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Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: Von Stroheim on 01 July 2024, 02:58:27 PM

Title: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: Von Stroheim on 01 July 2024, 02:58:27 PM
Anyone interested in the early war should watch  this short film from the Swiss Bundesarchiv.  It show French and Polish troops crossing the border into internment. What is suprising is the amount of men and equipment. There are all troop types of the French Army - Colonials etc. At 6.40 the first French Armour is rolling. I do not know what happened to these men - if they were interned for the duration or repatriated.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAz4QvNY8wg
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: fastolfrus on 01 July 2024, 04:00:59 PM
and what did the Swiss do with all the second hand armaments?

Interestingly large number of greys amongst the cavalry
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: FramFramson on 01 July 2024, 04:26:58 PM
Amazing. In hindsight they were probably pretty relieved that all those arms and munitions ended up in Swiss hands.
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: carlos marighela on 01 July 2024, 11:06:59 PM
and what did the Swiss do with all the second hand armaments?

Interestingly large number of greys amongst the cavalry

The  dozen or so R-35 tanks were apparently absorbed into the Swiss army but unless they were able to purchase spares from Vichy or via the Germans they wouldn't have been terribly useful for long.

The artillery would have been potentially useful but doesn't seem to have been adopted, probably due to limited ammo stocks.

The small arms would have required re-chambering for Swiss ammunition. As the Swiss didn't have a deficit in small arms and were significant producers of such  I'm not sure that would have been a worthwhile exercise.
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: has.been on 03 July 2024, 08:31:13 PM
Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: Gunner Dunbar on 06 July 2024, 01:33:30 AM
and what did the Swiss do with all the second hand armaments?

Interestingly large number of greys amongst the cavalry
I also noticed the greys, interesting.
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: Khusru2 on 06 July 2024, 06:02:12 PM
Not usually interested in early war in general but I found this interesting. What's sad about watching old news reels is that everyone is nameless. Perhaps it's just old age catching up with me.
Title: Re: Fascinating Film from Swiss Archives
Post by: carlos marighela on 06 July 2024, 07:47:22 PM
If it helps there was Jaques, Marc, Gaston, Pierre, Jean-Luc, another Pierre, Alois, Gervais, Jean-Paul, three more Jaques, Alain etc, etc, etc. :)