The SOMUA MCG was a

half-track A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with wheels at the front for steering and continuous tracks at the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. A half-track combines the soft-ground traction of a tank with the Car handl ...

artillery tractor An artillery tractor, also referred to as a gun tractor, is a specialized heavy-duty form of tractor unit used to tow artillery pieces of varying weights and calibres. It may be wheeled, tracked, or half-tracked. Traction There are two m ...

and recovery vehicle of the French forces during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Manufactured by the Somua company it was used to tow medium artillery pieces such as the 155 mm ''mle'' 1917 howitzer and the 105 mm ''mle'' 1936 field gun, as well as their specific ammunition trailers. Of this main version 345 were produced: 264 until 1 September 1939 and another 81 until the end of May 1940. There was also a recovery version, fitted with a crane, to recover broken-down tanks, of which about 440 were produced.

Foreign use

After France's surrender, many SOMUA MCG and half-tracks were captured by the Germans and put to use in the German Army. Some were used as artillery tractors. Most were converted by Major

Alfred Becker Alfred Becker (20 August 1899 – 26 December 1981) was a German engineer and artillery officer who served during the First and Second World Wars. During the Second World War he took captured British and French vehicles and refurbished and reb ...

's workshop ( Baustokommando Becker) into armoured half-tracks. These were used to fill a variety of roles in the

21st Panzer Division The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943 during World War II when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the Deutsches Afrikakorps ...

, when it was reformed after its destruction in

North Africa campaign The North African campaign of World War II took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943, fought between the Allies and the Axis Powers. It included campaigns in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts (Western Desert campaign, Desert Wa ...

. Variants of these included an armoured rocket launcher with an

8 cm Raketen-Vielfachwerfer The ''8 cm Raketen-Vielfachwerfer'' was a German rocket launcher of the Second World War. The launcher was a near-copy of the Soviet BM-8 Katyusha rocket launcher produced under the influence of the Waffen SS. History The Soviet BM-8 Katyush ...

, a self-propelled mortar mounting an 8 cm Reihenwerfer multiple mortar array and a tank destroyer version with a 7.5 cm Pak 40 anti-tank gun. Greece acquired 48 Somua MCG5 half-tracks and used them to tow 85 mm guns and 155 mm howitzers.Tractor Halftrack Vehicle Somua MCG 5''
in th
Encyclopedia of World War II''
(in Polish). An unknown quantity also went to Turkey.

Gallery

File:Somua MCG-4 artillery tractors on the military parade in 1939.jpg Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-297-1701-18, Nachschub per Eisenbahn, Somua-LKW.jpg Somua MCG recovery in Lussinpiccolo 1943.jpg, Somua MCG recovery in Lussinpiccolo 1943 File:Somua MCG with PaK 40 in north italy.jpg, SOMUA MCG with PaK 40 in north Italy. File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-300-1863-30, Riva-Bella, Waffenvorführung Panzerwerfer.jpg, Armoured SOMUA MCL modified by

for use by the

Wehrmacht The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...

Greek Made SOMUA MCG by Tangalakis SA.

The Greek army received 48 vehicles purchased from France in 1936. To save money, a complete vehicle was ordered as a model and the rest were ordered without a body, where they were manufactured in Greece by the company P. Tangalakis SA. Later known as Temax. They were used for the 48 disc Schneider 85mm/25 long guns. File:Tagkalakis SOMUA MCG produced.jpg, Tangalakis SOMUA MCG production File:Tagkalakis SOMUA MCG.jpg, SOMUA MCG made by Tangalakis in Greece

References

Bibliography

* Vauvillier, F. & Touraine, J.-M. ''L'automobile sous l'uniforme 1939-40'', Massin, 1992, {{WWIIFrenchSoftVeh, style= wide Artillery tractors World War II vehicles of France World War II half-tracks Half-tracks of France Military vehicles introduced in the 1930s

Foreign use

Gallery

Greek Made SOMUA MCG by Tangalakis SA.

See also

References

Bibliography