Chris Boonzaier Posted April 15, 2011 Posted April 15, 2011 The Germans hated and feared the tirailleur from senegal/Tchad etc. Tales of the Tirailleur in WW1 mixed with NS Racism saw indidents of German units in 1940 machine gunning French troops after capturing them. I think it safe to say that when the going got tough, neither side took priisonners. Here is a 1916 dated Tirailleur Coupe Coupe, found in a Village near Verdun... Tales if the Tirailleur and their coupe coupe are as common, if not more common, than the Ghurkas and the Kukri..
Tunneller Posted June 4, 2011 Posted June 4, 2011 I think these French Colonial troops of WW1 were brilliant soldiers. What a weapon the Coupe Coupe is !!! It is also important not to forget how these guys must have suffered with the northern French climate compared to their own!!! Thanks for showing it Jim
lambert Posted June 11, 2011 Posted June 11, 2011 It is important to remember that these guys were warrior tribes, fighting and bravery were natural. They created terror in the hearts of Germans. thanks for sharing.
lambert Posted June 13, 2011 Posted June 13, 2011 Could also be as Askaris "Germans" (Schutztruppe) in East Africa. The dirty war on both sides ...
PKeating Posted June 25, 2011 Posted June 25, 2011 What a wonderful find, Chris. It is interesting to note, vis-à-vis the African-American combat regiments serving under French command because that some Senegalese battalions served with the Americans at Saint-Mihiel and in the Argonne. The SS-VT certainly murdered Franco-African POWs in May and June 1940. However, Commonwealth Blacks and African-Americans seem to have fared better on the whole. Coming back to the coupe-coupe, the psychological effect of such weapons, like the Kukri and the American Bolo Knife, was probably more effective than any actual use of these edged weapons on the battlefield. There again, when one looks at some of the Mad Max-style weapons fabricated by trench-raiders, they were hardly less savage. PK
Chris Boonzaier Posted June 25, 2011 Author Posted June 25, 2011 Coming back to the coupe-coupe, the psychological effect of such weapons, like the Kukri and the American Bolo Knife, was probably more effective than any actual use of these edged weapons on the battlefield. Indeed... and that brings up a good point... I wonder what the germans thought of the Gurkha? There is a really masty WW1 Memoir by a German of (I think) the 73. Füsilier regiment. He and his comrades were so ticked off meeting a group of surrendering colonial troops "who had nothing to do on a European battlefield", that they killed them with axes. It was in 1914 I think. I have to look for it.
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