Editing AMR 33 (section)

==Operational history==
[[File:1 FI 5 30 - Revue du 14 juillet 1938. Défilé de véhicules militaires, place de la République (archives de Strasbourg).jpg|thumb|AMR 33 light tanks of the ''2e GAM'' in [[Strasbourg]], 14 July 1938.]]
The 115 vehicles available in 1934 were assigned to the five cavalry divisions, a squadron of fifteen (three platoons of four, two reserve tanks and a command tank) for the ''GAM'' (''Groupe d'Automitrailleuses'') of each, except for ''5e DC'' (which got ten) and ''4e DC'' which, with priority from the first production batch, received forty: a squadron for its ''4e GAM'' and its ''18e Dragons'' and another ten for its ''4e BDP'' (''Bataillon de Dragons Portés''). In 1935, 5e DC received the three rebuilt prototypes, bringing its strength to thirteen. AMR 33s were also allocated to two independent cavalry regiments: ''9e Dragons'' (which received eight from the first batch of 65) and ''11e Chasseurs'' (which received twelve from the second batch of fifty). The organic strength thus equalled the total AMR 33 fleet. The rôle of the AMR 33s in the cavalry divisions was largely that of direct support of the dismounted horsemen.

In 1934, it was decided to transform 4e DC into an armoured division, the [[1st Light Mechanized Division (France)|1re DLM]] (''Division Légère Mécanique'' or "Mechanised Light Division").<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=46}}</ref> For its sole tanks, this division then had six squadrons equipped with the AMR 33,<ref>{{harvnb|Touzin|1976|p=56}}</ref> the main battle vehicle being the half-tracked [[AMC Schneider P 16|AMC P16s]].<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=42}}</ref> Its fighting power was thus very limited indeed,<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=44}}</ref> but new tanks had been ordered, such as the [[AMC 34]], the [[AMC 35]] and the [[SOMUA S35]].<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2007|p=46}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2007|p=47}}</ref> In 1937, a new DLM was created from 5e DC, the [[2nd Light Mechanized Division (France)|2e DLM]]. The DLMs had three squadrons of AMRs each to accompany their motorized infantry (among many other types).<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005b|p=22}}</ref> At that time, however, the mechanical unreliability of the AMR 33 had become obvious and it was decided only to use the [[AMR 35]] in the Cavalry armoured divisions, concentrating the AMR 33s into the remaining DCs. In case of mobilization, each of these would now have a larger RAM (''Régiment d'Automitailleuses''), to be created from the peacetime ''GAM'', with two AMR squadrons, these again enlarged to four platoons of five plus two reserve tanks and a command tank. Total divisional AMR strength would thus be 46.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=39}}</ref> However, as there were three divisions, their need for 138 vehicles could not be met by the existing AMR 33 number.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=40}}</ref> Therefore, 1re DC was to use the AMR 35 and the only units deploying the AMR 33 remained 2e DC and 3e DC.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005b|p=25}}</ref> At the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], France participating from 2 September 1939, total organic AMR 33 strength was still 92 and the remaining 28 AMR 33s were kept in reserve.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=40}}</ref>

However, to create a larger number of motorised units, the last three cavalry divisions were disbanded during the period from 1 December 1939 to 15 February 1940 and their personnel and matériel, supplemented with new motorized units, was redistributed among five new ''Divisions Légères de Cavalerie'' ("Cavalry Light Divisions").<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=40}}</ref> It was originally decided that within each Division's ''Régiment de Dragons Portés'' (motorised infantry regiment), both battalions would incorporate two AMR 33 platoons (half a squadron), which, together with six reserve tanks, would create a demand for five times 26 or 130 vehicles, slightly more than the available total of 112.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=41}}</ref> These later figures included the AMR 35s of the ''1re DLC'', inherited from the ''1re DC''.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005b|p=29}}</ref>

On 10 May, the day of the German invasion, this measure was shown to have been still insufficient. Only 5e DLC had its official strength of 26,<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=41}}</ref> the other three divisions having apparently not yet started to make an attempt to increase their strength: 2e DLC fielded 22 AMR 33s, 3e DLC had 20 and 4e DLC had 23, for a total strength of 91.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2007|p=43}}</ref> There was thus a matériel reserve of 22 vehicles.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2007|p=42}}</ref> The type fared very badly in the [[Battle of France]]. The DLCs in the [[Ardennes]] unexpectedly encountered the main German armoured force and could only fight a delaying battle for which the AMR 33 was not very useful. It was poorly armed and armoured – and very unreliable because of its one good point: its speed, which wore out the suspension units.{{citation needed|date=January 2022}} It was faster than any German tank of the time. Around 10:00 on 10 May near [[Vancé]], AMR 33 N° 83950 of 3e DLC had the dubious distinction of being the first French tank to be destroyed in the battle, being hit by German anti-tank gunfire, killing the crew.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=61}}</ref> During the first week of the fighting, 75% of the AMR 33s was lost, often because of a breakdown.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=41}}</ref>

On 7 June 1940, the 7e DLM was created, an emergency unit, of which 4e RAM was part. That regiment had an allocation of fourteen AMRs; of this number, probably nine AMR 33s came from the matériel reserve. All these vehicles would be lost before the armistice of 25 June.<ref>{{harvnb|Vauvillier|2005|p=65}}</ref>

Some captured AMR 33s were used by the Germans as the ''Panzerspähwagen VM 701 (f)'', probably mostly in France itself.

A single vehicle survives at the [[Musée des Blindés]] at [[Saumur]].