Division Leclerc: The Leclerc Column and Free French 2nd Armored Division, 1940-1946

General Leclerc was a Gaullist officer who adopted the nom de guerre to protect his family in occupied France and became France's foremost fighting commander. His armored division, the 2e DB, was expanded and reorganized as a US Army-style armored division and was assigned to Patton's US Third Army, landing in time for the Normandy breakout and being given the honour of liberating Paris in August 1944. This book provides a fascinating story of Free France's most effective fighting force.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 64 pages
Publication date: 27 December 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

General Leclerc, a Gaullist officer, assumed the nom de guerre "Philippe de Hautcloque" to protect his family in occupied France. He became France's foremost fighting commander and his armored division, the 2e DB, became its most famous formation. Starting as a small scratch force of mostly African troops organized and led by Leclerc in French Equatorial Africa, it achieved early success raiding Italian and German positions in cooperation with Britain's Long Range Desert Group. Following the Allied victory in North Africa, it was expanded and reorganized as a US Army-style armored division, with American tanks and other armored vehicles. Shipped to the UK in spring 1944, it was assigned to Patton's US Third Army, landing in time for the Normandy breakout and being given the honor of liberating Paris in August 1944. This is the fascinating story of Free France's most effective fighting force, combining a thorough analysis of their combat and organization with detailed color plates of their uniforms and equipment.

Weight: 216g
Dimension: 184 x 247 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781472830074