What kind of tank is this?

[StuGIII]

Hi this photo is part of a grouping of photos that belonged to Feldwebel Augustin Amann of the Luftwaffe. I believe he was serving in North Africa when this photo was taken. So it could be a French tank or maybe a Grant tank. Though, I don't think it's a Grant cause the big gun doesn't look right to me.

[S Ballantyne]

Tank

Hi,

This is a French Char B 1, which had three versions, 37mm, B 1-bis, 47mm and the B 1-ter, 75mm Howitzer. Hopefully some kind soul can tell us which version is here.

Cheers
Steve

[Adrian]

The architecture doesn't look very North African...

[i.spring]

that really looks like it was taken in a french town 1940. The cobbles stones and houses are typical french style.
Ian

[Andrew Hall]

Hi Fellas,

This is B1-bis 'Simoun' of the 1st DCR (Divisions Cuirassées de Reserve) knocked out in Beaumont, Belgium in 1940.

As always, the premier 'net resource for finding your B1's is

http://www.chars-francais.net/new/in...tpage&Itemid=1

If you look at your photo, there's a '264' painted on the front. Coupled with the vehicles name this makes them more readily identifiable than most other tanks.

Andrew

[StuGIII]

Simoun

Hi,

Thanks everyone for your help. I just assumed that it was North Africa due to the majority of the photos being from that theatre. Was Simoun the nickname given the tank by its crew or at the factory? Excuse my ignorance regarding French tanks. What sort of guns did she have a 47mm and what else?

[Alain Verwicht]

Hi,

Thanks everyone for your help. I just assumed that it was North Africa due to the majority of the photos being from that theatre. Was Simoun the nickname given the tank by its crew or at the factory? Excuse my ignorance regarding French tanks. What sort of guns did she have a 47mm and what else?

Hello John
I am french... ( and my english is very bad, Sorry )
The B1 bis had a 47 mm in turret and a 75 mm in front of the hull.
The nickname is given in unit.
Best regards.

Alain
http://panzervoran.blogspot.com/

[StuGIII]

Simoun

Hi Alain,

Thanks for the reply. So the tank's crew gave it the nickname Simoun, very interesting. From its armament, it almost sounds like the US copied the design for its Lee and Grant tanks doesn't?

[Alain Verwicht]

Hi Alain,

Thanks for the reply. So the tank's crew gave it the nickname Simoun, very interesting. From its armament, it almost sounds like the US copied the design for its Lee and Grant tanks doesn't?

It's not exactly the tank's crew; it's more complicated...
For '' Lee '' and '' Grant '', I don't know.
I am enthousiast of the German Army

Alain
http://panzervoran.blogspot.com/

[Andrew Hall]

John, if you look at the site I posted, find the Char B1 section and wait for the images to load, there's a couple more shots of 'Simoun' on there.

As for naming, as a simple example, each French regiment named their B1s after French cities such as Lyon or Paris, or after French colonies like Indochine or the regions in France like Alsace or Lorraine.

I must admit, like Alain, my first love is studying German vehicles but the B1 is a lovely big hunk of metal.

Andrew

[StuGIII]

Simoun

Hi Andrew,

Is Simoun a region in France or a girl's name? It sounds like a girl's name to me. I mentioned the Char's similarity to the American Lee and Grant tanks due to the weapon configuration. The Grant tank(used by the British), had the 37mm in the small turret and the 75mm, mounted similar to Simoun. The Lee tank was the same, but it had a .30 cal. MG mounted on top of the turret with the 37mm. Below is what the French site said about Simoun. It's a rough translation that I got from Altavista.

Manufacturer: FCM Delivered to 508e RCC in Lunéville at the beginning of 1939 Poured with 37e BCC Company of Level on September 22, 1939. The SIMOUN is the tank of colonel Rabanit, ordering the first half-brigade of heavy tanks of the 1st D.C.R. In the morning of the 16, fire takes with five recoveries in the driving compartment. Empty extinguishers, engine on fire, the tank is abandoned in Beaumont (B). Crew: Chief of tank: Lieutenant Teillac. Pilot: Staff sergeant Marcel Joly. Radio: Moreau sergeant Radio 2e: Welsh Senior corporal. Assistance-pilot: Lemaître senior corporal

It would seem that a Colonel Rabinit commanded this tank for a time, but I assume that he let Lt. Teillac, resume command prior to it getting knocked out. It sounds like Simoun got hit engine and they tried to use extinguishers on it till the extinguishers were emptied. Is that about the size of it? What unit was the 508 RCC and the 37th BCC Company? I mean what does BCC and RCC stand for? Would the 508th be the regiment within the 1st D.C.R., that Simoun was serving with when she was lost?

[Andrew Hall]

Hi John,

No not a girls name, the 'Simoun' is a wind that blows in the Sahara desert.

I'm no expert on French organisation but BCC is Bataillon de Chars de Combat, I'm guessing RCC is regiment??

I know this is a 'German' forum so slightly off-topic but if you're interested a decent source of French organisation would be

http://alain.adam.perso.cegetel.net/bataillons.html#BCC

and

http://www.atf40.fr/

Andrew

[Tim DC]

Hello John,

There were many French Char B1bis tanks in the streets of Beaumont. There was even a barricade made by some of them.

Please have a look at #19 in my Belgium 1940 photo thread. Compare the white house with the stripes and the advert sign left in the background. This is the same scene, with different tanks.

[StuGIII]

Simoun

Hi everyone,

Thanks for all your help regarding this French tank. I've found this to very interesting.