Renault EG- A Key Vehicle Of the French Army in The Battle of Verdun, World War I

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An artillery tractor, which is also called a gun tractor, is a heavy-duty tractor unit. It is utilized to tow artillery pieces that can be of varying weights and specifications.

Depending on the type of traction, artillery tractors can be classified into two main categories: 'wheeled’ and ‘tracked’.

Wheeled tractors are different variants of lorries that have been adapted for military service.

On the other hand, tracked tractors run on continuous track. In some cases, they are built on the chassis of a modified tank in which the superstructure is replaced with a compartment to accommodate the gun crew or the ammunition.

In addition to the two types of tractors, there were half-track tractors that were used in the interwar period and during World War II. But half-track tractors were discontinued after the second world war.

Renault

The Renault corporation was established on 25 February 1899 by Louis Renault and his brothers Marcel and Fernand. Louis was a young and aspiring engineer. He had already designed and built several prototypes before deciding to team up with his brothers for the manufacturing unit. Louis handled design and production of the automobiles and Marcel and Fernand managed the overall business. By 1905, Renault was already a pioneer in the automotive world which was a rapidly-growing industry during that time.

Louis Renault

Louis Renault was a French industrialist. He was a pioneer of the automobile industry.

Renault, one of France's largest automobile manufacturing companies, still carries the name of the founder ‘Renault’. His factories contributed massively to the war effort, during World War I. The company is given credit for designing and manufacturing the first tank of modern configuration, the Renault FT tank.

Inspired by the 1908 Charron, Girardot & Voigt, Louis Renault presented a vehicle in 1909 which mounted a shield-protected Hotchkiss machine-gun. But the military showed limited interest in the vehicle.

By 1910 Renault had started carrying out experiments with tractors and trucks. Renault built a light tank for the French Army during World War I. The first tractor produced by Renault was based on the design of the tank. It was called the Renault EG.

Renault EG

The Renault EG was manufactured by the French manufacturing Unit Renault between 1914 and 1919. The vehicle was a truck/artillery tractor equipped with an all-wheel drive, a feature which was a rare speciality during that time.

Military Test

In 1914, an all-terrain test was organised by the French Army for the contemporary vehicles. The Renault EG was put to test along with other vehicles. The vehicle cleared the test and was commissioned by the French military during World War I.

Mass production of the Vehicle was started by Renault in 1915. By the end of the war, 978 units were built. It is believed that a total of 1,132 EGs were delivered to the French army during the war.

Renault EGs, and the Latil TARs along with many other key vehicles were supplied to the French army during the Battle of Verdun.

Battle of Verdun

The Battle of Verdun, which started on 21st Feb 1915 and ended on 15th Dec 1916 is considered to be the longest battle in modern history. It was planned by the German Chief of General Staff, Erich von Falkenhayn so that Germany could gain the much needed victory on the Western Front.

To achieve the goal, he targeted the ancient fortress city of Verdun on the river Meuse. The French army under Philippe Pétain retaliated and slowed the advance of the Germans. For months Verdun was attacked and bombarded.

Germany had started the war as a part of the strategy of attrition, in order to crush the French Army before the Allies grew in strength before the full deployment of British Forces.

The French army fought the Germans with great force and by July, Germany which was also engaged in the Battle of the Somme, abandoned its strategy of attrition. France gradually regained its forts and territory. Due to harsh winter conditions and Germany’s engagement in the Battle of Somme, the battle of Verdun got over on the 15th of Dec, 1916.

Technical Details of Renault EG

The Renault EG had an 8.49-litre inline-four unit engine that generated 35 metric horsepower at 1,000 rpm and 45 metric horsepower at 1,400 rpm.

Just like the other Renaults manufactured during that time, the radiator was located behind the engine.

The EG had a four-wheel steering system. Through this system, the front and rear wheels were moved independently through two steering gears.

The gears were linked by universal joints to the steering wheel and that improved the turning radius. The 4-speed gearbox was operated through a gear lever.

The double wheels were made of cast steel and were of the same diameter both on the front and in the rear. The payload of the truck was 2,000 kilograms and it could haul about 15 tonnes.

The wheelbase was 3,600 millimetres and the width 1,500 millimetres.

In 1920, a more powerful 7.8-litre inline-four engine was added to some EGs. They delivered 57 metric horsepower.

Successors of Renault EG

In March 1924, the French military commissioned more powerful successors for both the Renault EG and the Latil TAR. Tests were conducted in the year 1926, but the upgraded version of Renault did not meet the required standards and was conclusively not better than the EG. The plan to replace the Renault EG was abandoned.

By October 1939 about 635 EGs were still in service. During the war in 1940, most of the EGs were destroyed. Renault stopped producing heavy artillery tractors after Renault EG..

Through this article, we have shared information about the heavy artillery tractor Renault EG, manufactured between 1914 and 1919, by one of the largest manufacturing Units in France, Renault. It was one of the key vehicles along with the Latil Tar, which was supplied to the French Army in the Battle of Verdun, during World War I. Our article series Evolution of Military Vehicles is our endeavour to highlight the most celebrated vehicles from the military automotive world. To find out more about our latest stories, keep checking our website. In case of any query, feel free to contact us.

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