3rd Armoured Division (France, 1940) explained
| Unit Name: | 3rd Armoured Division |
| Native Name: | 3 Division Cuirassée |
| Dates: | March - May 1940 |
| Branch: | French Army |
| Type: | Armoured Division |
| Role: | Armoured warfare |
| Size: | 200 |
| Motto: | Boutez En Avant (Push Forward) |
| Battles: | World War II
|
The 3rd Armoured Division (French: 3<sup>e</sup> Division Cuirassée, 3<sup>e</sup> 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
Bibliography
- (GUF) Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre. Guerre 1939–1945 Les Grandes Unités Françaises. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1967.
Notes and References
- GUF, Vol. 3, pp. 497-506.
- François. Vauvillier . La division cuirassée en France en 1940 et ses perspectives : 1 - Les chars et les chasseurs portés . Histoire de Guerre, Blindés et Matériel . 79 . October 2007 . 38–49 . Histoire & Collections . French.
- François. Vauvillier . 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 . 80 . January 2008 . 40–49 . Histoire & Collections . French.
- Web site: Capitaine . Bonal . Les divisions cuirassées . defense.gouv.fr . 2 November 2016. French.
