Image size: 1600 x 1417 pixel. 633 KB
Date: Thursday, 17 August 1944
Place: Ecouché, Orne Department, Northwestern France
Photographer: Unknown
General Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque (Commander of the 2nd French Armored Division) Speaks with crew members of the M4 Sherman - nicknamed "Auerstaedt" - of 1st Company / 501e Régiment de chars de combat (501e RCC), at Ecouché, Northwestern France, 17 August 1944. The crew members are: Bernard Gagneux (commander), Raymond Legrand (gunner), Robert Le Gall (machine gun driver), and René Perrot (driver). All of them wears USA work-overalls HBT (one piece herringbone twill): the first soldier wearing the first model of this suit, while the rest wears the second model. They were also wears US leggings and French berets. When the French army joins the Allies, in the principle they keep their uniforms, then they're started to use British uniforms and ended with US uniforms. They would use all kinds of helmets from all of these armies, mixed with French overcoat headwear and French badges and stripes. Leclerc himself wears a French cap, light-colored US shirt, USA Winter Jacket or Tank Jacket, and - as a distinctive sign - he also wear all kinds of British battledress or combat uniforms, while the pants and leggings is also a British one (in this case, by the look of the pocket button, it is possibly a 1940 Pattern).
Source :
http://www.panzernet.com/foro4/showthread.php?11073-Uniformes-mezclados/page3
Hello, thanks for your job, I would just precise one little thing, the commander was not Mister Bernard Gagneux he occupied the post about ammos and radio. The commander was not present for the photo.
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