That's what I thought. Anyone know when the French abandoned Hazebrouck and left this lot behind? Jerry
Sadly Andy's Woodforce this post does not mention the French Army tanks which were apparently abandoned in Hazebrouck. The Belgian 21st Line Regiment company under Lt Delmonte were equipped with horse drawn caissons and were unlikely to have Renault tanks? But I could easily be wrong. Jerry
Sadly Andy's Woodforce post does not mention the French tanks - or were they Belgian? They probably were not part of Lt Delmonte's company of machine gunners but I could easily be wrong. Jerry
The tanks were definitely French commanded and served as part of Woodforce. The Belgians are an interesting lot - machine gunners - I would have to try to dig out some very old info on them but they seem to wandered from front to front, eventually stumbling into Hazebrouck where they were invited to help out. This motley crew including a Major General in its front line managed to repel and inflict serious damage on Rheinhardt's Reconnaisance Company of 8th Panzer. However they could thank their lucky stars that The Halt Order (the Haltbefehl) came through at 11.30am on 24th May - a half an hour later Rheinhardt (after a violent argument with Kleist) would have launched the whole of 8th Panzer against them.
http://ww2talk.com/forums/topic/23372-defence-of-hazebrouck-by-woodforce-21st-25th-may-1940/ Have you read this? Central reserve included 17 Renault 1917 tanks - Liaison Officer Lt Tourneau Tanks were "unsound and lightly armed" PS Lt Delmonte was Belgian and in command of those Belgian machine guns
picture is on page 437 of After The Battle's Blitzkreig In The West, sadly the caption gives no info on it at all, just a load of waffle about Hazebrouck itself.
I was going to say that photo is in Blitzkreig. I did a then and now on it a good few years ago. Here's the Woodforce file-Do I get another mention in your next book ?
I am running a history project for a local primary school researching the story of an ex pupil Derrick Alan Roylance. He was with the 173 Bty, 58 Lt. AA Regt and was killed on 26 May, 1940 at Hazebrouck. I would be grateful for any help. Many thanks. Chris.
