Mont St Eloi

[Paul Reed]

Google Earth location is: 50°20'55.77"N 2°41'33.79"E

[Owen]

Paul using Geoff's search engine and searching for 208 Bty I found another Bty member killed on same day on Dunkirk Memorial. Maybe it's his body in the unidentified grave.
CWGC :: Casualty Details

Some more from next day too.

CWGC :: Casualty Details
CWGC :: Casualty Details

Also searched for "52 anti" for all of 1940 and got 23 results.

Looking at Div History they would be supporting 17th bde.

[Owen]

The 4th Regiment de Dragons Porte was a mechanised Dragoons unit and part of a Division Legere de Cavalerie

Paul according to Pallud in BITW 4eme Dragon Portes was in 1ere DLM, a Division Legere Mecanique, see page 62.
A DLM had two BLM (Brigade Legere Mecanique), one with two tank regiments, the other one scout regiment (Regiment de Decouverte) and one mechanised infantry regiment (Dragon Portes)
1ere DLM
1ere BLM
4eme Cuirassiers
18eme Dragons
2eme BLM
6eme Cuirassiers
4eme Dragons Portes (with 60 AMR)
photo on page 142 shows an AMR 35 of 4eme RDP.

See also
13 mai 1940 - Belgique: 1ère Armée française et Corps de Cavalerie Prioux - fr.soc.histoire | Google Groupes

1ère Division Légère Mécanisée.
1) 1ère BLM. 174 chars (+ 16 chars de réserves).
- 4ème RC: 43+4 Hotchkiss H35 et 44+4 Somua S35.
- 18ème RD: 43+4 Hotchkiss H35 et 44+4 Somua S35.
2) 2ème BLM. 107 Armored-Car (+4 de réserves).
- 6ème R/RRB: 40 Panhard 178 + 1 A/C radio + 2 A/C de réserve.
- 4ème RDP: 67 AMR33/AMR35 ZT1 + 2 A/C de réserve.

Complete list of all names on Memorial.
Mont-Saint-Eloi régiment de dragons portés

Anyone with good French maybe able to read this account of 1ere DLM.
Chars français - 1940 4e REGIMENT DE CUIRASSIERS - JMO

1 régiment de dragons portés réduit : le 4ème régiment de Dragons portés (chef d’escadrons Amanrich)
1 bataillon = 1 escadron moto,
3 Escadrons de fusiliers-voltigeurs sur camions,
1 escadron de mitrailleuses sur camions.

[Arsenal vg-33]

Very nice pictures, thank for sharing! I was wondering, with so many names on that memorial, where are the rest of them buried?

[Owen]

Lots of info, in French , on 4eme RDP here.
frisee's blog - 4eme dragons portés - Skyrock.com

and here.

Combats au Mont St Eloi (3)

Composition du 4e Régiment de Dragons Portés appartenant à la 1re D

[CROONAERT]

Originally Posted by Arsenal vg-33

Very nice pictures, thank for sharing! I was wondering, with so many names on that memorial, where are the rest of them buried?

Very likely to be amongst the 593 frenchmen from WW2 in "la Targette" cemetery at Neuville St Vaast. I'm unsure who the 6 buried at Notre-Dame-de-Lorette are, but I wouldn't be surprised if these were armoured personel also. I'll find out when i nip over in a few weeks if no-one answers before.

Dave.

[Paul Reed]

Some nice follow up stuff guys - that's what makes this Forum so good. Glad the photos were of interest.

Like Dave, I had thought the other graves would be in the La Targette cemetery or repatriated back to their family graves in other parts of France, which was always an option for the French.

[Paul Reed]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Paul using Geoff's search engine and searching for 208 Bty I found another Bty member killed on same day on Dunkirk Memorial. Maybe it's his body in the unidentified grave.
CWGC :: Casualty Details

Some more from next day too.

CWGC :: Casualty Details
CWGC :: Casualty Details

Also searched for "52 anti" for all of 1940 and got 23 results.

Looking at Div History they would be supporting 17th bde.

Owen - that's very interesting. Could well be him then?

[Paul Reed]

Originally Posted by Owen D

Anyone with good French maybe able to read this account of 1ere DLM.
Chars français - 1940 4e REGIMENT DE CUIRASSIERS - JMO

This is a rough translation:

Tuesday May 21: The S Tanks of the Regiment, under the orders of lieutenant de Vandières, joined the lieutenant-colonel Pinon in Farbus. For the H Tanks, there was a day similar to that of the day before: monitoring of the radio loop; no incidents to be noted. All the tanks of the brigade made nothing more than one grouping (S and H) under the orders of lieutenant-colonel Pinon. The squadrons of the 18th Dragons and this [battle group] operated at the end of the day in the area of Mont Saint-Eloi launched a brilliant counter-attack which brought back prisoners and material. The S Tanks remained in defensive positions up to 6 p.m. and took part then in the attack on the Mont Saint-Eloi. The PC of the Regiment received a severe aerial bombardment from planes at Farbus. Lieutenant-Colonel Poupel is called to the PC of division at 8.30 p.m to take the command of all the tanks, Lieutenant-colonel Pinon having been seriously wounded.

[Arsenal vg-33]

While searching to find more information on this village, I came across some photos of what appears to be Menhirs in nearby fields (tall boulders erected by ancient Celts).

I also found this:

Mt. St. Éloi - Felix Cullen - We were there - Canada and the First World War - Library and Archives Canada


Seems to be a nice picturesque little village.