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Order of Battle for the
DCR - Division Cuirassée de Réserve
Reserve Armoured Division

DCR - Division Cuirassée de Réserve

The Reserve Armoured Division (DCR - Division Cuirassée de Réserve) was a mechanised formation, containing 2 armoured brigades and a mechanised infantry battalion. The first two were formed in January 1940, the third in March and the fourth was still being formed on May 10th. 

This OOB reflects the organisation of the first three DCRs on 10th May 1940. The fourth DCR was made up of whatever units came to hand during the fighting.

The DCR contained the following combat units:

After the 10th May, the following was added to the 2nd and 3rd DCR

BCC - Bataillon de Chars de Combat

The Tank Battalion (BCC - Bataillon de Chars de Combat) had two different organisations, one for heavy tanks and one for light.

Heavy Tank Battalion

The Heavy Tank Battalion contained 31+3 Char B1 bis heavy tanks organised as follows:

  • 1 HQ company with 1 command B1 bis tank
  • 3 Combat companies each with
    • 1 command B1 bis tank
    • 3 platoons of 3 B1 bis tanks each

In addition there was a supply company which included 3 B1 bis reserve tanks.

Light Tank Battalion

The Light Tank Battalion contained 40+5 Hotchkiss H 39 light tanks organised as follows:

  • 1 HQ company with 1 command H 39 tank
  • 3 Combat companies each with
    • 1 command H 39 tank
    • 4 platoons of 3 H 39 tanks each

In addition there was a supply company which included 5 H 39 reserve tanks.

The platoon leader in each Hotchkiss platoon received a tank with the new APX-R1 turret armed with the 37mm SA38 L34 gun instead of the normal APX-R turret armed with the shorter 37mm SA18 L20 gun. This is hard to represent if you use the scale 1 platoon equals 1 model tank.

BCP - Bataillon de Chasseurs Portés

The Mechanised Chasseur Battalion (BCP - Battalion de Chasseurs Portés) was a powerful unit designed to follow with the tanks and hold the ground taken by the tank attacks. They were formed from battalions of Chasseurs à Pied in 1938 and equipped with Lorraine 28 VDP. By the time of the Germain invasion, most trucks had been replaced by Lorraine 38L Armoured-Personnel Carriers known as Voiture Blindé de Chasseurs Portés (VBCP)

The actual organisation of this unit seems to have differed from its TOE. An armoured reconnaissance platoon equipped with 5 AMR 35 was planned but never realised. A motorcycle company was planned but only a single platoon attached to the headquarters company was realised.

It was organised as follows:

  • 1 Headquarters Company
  • 3 Motorised Rifle Companies
  • 1 Heavy Weapons Company

Headquarters Company

The headquarters company contained the following: 

  • 1 Command section carried in a radio-equipped Lorraine 38 APC
  • 1 Motorcycle reconnaissance platoon.

The 3rd DCR did not have a motorcycle platoon and because of the lack of APCs its command section had cross-country laison cars.

Companie de Fusiliers Chasseurs

Each rifle company contained the following:

  • 1 Company HQ
    • 1 Command section carried in a Lorraine 38 APC
    • 1 60mm mortar carried in a Lorraine 38 APC
  • 3 infantry platoons 
    • 1 7-man command section in 1 Lorraine 38 APC
    • 3 12-man combat sections with 2 LMGs in 3 Lorraine 38 APCs

There were insufficient Lorraine 38L APCs so the 3rd DCR had only the first two platoons so equipped, its 3rd platoons had the older Lorrain 28 VDP trucks.

Companie de Mitrailleuses et Engins

The heavy weapons squadron contained:

  • 1 mortar platoon with 4 81mm mortars carried in Lorraine 28 trucks
  • 4 anti-tank platoons each with 3 25mm AT guns. These should have been towed by Latil M7 T1s but Lorraine 28 trucks may have been used.

It was intended to transport the Heavy Weapons Company using Lorraine 38L APCs but there were insufficient available so cross country trucks were used instead.

RATTT - Regiment d'Artillerie Tractée Tout Terrain

The motorised field artillery regiment, cross-country (RATTT - Régiment d'Artillerie Tractée Tous Terrains) contained two battalions of field artillery. Each battalion contained 3 batteries of 4 105C Mle 1936 howitzers. These were organised in batteries of 4 guns each. 

The 1st DCR had 3 battalions in its artillery regiment instead of two.

The guns were towed by Unic P107 BU halftracks. It was intended to use Laffly S15T trucks, but insuficient were available so the older vehicles remained in service. 

BDAC - Batterie Divisionnaire Antichar

The divisional anti-tank battery (BDAC – Batterie Divisionnaire Anti Char) was attached to the RATTT and contained 8 artillery-crewed 47mm SA37 APX anti-tank guns. The battery was split into 4 sections each of two guns. It was intended to tow the guns using Laffly W15T trucks, but insuficient were available so the older Citroen P17 were still in use.

BCA - Batterie Contre-Avions

The anti-aircraft battery was attached to the RATTT and contained 6 artillery-crewed Hotchkiss 25mm mle 1939 anti-aircraft guns. It was intended to tow the guns using Laffly W15T trucks, but insuficient were available so the older Citroen P17 were still in use.

BACA - Batterie Antichar Automoteurs

The Self-propelled Anti-Tank Batteries (BACA - Batterie Antichar Automoteurs) were formed after the invasion and Bie 53/11 RA was added to the 2nd DCR on 28th May and Bie 57/11 RA was added to 3rd DCR on 3rd June.

They consisted of

  • 1 Anti-Tank platoon with 5 Laffly W15TCC
  • 1 Anti-Aircraft platoon with 3 25mm Mle1939 Hotchkiss AA guns towed by Laffly W15T tractors.

Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs Portés

The motorised engineer company (compagnie de sapeurs-mineurs portés) equipped the DLM, DCR and DLC. The company consisted of 3 platoons each with 3 squads. The HQ had an all-terrain reconnaissance car. The first platoon was carried in 12 all-terrain trucks (probably Lorraine 28). The second platoon was carried in trucks and the third platoon on motorcycles.

The engineers were not intended to be used as combat troops. They were mainly armed with small arms (revolvers/pistols for the officers and rifles/carbines for the men). There were no LMGs. There were 2 Hotchkiss mle 1914 MGs or Saint-Etienne mle 1907 MGs in each company, mounted on tripods and used as AAMGs for convoy protection when moving.

The compagnie de sapeurs-mineurs portés in the DLM/DCR/DLM differed from the compagnie de sapeurs-mineurs motorisé in the DIM in that the porté company was fully motorised carrying both equipment and engineers in motor vehicles. The motorisé company carried its equipment in motor vehicles but the engineers marched on foot.