The Breton-Pretot apparatus

[David]

In 1915, a French government engineer, J.L. Breton designed a barbed wire cutter of his own design, and built with the help of the engineering Firm Pretot. This device became known as the Breton-Pretot Apparatus.

The Breton-Pretot Apparatus consisted of a set of movable blades supported by a steel disk wheel which was attached like a plough to the rear tow hook of the tractor.

Breton used a 5-ton Bajac petrol tractor modified to attach his apparatus for trials.

He also added a ton of ballast to the front of the Bajac to simulate the weight of the armored body, to which Breton proposed if his idea proved practical. This was never realized.
From July 22, 1915, until August 7, the modified Bajac tractor was tested by the French Army testing commission. Due to it's successful demonstrations, 10 models of the Breton-Pretot Apparatus were ordered for further testing. It was proposed in September 1915 , that the Breton-Pretot Apparatus could be mounted to a Renault Automitrailleuses Model 1915 Armored Car. This was to be mounted in both forward and in reverse positions. The machine gun and shield was removed, so the Breton-Pretot Apparatus motor and driving mechanisms could be fitted. Tests proved mechanically difficult, mounted to the rear of the Renault, as well as cross-country movement was none existent. This idea was also dropped before a Breton-Pretot Apparatus could be fitted and tested to the front of a Renault.

The American Jeffrey Quad tractor, to which the French Army was using as artillery tractors were also proposed. It was hoped that the four wheel drive, would prove better in cross-country performance than the Bajac, which performed very poorly in its test. Due to this reason, Breton's proposed armored version of the Bajac was dropped, before the idea could get off the drawing board. Tests were carried out between August and September with the Jeffery Quad tractor, which it performed exceptionally, except during it's cross trench test, to which it failed drastically and had to be pulled out of the trench by a Latil Tractor. An armored version of the Jeffery Quad was also proposed by Breton, the proposed armored Jeffery Quad with only an armored cab, was never built or tested.


But due to the French artillery considering the Jeffery Quad indispensable for the use of towing artillery, this idea was dropped after considerable. Since the French Artilleries unwillingness to divert some of the Jeffery Quads to the testing of the Breton-Pretot Apparatus, the French army turned its thoughts and ideas to the use of crawler tracks. In early 1915, Schneider’s chief engineer Eugene Brillie’ met Mr. Schnerb, the Holt representative, who showed him plans for both the 75 h.p. Holt and the smaller 45 h.p. Baby Holt. In May 1915, one each was purchased by Schneider for tests. The 75 h.p. and the 45 h.p. were demonstrated the following month to the artillery and technical corps officers, in hopes they would be adopted for moving artillery.
The Baby Holt impressed the officers more than the 75 h.p., so 15 were ordered from America through Schneider. The Ministry of War decided since the Artillery insisted on keeping the Jeffery Quad as an artillery tractor, they would convert 10 Baby Holts with the Breton-Pretot Apparatus. The Baby Holts were to be delivered by February 1916, meanwhile Schneider was asked to convert a Baby Holt into a “Tracteur arme’ et blinde’” for trials.
On December 9, 1915, a Baby Holt, fitted with mock up armor (boiler plate) was demonstrated on a cross country course at Sauain to a testing commission, composed of artillery and machine-gun corps officers.

At this stage, the Breton-Pretot Apparatus was not fitted, but provisions for it to be attached were provided. General Petain observed the demonstration at Sauain.

In actuality, this was France's first tank effort, with tracks, but it was never considered such.
A fully armored Baby Holt was planned, it was to carry two Hotchkiss machine guns, one in the nose, and one in a rudimentary rotatable turret. This version was never built, but designs were drawn up.

The testing commission concluded that the Baby Holt was “Mobile and Robust” , and would most likely be useful as an armored machine gun carrier, but it's cross country ability was particularly poor because of the short tracks. Reservations were also put forth, concerning the Baby Holts ability to maneuver under fire long enough to actually use the Breton-Pretot Apparatus. Since these ideas failed, Estieene drew up a new Holt design based on the 75 h.p. Holt tractor.
On December 12, 1915, Estienne had a meeting with Joffre where he laid out plans for a vehicle, Estienne described as a Armored Holt , which was Estienne’s answer to his Landship ideas. This vehicle was to weigh 12 tons, be 4 meters long, 2.6 meters wide and 1.6 meters high, and would be able to tow a 7 ton armored trailer to which would carry 20 infantry. The vehicle would be armed with two machine guns and a 37mm cannon. Provisions were made for the addition of the Breton-Pretot Apparatus.
This particular design was never actually built, but it grew into what we know as the Schneider C. A. (Char d’ Assault).