Lead Adventure Forum
Miniatures Adventure => The Second World War => Topic started by: former user on September 07, 2013, 10:01:33 AM
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Hi
so, I've done some literature investigation about this vehicle and I get possibly contradicting information about the end of it's combat use:
aside from conversions into recovery vehicles, tractors and funnies or the re-use of the chassis for other purposes, some sources claim that after the end of the NA campaign, remaining M3 mediums were left in Oran for training purposes of the french army. Other sources claim that some units were still using it in the Italian campaign in combat.
So, who could clear this up please?
The question I was originally trying to clear up is:
when did this tank enter french service, for how long and in which role?
can someone give me a oush into the right deriction please?
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Never heard of the M3 being used by the French in active service, in fact after North Africa I thought most (all?) were shipped out to Burma.
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i have found that Free French Forces used grants, even took them to Italy where they fought at Monte Cassino. On the long run they were probably rebuilt as ARV's like with the British and Americans.
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THX so far, some sources would be useful to go deeper
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Osprey do a book on the M3 Lee/Grant I think.
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Yes, and this is where I got the reference about them being left in Oran for training purposes
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As Cubs mentioned, they were being used in Burma (definitely in 1944 at Imphal).
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Yes THX, and in Kursk by the soviets, but I can't find a single pictures with french, for training, combat or even converted to tractors/recovery vehicles or whatever
Indochina is not my field of interest
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When I Googled it, I kept coming up with Free French Shermans, but it makes sense that they might have trained with the Lee/Grant because of its similarities with the Sherman.
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yes, it makes absolute sense, even if the allies reclassified it as subsatandard for training too, but one knows about the initial question whether France would qualify for lend/lease
Obviously the 2e DB did not take any with them when leaving for Britain, but I would still like to know whether any were shipped to Italy or not
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picture of a free french arv
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hey cool
where's this from?
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hey cool
where's this from?
It is from the Free French 2nd Armoured Division in France August 1944. See more at: http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M3_Lee_Grant.php (http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M3_Lee_Grant.php)
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THX
oh, my
mistakes
2e DB landed in Nomandy, not in the Provence....
anyway, I was aiming for the combat version
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Here's the units of the 2nd Blindee that used tanks or armoured vehicles
BLINDES
Reconnaissance
1er Regiment de Marche de Spahis Marocains
Chars légers M1 Stuart, Automitrailleuses M8 "Greyhound" et Half-Tracks
Commandant : Colonel Remy
Adjoint : Lt-Colonel Roumiantzoff
1er Escadron : Cne Morel-Deville
2° Escadron : Cne Pallu
3° Escadron : Cne Da
4° Escadron : Cne Savelli
5° Escadron : Lt Kochanovsky
Combat
501ème Regiment de Chars de Combat
Chars moyens Sherman et chars légers M1 3A3 Stuart
Commandant : Cdt Cantarel (1.07.43 au 8.8.44)
Colonel Warabiot (8.8.44 au 2.9.44)
Colonel Cantarel (2.9.44 au 25.3.45), puis Lt-Cl Delpierre
1ere Compagnie : Cne Buis ( 17 chars Sherman)
2° Compagnie : Cne de Witasse (17 chars Sherman)
3° Compagnie : Cne Branet (17 chars Sherman)
4° Compagnie : Cne de Gavardie (17 Chars légers 1 Stuart)
Compagnie hors rang : ?
12ème Regiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique
Commandant : Colonel de Langlade
Adjoint : Cdt Minjonnet
1° Escadron : Cne du Hays (A.M8 "Greyhound")
2° Escadron : Lt Coupé puis Lt de Vandières (17 chars Sherman)
3° Escadron : Cne de Bort (17 chars Sherman)
4° Escadron : Cne Hargous 17 chars Sherman)
Escadron Hors Rang : Cne Baillou
12ème Regiment de Cuirassiers
Commandant : Colonel Noiret puis Colonel Rouvillois (11.11.44)
Adjoint : Colonel Rouvillois puis Commandant Didelot
1° Escadron : Cne d'Orgeix puis Cne Compagnon (17 chars Sherman)
2° Escadron : Cne Noel (17 chars Sherman)
3° Escadron : Cne Gaudet (17 chars Sherman)
4° Escadron : Cne de Laitre puis Cne Lenoir (17 Chars légers M1 Stuart)
Escadron Hors Rang : Cne Thomas
Chasseurs de chars
Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers Marins (R.B.F.M)
Commandant : Cne de Corvette Maggiar
Adjoint : Cne de Corvette Martinet
1° Escadron : Lt de Vaisseau Pauly (Tank Destroyers TD10)
2° Escadron : Lt de Vaisseau Guillon (Tank Destroyers TD10)
3° Escadron : Lt de Vaisseau Bonnet (Tank Destroyers TD10)
4° Escadron : Lt de Vaisseau Richard (Tank Destroyers TD10)
Escadron Hors Rang : Lt de Vaisseau Olieu
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Merci Beaucoup Monsieur
so, now it gets interesting
this TOE must be then from the time when it got DB.
Is You fabulous source similarly rich about the 2e DFL or the Force L?
Or maybe other Free French or even Arme d'Afrique units that might have had M3 mediums?
THX again
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force L and the 501 bcc afterwards were equipped with Bren/universal carriers , marmon-herrington AC, Dodge AC and Crusaders after they disbanded their H39's.
The Free french then received M4's, M3 Stuarts (later M5's) and M10's so this would make any M3 Lee or grant probably an ARV as Lee/Grants that were changed into ARV's were used by the US as well together with their M10 and M4 units.
I'll be digging in my books about the Free French now, 'cause the net keeps giving me the usual same stuff.
Unfortunatly that 'll have to wait until tomorrow evening.
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I am absolutely not in a hurry, Thank You very much again
I am enjoying the process as much as the result
please take Your time
the M3 medium result for the time being is that ARV were used after NA, not the combat version anymore - that's what I understand