The 2nd mechanical light division, is a French unit armoured tanks, created in 1937, by the transformation of the 5 {{E}} division of cavalry, based with Lyon. It is inspired for its organization by the 1 {{mechanical Re}} light division, created the previous year, while making there some modifications, which had especially with the evolution of the material. Thus, the 1 {{er}} regiment of dragons carried, instead of two regiment with two battalions, gives birth that with only one with three battalions, and the half-tracked combat armoured cars yield the place to tanks Hotchkiss H35 and Somua S-35. During the Countryside of France, encircled in Belgium, it is reconstituted at the beginning of June, and carries out retarding combat, at the time of the fold of the French Army, in the west of the country, until the armistice of June 25th 1940. After the defeat, division is dissolved, on July 16th.
Organization
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3rd Mechanical Light Brigade (Testard general)
- 13 {{E}} Regiment of Dragons
- 29 {{E}} Regiment of Dragons
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4th Mechanical Light Brigade (colonel of the Wood of Beauchesne)
- 8 {{E}} Regiment of Cuirrassiers, regiment of discovery, with two squadrons of armoured cars of discovered and two squadrons of motorcylcists.
- 1 {{er}} Regiment of Dragons Carried, with three battalions of each one a squadron of armoured cars of recognition, two fusiliers related to Loraine caterpillars, and a squadron of machine-guns and machines.
- 12th anti-tank divisional squadron, with anti-tank guns of 25 Misters
- 12th divisional squadron of repair.
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regiment of artillery with two groups of 12 75 mm and a group of 12.105 mm, and an anti-tank battery of ten gun of 47 Misters
On the whole, the 2nd DLM, has 260 armored vehicles including, 48 Panhard AMD-178, 69 Renault ZT, 94 Hotchkiss H35 and 96 Somua S-35. Its firepower is the following one: 12 guns of 105 mm, 24 of 75,96 of 47,96 of 37,117 of 25 and 450 light machine guns and machine-guns.
Chief of police
- 1937 : general Rene Altmayer
- of September 1939 at July 16th 1940: general Gabriel Bougrain
During the countryside of France
To the release of the German attack, the 2nd DLM, is assigned to the body of cavalry of the Prioux general. Pursuant to the Dyle operation, division penetrates in Belgium, according to a route: Landrecies - Maubeuge - Charleroi - Namur. It comes into contact with the enemy, with sixteen kilometers in the west of Maastricht, in the morning of May 11th. It takes an action of delayed-action then, until May 14th, to allow déployement of three divisions of motorized Infanterie of the I {{Re}} Armée. during these three days of combat, division engaged in particular against 3rd and the 4th panzerdivision sudden of heavy losses. It sent to Binche, on May 16th to cover the fold of the 1st army, then it is implied of 19 to the 23, in the Bataille of Flandres, at the conclusion which, the committed allied forces in Belgium, see themselves cutting their bases by the advance by the arrival of the German armoured tanks to Abeville. Division then undergoes the fate of the other units encircled in the pocket, and fights in retirement until Dunkirk, where its surviving elements are embarked for the England, May 30th and 31st.
What remains division quickly is returned on the continent, and it reformed with Dourdan, according to the model reduced of DLM, i.e. a regiment of combat with 20:00 - 35 and 20 S-35, a regiment of discovered with 2 mixed squadrons of AMD and motorcylcists and a battalion of dragons carried with five squadrons. At June 10th, it is in reserve of the X {{E}} Armée, the two following days, it engages in the area of Septeuil, then in the forest of Pacy. June 12th, it receives the order to cover the passages of the Avre, of the confluence with Nonancourt, mission which it fills until the 16, where it is folded up on Senonches, then behind the the Loire with Tours, where it settles in defense with the 10th army corps. The decision of the government, to declare cities opened, the agglomerations of more than twenty thousand inhabitants, delivering the bridges to the Germans, defense on the Loire, becomes impossible, it receives the order then to be folded up on the Hollow one, on the course of which it carries out a last against attack, on June 22nd. Two days later, it still fights between Civray and Ruffec, a few hours before the coming into effect of the armistice.
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