3rd Armoured Division
3e Division Cuirassée
B1 bis tank of the 41st Tank Battalion, lost near Ouvrage La Ferté in May 1940.
ActiveMarch - May 1940
Country France
BranchFrench Army
TypeArmoured Division
RoleArmoured warfare
EngagementsBattle of France

The 3rd Armoured Division (French: 3e Division Cuirassée, 3e DCR) is a unit of the French Army formed during World War II that took part in the May–June 1940 Battle of France.

History

Formed 20 March 1940 at Reims. Campaigns: Battle of the Meuse, Meuse Front, Battle of the Aisne and Retreat of the center. Final command post at Montbard northwest of Dijon. Division captured 17–18 June. Subordination: XXI Corps of 2nd Army until 23 May, then various including 4th Army and XVIII Corps of 2nd Army.[1]

Composition

In May 1940:[2][3][4]

  • 41st Tank Battalion (B1 bis tanks)
  • 49th Tank Battalion (B1 bis tanks)
  • 42nd Tank Battalion (H39 tanks)
  • 45th Tank Battalion (H39 tanks)
  • 16th Motorized Rifle Battalion (bataillon de chasseurs portés)
  • 319th Artillery Regiment

References

  1. ↑ GUF, Vol. 3, pp. 497-506.
  2. ↑ Vauvillier, François (October 2007). "La division cuirassée en France en 1940 et ses perspectives : 1 - Les chars et les chasseurs portés". Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel (in French). No. 79. Histoire & Collections. pp. 38–49.
  3. ↑ Vauvillier, François (January 2008). "La division cuirassée en France en 1940 et ses perspectives : 2 - l'artillerie d'accompagnement, l'artillerie antichars et la défense contre avions". Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel (in French). No. 80. Histoire & Collections. pp. 40–49.
  4. ↑ Bonal, Capitaine (2 November 2016). "Les divisions cuirassées". defense.gouv.fr (in French).

Bibliography

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