KEYNOTE ? Lavishly illustrated collection of uniforms, weapons and equipment for the French defending soldier The French Army in 1939-40 was going through a profound transformation. The concepts which had prevailed until the end of the 19th century where uniforms and material were concerned, were about to disappear and give way to more modern ones thanks to mechanization and technical progress. The equipment which French troops were issued with turned out to be varied, and therefore studying it is complex. Thanks to more than ten years of research and analysis of military archives, pictures, and equipment, the author reviews all the uniforms, weapons, and equipment used by infantrymen, gunners, troopers, sappers, and medics in the continental and Scandinavian theatres of operations. The items are shown in color with all the details needed for clear identification. Because of the unequalled range and the variety of the items presented - some of which are very rare - this work is a must for all French 1940 memorabilia collectors. This book is also important for those interested in WWI equipment because of the numbers of items inherited from this period and the detailed presentation of the tools, harnesses, small items of equipment, and collective weapons. AUTHOR Olivier Bellec is a teacher and since 1996, an associate with Militaria Magazine, for which he has written many studies. He has done research on French Army uniforms from the Third Republic to the war in Indochina. ILLUSTRATIONS 578 photos *
