"French Foreign Legion transports" Topic

Hi, looking for information on the above mainly interested in the fall of France but I would assume the question would relate to North Africa.
The question is what would be used to tow AT guns and Howitzers? Also would the MMG's, mortars be transported or moved on the backs of the men?

thanks
jon

Free French (as at Bir Hacheim) used British transport (and made some really interesting adaptations to Universal Carriers, such as mounting anti-tank guns in the sponson).

The FFL had a long standing tradition of using any vehicles they could obtain through official channels, theft, misappropriation, barter or high jacking. You'd be perfectly historical to have your ATG towed by British, French or German truck or a Citröen sedan.

The Légion never, ever numbered artillery units and the french infantry TOE had never included field gun. This is about the howitzers…

Légion must be treated as normal infantry for its organisation and equipment. In 1940, a very few regts were motorized on trucks.
In those "foot" units, AT guns were towed either by horses or "chenillettes" (light tractors).

MG and mortars platoons were supposed to have motorcars and chenillettes.

For what does concern the Free French in the mediterranean, as Rich suggests, anything available!

The "pelotons portés" from the Légion cavalry rgt (régiment étranger de cavalerie) were infantry mounted on transports, including the interesting Berliet APCs, as all their sub units.

Hope this will help.

Cheers.

If you are referring to Free French in North Africa then here is a good U Tube clip showing transports.

YouTube link

British Ford trucks,
Citroen 1.5 ton trucks
Quads towing 75mm guns
Early war CMP 30cwt trucks
CMP Porte 75mm guns
Carrier
Carriers with 25mm A/T guns mounted
Dodge Tanake armoured truck

As Tirailleur corse mentions, the Foreign Legion units that fought in France were Infantry Regiments. They would be have divisional support from North African and Heavy North African artillery regiments (75s, 105s and 155s). I suspect that the tows for these were probably horses! The Laffly S15T was also used, but I suspecct these were concentrated in motorized divisions.

The 25mm ATG was towed by horses, Laffly V15Ts or UE Chenillettes, the 47's theoretical tow was the Laffly W15T.

Hi Jeff.
You are perfectly right.
Légion regiments always had to rely on artillery divisonal supports from other branch of arms, usualy, as you mention, from the colonial branch of arms, by the time of WWII known as "Régiments d'artillerie d'Afrique".
On an other hand, not sure those rgts intended for oversea service, ever had heavy guns (155??)
For the 1940 campaign, heavy divisionnal artillery was probably provided by "Metropolitan" rgts.
Cheers.

i'm sorry to disagree gentlemen …

basically, the Legion on the north east front in 1940 were part of Infantry division, North African Infantry Division, Infantry division Recce Group, etc … there is no specific rules …

For the tow, it's quite easy : horse drawn 25mm AT , pack mules or horse drawn Infantry car for the mortars and the MMG . Except for the Recce units , were it can be mostly a light truck …

The Laffly V15, Latil, and other 25mm tractors were issued in priority to the Motorized Division .

And for the divisional artillery 75, 105 and 155 , it will be horse too …

The best Legion units stayed in North Africa facing the Italians, and Franco troops, in Indochina facing the japaneses, in levant facing anybody … and in Norway, fighting for Narvick …

the Legion on the north east front in 1940 were part of Infantry division, North African Infantry Division, Infantry division Recce Group, etc … there is no specific rules …

Right, I meant that 11th and 12th REI were in 6th DINA and 8th DI respectively. And, as it happens, both of these had North African and North African Heavy divisional artillery. There was also a Legion cavalry unit that became a GRDI, IIRC, and apparently several regiments de marche.