Résistance Léger Char Lorraine 37L

Résistance Léger Char Lorraine 37L

Official naming of the rebuilds covered in this thread probably didn't exist. These were conversions of Lorraine 37L artillery tractor tanks to light tanks, which came about after the annexation of unoccupied parts of France by German troops. Here was the production branch of the Lorraine company in Bagnères de Biggore, which produced these artillery tractors. Officially, production fell under the Service des Eaux et Forêts (Water and Forestry Authority) to civilian versions of the original tractor intended for agricultural use. Some of the machines produced were fitted with gas (possibly also wood gas ?) propulsion equipment. The civilian version used a platform shortened by two running wheels. However, underground work began on the development and production of components to make the civilian machines into a light tank. Simple box armoured superstructures were to be produced and fitted to the original chassis. The superstructure was to house a machine gun. At the Atelier de Bagnères 150 tractor units were to be converted in this way. It is stated that the conversions were carried out on a shortened chassis, but photographs confirm this, but it is likely that the conventional platforms of the regular production tractors were to be used as well. After the occupation of the Vichy part of France on 11 November 1942, a German commission was sent to the factory to examine the company's production programme. The director and workers camouflaged the manufactured components in the factory and civilian houses. The commission was fooled and found nothing suspicious. The fate of these rebuilds is unknown. According to Armour in profile no. 10, conversion to conventional forest tractors followed, except for one piece which disappeared to who knows where. According to Mr. Pejcoch, the machines were to be confiscated after the occupation and were to be used in patrolling activities.


*source:
Ivo Pejčoch - Obrněná technika 7, France 1919-1945, published by Ares, Prague 2007, ISBN 978-80-86158-47-1
Pierre Touzin, Christian Gurtner - Chenillette Lorraine, Armour in Profile no.10, Profile publication, England, 1967

The French Resistance (FFI - Forces Françaises de l'Intérieur) created a similar reconstruction. According to Armour in Profile, this was to occur after the German retreat, when three civilian tractor platforms were sent to the factory in Bagnères de Biggore to be converted into fighting vehicles, but on the original classic six-wheeled chassis. Photographically documented is one machine named by the crew as "Vallavieille". A Hotchkiss machine gun was mounted in a box superstructure located on the driver's right side.


*source:
Ivo Pejčoch - Obrněná technika 7, France 1919-1945, published by Ares, Prague 2007, ISBN 978-80-86158-47-1
Pierre Touzin, Christian Gurtner - Chenillette Lorraine, Armour in Profile no.10, Profile publication, England, 1967

After the liberation of French territory, the factory in Bagnères de Biggore was involved in the conversion of captured classic tractors and their civilian versions into armoured vehicles. The order from the summer of 1944 was for 150 of these modified machines. The first delivery of 20 machines was delivered on 15 January 1945. The machines had a simple box superstructure, in which they were to be lafeted "mitrailleuse de aviation". These were aviation guns/machine guns captured from the Germans. Some internet sources give MG 151/15 (possibly MG 151/20). Although it was supposed to be a supply of 20 machines per month, production yielded only 30. Some of these took part in the liberation of the southwestern part of France.


It is possible that the machine from the previous post is also a part of the same period and the same series.


*source:
Pierre Touzin - Les Vehicules Blindes Francais 1900 - 1944, ISBN 2-851120-094-1
Paper produced with the collaboration and thanks to the correct navigation of Bitaxe.