Photo of my grandfather, a Renault FT-17 tank driver in 1940

[Kermit3D]

You have hidden treasures... impressive!

 

[jerome35]

The insignia is a "foyer" purchase for the beret, 1920's according to the fixation system.

 

[Pilot]

You have hidden treasures... impressive!

Still have a few items...sold several recently via historical auctions.

 

[Pilot]

The insignia is a "foyer" purchase for the beret, 1920's according to the fixation system.

agree! well spoted! Got his jacket photos plus a lot of other items.

 

[Kermit3D]

A small excerpt from my grandfather's diary :

 

[jerome35]

There was few bcc still on FT in 1940: the 11th, the 18th, 29th, 30th, 31th, 33th, 36th and some Instruction batallions.

 

[Pilot]

Most of it from my reliatives ( wife’s side) but the big part must have got crunshed and burned during the 1944 Caen bombing raids...the survivors said.

 

[Kermit3D]

There was few bcc still on FT in 1940: the 11th, the 18th, 29th, 30th, 31th, 33th, 36th and some Instruction batallions.

My grandfather was in the 17th Tank Battalion, 3rd Company.
His diary stops on June 5, I have no information on what happened between June 5 and June 24, 1940.

 

[jerome35]

17th was on R35 tanks, mobilisation area of Besançon.

You can find an account here (excellent website) : https://www.chars-francais.net/2015.../jmo-historiques/1621-1940-17e-bcc-historique

 

[Kermit3D]

So.... that would mean that my grandfather was in an R35 tank? I stupidly relied on the picture to conclude that it was an FT-17 tank...
My only memory is that he told me that his tank was a Renault one and that they were a crew of 2 people.

 

[jerome35]

The picture with the FT was, for sure, during instruction. The 17th went to war on R35 and suffered heavy losses during this campaign.

 

[ausreenactor]

LOVE the tanker helmet!

 

[jerome35]

LOVE the tanker helmet!

Quite hard to find these days.