2nd Armoured Division (France, 1940)
| 2nd Armoured Division | |
|---|---|
| 2e Division Cuirassée | |
 Badge of the division. | |
| Active | January - July 1940 |
| Country |  France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Type | Armoured Division |
| Role | Armoured warfare |
| Motto(s) | Malgré |
| Engagements | Battle of France |
The 2nd Armoured Division (French: 2e Division Cuirassée, 2e 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
[edit]Formed 16 January 1940 at Haute Moivre. Campaigns: Battle of the Meuse, Fronts of the Aisne and the Somme, Somme Front, Battle of the Somme and Retreat of the Center. Final command post at Saint-Pierre Cherignat, northeast of Limoges. Division subsequently disbanded. Subordination: I Corps of 7th Army until 29 May and then various, including 10th Army, VII Corps, IX Corps, X Corps, 51st British Infantry Division and the Groupement Cuirassée.[1]
Composition
[edit]
In May 1940:
- 8th Tank Battalion (B1 bis tanks)
- 15th Tank Battalion (B1 bis tanks)
- 14th Tank Battalion (H39 tanks)
- 27th Tank Battalion (H39 tanks)
- 17th Motorized Rifle Battalion (bataillon de chasseurs portés)
- 309th Artillery Regiment
References
[edit]- ^ GUF, Vol. 3, pp. 477-496.
Bibliography
[edit]- (GUF) Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre. Guerre 1939–1945 Les Grandes Unités Françaises. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1967.