[烛光生存狂]-[法国战役系列]Herleville的战斗

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特别提示：本帖子在 2009-3-6 1:13:22 由用户 412886049 编辑过

Hello,

Here are two example of Renault UE tractors being used during counter-attacks.

I have developped the battle around Herleville in June 1940. It's a small battle compared to others but it shows how the French artillery could sometimes behave in front of German infantry assaults.

It's also a good example of the French tactic of strong points / hedgehogs in June 1940 (the best example remains of course the battle south of Amiens were it worked properly and blocked the German tanks efficiently).

1) 9e Régiment de Zouaves at Selens (June 5, 1940)

The information can be found in the book "La randonnée du 9e Zouaves 1939-1940" (Lieutenant-colonel Tasse). On June 5, the HQ from 9e RZ (Régiment de Zouaves) at Selens on the Ailette River is hard pressed by German infantry. The command staff is ready to fight to the last man but a NCO wants to launch a counter-attack with several volunteers and 4 Renault UE tractors.

The 2 first Renault UEs are advancing side by side with the men launching F1 (defensive) grenades, the 2 other chenillettes are on both sides and a bit on the rear, each with a FM 1924/1929 LMG. They attack like light tanks and the German soldiers are all KIA or fleeing. Encouraged by their initial success, they continue their advance but they are caught by German AT guns and 2 Renault UEs are destroyed. The men from one chenillette try to knock out a German AT gun with grenades but without success and have to withdraw. The 2 remaining tractors move back to the HQ.

2) The battle of Herleville (June 5, 1940)

The information about this battle can be found in the book "Souvenirs et témoignages sur les opérations et les combats de la 19e Division pendant la guerre 1939-1940" (Louis Bourdais) but also in the German and French sources quoted for example on this website (in German): http://members.aon.at/mgvriedlingsdorf/K5.html

After the defeat in the Belgian plains and the reduction of the pocket of Dunkirk the German troops will launch Fall Rot (the second stage of the 1940 western campaign) on June 5, 1940. On the allied side only 66 divisions (62 French, 2 Polish depending from the French army and 2 British divisions) are defending about 500 km front. They will have to face 136 German divisions (including 10 Panzerdivisionen, 6 motorized infantry divisions and 1 cavalry division).

On the 360 km long front of the Somme and Aisne Rivers, the so-called "Weygand Line", the French Army could deploy only 40 divisions and the remnants of 3-4 armored divisions to try to stop Heeresgruppe A and B, which had on their side 104 divisions including 10 Panzerdivisionen. The German air superiority is also striking. With such means only a small frontline on the Rivers can be defended, without significant reserves. Mathematically the campaign is lost, but the French troops will offer a fierce resistance during June 1940.

With General Weygand having replaced General Gamelin as the head of the French troops, the obsession of always trying to reconstitute a continuous front has been abandoned. According to their new tactics, the French troops are organized in strong points in the towns and woods (in the best case in a depth of about 10 km). These hedgehogs include infantry, AT mines, Hotchkiss Mle1914 MGs, 25mm and 47mm AT guns but also 75mm field guns used in an AT role. They are organized for a 360° defense. The aim is to cut rapidly the advancing German tanks from their supporting infantry. These tanks are then confronted on the rear by the French artillery batteries engaging them in direct fire. These tactics proved rather successful south of Amiens.

On June 5, the German XIV.Panzerkorps (9.PzD, 10.PzD, 13.ID (mot), 9.ID and "Grossdeutschland" regiment) assaults the French positions south of Amiens on the Somme River. Before the battle, the 9.PzD and 10.PzD are already reduced to 50% operational tanks and have only about 225 tanks available (180 tanks in the 10.PzD) The 14-20 km front is hold by the 16e DI (such a division has theoretically to defend a front of 5-7 km) supported by 2 companies of the 12e BCC (26 Renault R35 tanks). On June 8 and 9, the 16e DI rears are reinforced by the 24e DI.

After 5 days, the German operation failed in that area, whereas they planned an advance of 35 km for the first day of the attack. The XIV.Panzerkorps is then removed from this area and engaged behind the XVI.Panzerkorps near Péronne, where the German assault is more successful. After this battle the number of operational tanks of the XIV.Panzerkorps dropped dramatically (at least transiently): on June 8, the 10.PzD was left with 60 tanks only and the 9.PzD with 30 tanks only. The German troops lost therefore about 135 tanks in that battle (destroyed or simply damaged). The numbers of actual available tanks are from "Amiens 1940 – Der deutsche Durchbruch südlich von Amiens 5. bis 8. Juni 1940" by Volkmar Regling (MFGA, 1968). The 2 French divisions have nonetheless lost 60-70% of their strength and manpower but they have blocked the advance of a Panzerkorps which was finally directed against a neighbouring part of the front. The remnants of the 16e DI and 24e DI will continue to fight e.g. on the "Chauvineau Line" on the Oise River on June 9.

Nonetheless beside such kind of large battles, which takes place on the Aisne (Rethel) and Somme Rivers (Amiens), there are smaller combats in many little towns. One of them is Herleville and during this battle the French used also several Renault UE tractors to launch a counter-attack.

Location of Herleville on a 1:200,000 Michelin map from 1940 (I own the map and made the scans myself).

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特别提示：本帖子在 2009-7-11 15:23:52 由用户 412886049 编辑过

The town of Herleville is located south of the Somme River and south-west of Péronne. On June 5, 1940, it is defended by elements of the II/41e RI (19e DI – General Lenclud) and led by Capitaine Thouron, commander of the 2nd battalion:

• 5e compagnie

• 6e compagnie

• C.A.2 (support company - Lieutenant Ravoux)

• two 75mm Mle1897 field guns from 10e RAD (Régiment d'Artillerie Divisionnaire): one oriented towards the north (Foucaucourt) and one towards the east (Soyécourt)

小城Herleville位于索姆河南面，佩罗讷的西南。1940年6月5日，该城由第19步兵师第41步兵团2营负责防御。营长是索龙上校。战斗序列如下：

• 第5连

• 第6连

• 支援连（拉武中尉）

• 第10师属炮兵团的2门Mle1897型75mm野战炮：一门位于城北（朝着Foucaucourt方向），一门位于城东(朝着Soyécourt方向)。

Only the southern and western parts of the town are really defended since the northern part has fewer houses and because a sunken lane / ridge leads directly to the church and might enable the Germans to reach it without being spotted soon enough.

小镇只有南边和西边部署了防御，因为北面房子很少，而且一条凹凸不平小路直通向教堂，德国人要接近教堂一定会被发现的。

South-east of Herleville there is a wood called "Bois Etoilé". The 7th (Capitaine Magne) and 9th (Captaine de Nantois) batteries from 10e RAD (75mm Mle1897 field guns) are deployed in these woods.

On the Herleville-Vermandovillers road (about 400 meters south-west from the woods), between Herleville and the "Bois Etoilé", there is the 8th battery from 304e RAP (Régiment d'Artillerie Porté – motorized regiment with 75mm Mle1897 field guns). In and around the woods there are therefore 12 75mm Mle1897 field guns. A second battery from 304e RAP is deployed a bit more south.

Herleville东南边有一个被称为 "Bois Etoilé"的小树林。第10师属炮兵团的第7和第9连就部署在这些树丛中。在介于Herleville和X"Bois Etoilé"之间的Herleville-Vermandovillers公路上，部署着第304摩托化炮兵团的第8连。第304摩托化炮兵团的另一个连则部署在偏南面。

The French artillery positions in the woods are very well prepared. The guns are protected; there are shelters for the personnel and for the ammunition dumps. Before June 5, these batteries proceeded to numerous interdiction and harassment fire without ever being spotted by the enemy. The wagons, caissons and horses are hidden in the southern part of the woods (in old shell holes and field fortifications from 1916) but close enough to the guns to proceed eventually to quick movements.

There are also two 47mm SA37 AT guns from 610th AT battery (1 deployed north of the wood and 1 west of the 8th battery from 304e RAP). The artillery is also reinforced by 10 men from the 7th company of the II/41e RI providing infantry protection.

In the plain, a bit north-west of the woods, there is an observation post for the artillery, used also as outpost and immediate protection for the field guns.

The French troops will face the 44.ID (General Siebert). This division is one of the 35 German first wave infantry divisions. It includes IR.131 (Infanterie Regiment), IR.132, IR.134 as well as AR.96 (Artillerie Regiment). The strong point of Herleville and the artillery in the "Bois Etoilé" will mainly face the Austrians from IR.134.

For the attack, the 44.ID has probably been reinforced by armored troops since several armored cars, light tanks and probably armored personnel carriers seems are mentioned by French troops. The 44.ID is indeed only supposed to have an armored car platoon. This platoon has 3 armored vehicles: 1 SdKfz-14 Funk-Kraftwagen (unarmed, open-topped radio vehicle) and 2 SdKfz-13 MG-Kraftwagen (thinly-armored, open-topped, with minimal off-road capacity but armed with a MG34 behind a little armoured shield).

----> Attack against Herleville (June 5, 1940)

German mortars and artillery start shelling Foucaucourt and Herleville around 3h30. German soldiers are unloaded from trucks in the plain near Foucaucourt. They are then split in columns, one right of Foucaucourt and one left of Foucaucourt.

In the left column about 1,000 German soldiers are spotted as well as about 10 AFVs. The AFVs did not move to Herleville. Only 2 armored cars and 3 motorcyclists appeared at the edges of the town but they moved back under French MG fire.

Several armored cars move north-east of the "Bois Etoilé" at about 1 km of Herleville and several of them are destroyed by the French field guns.

At 5h30 the shelling stops. The German infantry is now at 300 meters from the French positions at Herleville. The 75mm Mle1897 field gun on the northern edge blocked its advance with canister shells. The enemy could not defeat the French defense. A German shell kills Lieutenant Yves Pringent (2nd battalion staff). Capitaine Thouron (2nd battalion's commander) and Lieutenant Ravoux (commander of the support company) are seriously WIA. They will be evacuated to Vermandovillers but at evening only.

All day long the German infantry attacks the French positions at Herleville but without success in front of the dense fire (Hotchkiss Mle1914 MGs of the support company, FM 1924/1929 LMGs and the 2 75mm Mle1897 field guns providing direct support fire). The Germans sustain heavy losses (KIA sans WIAs) and the number of German POWs is also increasing. Their attack is not very efficient because it has already been disorganized by the French strong points in Foucaucourt, Fay and Soyécourt.

Part of the German infantry supported by AFVs managed to advance between Herleville and Vermandovillers, arriving at 300 meters in front of the "Bois Etoilé".

The German infantry tries to infiltrate deeper in the south, without reducing all the French hedgehogs. The Germans will try to capture the "Bois Etoilé", which would result in an encirclement of the 41e RI. The town of Vermandovillers with the HQ from 41e RI is only at 500 meters south-east from the "Bois Etoilé".

----> Attack against the "Bois Etoilé" (June 5, 1940)

Capitaine de Nantois (9th battery, 10e RAD) has been sent as forward observer for the whole 3rd group of the 10e RAD at Déniécourt. The new commander of 9th battery is Sous-Lieutenant Eloy (assisted by Aspirant Muzard). They have a field telephone but also an ER22 radio set.

The field guns have fired uninterrupted in support of the 41e RI but at the same time the crews have now have to fight against incoming enemy infantry. The small infantry support provided by 10 men from 41e RI is indeed not sufficient.

At 6h00, the observation post spots numerous German troops moving on the right of Foucaucourt. Around 8h00, the enemy is dangerously closer. German personnel carriers with tracks are spotted (are these SdKfz.250/251 halftracks or simply half-tracked softskins?). Sous-Lieutenant Eloy orders o1 field gun to be moved to the north-western corner of the woods (Maréchal-des-Logis Heuzé). This 75mm field gun destroys 4 German vehicles and the enemy infantry retreats. Nonetheless, the German infantry moves on the west, around the woods. The German troops manage to capture the 2 47mm SA37 AT guns and later they will capture transiently several guns from 304e RAP.

The 75mm field gun from Maréchal-des-Logis Heuzé is now seriously threatened by MG fire and German troops closing in. A second field gun is moved to the edge of the woods at 100-150 meters from the first one. These two guns are commanded personally by Sous-Lieutenant Eloy. Aspirant Muzard is in charge of the 2 other guns of the battery remaining in the woods and which continue to provide indirect fire support.

A few LMGs (FM 1915 Chauchat) and MGs (Mle1907 Saint Etienne) are also used at the edge of the woods. The defense is soon reinforced by 11 automatic weapons captured on German soldiers.

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Around 10h00, the first surrendering Germans appear hands up. Sous-Lieutenant Eloy and Maréchal-des-Logis Guénégo advance to capture them but during the process, a German gunfire hits Sous-Lieutenant Eloy, who his evacuated.

At Deniécourt, Capitaine de Nantois knows about the critical situation of his battery and wants to return to the "Bois Etoilé". Commandant Schérer (commander of the 3rd group) orders him to stay in Déniécourt. He also orders Lieutenant de Courson (7th battery) to replace Eloy at the head of 9th battery. Lieutenant de Courson takes command at 10h15. At Déniécourt, Capitaine de Nantois is WIA on his left eye but continues to fulfil his mission until the night.

The German troops renew their assault. The resistance takes place at 30-40 meters only of the French field guns with 75mm guns, MGs and rifles/carbines. All the German troops infiltrated in the woods are killed by small arms and canister shells from the 75mm field guns block the arrival of additional enemy reinforcements.

At the "Bois Etoilé", German MGs manage finally to attack the French field guns by flanking fire. The crews cannot man their guns anymore. The French position is stormed and 12 French gunners are transiently captured with their guns. A bit later the French POWs are liberated by a counter-attack and the German soldiers are captured.

The "Bois Etoilé" has to remain in French hands otherwise the 41e RI would be encircled. On the south-east, German tanks attack already Chaulnes (location of the infantry divisional HQ of 19e DI) but they are defeated. They attack then Lihons but they are confronted to a strong defense with 25mm, 75mm guns and 155mm howitzers firing directly at them.

An officer from 304e RAP urges the HQ from 41e RI (at Vermandovillers) to take care of the desperate situation of the batteries from 304e RAP, especially the battery south of the "Bois Etoilé" where the men had finally to abandon the field guns in front of the advancing German troops. However, Lieutenant-Colonel Loichot, commander of the 41e RI, has only 3 reduced platoons from 7th company of the II/41e RI in reserve. All strong points are currently under attack and additional troops are therefore not available.

Adjudant Tardiveau (commander of the Renault UE platoon) volunteers to launch an attack with 2 tankettes, armed for the occasion with a FM 1924/1929 LMG each. Tardiveau, Thébault, Katchoudourian and Ruel will do a good job. The 2 Renault UEs begins to move towards Herleville at 9h30 and attack the German infantry threatening the artillery around the "Bois Etoilé". The Germans flee, are killed or captured and at 11h30 the battery of the 304e RP on the road is saved.

The battle goes on for the batteries of the 10e RAD in the woods. At 12h30, a third German assault is launched against the "Bois Etoilé" and once more it is defeated. The 2 75mm Mle1897 field guns deployed in forward position fire many canister and HE shells. They also destroy one gun from 304e RAP, which had been turned by the Germans against the French positions in the woods. Again, many POWs are made.

At this moment, the 2 Renault UEs arrive. The remaining German troops in front of the 9th battery are completely demoralized since they believe that they face a French tank attack. Many of them surrender.

After 3 hours of battle, the "Bois Etoilé" and the Herleville-Vermandovillers road are secured. At 15h15, the whole 9th battery can again take part to indirect fire missions ordered by the group at Déniécourt. The first target is a motorized German 105mm artillery battery that has been spotted. 15 minutes later, 2 German tractors and 1 caisson are seen retreating quickly. The German battery has been destroyed.

The task of Adjudant Tardiveau with the 2 Renault UEs is nonetheless not finished. West of the "Bois Etoilé" they engage several German soldiers hidden in a field. They move then to Herleville itself, where several Germans are still in the eastern part of the town. Being attacked on their rears, these German troops flee or are captured. Without strong tank support, the bulk of the German infantry is not better than its French opponent.

216 German POWs (including 5 officers) are sent to the HQ of the 41e RI. Lieutenant Loysel (intelligence officer) interrogates the German prisoners. They are mostly from I/IR.134 but also from AR.96 and from a reconnaissance unit. Among the 5 officers there is even the battalion commander from I/IR.134.

The French deployment in strong points and the hedgehogs tactic proved rather successful on June 5, as stated by the high German losses. The German troops were ordered to continue to advance deeper in the French lines without reducing all the strong points. But they did not achieve a collapse of the French lines. The French flanking fire and counter-attacks were deadly and resulted according to the German themselves in reactions of panic. General Siebert himself describes a crying Leutnant having a nervous breakdown.

On June 6, the German regiments from 44.ID are this time ordered to assault and capture the French strong points. They are reinforced by assault engineers with flamethrowers as well as additional HMGs and mortars. During this day, III/IR.131 will for example capture Chuignolles for the loss of more than 100 men.

During the 1940 western campaign the 44.ID had about 500 KIAs and more than 1,000 WIAs. Many of the losses occurred beginning June against the "Weygand Line". The 44.ID has been initially held in reserve, being engaged on May 15, 1940 for combat operations. As rear-guard, it was only lightly engaged and casualties were not very high for the whole campaign but were important on June 5.

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