The vehicle on which all the following APCs were based : the Lorraine 37 L armoured supply carrier, assigned to tank battalions for logistical support.
The prototype of the Lorraine 38 L armoured personnel carrier. This was an interim design with minial modifications : raised rear hull cargo area and trailer. This vehicle carried 12 men : the commander and driver in the front driving position, four riflemen in the rear hull carrying compartment and six riflemen in the trailer. This APC saw service with three battalions of Chasseurs Portés, each one assigned to the first three Divisions Cuirassée de Réserve (DCR). Note : only the prototype wore this three-tone camouflage pattern.
Two views of the production model of the Lorraine 38 L.
AT gun towing trial with the prototype Lorraine 38 L. These trials were unsuccessful and four-wheel drive tractors were used instead by the Chasseurs Portés.
Photo of a Lorraine 38 L of the 2e DCR, taken after the armistice. Slightly visible is the production vehicle's simpler camouflage pattern.
Prototype of the full length Lorraine 39 L armoured personnel carrier. This vehicle was slightly longer and wider than its predecessors and carried ten men : the commander and driver in the front driving position and eight riflemen in the personnel compartment. Note : the rings along the top sides of the vehicle are attachment points for the canvas cover. This vehicle was to replace the Lorraine 38 L on the production lines, starting in... August 1940.
Another view of the prototype showing relative height.
This photo shows the much improved driver and commander seating arrangement.