Over the time, several foreign troops have sought internment in Switzerland. It happend 1870/71 (French troops), it happened (on a much smaller scale) possibly in 1918, it happened 1940 (French), 1943-1945 (Italians and Germans).
My questions: whatever happened with their guns? The Swiss forces sequestered the equipment, but what was done with it? Was it eventually sold, or might some spoils even still slumber in the deep caves of a Swiss mountain fortress? ;-)
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DocAV
Posted - 11/23/2004 : 4:18:56 PM
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After the French Collapse of 1940, on the Alpes Maritimes front, large quantites of French rifles and MGs were taken into Italian service by the occupation troops covering the area from the Border to about the naval Port of Toulon, near Marseilles. In 1943, September, when some of the Italian occupation Troops interned in Switzerland rather than surrender to the Germans, they handed their French Equipment over to the Swiss. (photos exist of handover).
During WW I, Italy had been given M1907 St.Etienne MGs, and ammo for these was still being made well into the 1930s. They were relegated to Fortress use on Italy's Northern Borders, due to repair and ammo re-supply considerations.
My questions: whatever happened with their guns? The Swiss forces sequestered the equipment, but what was done with it? Was it eventually sold, or might some spoils even still slumber in the deep caves of a Swiss mountain fortress? ;-)
* * *
DocAV
Posted - 11/23/2004 : 4:18:56 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After the French Collapse of 1940, on the Alpes Maritimes front, large quantites of French rifles and MGs were taken into Italian service by the occupation troops covering the area from the Border to about the naval Port of Toulon, near Marseilles. In 1943, September, when some of the Italian occupation Troops interned in Switzerland rather than surrender to the Germans, they handed their French Equipment over to the Swiss. (photos exist of handover).
During WW I, Italy had been given M1907 St.Etienne MGs, and ammo for these was still being made well into the 1930s. They were relegated to Fortress use on Italy's Northern Borders, due to repair and ammo re-supply considerations.