1st Armoured Division (France, 1940)

Not to be confused with 1st Armoured Division (France).
1st Armoured Division
1re Division Cuirassée
Badge of the division.
ActiveJanuary - August 1940
Country France
BranchFrench Army
TypeArmoured Division
RoleArmoured warfare
Garrison/HQChâlons-en-Champagne
Motto(s)J'en suis (I am in)
EngagementsWorld War II

The 1st Armoured Division (French: 1re Division Cuirassée, 1re DCR) is a unit of the French Army formed during World War II that took part in the May-June 1940 Battle of France.

History

Formed 16 January 1940 at Châlons-sur-Marne. Missing half of its motorcycles and artillery caissons on 10 May 1940.[1] Division took serious losses on 15-16 May and lost all of its tanks.[2] It had to be reformed from 31 May until 4 June.[3] Campaigns: Battle of the Meuse, Battle of the North, Battle of the Somme and Retreat of the Center. Division disbanded in July and August 1940. Final command post at Le Dognon, northeast of Limoges. Subordination: XI Corps of the 9th Army until 17 May, 6th Army from 1–25 June.[1]

Composition

B1 bis tank of the 37th Battalion, lost in Beaumont, Belgium, in May 1940.

In May 1940:[4][5][6]

  • 28th Tank Battalion (B1 bis tanks)
  • 37th Tank Battalion (B1 bis tanks)
  • 25th Tank Battalion (H39 tanks)
  • 26th Tank Battalion (H39 tanks)
  • 5th Motorized Rifle Battalion (bataillon de chasseurs portés)
  • 305th Artillery Regiment

References

  1. ^ a b GUF, Vol. 3, pp. 458-475.
  2. ^ Belle, Jacques (July 2020). "Près de 2800 blindés perdus en 26 jours". Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel (in French). No. 133. Histoire & Collections. pp. 33–44.
  3. ^ Belle, Jacques (January 2021). "De nouvelles unités mécaniques pour la Ligne Weygand". Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel (in French). No. 135. Histoire & Collections. pp. 53–64.
  4. ^ Vauvillier, François (October 2007). "La division cuirassée en France en 1940 et ses perspectives : 1 - Les chars et les chasseurs portés". Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel (in French). No. 79. Histoire & Collections. pp. 38–49.
  5. ^ Vauvillier, François (January 2008). "La division cuirassée en France en 1940 et ses perspectives : 2 - l'artillerie d'accompagnement, l'artillerie antichars et la défense contre avions". Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel (in French). No. 80. Histoire & Collections. pp. 40–49.
  6. ^ Bonal, Capitaine (2 November 2016). "Les divisions cuirassées". defense.gouv.fr (in French).

Bibliography