DL - Number of AFVs on 10 May 1940

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NUMBER OF AFVs ON 10th MAY 1940 by David Lehmann

FRANCE 1) HOTCHKISS TANKS

• 13e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H35 • 14e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39 (2e DCR) • 25e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39 (1e DCR) • 26e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39 (1e DCR) • 27e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39 (2e DCR) • 38e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H35 • 42e BCC : 30 Hotchkiss H39 (3e DCR) • 45e BCC : 40+5 Hotchkiss H39 (3e DCR)

• 342e CACC : 15 Hotchkiss H39 (Norway) • 1/42e CACC : 15 Hotchkiss H35

• 1e DLM : 86 Hotchkiss H35 (+ 8 reserve tanks)

o 4e RC (43 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 43+4 Hotchkiss H35 o 18e RD (43 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 43+4 Hotchkiss H35

• 2e DLM : 86 Hotchkiss H35 (+ 8 reserve tanks) o 13e RD (43 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 43+4 Hotchkiss H35 o 29e RD (43 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 43+4 Hotchkiss H35

• 3e DLM : 153 Hotchkiss H39 (+ 10 reserve tanks) o 1e RC (43 Hotchkiss H39 and 48 Somua S35) : 43+4 Hotchkiss H39 o 2e RC (43 Hotchkiss H39 and 48 Somua S35) : 43+4 Hotchkiss H39 o 11e RDP : 22 Hotchkiss H35 and 47 Hotchkiss H39

• 1e DLC, 1e RAM : 13 Hotchkiss H35 • 2e DLC, 2e RAM : 13 Hotchkiss H35 • 3e DLC, 3e RAM : 13 Hotchkiss H35 • 4e DLC, 4e RAM : 13 Hotchkiss H35 • 5e DLC, 5e RAM : 13 Hotchkiss H35 • 1e RCA : 13 Hotchkiss H35 and 14 Hotchkiss H39 (Tunisia)

In the infantry divisions there is a cavalry unit in charge of reconnaissance or GRDI (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie). In the army corps there is a cavalry unit in charge of reconnaissance or GRCA (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée). They were mostly equipped with motorcycles and horses but in the motorized infantry divisions they were roughly composed of one squadron of AMD, one squadron of AMR, one motorcycle squadron and one support company (about 26 armored cars, 15 side-cars, 2 cars, 2 trucks, 4 light trucks, 24 FM 24/29 LMGs, 12 Hotchkiss Mle1914 MMGs, 2 60mm mortars and 3-6 25mm AT guns)

• 2e GRDI (9e DIM) : 13 Panhard 178 and 13 Hotchkiss H39 • 5e GRDI (25e DIM) : 13 Panhard 178 and 13 Hotchkiss H35

TOTAL = 844 Hotchkiss tanks (including 42 tanks in Norway and Tunisia)

IN MAY 1940 : • 3e RC (39 Somua S35 + 40 Hotchkiss H39) : 40 Hotchkiss H39 (attached to the 4e DCR) • 7e RC (24 Hotchkiss H39 + 25 Somua S35) : 24 Hotchkiss H39 • 351e CACC : 11 Hotchkiss H39 CONCLUSION : 802 Hotchkiss tanks (328 Hotchkiss H35 and 474 Hotchkiss H39) in France on 10th May 1940.

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2) RENAULT R35/39 TANKS

• 1e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 2e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 (later in the 4e DCR) • 3e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 5e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 6e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 9e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 10e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 12e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 16e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 17e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 20e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 21e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 22e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 23e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 24e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 (later in the 4e DCR) • 32e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 34e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 35e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 39e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 43e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 • 44e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35/39 (later in the 4e DCR) • 62e BCC : 30 Renault R35 and 15 Renault FT17 (Morocco) • 63e BCC : 40+5 Renault R35 (Levant) • 68e BCC : 40+10 Renault R35 (Levant)

TOTAL = 1070 Renault R35/39 tanks (including 125 tanks in the colonies) on 10th May 1940

IN MAY-JUNE 1940 : • 40e BCC : 15 Renault R35/39 and 30 Renault R40 • 48e BCC : 16 Renault R35/39 and 29 Renault R40 • 25e BCC : recreated with 21 Renault R35 and 24 Renault R40 (from the forming Polish brigade) IN JUNE 1940 : • 2e BCC : reinforced with 9 Renault R35/39 • Polish 10th armored brigade : The 1st tank battalion had 17 Renault R39 and 28 Renault R35 tanks. The 2nd

tank battalion had 24 Renault R40 and 21 Renault R35 tanks which were given to reconstituted 25e BCC (1e DCR) on 31st May 1940. This 2nd tank battalion was partially formed later (11th June 1940) and completely equipped with Renault R40 tanks in 3 companies : 'Détachement Chabowski' with 13-19 Renault R40 tanks, 'Groupement Pagézy' with 15 Renault R40 tanks and a 3rd Polish tank company with 13 Renault R40 tanks.

CONCLUSION : 945 Renault R35/39 tanks in France on 10th May 1940. 3) RENAULT D1 TANKS Mostly all the Renault D1 tanks are in Tunisia : 61e BCC (45 Renault D1), 65e BCC (45 Renault D1) and 67e BCC (45 Renault D1). The 67e BCC is moved in France and engaged in mid-June 1940 with 45 Renault D1. There are also 8 tanks in training schools in France and 17 replacement tanks in Tunisia. CONCLUSION : 0 Renault D1 tanks in combat units on 10th May 1940 in metropolitan France

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4) RENAULT D2 TANKS 100 of these tanks were produced between 1937 and 1940. They were armed with a 47mm gun (47mm SA34 gun for the first 50 tanks and 47mm SA35 gun for the last 50 tanks), a coaxial 7.5mm MAC1931 MG and a bow 7.5mm MAC1931 MG. From the 50 first produced tanks, 5 were issued to schools and 45 equipped the 19e BCC. In April, the first company (1/19e BCC) was issued with 14 brand new D2 tanks (47mm SA35 gun) and became temporary the 345e CACC. The 14 old tanks were intended to be transformed in flamethrower tanks. On 16th May 1940 the 346e CACC was equipped with 10 tanks and 12 tanks were issued to the 350e CACC on 20-16th May 1940. The 19e BCC and the 345e CACC are attached to the newly created 4e DCR. The 14 remaining tanks were probably used simply to replace 14 other ones armed with the short 47mm gun or to replace damaged or destroyed D2 tanks in combat units. CONCLUSION : 45 Renault D2 in combat units on 10th May 1940 (including at least 14 D2 with the 47mm SA35 gun). In late May 1940 there are 67 Renault D2 in combat units (including at least 36 with the 47mm SA35, perhaps 50 ones with the last 14 produced ones.) 5) FCM36 TANKS

• 4e BCC : 40+5 FCM36 • 7e BCC : 40+5 FCM36

CONCLUSION : 90 FCM36 tanks in combat units on 10th May 1940. 6) SOMUA S35 TANKS

• 1e DLM : 88 Somua S35 (+ 8 reserve tanks) o 4e RC (46 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 44+4 Somua S35 o 18e RD (46 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 44+4 Somua S35

• 2e DLM : 88 Somua S35 (+ 8 reserve tanks)

o 13e RD (46 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 44+4 Somua S35 o 29e RD (46 Hotchkiss H35 and 48 Somua S35) : 44+4 Somua S35

• 3e DLM : 88 Somua S35 (+ 8 reserve tanks)

o 1e RC (46 Hotchkiss H39 and 48 Somua S35) : 44+4 Somua S35 o 2e RC (46 Hotchkiss H39 and 48 Somua S35) : 44+4 Somua S35

IN MAY 1940 • 3e RC (39 Somua S35+ 40 Hotchkiss H39) : 39 Somua S35 (attached to the 4e DCR) • 7e RC (24 Hotchkiss H39 + 25 Somua S35) : 25 Somua S35 CONCLUSION : 264 Somua S35 tanks in combat units on 10th May 1940.

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7) RENAULT B1 and B1bis TANKS

• 1e DCR : 68 + 1 command tank = 69 Renault B1bis o 28e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis o 37e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis

• 2e DCR : 68 + 1 command tank = 69 Renault B1bis

o 8e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis o 15e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis

• 3e DCR : 68 Renault B1bis

o 41e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis o 49e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis

IN MAY 1940 : • 46e BCC : 31+3 Renault B1bis (4e DCR) • 47e BCC (1/47 and 3/47) : 18 Renault B1bis (4e DCR) • 3/37e BCC reinforcement : 5 Renault B1 • 347e CACC : 12 Renault B1 and 3 Renault B1bis • 349e CACC (2/47e BCC) : 10 Renault B1bis • 348e CACC : 10 Renault B1bis • 28e BCC reconstituted : 31+3 Renault B1bis IN JUNE 1940 : • 352e CACC : 10 Renault B1bis • Compagnie Bibes : 11 Renault B1bis (2 turretless tanks) • Compagnie de marche du 10e BCC : 8 Renault B1bis (4 turretless tanks) CONCLUSION : 206 Renault B1bis tanks in combat units on 10th May 1940. 8) RENAULT FT17m and FT17c TANKS These WW1 tanks were completely obsolete in 1940. They were much slower (about 10 times in cross country) than the German tanks, poorly armored and armed either with an infantry gun or a MG. a) FT17 tank battalions :

• 11e BCC : 42 Renault FT17m/c • 18e BCC : 63 Renault FT17m/c • 29e BCC : 63 Renault FT17m/c • 30e BCC : 63 Renault FT17m/c • 31e BCC : 63 Renault FT17m/c • 33e BCC : 63 Renault FT17m/c • 62e BCC : 30 Renault R35 and 15 FT17 (Morocco) – in transformation on Renault R35 • 64e BCC : 45 Renault FT17 (Tunisia, coming from Algeria) – in transformation on Renault R35 • 66e BCC : 45 Renault FT17 (Morocco) – in transformation on Renault R35 • colonial BCC : 63 Renault FT17m/c • 343e CACC : 21 Renault FT17m/c • 344e CACC : 21 Renault FT17m/c

Total in the tank battalions : 567 Renault FT17 tanks. b) Regional platoons of FT17 tanks : After the September 1939 mobilization, there were also many regional platoons (sections régionales) of four FT17 tanks to provide armor to the regional regiments. These regional regiments were mobilized to defend important locations and perform construction duties in rear zones of the armies and in the military districts.

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They were organized from the locally available reservists (series C troops) and were equipped, if at all, with whatever weapons were available. There were various types of regional regiments :

• "Régiment régional de protection" : guarding factories, ammo and fuel dumps, bridges, telephone exchanges, railway stations etc.

• "Régiment régional d'infanterie" : also tasked with such protection duties • "Régiment de garde d'étrangers" : guarding interned foreigners • "Régiment régional de travailleurs" : labour units

1 to 4 FT17 regional platoons (4 to 16 tanks) were issued to 25 regional regiments (sections de chars de régiments régionaux) for a total of 192 Renault FT17 tanks. c) The rapid German advance and fear of airborne troops led to the break up of the tank training battalions (BIC = bataillon d'instruction de chars = instruction tank battalion) and also the stripping of the tank schools and depots to form companies and platoons providing protection for military and civilian installations in the military district. These units created during May 1940 included :

• Anti-paratroops tank companies : 7 companies of 12 tanks for a total of 84 Renault FT17 tanks. • Airfield protection platoons : 1 to 5 FT17 regional platoons (4 to 20 tanks) were issued to 11 military

districts for a total of 112 Renault FT17 tanks. • Important buildings protection platoons : 1 to 3 FT17 regional platoons (4 to 12 tanks) were issued to 7

military districts for a total of 72 Renault FT17 tanks. • Paris military region special group = 50e BCC : 50 Renault FT17m tanks. • regional platoon of protection tanks : 9 tanks in 10 military regions for a total of 90 Renault FT17

tanks. • Overseas regional platoons :

o One independent tank company in Tunisia to guard the coastline : 16 Renault FT17 tanks. o District tank platoons to defend the major cities in Morocco (28), Tunisia (16) and Algeria (20)

for a total of 64 Renault FT17 tanks.

• In the Levant there were the 56 former FT-17 tanks of the 63e BCC. Most remained in depots but the CACL (compagnie autonome des chars du Levant was created) with 3 groups of 10 tanks (9+1 replacement tank = = 3x FT17m, 6x FT17c, 1x FT17BS) in the cities of Beyrouth, Alep and Damas for a total of 30 Renault FT17 tanks. In June 1940, the CACL is reinforced by 6 FT-17 tanks (1x FT17c in each groups and 3 FT17m for the protection of the airbase in Estabel in Lebanon).

• There were also about 20 Renault FT17 tanks in Indochina (not all operational).

TOTAL : 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 on 10th May 1940. CONCLUSION : 462 Renault FT17 tanks in COMBAT UNITS on 10th May France in 1940. 9) FCM-2C TANKS

• 51e BCC : 8 FCM-2C CONCLUSION : 8 FCM-2C tanks in combat units on 10th May 1940.

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NUMBER OF FRENCH TANKS IN FRANCE ON 10th MAY 1940 : 2352 (2822)

• Hotchkiss H35 : 328 • Hotchkiss H39 : 474 • Renault R35/39 : 945 • FCM36 : 90 • Somua S35 : 264 • Renault D2 : 45 • Renault B1bis : 206

Modern tanks : 2352 • Renault FT17 : 462 (obsolete) • FCM-2C : 8 (obsolete)

Obsolete tanks : 470 Tanks outside metropolitan territory on 10th May 1940 : 537 • Norway : 342e CACC (15 Hotchkiss H39) • Algeria : 64e BCC (45 Renault FT17) and 20 Renault FT17 tanks. • Morocco : 62e BCC (30 Renault R35 and 15 Renault FT17), 66e BCC (45 Renault FT17) and 28 Renault

FT17 tanks. • Tunisia : 1e RCA (14 Hotchkiss H39 + 13 Hotchkiss H35), 61e BCC (45 Renault D1), 65e BCC (45 Renault

D1), 67e BCC (45 Renault D1) and 32 Renault FT17 tanks. The 67e BCC was sent in France in middle June 1940 and was engaged in the battle of Souain.

• Levant (Syria, Lebanon) : 63e BCC (45 Renault R35), 68e BCC (50 Renault R35) and CACL (30 Renault FT17 tanks).

• Indochina : 20 Renault FT17 tanks.

537 tanks ● 29 Hotchkiss H39 ● 13 Hotchkiss H35 ● 125 Renault R35 ● 90 Renault D1 + 45 Renault D1 transported to France in June 1940 = 135 Renault D1 ● 235 Renault FT17

REINFORCEMENTS IN MAY / JUNE 1940 : probably about 688 (estimation) • Hotchkiss H39 : 75 (109) • Renault R35/39 : 106 • Renault R40 : 130 • Renault D1 : 45 • Somua S35 : 64 (114) • Renault B1 : 17 • Renault B1bis : 131 (not counting the 6 turretless tanks) • Renault ACG1 : about 30 in various little units like "groupes francs de cavalerie"

688 new or replacement tanks during May / June 1940. During early June 1940, the remains of the 5 DLCs were to be converted to a DLM "type réduit", a reduced 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. These units include old vehicles from former units, taken in dumps, park and schools but also some brand new vehicles just out of the factories. These new units add probably about 50 Somua S35 tanks and 40 Hotchkiss H39 tanks.

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The total number of French tanks in COMBAT UNITS in France on 10th May (2822 tanks) seems quite impressive but : • These tanks are dispersed on the whole metropolitan territory not all facing the German main attacks and

their ability to concentrate tanks • This number includes only 2307 'modern' tanks + FT17 tanks and a few FCM-2C • Among all the H35/39 and R35 tanks, only about 20-25% (about 300-400 tanks) are armed with the 37mm

SA38 gun. Only 350 37mm L/33 SA38 guns had been delivered until April 1940 to equip various Renault R35 (then called R39), Hotchkiss (H35 and H39) and a few FCM36 tanks (So the number of 400 could even be overestimated on 10th May 1940). Concerning the FCM36 tanks only very few were converted and the 37mm SA38 gun equipped mainly Hotchkiss tanks and in priority the Hotchkiss H39 tanks (newly produced ones or converted ones, in priority the platoon commander tanks).

On 10th May 1940, against the 1106 Germans tanks/tank destroyers/StuGs armed with 3.7cm, 4.7cm and 7.5cm guns there were only about 480 French tanks armed with a 47mm SA35 and about 300-350 which had a 37mm SA38 gun = 780-830 tanks with an excellent (47mm SA35) to good (37mm SA38) anti-tank capacity. The huge majority of the French tanks are light tanks armed with the 37mm SA18 gun which could be used at 400m against the Panzer I and Panzer II but to knock out a Panzer III Ausf.E/F (the previous models were less armored and easier to destroy) or a Panzer IV Ausf.C/D they had to get as close as < 25-100m, whereas the enemy could destroy them at about 300m (3.7cm KwK) to 500m (7.5cm KwK).

10) ARMORED CARS

• 1e DLM : o 6e RC : 40 Panhard 178 (+ 4 radio armored cars + 4 reserve armored cars) o 4e RDP : 67 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 (+ 2 reserve armored cars)

• 2e DLM : o 8e RC : 40 Panhard 178 (+ 4 radio armored cars + 4 reserve armored cars) o 1e RDP : 67 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 (+ 2 reserve armored cars)

• 3e DLM : o 12e RC : 40 Panhard 178 (+ 4 armored cars + 4 reserve armored cars)

• 1e DLC o 1e RAM : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) o 5e RDP : 23 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1



• 4e DLC o 4e RAM : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) o 14e RDP: 23 AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1


GRDIs (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie) :

• 1e GRDI (5e DIM) : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) and 12 Citroën-Kégresse P16

• 2e GRDI (9e DIM) : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) and 13 Hotchkiss H39

• 3e GRDI (12e DIM) : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) and 12 Citroën-Kégresse P16

• 4e GRDI (15e DIM) : 13 Laffly 50 AM and 12 Citroën-Kégresse P16 • 5e GRDI (25e DIM) : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) and 13

Hotchkiss H35 • 6e GRDI (3e DIM) : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars) and 12 Citroën-

Kégresse P16 and 4 AMR35 ZT3 • 7e GRDI (1e DIM) : 12 Panhard 178 (+ 1 radio armored car + 2 reserve armored cars), 12 Citroën-

Kégresse P16 and 4 AMR35 ZT3

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• (32e GRDI (43e DI) : 5 Panhard 178) In these GRDIs were also assigned some other armored cars including : AMR35 ZT2 : 10 (25mm turret gun) AMR35 ZT3 : 2 (25mm hull gun) AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 : 10 (approximate number)

TOTAL = about 609 armored cars in France on 10th May 1940 • Panhard 178 : 257 (+ 24 radio armored cars + 34 reserve armored cars) • AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 : 259 (including about 150 AMR35 ZT1) • AMR35 ZT2 : 10 • AMR35 ZT3 : 10 • Laffly 50AM : 13 • Citroën-Kégresse P16 Mle1929 : 60

NUMBER OF FRENCH ARMORED CARS ON 10th MAY 1940 : 609 • Panhard 178 : 257 (wheeled) • AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 : 259 (including about 150 AMR35 ZT1) (tracked) • AMR35 ZT2 : 10 (tracked) • AMR35 ZT3 : 10 (tracked) • Laffly 50AM : 13 (wheeled) • Citroën-Kégresse P16 Mle1929 : 60 (halftracked)

TOTAL : 609 Not counted are the APCs (unarmed) : • Lorraine 38L VBCP : 150 (tracked) Armored cars in the colonies on 10th May 1940 : about 280 (estimation) • AMR33 : 10 • Berliet VUDB : 32 in North Africa • White Mle1918 : 10 in Indochina, 40 in the Levant and very few in North Africa • Laffly 50AM : 28-32 in North Africa, 6-10 in Indochina and 12 in the Levant • Laffly 80AM : 27 in North Africa • Citroën-Kégresse P16 Mle1929 : 16 in North Africa • Panhard 165/175 TOE : 28 in North Africa and 16 in the Levant • Panhard 178 (but with APX5 turret) : 4 in Indochina • Laffly S15 TOE : 25 in North Africa and 20 in West Africa • Renault UE with MG in a casemate : very few in Indochina • Peugeot and Renault Mle1915 : very few in Indochina • Berliet VUM : 1 in the Levant • AMC Citroën-Kégresse-Schneider M23 : very few in the Levant • AM légère (AML) Panhard-Zudel : 5 in the Levant • AM légère du désert (AMLD) Hotchkiss : 13 in the Levant (partially armored, only one LMG) • AMLD Chenard et Walker : 15 in the Levant, not armored, only one MG (not counted) There were also 12 Renault YR (AMC34) in North Africa, which were used until November 1939. Not counted are the APCs (unarmed) : • Panhard 179 : 30 • Citroën-Kégresse P104 : 10 (including 3-5 in Indochina) • Panhard armored bus : 3 in the Levant Note : in September 1939 there are 57 White Mle1918 and 49 Laffly 50AM in North Africa. But in spring 1940 most of them are not in service anymore. They will again be used, after the armistice, by the Vichy troops.

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REINFORCEMENTS IN MAY / JUNE 1940 : about 240 (estimation) • 40 Panhard 178 (+1 radio car + 2 reserve armored car) issued to the 10e RC (4e DCR) • 70 Laffly W15 TCC tank destroyers During early June 1940, the remains of the 5 DLCs were to be converted to a DLM "type réduit", a reduced 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. These units include old vehicles from former units, taken in dumps, park and schools but also some brand new vehicles just out of the factories. Several Panhard 178 went in combat without turret : with home-made armor plates (16-20mm) forming a casemate (40 would have been produced during June 1940) and armed with 25mm SA35 or 47mm SA34 guns and a LMG or completely without turret/casemate and simply armed with a LMG. Some Panhard 178 armored cars had a modified turret with a 47mm SA35 gun and a coaxial MG in June 1940 (Renault turret). This version participated to combats in June 1940 with at least one vehicle on the Loire River according to a photographic proof but the unit equipped with it is not know. It may have been of these DLMs. Several Renault AMR went also in combat without turret in June 1940, just with a mount for a LMG. These new units add probably about 80 Panhard 178 and 50 AMR33/35 new vehicles. NOTE : The French word "auto-mitrailleuse" is not necessarily the equivalent of the English word "armored car". In English, an armored car is necessarily something on a wheeled chassis. Vehicles like the Citroën-Kégresse P16 Mle1929 have a half-tracked ; they should be called "half-tracked armored cars" in proper English language. An "auto-mitrailleuse" in the French army of this period meant an "AFV belonging to the cavalry arm of service", whatever its chassis (the function being covered by the designation AMD, AMR or AMC). In 1940, the "auto-mitrailleuses" included everything from wheeled armored cars, via light tanks used for reconnaissance, up to the Renault ACG1 tank or the Somua S35, a respectable tank by anyone's standards in 1940. • 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.

• 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.

We could therefore read the above listing for "armored cars" in France on 10th May 1940 as follows : • Panhard 178 : 257 (wheeled) • Laffly 50AM : 13 (wheeled)

TOTAL : 270 armored cars • Citroën-Kégresse P16 Mle1929 : 60 (halftracked)

TOTAL : 60 half-tracked armored cars • AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 : 259 (including about 150 AMR35 ZT1) (tracked) • AMR35 ZT2 : 10 (tracked) • AMR35 ZT3 : 10 (tracked)

TOTAL : 279 light tanks These 279 light tanks could then be counted among the French tanks to reach a total of 3,101 tanks. The AMR33 / AMR35 ZT1 are MG-armed light tanks like the Panzer I on the German side.

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We can say that on 10th May 1940 the French army had a total 3,101 tanks in combat units. If we take into account the replacement of May-June 1940 (about 688 tanks) and the territorial/regional units (not counted among 'combat units' in my previous listing) actually engaging obsolete Renault FT17 tanks against the enemy we reach a figure of about 4,000 French tanks used during the whole 1940 campaign. Concerning the French tanks lost during May-June 1940 : According to "Survey of Allied tank casualties in World War II" (Alvin D. Coox and L. Van Loan Naisawald) - Operations Research Office, Johns Hopkins University, Fort Lesley J. McNair (1951) based on data provided by the SHAT (Service Historique de l'Armée) : "Notice relative aux destructions d'engins blindés au cours de la guerre 1939-1945" and "Fiche : Annexe à l'étude sur les pertes en chars au cours de la campagne 1939-1940 (SECRET), received by Office of the Army Attache, American Ambassy in Pairs, in reply to an Operations Research Office request of 4th August 1950. The following data represent the losses of the tank battalions, the DCRs, the DLCs, the DLMs, the reconnaissance groups and the territorial units. Tanks hit but salvaged and repaired by the field echelons in a very short time were screened out. Tank losses for the indicated period of time by number and percentage were as follows : FRENCH TANK CASUALTY DATA, 1939-1940

CAUSE # %

Artillery (field guns, PaK, FlaK and tanks) 1,669 95.4

Mines 45 2.6

Aircrafts 35 2.0

TOTAL 1749 (1)

(1) including 151 obsolete tanks (Renault FT17 tanks). There were also tanks which were abandoned, scuttled or set afire by their crews to avoid captured. [Personal note : the total number including breakdowns/damages and then abandoned tanks is probably closer to 2,000 French tanks]. No data exists as to those tanks repaired in factories and parks between 10th May and 25th June 1940, or those salvaged on the battlefield, repaired and sent back into battle. The same document states that from 10th May to 25th June 4,071 tanks of all types were actually engaged and 3,413 of them were modern tanks. Acknowledgment to William Schneck who provided a copy of the original unclassified US document It is striking that even with huge air superiority and omnipresent close air support only 35 French tanks were taken out by German aicrafts. Several French tanks were destroyed by AT mines, implying a French attack like in Montcornet or Abbeville. It would have been interesting (but impossible) to know how many of the 1,669 tanks taken out by artillery have been actually destroyed by German tanks and not by AA / AT / field guns (or a combination of several means) [e.g. roughly all the Renault B1bis heavy tanks lost in combat were never taken out by German tanks but by 8.8cm FlaK, 10.5cm leFH and several by AT mines].

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BELGIUM Infantry units : Infantry division n°1 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°2 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°3 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°4 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°7 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°8 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°9 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°10 : 12 T13 Infantry division n°11 : 12 T13 1e division de chasseurs ardennais : 3 T15 and 48 T13 2e division de chasseurs ardennais : 3 T15 Independent border cyclist company : 12 T13 8th border cyclist company : 12 T13 PFN fortress company : 12 T13 (PFN = Position Fortifiée de Namur, Namur fortified position) Cavalry units : 1st Cavalry division : 18 T15 and 18 T13 2nd Cavalry division : 18 T15 and 18 T13 Escadron d'auto-blindées du corps de cavalerie : 8 Renault ACG-1. The Belgian ACG1 had a modified turret with a coaxial 13.2mm HMG instead of the 7.5mm MAC31 MG

TOTAL : 8 ACG-1, 42 T15 and 228 T13 = 50 light tanks and 228 tank destroyers The Belgian army had also a few Renault FT17 tanks but they were apparently not in combat units anymore. CONCLUSION : 278 Belgian AFVs on 10th May 1940

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NETHERLANDS

The Dutch had 5 Vickers-Carden-Lloyd Mk. VI tankettes armed with a single Schwarlose MG in a casemate (same basic layout and size as the Italian L3/33) and probably 3 armored cars known as "Buffel". The Buffels were in fact a lightly armoured box built on a 6-wheel Morris chassis. The crew had 3-4 Lewis MGs, which were fired through a number of loopholes or pistol ports. The 5 Carden-Lloyds and 3 Buffels were originally issued to each of the four corps-level recon units at a rate of two vehicles per corps. The Dutch army acquired 12 Swedish Landsverk L181 armored cars (known to the Dutch as M36), 12 Landsverk L180 armored cars (known as M38) and 2 M38 command armoured cars. All these armored cars were in the 1st armored car squadron of the light division (Lichte Divisie). Pantserwagen (Paw.) M36 (Landswerk L181) : 12 Pantserwagen (Paw.) (Landswerk L180) : 14 (including 2 command cars not counted here) In 1938, DAF began buildin 12 armored cars known as the M39, which were issued to the 3rd cavalry squadron in September 1939. The 3rd Squadron was considered a temporary "depot" squadron in which the crews were supposed to receive training in the new vehicles. At the end of the training cycle, the squadron was supposed to be broken up into 4 platoons of 3 vehicles each as replacements for the Carden-Lloyd's and Buffels in the 4 army corps of the Dutch army. It seems the 12 vehicles were delivered by May 1940, but the crew had not completed their training and several vehicles still had an incomplete equipment : no armament, most of them were still lacking their bullet-proof tires etc. Perhaps 7 DAF M39 armored cars were operational on 10th May 1940.

TOTAL : 39 armored cars CONCLUSION : 39 Dutch armored cars on 10th May 1940.

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UNITED-KINGDOM • 12th Royal Lancers

Morris armoured reconnaissance car : 38

• 4th Northumbrian fusiliers Daimler Dingo scout car : 12

• N°3 Air Mission Phantom (RAF)

Guy armoured car : 6

• 4th battalion Royal Tank Regiment Matilda I : 50 Vickers MkVIb : 5

• 7th battalion Royal Tank Regiment

Matilda I : 27 Matilda II : 23 Vickers MkVIb : 7

• 13th / 18th Hussars (1st Division)

Vickers MkVIb : 28 (Carrier with Boys ATR : 44)

• 4th / 7th Dragoon guards (2nd Division)


• Lothian & Border Horse (48th Division)


• 15th / 19th Hussars (3rd Division)


• Innskilling Dragoon guards (4th Division)


• East Riding Yeomanry (3rd Corps)


• Fife & Forfar Yeomanry (51st Highland division)


TOTAL = 304 tanks and 56 armored cars • Matilda I : 77 • Matilda II : 23 • Vickers MkVIb : 208 • Morris armoured reconnaissance car : 38 • Daimler Dingo scout car : 12 • Guy armoured car : 6 • Carrier with a Boys ATR : 308 (not counted) • Lorry with a French 25mm AT gun : ? (1) (not counted)

(1) 220 French 25mm AT guns delivered to the BEF to increase the AT power in the British division. They were often mounted on a truck used as SP guns but their number is not known.

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IN MAY 1940 : 1st Armoured Division arriving on 17th May 1940 1- Organization : 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 2- Tank strength : • Vickers MkVIb : 134 • Cruiser MkI (A9) : 24 • Cruiser MkII (A10) : 31 • Cruiser MkIII (A13) : 95

284 tanks CONCLUSION : 308 tanks and 56 armored cars in France on 10th May 1940.

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GERMANY Tanks in the field

Light tanks Medium tanks Unit PzI PzII PzBef PzIII Pz35(t) Pz38(t) PzIV TOTAL 1.PzD 52 98 8 58 - - 40 256 2.PzD 45 115 16 58 - - 32 266 3.PzD 117 129 27 42 - - 26 341 4.PzD 135 107 10 40 - - 24 316 5.PzD 97 120 16 52 - - 30 315 6.PzD 60 - 14 - 118 - 31 223 7.PzD 34 68 8 - - 91 24 225 8.PzD - 58 15 - - 116 23 212 9.PzD 30 54 12 41 - - 16 153 10.PzD 44 113 18 58 - - 32 265

AA Totenkopf - - - - 10 - - 10 40.Panzerabteilung 29 18 4 3 * 54 TOTAL in the field 643 880 148 349 128 207 281 2636 TOTAL available 1077 1092 244 381 143 238 290 3465 * Neubau Fahrzeuge NOTE : other sources indicate a different composition for the 3.PzD and 4.PzD with 19 extra tanks :

Light tanks Medium tanks Unit PzI PzII PzBef PzIII Pz35(t) Pz38(t) PzIV TOTAL 3.PzD 117 129 29 42 - - 26 343 4.PzD 141 111 15 40 - - 24 331

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. 2636 German tanks on 10th May 1940

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Definitively destroyed German tanks by the end of May 1940 : 649 • Pz.Kpfw. I : 142 • Pz.Kpfw. II : 194 • Pz.Kpfw. III : 110 • Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) : 45 • Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) : 43 • Pz.Kpfw. IV : 77 • Pz.Bef. : 38 Definitively destroyed German tanks by the end of June 1940 : 190 • Pz.Kpfw. I : 40 • Pz.Kpfw. II : 46 • Pz.Kpfw. III : 25 • Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) : 17 • Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) : 11 • Pz.Kpfw. IV : 20 • Pz.Bef. : 31 reserve / new production which were received : 288 • Pz.Kpfw. I : 48 • Pz.Kpfw. II : 35 • Pz.Kpfw. III : 71 • Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) : 35 • Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) : 36 • Pz.Kpfw. IV : 19 • Pz.Bef. : 44 Reported loss table for the German tanks during May - June 1940 : 839 • Pz.Kpfw. I : 182 • Pz.Kpfw. II : 240 • Pz.Kpfw. III : 135 • Pz.Kpfw. 35(t) : 62 • Pz.Kpfw. 38(t) : 54 • Pz.Kpfw. IV : 97 • Pz.Bef. : 69 These losses do not include StuG III A/B, Panzerjäger I, 15cm s.I.G.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.I and all the armored cars that have been lost.

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Panzerjäger I (4.7cm L/43.4 Pak(t) (Sfl) auf PzKpfw I) : 99 tank destroyers Pz.Jäg.Abt. 521 : 18 (6 per Kompanie) Pz.Jäg.Abt. 616 : 27 Pz.Jäg.Abt. 643 : 27 Pz.Jäg.Abt. 670 : 27 NOTE : Pz.Jäg.Abt. 605 is equipped in 1st April 1940 with 12 8.8cm FlaK guns. It is only equipped with 18 Panzerjäger I on 28th October 1940, after the battle of France. 8.8cm FlaK (Sfl) auf Zugkraftwagen 12t (Sd.Kfz. 8) also known as "Bunkerflak" or "Bufla" : 6 tank destroyers The Bufla was a special self-propelled version of the 8.8cm Flak 18 L/56 dedicated to anti-fortification role initially and also anti-tank role. 6 of these vehicles were issued to the 1. schwere Kompanie/Panzer-Jäger-Abteilung (for a total of 10 produced, 4 in reserve). The 'Bufla' was operational :

• in Poland • in France along the 1.PzD and 2.PzD (there could therefore having been engaged in areas like

Montcornet, Crécy-sur-Serre, Juniville etc.). At least 2-3 vehicles were lost in France, including 1 destroyed on 14th May in Chémery (south of Sedan) by the Luftwaffe.

• in Russia (with the XXXIX.Panzerkorps - Heeresgruppe Mitte -) where all the vehicles were probably destroyed, they served until March 1943.

Sturmgeschütz III : 24 tanks Sturmgeschütz-Batterie 640 Sturmgeschütz-Batterie 659 Sturmgeschütz-Batterie 660 Sturmgeschütz-Batterie 665 15 cm s.I.G.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.I : 38 self-propelled artillery s.I.G.Kp. (mot S) 701 (to 9. Panzer-Division) s.I.G.Kp. (mot S) 702 (to 1. Panzer-Division) s.I.G.Kp. (mot S) 703 (to 2. Panzer-Division) s.I.G.Kp. (mot S) 704 (to 5. Panzer-Division) s.I.G.Kp. (mot S) 705 (to 7. Panzer-Division) s.I.G.Kp. (mot S) 706 (to 10. Panzer-Division) However the organization was two 15cm s.I.G.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.I in each Zug (three Zug in each Kompanie), along with four 1t Zgkw. (Sd.Kfz.10), which only accounts for a total of 36 15cm s.I.G.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.I (and a total of 72 1t Zgkw.(Sd.Kfz.10)), so that leaves two 15cm s.I.G.33 auf Pz.Kpfw.I unaccounted for. Armored cars : There is an Aufklärung Abteilung in each Panzerdivision : 56x10 = 560 armored cars

• AA 4 (1.PzD) • AA 5 (2.PzD) • AA 3 (3.PzD) • AA 7 (4.PzD) • AA 8 (5.PzD) • AA 57 (6.PzD) • AA 37 (7.PzD) • AA 59 (8.PzD) • AA 9 (9.PzD) • AA 90 (10.PzD)

In each of these Aufklärung Abteilung (AA) there is :

• Battalion HQ with 1 SdKfz.247 • Signal platoon

o 1 SdKfz.263 (Fu) o 1 SdKfz.261 (Fu) o 1 SdKfz.260 (Fu)

• 2 companies of armored cars each with : o Company HQ with 1 SdKfz.247 o Signal detachment with 4 SdKfz.223 (Fu) and 1 SdKfz.263 (Fu)

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o Heavy platoon with 3 6-Rad SdKfz.231 and 3 8-Rad SdKfz.232 (Fu) o Light platoon with 6 SdKfz.221 o Light platoon with 4 SdKfz.221 and 4 SdKfz.222

TOTAL : 56 armored cars (including 20 armored cars with a 2.0cm L/55 gun) In the 5 of the 6 motorized divisions the AA has a single company : 26x5 = 130 armored cars

• AA 2 (2. ID mot.) • AA 13 (13. ID mot.) • AA 20 (20. ID mot.) • AA 29 (29. ID mot.) • AA Verfügungstruppen (SS VT mot.)

The SS-Totenkopf (mot.) division in May 1940 has a different AA with 2 motorcycle companies and a heavy company with no armored cars but 2 platoons of Panzer 35(t). In the 1. Kavallerie Division : there is no separate AA but each of the four Reiter-Regiment (cavalry regiment) have a heavy squadron including 3 armored cars and the "Radfahr-Abteilung" (Bicycle) has an armored car platoon in its battalion HQ (a total of about 15 armored cars). There were also two corps-level AA organized like an AA from a Panzerdivision (IX. Army Korps and XIX Pz Korps - in the Lehr regiment - : 56x2 = 112 armored cars For Fall Gelb, there were also 3 mountain divisions, 126 infantry divisions, the 11th motorized brigade and 7 Landesschützen divisions. Among the 126 infantry divisions there were 9. Wellen (9 waves). The "1., 2. and 3. Wellen Infanterie Divisionen" (1st, 2nd and 3rd waves) included 77 divisions. They were supposed to have an armored car platoon. These platoons were to have three armored vehicles, of which one was an SdKfz 14 Funk-Kraftwagen (unarmed, open-topped radio vehicle, not counted here). The other two were SdKfz 13 MG-Kraftwagen (thinly-armoured, open-topped, with minimal off-road capacity but armed with a single MG34 behind a little armoured shield). There were 35 first wave divisions (1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 30th, 31st, 32nd, 33rd, 34th, 35th, 36th, 44th, 45th and 46th) but 9 divisions had no complete AA : no armored cars and generally just cyclist companies (3rd, 7th, 8th, 14th, 17th, 19th, 21st, 28th, and 30th). There were 20 second wave divisions (50th, 52nd, 56th, 57th, 58th, 60th, 61st, 62nd, 68th, 69th, 71st, 72nd, 73rd, 75th, 76th, 78th, 79th, 86th, 87th and the Polizei division) but 7 divisions had no AA or only an incomplete one, without armored cars (50th, 56th, 60th, 62nd, 72nd, 73rd, and the Polizei division). Three second wave divisions (50th, 60th and 72nd) were organized and equipped as first wave divisions for 1940. There were 22 third wave divisions (205th, 206th, 207th, 208th, 209th, 211th, 212th, 213th, 214th, 215th, 216th, 217th, 218th, 221st, 223rd, 225th, 227th, 228th, 231st, 239th, 246th and 311th) but 11 divisions had no AA or only an incomplete one, without armored cars (205th, 207th, 208th, 211th, 212th, 214th, 215th, 217th, 223rd, 225th and 246th). There were also some extra SdKfz.223 (Fu) armored cars in the HQ of the 11th motorized brigade, which are not listed here. Therefore at least 50x2 = 100 extra armored cars have to be taken into account.

TOTAL : 917 armored cars This listing does not include all the SdKfz 251/1 APCs and the SdKfz 251/10 armed with the same 3.7cm gun than the Panzer III which would be worth to be listed among the half-tracked armored cars. The number of produced SdKfz 251s is 232 in 1939 and 337 in 1940. This includes all the versions (APC, command vehicle, ambulance etc.). In spring 1939 only one rifle company of the 1.PzD is equipped. The SdKfz 251/10 is introduced only in 1940 for the platoon commanders (but 1940 holds many months after May/June 1940). It was therefore not used in Poland but was apparently produced in time for the French campaign. Nonetheless probably only few were really on the battlefield. At this time there weren't even enough 3.7cm PaK to go round for the Panzerjäger Abteilung of infantry divisions, many of which took the field with only two companies instead of the prescribed three, even in the first wave divisions. Theoretically all the Panzerdivisionen should have a rifle company in SdKfz 251 halftracks. But it seems hard to know for definite how many of the Panzerdivisionen actually had one rifle company in halftracks. The Schützen Regiment of the 1.PzD had 7 out of 9 rifle companies in halftracks in 1940, the other two being motorcycle companies. Whether any or all of the 3 support companies had them doesn't seem to be known. In other divisions like the 7.PzD and the 4.PzD for example, there was a reasonable number of SdKfz 251 halftracks but rather used to tow artillery - nothing to do with the 1.PzD where the SdKfz 251s could be a key combat multiplier. The 3.PzD seems devoid of these halftracks. CONCLUSION : 2803 German tanks / self-propelled guns and 917 armored cars on 10th May 1940.

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CONCLUSION : number of AFVs on 10th May 1940 for the western campaign

ALLIES : 1) Number of tanks, tank destroyers and self-propelled guns • France : 2352 (2822 (2)) • United Kingdom : 308 • Belgium : 278 • Netherlands : -

TOTAL 1 : 2938 (3408(2)) 2) Number of armored cars • France : 609 • United Kingdom : 56 • Belgium : - • Netherlands : 39

TOTAL 2 : 704

TOTAL 1+2 : 3642 (4112(2)) If the AMR33/35s are counted as light tanks instead of armored cars, there are 330 French armored cars and 3101 French tanks. This leads to a total of 3687 allied tanks (3217 without the obsolete WW1 tanks) and 425 allied armored cars. (2) counting the French FT17 and FCM-2C obsolete tanks in combat units.

GERMANY : Number of tanks and SP guns : 2803 Number of armored cars : 917

TOTAL : 3720

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CONCLUSION ON 10th MAY 1940 : • There are comparable numbers of allied and German tanks with about 2900 tanks. If all

the AFVs are counted there are 4112 allied vs 3720 German AFVs, with the obsolete French FT17 and FCM-2C tanks being counted. Without the obsolete AFVs there are 3642 allied vs 3720 German AFVs. This apparent equality in the number of tanks is purely mathematical but in the facts it is completely false. All the about 3000 German tanks are concentrated in the 10 Panzerdivisionen unlike only about 960 French tanks in the DCR/DLM. Each DCR/DLM has less tanks than a Panzerdivision : there are roughly 10x300 German tanks against 6x160 French tanks and many dispersed battalions. That was the reality on the battlefield. The allied armored divisions were used as a delaying or shock element, working for the infantry units, never as a decisive and independent arm. The British 1st AD concentrated the cruiser tanks but did not really change the balance and was quickly neutralized. All the Belgian tanks were dispersed in small numbers in their infantry divisions, the highest number of Belgian tanks could be found in the 1e division de chasseurs ardennais with about 50 AFVs.

• All the French tanks have a power/weight ratio of 7-10 hp/ton ; the German tanks have a

power/weight ratio of 11-17 hp/ton, they have a better mobility. French tanks were generally more adapted to heavy and brutal charges against slow or immobile targets but were not really conceived for a war in which speed and mobility rules. And this speed and mobility was created by the revolutionary Panzerdivisionen. Only the Somua S35 cavalry tank could really compete with the German tanks in terms of speed, mobility and autonomy.

• All the French tanks have a better armor then the German tanks (13-30mm for the

German tanks and 40-60mm for the French tanks). The 23 British Matillda II tanks are also far better armored than the German ones. French tanks are able to sustain many German hits.

• The Germans tanks have often a better AT capacity, except the French 47mm SA35 gun

and 75mm SA35 gun. The 47mm SA35 L/32 gun is able to destroy all the German tanks up to 800-1000m but generally the French rate of fire is slower because of the 1-man turret where the commander is also spotter, loader and gunner.The 2636 German 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 III. Which leads to 2759 AFVs and 1088 ones (39%) armed with a 3.7cm, 4.7cm or 7.5cm gun. From the 3101 French tanks (if the AMR33/35s are counted as tanks), there are only about 480 French tanks armed with a 47mm SA35 (including the B1bis tanks with their 75mm hull gun) and about 350 which have a 37mm SA38 gun. From the 279 AMR33/35s, 259 are only armed with a single 7.5mm or 13.2mm MG and 20 AMR35 have a 25mm SA35 gun, which is also better than the German 3.7cm gun. That makes 850 tanks (27%) with an excellent to good anti-tank capacity. The huge majority (2251 tanks) of the French tanks are armed only with MGs or with the 37mm SA18 gun which can be used at 300m against the Panzer I and Panzer II but to knock out a Panzer III Ausf.E/F (the previous models are less armored and easier to destroy) or a Panzer IV Ausf.C/D, they have to get as close as < 25-100m, whereas the enemy can destroy them at about 300m (3.7cm KwK) to 500m (7.5cm KwK). On 10th May, there are also 23 British + 236 Belgian tanks with a rather good AT capacity for a total of 1039-1089 allied tanks with a good AT capacity.

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Notes : The crude comparison of tank numbers gives not a good representation of the reality on the battlefield. The allied used their tanks often spread among the infantry to provide support while the Germans concentrated all their tanks. The so-called German "superiority" was mainly due to : • better high command and strategy, all the structural evolutions between Fall Weiss and Fall Gelb • the organization of the Panzerwaffe concentrating all the tanks in the 10 Panzerdivisionen • better inter-arms cooperation • better tactical regulation, much more concentrated armor (usually 4 vs 1, sometimes 8-10 vs 1 odds) • generally higher speed and mobility of the German tanks • tracer and smoke shells available in the German tanks (not in the French ones) • more radio sets allowing to better organize and control the maneuvers • mostly always presence of observation planes (Hs126 and Fi156) to provide information about the allied

position and direct artillery and aerial support • mostly omnipresent close air support • German tanks were spreading into the allied rears … leading to issues to preserve a HQ or a fuel supply

dump … leading to tanks being abandoned and scuttled due to lack of fuel • better and faster logistics in the armored units (and far less hindered by aerial attacks) • 1-man turret in most of the French tanks and several very recently constituted units lacking training • usually German tanks avoided combat with the heavy allied tanks like the Renault B1bis which constituted

a big threat, they were rather engaged by 8.8cm FlaK, 10.5cm LeFH or aircrafts … again inter-arms cooperation

The Germans took an enormous risk in May 1940. They got through it with a few tactical innovations, several technical innovations, recklessness and a lot of luck. Germany's victory occurred as a result of a combination of factors, including air superiority, strategic and tactical innovation (including concentration of their armor), and the failure of the allies to anticipate or respond effectively to German tactics (The French had the luck to have well armored tanks compared to the British lightly armored ones which constituted the majority of their tanks, only the Matilda II tanks were really well protected but there were only 23 of them in France). However, it occurred in spite rather than because of German tanks. The German ground forces suffered a lot in 1940 on the Western front. Their ground forces lost about 45,000 KIA and 111,000 WIA as well as 30% of the engaged tanks. 839 German tanks and a high number of armored cars were definitively destroyed (for example about 37 out of 56 armored cars of the 7.PzD were knocked-out before the 1st June 1940). That gives of course not the total number of AFVs that were knocked out and needed to be repaired. Allied human losses in May/June 1940 : • Belgian losses (19 days) : 7500 KIA and 15850 WIA (all the AFVs destroyed or captured) • Luxembourg : no resistance, French troops entered the country to meet the Germans • Dutch losses (6 days) : 2890 KIA and 6889 WIA (all the AFVs destroyed or captured) • British losses : 3457 KIA , 13602 WIA and 3267 MIA • French losses in 45 days : about 100,000 KIA and 202,000 WIA The Swiss historian Eddy Bauer says also that the Germans lost much more men in the second part of the western campaign, in France the resistance was harder when time advanced and the tactic changed from the constant try to build a continuous front to the constitution of anti-tank strongpoints composed of infantry and artillery units (MG, AT guns, field guns in AT role etc) in the towns, in the woods and on important roads. 156,492 German losses (KIA and WIA) in 45 days, that means about 3477 losses/day but in fact the French resistance was harder in June than in May : 2499 German losses/day between the 10th May and the 3rd June but 4762 German losses/day between the 5th and the 24th June according to Eddy Bauer. You can compare that to the 4506 German losses/day during operation Barbarossa from 22nd June to 10th December 1941. The Western campaign was much more deadly than commonly known.

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Main sources : • "L'automobile sous l'uniforme" (François Vauvillier) • "Chars B au combat - Hommes et matériels du 15e BCC" (Stéphane Bonnaud) • "The French army 1939-1940 – organisation, order of battle, operational history" (4 volumes, Lee Sharp) • "L'Arme Blindée Française (volume 1) : Mai-juin 1940 ! Les blindés français dans la tourmente" (Gérard

Saint-Martin) • "Weygand, De Gaulle et quelques autres – La Somme 16-28 mai 1940" (Henri de Wailly) • "Blitzkrieg à l’Ouest, Mai-Juin 40" (Jean-Paul Pallud) • "Des forêts d'Alsace aux chemins de Normandie – La 43e division d'infanterie dans la guerre, 3 septembre

1939 – 26 juin 1940" (Thibault Richard) • "Militaria" magazines (especially special issues n°4, 8, 17, 21, 31, 34) • "Panzertruppen" (Thomas Jentz, Schiffer) • http://www.chars-francais.net/ (Antoine Misner's website) • http://france1940.free.fr/ (Nowfel Leulliot's website) and the contribution of many people from the

discussion list • http://enpointe.chez.tiscali.fr/oobs.html (Stéphane Commans's website) • http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/ (Leo Niehorster's website)

Acknowledgments : Christian Ankerstjerne who helped me with the German data, Jean-Guy Rathé who provided information about French AFVs in the colonies and William Schneck who provided data about the French losses.

David Lehmann

http://www.chars-francais.net/

http://france1940.free.fr/

http://enpointe.chez.tiscali.fr/oobs.html

http://www.orbat.com/site/ww2/drleo/

Documents

DL - Number of AFVs on 10 May 1940