"13e Régiment de Dragoons 1944/45" Topic

I don`t know if this will be of interest to anyone here, but I came across the photo a Somua S-35s with French infantry in 1940 era kit, the photo was titled 13e Régiment de Dragoons 1945, which of course puzzeled me somewhat, so i did a bit of digging, you can find my short article over on my blog:

baberonwargames.blogspot.com/20 … 94445.html

A very well-done investigation into a probably previously under-researched (at least in English) part of late WW2 history.

Thanks,

Jim

Cheers, I`ve written my first scenario and set up my table. I`ll hopefully run it and post the scenario and AAR later in the week.

Well, that's absolutely fascinating! Very good job digging all that information out!

Grelber

Terrific and little known across La Manche or The Pond.

We do see 1940 era tanks in FFI or French Army hands for Tunis, the Liberation of Paris and, of course, used by the Germans in many fields. But regular French units using them in 1944 is unusual. Against poorly equipped infantry seems reasonable, but the occasional Panzerfaust, Panzerschreck, let alone any type of 1944 TD, it took guts to man them.

Cheers guys

Deadhead – from my reading Panzerfausts/schrecks were not as common in Normandy as gamers like to think (like flame-throwers with US engineers) :) The French who used Somua in Tunisia against Germans equipped with Panzer IVG, Pak40s (and various Marder III) and Pak36r sure had guts :)

Yeah. Infantry support and the higher-numbered DB's. You'll also find Free French in Panzer IV's, sometimes (rarely) in Panthers, and I think a couple of squadrons in British models the British felt unsuitable for active service. Cavaliers, I think? (I'm far from my reference shelves.)

A moment of sympathy for the supply and maintenance elements.

Great research. Fascinating story (stories). Very fertile topic for some skirmish / large skirmish scale gaming.

And also, of course, a bit of research and publishing that is fascinating to those (present company included) who are interested in the history of France's role in the second world war.

I applaud your research and writing, as I have before in so many of your game write-ups. Respect for your efforts -- you have brought this topic forward and shined a light on what would otherwise have been lost to many.

A small nit-pick if I may. Or perhaps rather than a criticism I can offer it in the form of a question.
You write "13e Régiment de …" rather than "13th Regiment of …". Yet you write "Dragoons" rather than "Dragons". Was this deliberate? Is there a reason?

I have occasionally fallen upon the dilemma of how to label French Dragoons. If I am writing the name in English: Dragoons. If I am writing the name in French: Dragons.

So "Dragons Portés", but "Mounted Dragoons".

But when I write Dragons, well folks may perceive it as, well, dragons. And that's kind of distracting.

So … just wondering if you are taking a particular approach to this.

Mark, thank you for your comments.

Dragons/dragoons – being Welsh with a deep background in FRP gaming in the early 1980s too. It is my error (of the French) and my own need to make things clear in my writing. I have to say a big SORRY to anyone French reading my bastardised translations.

That being said, I`m glad you find my writing interesting – your comments are much appreciated :)