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General Jean-Baptiste Estienne
(1860-1936)
Father of French Tanks
Jean Estienne was the first of his countrymen to propose the construction of an armored assault gun mounted on a Holt tractor chassis that would enable direct fire power to be directed against the enemy. Although the British were the first to use tanks in combat, the French actually preceded them in development. Initial French experiments were merely attempts to overcome barbed wire, but development diverged in several directions. Estienne, working with Eugene Brille, a Schneider engineer, developed what would become the Schneider tank.
In June 1916, the French learned of British tank development and followed the use of British tanks in the Somme. Estienne decided to re-evaluate the proposed use of tanks.
In the autumn of 1916, Estienne had an idea that was to have a profound influence upon tank philosophy and design in the future. It was recorded that Estienne saw the need for battlefield waves of skirmishers, in open order; each skirmisher to be clad in armor, possessing a rapid fire weapon which could be used in all directions with uninterrupted vision. Estienne's suggestion led to the development of the Char Schneider and Renault FT-17 tanks. His concept took the cavalryman off his horse and placed him into a vehicle. |