16-189 Garand Picture of the Day - 101st Saint Marcour

[Mark in Rochester]

Members of the 101st Airborne Division in the village of St. Marcouf, June 8, 1944

Information

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[RichardX]

What is the tracked vehicle in the foreground?
A version of a Bren carrier or some French/German creation?
I love the drivers head protection.

This picture of the day forum is the greatest, thanks to you contributors.

[CINDERS]

From memory and do not quote me I think it is of either French or Italian design 2 man crew with a wind up mainspring!

[Flying10uk]

The tracked vehicle looks like some sort of small bulldozer or excavator to me rather a fighting vehicle.

[Mark in Rochester]

[browningautorifle]

Yup, that's it. I tried but couldn't find a pic of it.

[Mark in Rochester]

The Renault UE Chenillette was a light tracked armoured carrier and prime mover produced by France between 1932 and 1940.

In 1930 the French Infantry decided to develop a light armoured vehicle able to tow and supply small cannon and mortars. In 1931 the Renault company was given the contract for production of its Renault UE, combined with the Renault UK trailer. In 1937, from a number of competitors, the Renault UE2 was chosen as an improved type for large-scale production. Of both types combined over five thousand were built, including licence production in Romania, and they were part of the standard equipment of all French infantry divisions. Most Renault UE vehicles in French service were unarmed; those in 1940 captured by Germany were used for a variety of purposes, including being armed with machine-guns, antitank-guns and rocket artillery.

[CINDERS]

So my foggy memory is not that bad

[Flying10uk]

So the picture at the begging of this thread was originally French, captured by the Germans and used by them until the 8th June 1944 because it was captured by the American 101st Airborne. It isn't being used by a free French force attached to the 101st in some way???

[CINDERS]

Gads I must be getting blind, just picked it up that the GI going Right -> Left just behind the AV is carrying a K-98 as well as his Garand I gather the previous owner has no more use for it.