Mont St Eloi

[Paul Reed]

While out this week doing some WW1-related work, I had the chance to visit some WW2 graves from the 1940 near Arras. Mont St Eloi is a village north of Arras, where an old abbey is located. The abbey shows damage from both world wars. The graves are in the civil cemetery, in front of the ruined abbey, as seen below.

[Paul Reed]

There are five British 1940 graves here; four of them known and one unknown. Graves below.

[soren1941]

Fabulous pictures Paul, thanks for posting.

[soren1941]

What country were the other headstones?

[Paul Reed]

The known graves are all from 52nd Anti-Tank Regiment RA, which was part of 5th Division. I am presuming they were armed with 2-pounders? They are one Sergeant, two Bombardiers and one Gunner. The Sgt below:

[Paul Reed]

Thanks Soren - was just coming to that!

The other graves are French, and can be seen here:

[Paul Reed]

They are all from 4th Regiment de Dragoons Porte.

This is their memorial, also in the cemetery.

[Paul Reed]

This is a close up of the main plaque:

[Paul Reed]

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

Details of this type of unit here:

The division's mechanised infantry component, the Régiment de Dragons Portés (type DLC), was in fact little more than a reinforced battalion. In order to turn the peacetime Dragons Portés battalions into regiments, the battalions were reduced from two to a single squadron of fusiliers although the regiment as a whole did benefit from an increase in support weapons and the addition of the division's AMR reconnaissance squadron. However, due to shortages of dedicated cross-country vehicles, the second battalion was equipped with light trucks instead of Citroën-Kégresse P 19 halftracks (7). For the second battalion, simply substitute light trucks instead of P 19 halftracks in the description below.

Each Bataillon de Dragons Portés (type DLC) was made up of one mixed reconnaissance squadron, one fusiliers squadron and one heavy weapons squadron.

The mixed reconnaissance squadron had two reconnaissance platoons each of five Renault AMR 1933 VM (8) and two motorcyclist platoons organised in the same way as those of the Régiment d'Autos-Mitrailleuses.

The fusiliers squadron was organised into one command and services platoon, three fusiliers platoons, one machine gun platoon and one 60mm mortar group.

Each fusiliers platoon was in turn divided into one platoon command group (eight men, including one VB rifle grenadier, mounted on one P 19 halftrack and one motorcycle combination) and three groupes de combat (sections) of twelve men each. The groupe de combat was made up of one staff sergeant in command, one corporal, one Chatellerault FM 24/29 LMG gunner, one LMG loader, three ammunition bearers (pourvoyeurs), two scouts (éclaireurs), one VB rifle grenadier and two drivers carried in two P 19 halftracks. Both of these vehicles mounted an additional Chatellerault FM 24/29 and this second LMG was manned by the two scouts when the section's firepower needed to be increased.

The machine gun platoon, organised in the same manner as those of the heavy weapons squadron, had thirty-one men, five Hotchkiss machineguns, two halftracks and one motorcycle combination. The mortar group was made up of seven men and one 60mm mortar in one P 19 halftrack and one motorcycle combination.

The heavy weapons (mitrailleuses et engins d'accompagnement) squadron had one command platoon of forty-one men, two MG platoons, one 81mm mortar platoon and two 25mm anti-tank groups .

Each machinegun platoon was organised into one command goup and two machinegun groups. The command group was made up of one officer and seven men carried with one Citroën P 19 halftrack (mounting a machine gun for AA use) and one motorcycle combination. Each machinegun group had two Hotchkiss Mle 1914 MGs, twelve men and two halftracks.

The mortar platoon was likewise organised into one command goup of nine men, one halftrack, one solo motorcycle and one motorcycle combination and two mortar groups. Each mortar group had two Brandt Mle 1927/31 81mm mortars and twelve men carried by two halftracks.

Finally, each anti-tank group had one command goup of five men, one halftrack, one solo motorcycle and one motorcycle combination and two Hotchkiss Mle 1934 25mm anti-tank guns. Each of the guns was crewed by seven men plus two drivers and a motorcycle dispatch rider. Initially, the anti-tank guns were towed by a specific version of the Citroën-Kégresse, the P 19BT tractor which had a slower speed of 32 km/h (9), but in 1937 the 3e BDP developed a method for carrying the guns on their halftracks. These canons portés (later adopted by the British as portee guns) proved altogether more satisfactory since they could keep up with the rest of the unit while being able to fire from the vehicles. As a result, each gun was mounted, facing forward, on a modified Citroën-Kégresse P 19 which also carried the gun commander, the firer and loader besides the driver. The ammunition and its four bearers were carried by a second halftrack. Given the shortage of halftracks, the second battalion's AT guns were most probably towed instead.



Source: The Division Légère de Cavalerie

[Paul Reed]

More info on 4 RDP:

On 17th May 1940, the platoon of lieutenant André De Conigliano from the 3rd Squadron of the 4e RC meets elements of the the 4e RDP (Régiment de Dragons Portés - infantry) in Englefontaine (also on the map) and at 18h00 the platoon received the order to establish a bridgehead at Landrecies. Arriving next to a level/grade crossing in Landrecies the Somua S35 of lieutnant De Conigliano is under intense fire from German AT weapons ambushed at point blank range. His tank is knocked out. The driver, brigadier-chef Fresnais, is killed and the lieutenant is killed too only the radio/loader is rescued. The 4 other tanks of the platoon, under the command of maréchal des logis-chef Léger, break the engagement around 19h15 and pull back towards Englefontaine. They establish a defensive position on the Englefontaine-Landrecies road.

On 18th May, 12 Somua S35 tanks of the squadron of captain De Segonzac from the 4e RC are holding the town of Jolimetz along with one company of Moroccan tirailleurs in support. During all the day they faced half of the 5.PzD (about 120 tanks and massive infantry, field artillery, AT guns and aviation support) on the move in this area. 1 Somua S35 tank (Maréchal des logis Enfroy) is damaged during a reconnaissance and sent back to Quesnoy. Only 11 French tanks are then controlling the town. The German attack is launched and after a few losses the Germans sent preferentially the heavier Panzer IVs in the town itself. At the end of the day the town was completely surrounded. In 10 vs 1 odd, the French have lost 10 tanks (destroyed or abandoned) and the Germans 26 tanks, mostly Panzer IVs. That is a perfect example of what well-trained French crews were able to do.

On 22nd May... General Prioux decides to regroup the cavalry corps in the Area of Arras. The I/4e RDP supported byt the 18e RD (1e DLM) leads a brilliant counter-attack which allows to take Mont-Saint-Eloi (see the map). During this attack, the 2e DLM and 3e DLM covered the flanks of the attack.

Source: The French cavalry corps in 1940 - Military Photos