List of World War II weapons of France explained

This is a list of French military equipment in the Second World War. This focuses primary on weapons issued to the French Army and Free French forces. Weapons used by the French Resistance vary but generally consist of French, Allied, and captured German weapons, alongside various miscellaneous equipment.

Handguns

• Luger P08 (captured)
• MAB Model A
• MAB Model D pistol
• Modèle 1935 pistol
• MAS 1873 revolver
• Modèle 1892 revolver
• Ruby pistol
• Star Model 14
• Walther P38 (captured)

Rifles

• Berthier M1907/15 M16, Mousqueton M1916, and M34
• Fusil Automatique Modele 1917
• Fusil MAS-36
• Lebel M1886/93, M27, and R35
  • M1917 Enfield (supplied by the US through Lend-lease to Free French forces)
  • M1 Carbine (Free French forces)
• M1 Garand (Free French forces)
• Mauser K98k (captured)
• Meunier rifle

Submachine guns

• Delacre machine pistol
• ETVS submachine gun
• Erma EMP-35
• Thompson M1928 and M1928A1
• Bergmann MP 18
• MAS-38
• MP 40 (captured)
  • Sten (Free French forces)
• Suomi KP/-31

Machine guns

• Bren light machine gun (Free French forces)
• Chauchat
• Darne machine gun
• FM-24/29
• Hotchkiss M1909 Benét–Mercié machine gun
• Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun
• Hotchkiss M1922 machine gun
• M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle (Free French forces)
• MAC 1931
• MAC 1934
• Madsen
• Model 1924/1929D machine gun

• Reibel machine gun
• St. Étienne Mle 1907
• Vickers
• 13.2 mm Hotchkiss machine gun

Anti-Tank weapons

• Boys anti-tank rifle
• 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-tank gun
• 47 mm APX anti-tank gun
• AC 37 anti-tank gun
• AC 47 anti-tank gun
• 47 mm Model 1931 anti-tank gun
• Canon de 75 modèle 1897 modifié 1933

Anti-Aircraft weapons

• Darne machine gun
• Hotchkiss M1929 machine gun
• Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
• 25 mm Hotchkiss anti-aircraft gun
  • Canon anti-aérien de 75mm modèle 1939

Artillery

• Canon d'Infanterie de 37 modèle 1916 TRP
• Lahitolle 95 mm cannon
• Canon Court de 105 M(montagne) modele 1909 Schneider
• Canon Court de 105 M(montagne) modele 1919 Schneider
• Canon de 105 court mle 1934 Schneider
• Canon de 105 court mle 1935 B
• Canon de 105 L mle 1936 Schneider
• Canon de 105 mle 1913 Schneider
• Canon de 155 C modèle 1915 St. Chamond
• Canon de 155 C modèle 1917 Schneider
• Canon de 155mm GPF
• Canon de 194 mle GPF
• Canon de 65 M (montagne) modele 1906
• Canon de 75 M(montagne) modele 1919 Schneider
• Canon de 75 M(montagne) modele 1928
• Canon de 75 modèle 1897
• Mortier de 280 modèle 1914 Schneider

Grenades and mines

• F1 grenade (France)
• Modèle 1939 (mine)

Mortars

• Brandt Mle 1935
• Brandt mle 27/31
• Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37
• Mortier de 150 mm T Mle 1917 Fabry

Armoured vehicles

Armoured cars

• AM Gendron SOMUA 39
• AMC Schneider P 16
• AMD Laffly 80AM
• AMD Panhard 165
• AMDL Panhard
• Berliet VUDB
• Berliet VUDB4
• Citroen-Kegresse M23
• Laffly S15 TOE
• Laffly 50AM
• Panhard 178

Armoured personnel carriersArmoured personnel carriers

• Lorraine 37L \ 38L

Armoured utility vehicles

• Renault UE Chenillette
• Lorraine 37L

Tanks

Light tanks

• AMR 33
• AMR 35
• FCM 36
• Hotchkiss H35, and derived variants
• Renault FT
• Renault R-35
• Renault R-40
• Char D1

Medium tanks

• Char D2

Cavalry tanks

• SOMUA S35^[1]
• Char G1 (Prototype)

Armoured combat tanks

• AMC 34
• AMC 35

Heavy tanks

• Char B1
• Char 2C
• AMX M4 (Prototype for the AMX 50.)
• AMX 50 (Later replace with the AMX 30.)
• FCM F1 (Prototype)

See also

• List of French World War II military equipment

Notes and References

1. Web site: Beckhusen . Robert . France's Somua S35 Was a Better Tank, so Why Did Nazi Germany Beat Them? . The National Interest . 26 April 2020 . en . 5 September 2019.