BAR usage by France in Indochina?

[seamoose]

Was the BAR predominant among the myriad of small arms used by the French in Indochina and was it ever issued to paratroop units?

[carlos marighela]

No. To be honest, I've never seen anything indicating that the French used the BAR in Indochina. *

The predominant squad automatic weapon/ LMG was the FM24/29 in 7.5mm



* Such a statement will inevitably produce a rash of photos showing a BAR being used by the French in Indochina.

[Ash]

Found these; supposedly from Indochina. I'm sure, if I looked hard enough there's probably a picture somewhere of a French soldier sporting a Brown Bess, so personally I'd go with Carlos and stick with the FM24/29

[commissarmoody]

Great photos by the way. I think the hard part is dating those photos. Uncle Sam was very giving with the old M1s and BARS after we took over from the French. 

I am sure some one was using a BAR some where, just like there was most likely a few French with M1s and the like. Hell, bet there was one old ass on post in the middle of no where who insisted on using a PPSH or Mosin instead of what he was issued. 

[lou passejaire]

In Indochina, a small number of BAR were used , mostly by the native troops , and some by French units ...
but basically it was the FM 24-29 LMG who was in use .

[Arlequín]

Yes, I concur, few and far between with the French. I imagine the different ammo required on top of the other types, was a logistical step too far.

As CM says, dating photos is difficult, as the U.S. was supplying weapons to South Vietnam before the French actually officially left and even as late as the Early '60s, you will find occasional SVN regulars with French or Japanese helmets and MAT 49 SMGs, mixed in with the mass of U.S. equipped guys, let alone the civil guards and others still using older weapons. Certainly for much of the Early '60s the Viet Cong in the far South was far more uniformly equipped with U.S. weapons than the South Vietnamese Forces themselves; albeit that the same weapons had originally been issued to ARVN in the first place.