A Medium Tank for the French Cavalry.
The French did not establish an independent Tank Corps after the First World War. Both infantry and cavalry arms were encouraged to design tanks for their own needs and the Somua represents the high point of French cavalry tank design up to the outbreak of World War II. It was regarded at the time as one of the best tank designs in service anywhere. The name Somua represents the initial letters of the manufacturer, a branch of the great Schneider concern based at St Ouen. The prototype was demonstrated at Vincennes in the summer of 1935 and was accepted for production. Some 500 were built before France was occupied.
Among the many interesting features of this tank are the cast hull, the complex leaf-spring suspension and the Cotal double-differential steering system which was very sophisticated for its day. Surprisingly, for its size, the Somua only carries a crew of three; driver, radio operator and gunner, who is also the commander. This is probably the Somua’s greatest weakness. There is only room in the turret for one man who has to serve the main gun, the machine-gun and control the tank. To make matters more complicated the machine-gun can be moved, to some extent, independently of the main weapon. The turret does, however, have electric power traverse.
Somua tanks were issued to the Light Cavalry Divisions of the French Army and often displayed striking camouflage schemes.
The Tank Museum’s SOMUA S35
Our exhibit is painted in the markings of the 4th Cuirassiers of 1st DLM which adopted the Joan of Arc badge.
It was one of 297 captured by the Germans after the fall of France. We can tell this from various small modifications (the German Aerial base, the modified commander’s cupola (cut off in style adopted by Germans on captured French equipment)). The Germans used them across Europe for internal security and training.
It was presented to the Tank Museum by the French Government after the war.
