1943 to 1946 1st Armored Division (France)

1 1943 1946

1.1 mediterranean vosges, august 15 november 13, 1944
1.2 combat alsace november 14, 1944 february 9, 1945
1.3 february 10 may 7, 1945
1.4 end of war
1.5 composition in 1944
1.6 organization of mounted zouaves battalions

1943 1946

in 1943, french armed force formed in north africa. unit equipped modern equipment coming united states, , program anticipated constitution of several armed divisions. following various materials arrivals, 3 divisions constituted, on following:

one command staff
one company of headquarter staff
three command staff brigade
one reconnaissance regiment
three tank regiments
one chasseur tank regiment
three mounted infantry battalions
three artillery groups
one engineer battalion
one group fta
one repair group squadron
one transmission company
one service company
one medical battalion
one exploitation group

this division articulated based on u.s. american norms, in 3 tactical groupments, baptized americans combat command. under these designations 3 french divisions engaged in operations 1944 1945.

within context, 1st armored division 1st db formed on may 1, 1943. division heir light mechanic brigade (french: brigade légère mécanique, blm) combat engaged in tunisia. on january 28, 1943, général du vigier (promoted on december 25, 1942) took command of unit in formation. had left command of blm général brossin de saint-didier , installed command post in mascara training center armored brigades garrisoned.

at origin, 1 db consisted of reconnaissance regiment, 3rd african chasseurs, of constantine; 2 tanks regiments, 2nd , 5th of same arm subdivision, oran , maison carrée; fourth african chasseurs regiment, 9th, constituted chasseur tank units (tank-destroyers). adding these 4 formations, 1 mounted regiment, 2nd zouave, of oran, 68th artillery regiment, of tunisia; 88th engineer battalion, created @ port-lyautey, , 38th fta group, of ténès. in coming months of may 1943 joined transmission , services. in august, train , squadron group reinforced immediately. then, 2nd african chasseur doubled form 2nd tank-cuirassiers regiment, regiment général du vigier commanded in 1940. latter had been promoted divisional general on august 25, , forces under disposition grouped around mascara.

the 2nd zouaves regiment disappeared , replaced, infantry of division, 3 independent battalions, belonging 1st, 2nd , 3rd zouaves, forming demi-brigade. division assumed position within ranks of 1st army designate army b , participate disembarking of provence. first embarking commenced in oran , mers-el-kébir @ end of month of july 1944, after several peregrinations. naval ships lifted anchors on august 10 , 11. disembarking should have taken lieu between saint-tropez , saint-raphaël. @ dawn of august 15, enormous naval fleet assembled north-west of corsica steering , heading north.

the operations of 1st armored division throughout course of world war ii comprised 3 phases:

from mediterranean vosgues, august 15 november 13, 1944
combat in alsace, november 14, 1944 february 9, 1945
february 10 may 7, 1945

from mediterranean vosges, august 15 november 13, 1944

throughout course of first phase operations, cc1 engaged in battle, entire division competed 6 caus, siege of toulon, marseille , liberation of provence. unit reached rhône means of improvisation, regrouped, west of river fifteen days following disembarking , engaged in ride of 600 kilometers, bring them footsteps of vosges, following uninterrupted combat engamenent event series, lead liberation of saint-Étienne, lyon, anse et villefranche, chalon-sur-saône, chagny, beaune, dijon , langres. started hardships of slow , difficult incursion valleys of vosgues, in mud , rain , snow. after 54 days of marching towards le thillot, stations mélisey, servance, haut-du-them-château-lambert, ramonchamp, cornimont, travexin, fresse, la chevestraye, recolonges, la chapelle de ronchamp, colline de bourlémont, division succeeds trouée de belfort on october 18, 1944.

following first phase operations, 1st db cited first time @ orders of armed forces.

combat alsace november 14, 1944 february 9, 1945

during course of second phase, db first penetrate alsace , first @ rhin. making way on november 14 high valley of doubs, 1 db mounted offensive on belfort. division operating within cadre of 1st army corps (général béthouart) slides along héricourt along french , swiss border , apprehended delle on november 18. next day, cc3 in alsace and, @ 1800, tank platoon of lieutenant loisy able raise fanion in rhin, @ rosenau. latter part of 4th squadron of 2nd african chasseur regiment. officer meet end on next november 23, when tank hit anti-tank launcher during attack on caserne lefebvre @ muhouse. on 20, colonel caldairou entered city. nevertheless, despite success resulting junction of 1st , 2nd army corps in region of burnhaupt, colmar remained protected. during 2 months, division held in snow defensive sector on dollar, south of of later referred colmar pocket. on january 20, 1st army relaunched assault on 2 northern , southern flanks of pocket, in middle of snow storm. following three-week struggle, alsace liberated , colmar seized on february 2. division, engaged in combat since december 5 under orders of général sudre, following annoying progression in between mines, witnessed short exploitation led chalampé on february 9 in morning. accordingly, division finished campaign of france started on august 15, 1944 , on 6 months later on rhin.

following second phase of operations, 1 db cited second time @ orders of armed forces.

february 10 may 7, 1945

at beginning of third phase, since april 5, cc2 in germany. combat engaged 9th colonial infantry division, path throughout forêt-noire cleared, deliver 1st army important routes. later turn, cc3 combat engaged supporting colonials. following march on kehl , offenburg, made way south apprehend fribourg on april 21. rejoined division on 28 south-west of ulm. 1st armored division crossed rhin on april 17. général sudre regrouped means @ exception of cc3 around freudenstadt, , while acting cadre of 1st army corps, unit mounted assault. division accordingly made way danube rottweil , horb, crossed river on april 21 @ matulheim , tuttlingen, , while engaging stockach, pushed along danube sigmaringen until ulm apprehended in liaison american 7th u.s. army arriving north. 1 db apprehended immenstadt on april 30 , reached same day austrian frontier occupy aach , oberstdorf. field of mountains in plain sight, division opened way infantry , regrouped around de biberach. first in rhin, first in danube, division cross of saint-louis reached objectives following sequence of successful event combat engagement series. division played decisive role towards final campaign. cc2 in forêt-noire, cc3 in fields of bade, entire division engaged in combat until may 7.

following ultimate , third phase operations, 1 db cited third time @ orders of armed forces.

end of war

following cessation of hostilities, 1re db joined palatinat, around landau. division remained there 2 months. division sent berlin first detachment in charge of representing france, on july 1, composed of : squadron of 3rd african chasseur regiment, squadron of 9th, 2 companies of 1st , 3rd zouaves, , train detachment. on september 5, headquarter staff of division garrisoned @ trèves. 1 db, reduced effectif demobilization, returned france , garrisoned, october 1945 march 1946 in zones of bourges, châtellerault, nantes , angoulême. division dissolved on march 31, 1946.

composition in 1944

the 1 db disembarked in provence in august 1944 composed of 73% europeans , 27% indigènes.

organic units:

3rd african chasseur regiment (french: 3 régiment de chasseurs d afrique, 3 rca) : régiment de reconnaissance
9th african chasseur regiment (french: 9 régiment de chasseurs d afrique, 9 rca) : régiment de chasseurs de chars équipé de tank destroyer (td)
38 groupe de fta : artillerie antiaérienne
88 bataillon du génie
régiment du train divisionnaire
291 compagnie de transport
91/84 compagnie de transmissions
11 gerd
15 bataillon médical
cc1

2nd cuirassiers regiment (french: 2 régiment de cuirassiers, 2 rc) : régiment de chars
2nd zouaves regiment (french: 2 bataillon de zouaves, 2 rz) : infanterie portée
68th artillery regiment, i/68th (french: 68e régiment d artillerie, 68 ra) : artillerie


cc2

5th african chasseur regiment (french: 5e régiment de chasseurs d afrique, 5 rca): régiment de chars
1st zouaves regiment (french: 1 bataillon de zouaves, 1 rz) : infanterie portée
iii/68th : artillerie


cc3.

2nd african chasseur regiment (french: 2 régiment de chasseurs d afrique, 2 rca) : régiment de chars
3rd zouaves regiment (french: 3 bataillon de zouaves, 3 rz) : infanterie portée
ii/68th : artillerie



organization of mounted zouaves battalions

the infantry of 1 db constituted of 3 mounted zouaves battalions (french: bataillons de zouaves portés, bzp) organized within following:

one bzp assigned each of 3 cc composed 1 armored division. effectif 800 men (pied-noirs, metropolitan french , maghrebis) , consisted of 3 combat companies 180 200 men each. each company consisted of 3 combat sections (platoons) of fifty men mounted 5 half-tracks (armed machine guns, mortars , cannon 57 anti-tank).

different , various circumstances governed combats of st-loup-de-la-salle, on september 6, 1944, 30 kilometers east of tailly. entire bzp endured heavy attack. in other circumstances, road combats expected, led zouave progress through mounting tanks. nevertheless, zouaves mounted assaults themselves. such various governing circumstances taking place on september 9 in front of nuits-st-georges. company of 3rd bzp ordered apprehend nuits-saint-georges. tanks occupied in beaune , not provide fire support. resistance strong , companies without rear support endured heavy losses. tanks made available again, assaults relaunched. these were, briefly evoked, types of various circumstances in bzps conducted battle. losses heavy. infantry accompanying 1 db endured killed in action , wounded, 1700 men out of 2400, initial effectif. 72% of effective. losses compensated reinforcements sent north africa numerous volunteers engaged villages , cities being liberated.