French Tanks of the Great War: Development, Tactics and Operations

by Tim Gale

Overview

A detailed history of France’s development of tanks and the combat the tanks served in during World War I, by an armored warfare expert.

The French tank corps was an essential part of the French army from 1917 onwards, yet its history has been strangely neglected in English accounts of the Western Front. Using information derived from the French military archives at Vincennes—much of which has never been published in English before—author Tim Gale describes the design and development of the tanks, the political and organizational issues that arose between the French military and civilian bureaucracy, and the record of these pioneering fighting vehicles in combat.

All the major engagements in which French tanks participated are depicted in graphic detail, often quoting directly from recollections left by individual tank commanders of their experience in battle, and each operation is assessed in terms of its impact on French tactics in general and on tank tactics in particular.

The Nivelle offensive and the battles of Malmaison, the Matz, Soissons, and Champagne are featured in the narrative, and the actions of the French tanks serving with the U.S. army are covered, too.

Much of the material in Tim Gale’s study will be entirely new to non-French speakers. The story will be fascinating reading for anyone who is interested in the Great War, the French army, military innovation and the history of armored warfare.

Praise for French Tanks of the Great War

“Gale’s book . . . is very easy to dip into.” —Military Modelling

“It is a wealth of information and I would definitely recommend it.” —Forgotten Weapons

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781473881938
Publisher:	Pen & Sword Books Limited
Publication date:	01/31/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	256
File size:	19 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Dr Tim Gale was awarded his PhD by the Department of War Studies, King's College London for his work on French tank development and operations in the First World War and he is now one of the leading experts on this aspect of armoured warfare. He has contributed chapters on the subject to several academic books and he has made a special study of the career of the French First World War general Charles Mangin. His book The French Army's Tank Force and the Development of Armoured Warfare in the Great War was published in 2013.

Table of Contents

List of Plates vii

Acknowledgements ix

List of Abbreviations x

Preface xii

Maps xiii

1 The French Tank Force in the Great War - The Artillerie Spéciale 1

2 'Very Bad Conditions' - The Nivelle Offensive, 1917 14

3 The Turnaround at Laffaux and the Aftermath of the Nivelle Offensive 32

4 'A Masterpiece of Tactics' - The Battle of Malmaison and the Tank Regulations 54

5 Paris in Peril - The Battle of the Matz, 11 June 1918 82

6 Engine of Victory The Renault Light Tank 107

7 'The Greatest Day Since the Marne' - The Battle of Soissons, July 1918 128

8 With the Americans: From Cantigny to the Meuse-Argonne, 1918 152

9 Fourth Champagne -The Battle of Somme-Py, September-October 1918 176

10 The Final Battles of 1918 and the Armistice 203

Appendix 1 Arfillerie Spéciale Order of Battle, 26 October 1918 216

Appendix 2 Table of Artillerie Spéciale Engagements, 1917-1918 221

Appendix 3 Brief Technical Specifications 229

Sources and Further Reading 234

Bibliography 240

Index 247

Editorial Reviews

"There is no doubt that it was the British who were the first to present a practical tank to the battlefield in 1916. However, it was the French who took the concept to the next level thanks to the revolutionary Renault FT-17, which was the first production tank to have it's main armament contained within a fully rotating turret; a system that remains in place to this day. Tim Gale's book fills a gap in the history of the First World War which, up until now, has only been available in detail, in French language tomes. Beginning with the formation of The 'Artillerie Special', the book takes us through the major battles involving French tanks, such as the Nivelle Offensive, Battle of Malmaison, Matz and Soissons up to the Armistice. Gale's book maybe text heavy, with only 16 black and white plates, a few pages of diagrams and plans to break it up but this does not detract from the fact that it is very easy to dip into... highly recommend to all early tank fans."

Military Modelling

"For the price...it is a wealth of information and I would definitely recommend it."

Forgotten Weapons