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Two tanks from the Armored Museum on July 14 in Paris

14/07/2020 jusqu'au 14/07/2020

Posted on 08 July 2020, in News

Two tanks from the Armored Museum on July 14 in Paris

 

Two tanks from the Armored Museum on July 14 in Paris

This year is marked by the 80th anniversary of the 1940 French campaign and by a tribute to General de Gaulle. The Armored Museum will send two tanks it ordered in 1940 and the Cavalry Museum will see the standard of the 507th battle tank regiment, the first armored unit commanded by de Gaulle.

 

Two emblematic French tanks from the 1940 French campaign

July 14 will not see a parade of vehicles this year on the Champs Élysées. The event which will take place on the Place de la Concorde will however present two vehicles from the Armored Museum, which will take part in the tribute paid to General de Gaulle. 2020 marks the 130th anniversary of his birth, the 80th anniversary of the June 18 appeal and the 50th anniversary of his disappearance.

Before the call of June 18, 1940, the general commanded the 4th battleship division, within which were SOMUA S35 and B1 bis, the two most powerful tanks of the moment. The Armored Museum has, thanks to the work of its workshop, the last two wheels in the world. Their recent restoration allows them to present camouflage patterns of the time.

With their respective 20 and 30 tonnes, these two machines dominated in power the German tanks, the heaviest of which reached 15 tonnes. Commanded by de Gaulle, one of the forerunners of modern armored combat, they will show their potential.

cavalry museumThe banner of General de Gaulle's first tank unit

The collection of the Cavalry Museum will participate in the event with the standard of the 507th battle tank regiment (RCC). This is a particularly symbolic unit for de Gaule, since it was the first tank unit he commanded, from 1937. The regiment remained under his command in 1940, joining the 4th battleship division. With her and de Gaulle, the 507th RCC participated in the French counterattacks of Montcornet and Abbeville, which were difficult times for the troops of the Third Reich.

The standard was specially renovated by the Army museum to allow it to parade. The 507th RCC no longer exists today. His standard will be presented by the 501st tank regiment.