroyed at Petitmont (Meurthe and Moselle) on November 18, 1944.

https://mega.nz/file/GTxSDYjC#wQ7jHxpLOzFSCZb-cX3k1dlvVWe0N7t2IGo54zp9OkI

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Maillon21

[tribal50]

?

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 2nd Company

 

N°25 Friedland

https://mega.nz/file/eHJH0TKQ#Qd8cN8shCxGELDsgmIGXDQumlFu0Acu-kH6NtV08LTM

 

N°28 Auerstaedt

https://mega.nz/file/CPwUwSBK#NgrxUzo4DSXqDQo2YasRKa-nbDD78pZa5jNwIHvUwQw

 

N°31 Eylau

https://mega.nz/file/ueJWQZpS#yyJElSWZ2u4-q2ttdoFG17jzCkw0sIV2qmB_PS02cbA

 

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

2ème Division Blindée, 12ème Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique (light cavalry of Africa), 2ème escadron. 

 

N°35 Corse

In February 1944, the American inspection took place for the division’s combat capability: the result is excellent. On this occasion, General Leclerc passing in front of CORSE and seeing the little Corsica drawn under the badge of the division asks the commander to withdraw it but, in fact, it had to stay until the end!

https://mega.nz/file/meBzUDZZ#0MNGaQgRNVSGHOn0YXnNGhmWSPKUkU1EPCjljJoCKrc

 

N°22 Vivarais

Destroyed by mine on April 15, 1945

https://mega.nz/file/7CRkGSzD#wDMMBkivTEx-D6jP4We3x_9jWTrPEhMm6QVxLoH1HDE

 

 

 

Edited August 3, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 3rd Company

 

N°35 Argonne

Destroyed at Bocquegney (Vosges) on September 15, 1944.

https://mega.nz/file/STASmTIZ#b5nPc_nRypcflUf4HvzIqPUzXoi1LrpNn11hKT8hwjc

 

N°36 Mort-Homme

Paris 25 August 1944 Rue de Rivoli
At 13 o'clock, under the command of the major de La Horie, the 1st tank section (lieutenant Bénard) launched an attack on the Meurice Hotel supported in its advance by two infantry sections of Regiment of Chad. Hotel Meurice is the headquarters of General von Choltitz, commander of the German garrison of "Gross Paris". The progression begins along the rue de Rivoli; the infantrymen jump from pillar to pillar and door to door; Lieutenant Bénard breaks down an anti-tank barricade and leads to the Place de la Concorde.
The MORT-HOMME received a grenade that exploded in the turret, seriously wounded the private Diot, as well as Lieutenant Bénard and his gunner, François Campani. The MORT-HOMME began to burn, but the driver, master corporal René Champion,  showing remarkable composure, extinguished the fire with his fire extinguishers and saved the tank under enemy fire.

 

The damaged turret is replaced by the CHINON turret (inoperative) and is marked 46.

 

Badonviller (Meurthe and Moselle)   November 17, 1944
Lieutenant Bénard’s section also did a good job: it surrounded the suburbs of Badonviller, where the Germans were entrenched. But it is not without losses. Indeed, while Lieutenant Bénard, commander of the MORT-HOMME, reached the last houses, he received an 88 shell, which set fire to one of his fuel tanks. He jumps into the ditch that borders the road, soon followed by privates Mouchard and Campani, the latter completely rung at the moment. The driver, Master Corporal Champion, cannot get out of the burning tank and is forced to type like a maniac with a tool to open his hatch. He finally jumps screaming, but is now a human torch. His comrades roll him into a ditch and manage to put out his clothes. His tank had already burned in Paris, but this time he has less luck than before: he will only get away with a damaged face. He will nevertheless join us five months later and will campaign for Germany as commander of the MORT-HOMME II.

https://mega.nz/file/LThwAZjC#b4ZsiXRdPJmDPSeEOwSbqOv_oa8lVc_MO4n-osibD6o

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 3rd Company

 

N°42 Villers Cotterets

https://mega.nz/file/7CQGUbYI#eVQL33EjmCFJKZEV6v7NV-fQsVTSwMRK9TuAWAbvL8w

 

N°47 Yser

https://mega.nz/file/TaIi2YJB#5xEKfQcTg6FUZMf5UvnTi5tfQ5JJxi2VRYq9063kBlE

 

N°48 ND (Notre Dame) de Lorette

24 August 1944 near Paris!

Fresnes, and in particular the prison, is very heavily held, judging by the thaw of mortar and shell projectiles of 88 that we receive. Our tanks are having very hard times. Sergeant Fournier’s tank, the "GRAND COURONNÉ", received four 88 shells from the front, almost at close range; by a miraculous coincidence, they were only scratching the armour.
The 88 who fired those four shells is just at a crossroads. The "NOTRE DAME DE LORETTE" throws herself full throttle down the avenue and passes like a waterspout a few meters in front of the 88; the latter releases a shell which reaches her at the rear above the engine, but only makes a hole without importance: no vital part is touched. Our tank rounds a block and fired the German gun from behind, massacring the servants on their seats; the tank passes again through the surrounding wall and, blinded by dust and bricks,  falls into the Bièvre river which runs along the western part of the prison. The tank was recovered the following day, 25 August, by a towing M31 LEE, assisted by German prisoners.

Extract from DU COTENTIN A COLMAR by Maurice BOVERAT EDITIONS BERGER-LEVRAULT PARIS 1947

https://mega.nz/file/GLJBmaxA#jxdgGUOuPv7tMdb8pJPf4Zbqg6IlE0p3_7TmLvoxrss

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Maillon21

[MajorMagee]

Un Autre Notre Dame? How many are there in France?

[Maillon21]

7 hours ago, MajorMagee said:

Un Autre Notre Dame? How many are there in France?

In France, a lot of places, or churchs, are named Notre Dame. Notre Dame de la Garde, in Marseille, is a church; Notre Dame des Landes is a town. There are many places named Notre Dame de Lorette, but In the case of this tank, it's in memory of a great battle of world war one, in the north of Arras, in northern France. Now there is a memorial. In this regiment, all tanks of 3rd company have names of WW1 battles. Napoleonian battles for the 2nd company, battles of Norvegian or african campaigns (1940 to 1942) for the 1st company, and free choice for the HQ company.  

My English is very basic, but I hope it’s clear enough. ?

More info: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nécropole_nationale_de_Notre-Dame-de-Lorette

Edited July 5, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 3rd Company

 

N°50 Le Grand Couronné

https://mega.nz/file/jSJSmI4R#8cGZvxb3H_Q7Jy15vtpvPRiiT6PyDAlaZB0ddfg8beQ

 

N°51 Uskub

Uskub (now Skopje) was the last french cavalry charge during the balkan war in 1918.

 

At the beginning of the French campaign, USKUB was a replacement tank for his company, and his crew was eager.
USKUB, in the battle of Fresnes outside Paris on August 24, 1944, rescued the crew of a tank of his company which was hit by an 88.

 

Paris 25 August 1944 Rue de Rivoli
While the fight is taking place in front of the Hotel Meurice, the FRANCHEVILLE (M4A3 76mm)) and the USKUB set 3 Panthers and a German Renault tank on fire and many enemy vehicles in the Tuileries gardens.

 

Vaxainville October 31, 1944
On the side of Vaxainville two of our tanks arrive on a ridge and see in front of them a great open slope that they are forced to cross. The two tank commanders, Lieutenant Davreux and Sergeant Dubouch, went headlong, zigzagging and shooting randomly in front of them in the thickets to impress the antitanks who were surely watching them. Dubouch’s USKUB was immobilized almost immediately by the firing of an 88 gun, but this cannon was attacked by Lieutenant Davreux, who demolished it with a few well-placed explosives. The crew of the USKUB is safe and sound: the shell has only reached its undercarriage; Dubouch and his comrades get down to his side while waiting to get back up there to pick up a machine gun.
The tanks of the captain de Hollain, who cooperate with us, demolish two 88 guns, and the CHEMIN des DAMES fired a Panther.

 

Badonviller 17 November 1944.

The USKUB, of Lieutenant Davreux’s section, stands out in particular. He rushes on a road covered with several meters of abattis, crosses them without worrying about the mines that are probably attached to it, and demolishes a 20 mm anti-tank, placed in the ditch to protect the obstacle and which missed it. He then arrives at the bend of the road where infantrymen signal him an 88. To have him in his range, he would have to go into the bend and discover himself; so Dubouch orders his shooter Plazis, who is an ace, to go down to the cannon, one after the other, the trees that line the  road. After this cleaning by the void, he hits the 88, goes straight ahead and arrives in the middle of Badonviller, alone with his tank, deciding the fate of the fight.

Grussenheim 26 January 1945
The crew of the USKUB covered themselves with glory once more: he fired an 88 self-propelled car and, a moment later, discovering a second very well camouflaged, he sent behind it a smoke shell in order to make a screen on which the Hornisse detached; Then, with a second shell, he puts it out of action. Magnificent made of weapons! Not only was it necessary to think about using a smoke, but its use required a lot of composure at a time when seconds were a matter of life and death!
He completed the operations in Alsace and was ordered by the Army.

https://mega.nz/file/DawWyLjA#rsGPLBZ6lWK2l1eBd832T4vkYbEmE0ITmcbGVfd5QgQ

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by Maillon21

[MajorMagee]

I really appreciate it when we have the back-story to go with the skins.

 

In CFS3 I did a series of aircraft that I called "The Ghost In The Machine", and included the history for each in the notes. I also tucked a period image, related in some way to the pilot, in the cockpit of each.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2023 by MajorMagee

[Maillon21]

12th RCA, 2nd squadron

 

N°27 Valserine

Unknown registration number

Mine damage on December 1, 1944. The right caterpillar was destroyed.

https://mega.nz/file/2fAkybBD#BgDByIEkm_6HGmAozCcJF-MEBsbpw_0ndx0XPuFWd1c

 

N°28 Tarentaise

Destroyed in Rouessé-Fontaine (Sarthe) on August 12, 1944. The tank, stuck in a ditch, was hit by a shot that destroyed one of its engines. Moving with difficulty, it was hit a second time and caught fire. The crew managed to evacuate. The tank commander (sargeant Bizard) was wounded.

https://mega.nz/file/GOpTzI7S#CJJbOxg3wYRuKOFiYld9RzwO60jqmsHSB6kGvu7GYIU

 

N°29 Maurienne

Destroyed at Gros-Rederching (Moselle) on January 4, 1945.
4 January, 1 o'clock in the morning, on the road, a tank advances in slow motion, it is an American tank. On all sides, we hear shouts: "Americans... Americans" In doubt, "LANGUEDOC" hesitates to open fire, a flare falls in front of "LANGUEDOC" who at the very minute receives a shell in the gearbox. It was impossible for him to drive, his occupants went out, but the driver’s assistant CIVILLATTI was injured in his knees and right thigh. His comrades carry him back. 2nd flare from the enemy, it’s scary, the light blinds us, and the Kraut shoots us like a hare in the light of a projector. "ISERAN" is his 2nd victim, "SAVOIE II" being in a bad position, folds about ten meters in safe behind a house and opens fire on the enemy tank which is now at the height of "LANGUEDOC". During his shooting, all the automatic weapons were silent, but here comes the fatal flare that illuminates him, he is already a torch. Again, the crew came out unharmed. Then, inexorably, the turn of "MAURIENNE". Brigadier-Chief (master corporal in french mounted units) MARTIN was wounded, but could be evacuated. The tanks of the 2nd Platoon are consumed with their hopes.

https://mega.nz/file/2S4H3LTK#9A8Sy7OBOQtqbRgTYaYSfhykJ4_qvlSAoAGRcdA8Efk

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 1st Company

 

N°3 Narvik

https://mega.nz/file/KeYVEJgZ#XFxo9hmM1g3qEp5-ezd81CnR665kZpJXQ0sMyT7xFGg

 

N°4 Bjervik

Destroyed on September 12, 1944.

https://mega.nz/file/mWZGGAzZ#LVITcUh5bZQC3qnQfpKv5HJBHqNKv4gNd-wJAfVWOFw

 

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 1st Company

 

N°9 El Alamein

https://mega.nz/file/qGhxQQhS#Ro3cqUkYUKyPX6CWloMBw0RpjBIIXmGs3lqKrbHEDJM

 

N°11 El Outid

https://mega.nz/file/PHJQBZya#gMuSqyPCaWXvZSsudeuvdKxDDyQlutqwYjecJCNxzw0

 

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, 1st Company

 

N°14 Benghazi

https://mega.nz/file/KOwiCRDZ#KSYvbmGCnoeACkxuuOO9BNWEijy9Ju_mB-PnMh8USNY

 

N°17 Kufra

Destroyed at Montigny (Montigny-lès-Metz?) by artillery fire on October 31, 1944. 2 crew members killed.

https://mega.nz/file/qKwBVKwL#iAxBbjCe4JLHrA5S_ob6Cd3kHLsg6pSUNMW-asPCbLo

 

[Maillon21]

12th RCA, 2nd squadron

 

N°31 Esterel

September 12, 1944
Approaching Dompaire, towards the hill 327, German anti-tanks ambushed in a hollow path towards the Chanot wood open fire and touch PROVENCE. The battle begins. The 4 remaining tanks of the peloton, the CAMARGUE, the CORSE, the ESTEREL and the LANGUEDOC manage to place themselves ideally, turret just visible. ESTEREL managed to burn a Panther after three shots on goal..

https://mega.nz/file/yCAT3LSY#JEdo-PzWJUxr0yuvvCwZAOajy1HSI-xpY8nIIWlwVM4

 

N°32 Provence

Approaching Dompaire, towards the hill 327, German anti-tanks ambushed in a hollow path towards the Chanot wood open fire and touch PROVENCE. Hit at a caterpillar the tank falls into the ditch and is out of action.

https://mega.nz/file/CCAHGAzR#f70Z8kFfKxSPTdPl5ujIY2YkWmC3vjIoE_LGDCb8dKw

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

12th RCA, 2nd squadron

 

N°33 Camargue

September 12, 1944
Approaching Dompaire, towards the hill 327, German anti-tanks ambushed in a hollow path towards the Chanot wood open fire and touch PROVENCE. The fight begins. The CAMARGUE succeeds in destroying the anti-tanks hidden in the wood.

https://mega.nz/file/rSBCxAhQ#Psjcqa0PPfLbynCJbm2D_rzhtZiZHuU-UGWYZI8KKuQ

 

N°34 Languedoc

Destroyed at Gros-Rederching (Moselle) on January 4, 1945.

https://mega.nz/file/qbYAVYBT#wN5c9jCqYFW73wUPFaKC-D5QKQTa3VfCNL158ZizFKg

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, HQ Company

 

N°52 Vikings

https://mega.nz/file/3TBAHTLR#CqSpmBlnyNdm2Y5hzwTSdMc5J-TVIt_GkaFS4SHcLE4

 

N°54 Poulmic

https://mega.nz/file/yOAAQDzL#jN6TOX09Hli1ukm5hHdwRpHnaMSUiyWGq3uDnSHCA4Q

 

 

[Maillon21]

501st RCC, HQ Company

 

N°55 Surcouf

https://mega.nz/file/GTJHzYZQ#79hmuNjggd437L7nY0j3dvutJ5R2UTVVI2qx3i6Fk28

 

N°56 Aconit

https://mega.nz/file/veJxFQgK#9wfhjlpnX9vkaZTqIeYVt5Qyp-1YaJnnwKCJTjhUmIU

 

[Maillon21]

2th RCA, 3rd squadron

 

N°52 Barrois

https://mega.nz/file/uKpRHTbb#Q2UtPBUGMdj_LXxQe1bqBjIvq9ryTS2MnqyHJTeiZio

 

N°57 Vermandois

https://mega.nz/file/GeZmjIrT#bdalKZgGsm4inX3oKxsuPPTtLZzuWPWBJbgLB_vQioU

 

[Maillon21]

2ème Division Blindée, 12ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 3ème escadron. 

 

N° 40 Brive la Gaillarde

https://mega.nz/file/KfhDlZ6K#tB4AfWCGpdxcSGt4G2d6CVdFQOo90QlUvuTCG-czI3Y

 

N°36 Angoulême

https://mega.nz/file/LPZgwbIK#cgNQjMMGbSw9FrXq1ykryOI8HVAf2qbWFJTEKt2gCqA

 

 

[Maillon21]

12ème RC, 3ème escadron. 

 

N°35 Amboise

https://mega.nz/file/PLQzRRZJ#hLKTvlmEVETtVk4wHiCs7VEfEfQOyE8bK1odi7cV6o4

 

N°37 Aubusson

https://mega.nz/file/mGJESL6D#wSjD1isRlQXPJPYgq-MPbq7kxVsFOVDDZTkxPUVRBB0

 

[SCG_Baryonyx]

May I suggest making skins for the captured Panzer IV the french used?

Spoiler

 

 

[Maillon21]

2 hours ago, SCG_Baryonyx said:

May I suggest making skins for the captured Panzer IV the french used?

  Hide contents

 

 

 

I knew about the Panther captured by the 2nd DB, but not the Pz IVs. Do you have more information on these tanks?
I don't really like painting Pz IVs, but I'll give it a try. ?

[SCG_Junkman]

Maillon21 Great stuff, love the history behind your skins. Nice attention to detail and will down load many of your work. Thanks again.

 

[Maillon21]

On 9/1/2023 at 4:27 PM, SCG_Junkman said:

Maillon21 Great stuff, love the history behind your skins. Nice attention to detail and will down load many of your work. Thanks again.

 

 

Thanks! It's not always easy, but I do my best to get as close to reality as possible. I'd like to find a story for every tank, but unfortunately that's impossible.

[Maillon21]

12ème RC, 2ème escadron.

 

N°20 Lisieux

Destroyed near Royan on April 14th 1945.

Explanation: At the end of the war, a few places in France remained occupied by the Germans, notably the town of Royan and its port. A part of the 2nd DB was sent to reduce this pocket of resistance, known as the Royan pocket. 

https://mega.nz/file/KXZhHaJI#IWVUfAx1CuPXRLUxtvlicaBFBnPCdMiJbVyJ7_Xx2Ko

 

N°24 Evreux

https://mega.nz/file/ieZ2wIjC#2YAeIMuksM95-ztMGimtQpf9CBpzY47S3x3UjPwUFV8

 

[Maillon21]

On 8/31/2023 at 11:46 PM, Maillon21 said:

 

I knew about the Panther captured by the 2nd DB, but not the Pz IVs. Do you have more information on these tanks?
I don't really like painting Pz IVs, but I'll give it a try. ?

 

WIP

[Maillon21]

2ème DB, 40ème Régiment d'Artillerie Nord-Africain, observateurs d'artillerie.

2nd French AD, 40th North-African Artillery Regiment, artillery observers.

 

Cyrano de Bergerac

 

https://mega.nz/file/DH4WGBiD#ARqbf915YZap3xtcHehuTDgCrDNfFZdYMEu9pRRIeCY

 

[Maillon21]

Captured PzIV "Ile de France".

 

Following SCG_Baryonyx's suggestion, I tried to make a skin of PzIV captured and used by the Free French forces. I'm very pleased to have succeeded in making the side skirts disappear, but unfortunately it was impossible to make the wooden box invisible.  This template being a real nightmare to paint, I did my best, but I'm not really satisfied with the result. I'll be using the layer with the invisible parts, but on camouflage that's easy to achieve.

 

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

 

https://mega.nz/file/yCp2QKjL#ovggm6TfQ-qeqZt0_51dT4qYhk7Yf_Gr_HYmhMl1Q1k

[MajorMagee]

The shadow from the invisible side skirts is unfortunate.

[Maillon21]

22 minutes ago, MajorMagee said:

The shadow from the invisible side skirts is unfortunate.

Whatever the tank, it's impossible to make the shadows disappear. It's like applying invisible paint. ?

[Maillon21]

1ère Armée Française, 1ère Division Blindée, 2ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 4ème Escadron.

 

N°2 - VALENCIENNES

 

Cité Anna (mining estate north of Mulhouse), January 23, 1945

10h30. The Giraud platoon disembarks. Lieutenant Giraud is in the lead aboard the VAUCOULEURS, the VESOUL II follows; a little further to the left of the road, in second echelon, the VALENCIENNES and the VALMY.
The Shermans are advancing rapidly... They are already close to the edge of the city, when an armour-piercing shell hits the VESOUL II, sending it up in flames.
The VAUCOULEURS, which remained alone in the lead, was now the target of anti-tank fire. The Sherman managed to escape, however, crashing into a quarry occupied by a few infantrymen who had reached the edge of the city.
The VALENCIENNES and VALMY hurried to support their ailing platoon leader... They were only a hundred meters away... But the enemy must have deliberately let them get close, for they too are hit by several armor-piercing shells...

The crew of the VALMY jumps to the ground, as do the three turret men of the VALENCIENNES, whose gun is unusable, bringing back the gunner, cuirassier (private) Pons, who is wounded, but brigadier (corporal) Tostain, the driver, and cuirassier Baro, the assistant driver, remain at their posts; the tank's engine is still running: they are going to try to bring it back... Unable to turn back, Brigadier Tostain shifted into reverse, accelerating... Armor-piercing and explosive shells and bullets hit the Sherman from all sides... Yet it continued to move backwards, protecting the dismounted men on the glacis with its mass... But a better-fitting shot... The VALENCIENNES is in flames... The atmosphere in the tank soon became unbreathable: it was impossible to stay in the driver's cab. Brigadier Tostain, showing magnificent composure, jams the throttle and jumps to the ground, followed by cuirassier Baro. The tank, which doesn't want to die, is still retreating... A glimmer of hope: only 200 meters to go to our lines... Alas! an explosion... the Sherman stops... It's all over...

 

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

 

 

https://mega.nz/file/jDowhARb#QhzGYRFVJNY4RXjXLXn6KkTxudRpign_kTAqbdNL8ss

Edited January 18, 2024 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

2ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 4ème Escadron.

 

N°5 - Vaucouleurs

 

 

https://mega.nz/file/GSBw1C5C#BEIKjxy4ua2s4KGQods9UaGX8q1XTAFHXcYFovDMMuA

Edited January 18, 2024 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

2ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 4ème Escadron.

 

N°3 - VALMY

 

 

https://mega.nz/file/yPIi3DZI#-NmMZpgS_7eMctcPdYfgCpCLkxtXs4JgP4FH5kA__nI

Edited January 18, 2024 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

2ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 4ème Escadron.

 

N°4 - VESOUL II

 

 

 

https://mega.nz/file/CW5inA4I#SGabWUOiXAAVNcsE8u3VMXFzbrLL5pCv8-jPLC3BPKQ

Edited January 18, 2024 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

2ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 4ème Escadron.

 

N°4 - VESOUL

Vosges battles. Tête de la Chappechatte October 1944
On October 16, 1944, before daybreak, tanks and T.D. rolled down the steep Tête de la Chappechatte path towards Travexin (Vosges), occupied the day before. In last position, the VESOUL was immobilized. Almost dislodged, it blocked the soaked trail, already obstructed by a landslide that had occurred after the other tanks had passed.
At daybreak, the enemy artillery reacted violently. With excellent views over the whole valley, they bombarded Travexin and the surrounding area. Immobilized on open ground, the VESOUL was fired upon. The crew were surprised by enemy fire during their futile recovery efforts. Tank commander Adjutant Chardac and cuirassiers Quinsac, Bernard and Berto were wounded, while only cuirassier Ferrand escaped unhurt.
During the night of October 19, the 4th squadron's echelon platoon made another attempt to repair the shell-battered VESOUL. The lifting equipment was inadequate, and the repairmen had to give up...

As night fell on October 20, the Corps' echelon platoon took over the VESOUL. A recovery machine was pushed onto the Tête de la Chappechatte via the path rebuilt by the engineers. Everything was in place, when the cable broke... another failure...
The next day, the VESOUL is again bombed and set ablaze by German artillery.

 

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)

 

https://mega.nz/file/3awRGRTQ#oQsvpH9Db5Z3b5XXEIJmiDnJbyN9bF_ieR6s7uDW62U

Edited January 18, 2024 by Maillon21

[Maillon21]

2ème Régiment de Cuirassiers, 4ème Escadron.

 

N°1 - VERDUN

 

 

https://mega.nz/file/rChWVTxR#uoY4FRpYkQPbRegLeC9cbEyxuYnqKZggbi5ASvHKQyM