Breton-Prétot Machine
The Breton-Prétot machine was an experimental wire-cutting device developed in France from November 1914. It was developed by Mr. Prétot, engineer, and Jules-Louis Breton, member of the French National Assembly.Gougaud, p.104 Background The immobility of the trench warfare characterizing the First World War led to a need for a powerfully armed military engine that would be at the same time protected from enemy fire and could move on the extremely irregular terrain of battlefields. Barbed wire especially posed a considerable threat as it was cheap and easy to install, extremely effective at slowing or stopping an offensive by troops against protected fire, and very difficult to eliminate, even with artillery. Special machines were considered to attempt to eliminate this problem: armoured, armed vehicles, with a capacity to flatten or otherwise eliminate barbed-wire lines. Wheel tractor base The Breton-Prétot machine was a saw designed to cut the barbed wire protecting enemy t ...
[...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]