traduction
The Belgian campaign
On May 10, 1940, without declaring war, German troops invaded Belgium and Holland and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
Our country relies on the help of his allies, who immediately come to Belgium to face this invasion with the Belgian army, as foreseen in the plans of the staffs.
Thus French troops will deploy to the right of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) behind the line of railway Ottignies-Gembloux-Namur and behind the Meuse, the Belgian Army supporting the northern part of the device Allied.
To allow the arrival and deployment behind the railroad all the French units (± 100 000 men), the Cavalry Corps commanded by General Prioux's mission is to stop until the morning of May 14th the advance of German troops and for this he moved on alignment Tienen-Hannut-Huy, behind the Little Gette and Mehaigne.
The Cavalry Corps consists of two light mechanized divisions (2nd and 3rd DLM DLM) and troops of artillery support, engineering, etc.. Stationed in northern France, it includes ± 30,000 men and 400 tanks. He will face three German divisions, two tank divisions (Panzer) and an infantry division, more than 50,000 men and 600 tanks. German superiority is very important.
Parts of northern France, the first French troops arrive in Orp-Jauche in the afternoon of May 10 The entire Cavalry Corps has joined its positions on the night of May 11 to 12
Started May 12 in the morning, the fighting is the first tank battle of World War II will intensify and will last in our area until late afternoon of May 13 It is especially the troops who defended the current entity of Orp-Jauche especially Orp-le-Grand and Jandrain to be submitted to the test.
On 14 May morning, the divisions of General Prioux impose a final time to stop the enemy up to Perwez before retreating behind the noon train.
The men of General Prioux have fulfilled their mission, but left on the battlefield 162 officers, NCOs and soldiers killed during the fighting, including 61 in the territory of the entity of Orp-Jauche. For example the loss of the 11th Regiment of dragoons, that is to say the dead, wounded, missing and prisoners, amounted to one third of the workforce is ± 1000 officers, NCOs and soldiers .
As for hardware, third DLM, for example, will lose 105 tanks of the 239 engaged with the Germans, who lined up 640, leaving 160 on the ground.
These figures serve to illustrate the courage and determination of the men of General Prioux and fierce fighting during which they did their duty.
The fighting in Orp-Jauche and surrounding villages
Thursday, May 9
After a period of instruction and exercises, the units of the Cavalry Corps confined near the Belgian border, near Cambrai-Valenciennes-Maubeuge. At 17 hours, the Cavalry Corps was put on alert.
Friday, May 10
This is war. Early in the morning, the French cantonments are flown by the German air force; Around 5:30, the Cavalry Corps was ordered to prepare to move to Belgium from 10 hours; Around 10:45, the first units across the border to the cheers of the Belgian population. To 15 hours, the first French soldiers in Orp-Jauche, while the main body of the Cavalry Corps halted for the night behind the railway Ottignies-Gembloux-Namur.
Saturday, May 11
At dawn, the units are recovering in motion. Early in the afternoon, the tanks are at Hotchkiss Orp-le-Petit, to Pellaines to Crehen and Thisnes and Somua to Marilles at Jauche to Jandrenouile and Merdorp.
At nightfall, the troops of the 3rd DLM are in place on the Gette. They dig trenches post their weapons, undermining bridges. As for the artillery, she moved to Jandrenouille to Folx-les-Caves and Marilles. All prepared for battle.
Sunday, May 12
Around 8 am, the German 4th Panzer Division (4th PZD) holds and launches immediately Hannut ± 70 tanks to attack the village of Crehen, defended by a unit of the 3rd DLM. The fighting is violent and in the late morning the French to abandon the village and fall back on and Merdorp Thisnes. Throughout the course of the Petite Gette, the German air force multiplies the low-level attacks on villages. The Grand-Place of Orp-le-Grand (now 11th Place Dragons French) is bombed.
French and German troops are everywhere in contact. By late afternoon, the tanks of the 4th PzD Thisnes attack in force. The French suffered heavy losses and need to dusk Merdorp fall back on. A few German tanks attempted to advance to Jandrain but they were repulsed. Around midnight, orders were given to the defenders of the village of Wansin always resistant to joining Jandrain.
Monday, May 13
In the night, the third PzD joined the 4th PzD. These two divisions are preparing for the decisive battle on Monday. After an intense bombardment, the attack of German tanks generally starts in the late morning and early afternoon. The third PzD takes the lead two Orp (Petit and Grand) and Maret, that of the fourth PzD Jandrain-Jandrenouille and Merdorp. The French troops who blew up the bridges to defend stubbornly.
Around noon the church of Orp-le-Grand flares gradually during the fighting. In the evening, leaving only the walls. Despite all his courage, even against a tank attack-Somua, starting from Jauche, the third DLM, overwhelmed by the repeated assaults, can not prevent the third and fourth PzD to their junction with Waterhouse Jandrain. On order, it begins to decline in the afternoon. Surrounded, the defenders of Jandrain stand still to about 17 hours. Only a few tanks reach to emerge and join Jauche.
On the evening of May 13, the Battle of Little Gette, the first tank battle of the second World War is over.:salute:
