Divisions of Free France, the Tunisian Campaign and the Army of Liberation List of French divisions in World War II

1 divisions of free france, tunisian campaign , army of liberation

1.1 free french divisions
1.2 march divisions in tunisian campaign
1.3 french north african divisions formed after tunisian campaign
1.4 divisions formed in france 1944–45

divisions of free france, tunisian campaign , army of liberation
free french divisions

these 2 divisions gaullist formations that, while excellent performers in combat, had friction operating other units of french army considered have been tainted affiliation vichy regime. treated special reserve de gaulle, who, @ times, assigned them military , political tasks in various areas of france frustration of general de lattre, 1st army commander 1944–1945.

the 2nd db parades in paris, 1944



1st free french division (1st dfl, later became 1st motorized infantry division , 1 march infantry division). formed in gambut, libya, on 1 february 1943 free french units had been fighting alongside british forces since 1940. campaigns: eastern tunisia, rome-arno (including battle of monte cassino), operations in provence, pursuit across rhône, vosges mountains, alsace (including colmar pocket) , alpine front. final command post vicinity col de tende in alps; forward elements approaching suburbs of torino @ war s end. division moved paris 1 june 1945 , disbanded 15 august 1945. subordination: multiple, including british 8th army, french 1st army , detachment of army of alps.
2nd armoured division (2nd db, former 2nd light division). formed in august 1943 leclerc s column after allied victory in tunisia, 2nd db sent great britain , entered france after d-day. division liberated paris , later forced saverne gap, breaking through german defenses in lorraine , liberating strasbourg. 2nd db stationed in paris de gaulle short period after city s liberation ensure nearby presence of loyal troops (de gaulle concerned french communists challenge assumption of power) while government established itself. campaigns: normandy, northern france, alsace (including colmar pocket), royan , bavaria. final command post @ bad reichenhall; division moved paris in late may 1945 , inactivated on 31 march 1946. subordination: u.s. 1st, 3rd , 7th armies, french 1st army , detachment of army of atlantic.

march divisions in tunisian campaign

the march divisions ( march means provisional organizations without formal tradition) formed french forces stationed in north africa in november 1942, took part in tunisian campaign , disbanded in mid-1943. troops these divisions used form 2nd dim, 3rd dia, 4th dmm, 9th dic, 1st db , 5th db, of fought on european continent until v-e day.

constantine march division (dmc). formed 8 november 1942 army of transition units @ constantine, algeria. campaigns: battles of faid, enemy offensive @ faid, allied counter-offensive @ faid, kesra sector, battle of ousselat massif. cg marie joseph edmond welvert killed when vehicle struck mine on 10 april 1943. final command post @ kesra, tunisia. subordination: dae until 24 november 1942, xix corps 25 november until 17 january 1943, ii u.s. corps 18 january until 27 february 1943, after division remained under xix corps. became 3rd dia on 1 may 1943.
algerian march division (dma). formed 14 november 1942 in algiers. campaigns: occupation of dorsal, battle of fondouk-el-okbi, battles of karachoum , l ouechtatia, battle of ousselatia, evacuation of eastern dorsal, defense of western dorsal, reoccupation of eastern dorsal, pursuit northeast, final victory. final command post @ gaâfour, tunisia. became 1st dia on 9 june 1943. subordination: xix corps.
1st moroccan march division (1st dmm). formed 5 december 1942 @ meknes, morocco dmm, strength of 8,000 men. campaigns: push dorsal, enemy offensive, allied counter-offensive, final victory. final command post @ zaghouan, tunisia. subordination: 18 november - 21 december 1942 under commandément supérieur des troupes du maroc (cstm), cstt 22 december until 27 january 1943 , xix corps 28 january until 2 february, corps d armée française until 20 may 1943. elements of division returned regional command in north africa 20 june 1943.
oran march division (dmo). formed 1 may 1943 in henchir-ed-deba, tunisia, elements of dto had been committed combat in tunisia december 1942 forward. campaigns: drive sainte marie du zit. final command post @ sainte-marie du zit (13 kilometers n of zriba). division returned garrison end of june 1943 , elements used form 8th dia. subordination: xix corps.
southeast algerian front (front sud-est algérien or fsea). formed 18 february 1943 brigade-sized front est saharien, task force de l aurès , remnants of 3rd rei (régiment d étranger d infanterie - foreign legion infantry regiment) @ batna, algeria. operated in eastern algeria , western tunisia allied forces. final command post @ m dilla, tunisia. subordination: ccftan until 1 march 1943, placed under control of british 18th army group. disbanded on 12 april 1943.

french north african divisions formed after tunisian campaign

moroccan troops in italy, december 1943



1st algerian division (1st da). formed 1st dia on 9 june 1943 , became 7th dia on 16 july 1943.
1st colonial division (1st dc). envisioned anfa plan of january 1943 formed 9th dic on 16 july 1943.
1st moroccan division (1st dm). envisioned anfa plan of january 1943 formed 6th dim on 16 july 1943.
2nd algerian division (2nd da). envisioned anfa plan of january 1943 formed 8th dia on 16 july 1943.
2nd colonial division (2nd dc). envisioned anfa plan of january 1943 formed 2nd dic on 16 july 1943.
2nd colonial infantry division (2nd dic). formed 16 july 1943 in senegal, later sent morocco , became 10th dic on 24 august.
2nd moroccan division (2nd dm). envisioned anfa plan of january 1943 formed 2nd dim on 1 may 1943.
2nd moroccan infantry division (2nd dim). formed 1 may 1943 in meknes, morocco (former meknes division). campaigns: naples-foggia, rome-arno (including battle of monte cassino), operations in provence, pursuit across rhône, vosges mountains, alsace (including colmar pocket), karlsruhe-ulm offensive , bavaria. division completed war in austria @ arlberg. final command post @ immenstadt; division returned france in late october 1945 , stationed in alsace , lorraine. subordination: french expeditionary corps; , ii corps of 1st army.
3rd algerian division (3rd da). envisioned anfa plan of january 1943 formed 3rd dia on 1 may 1943.
3rd algerian infantry division (3rd dia). formed 1 may 1943 in constantine, constituent units came had served in dmc prior dissolution. campaigns: rome-arno (including battle of monte cassino), operations in provence (including liberation of marseille), pursuit across rhône, vosges mountains, alsace (including gambsheim bridgehead , assault on westwall) , karlsruhe-ulm offensive. division completed war in germany; later disbanded create 2 infantry task forces in march 1946. final command post @ stuttgart. subordination: french expeditionary corps; , ii corps of 1st army.
3rd moroccan division (3rd dm). former marrakech division, formed 1 march 1943 , became 4th dmm on 1 june 1943.
4th moroccan mountain division (4th dmm). formed 1 june 1943 in casablanca former 3rd dm. campaigns: corsica, rome-arno (including battle of monte cassino), operations in provence, alpine front, alsace (including colmar pocket), rhine front , black forest. division completed war in austria; division disbanded in france in january 1946. final command post @ feldkirch. subordination: french expeditionary corps , corps.
6th moroccan infantry division (6th dim). former casablanca division, formed 16 july 1943 , disbanded 15 september 1943 due lack of trained specialists.
7th algerian infantry division (7th dia). former dma / 1st dia, formed 16 july 1943, disbanded 15 august 1944 due lack of trained specialists. material transferred 1st dfl.
8th algerian infantry division (8th dia). former dmo, formed 16 july 1943, disbanded 11 january 1944 due lack of trained specialists.
9th colonial infantry division (9th dic). formed 16 july 1943 in mostaganem, algeria. campaigns: elba, operations in provence, pursuit across rhône, belfort gap, alsace (including colmar pocket), rhine front , black forest. division completed war in germany, returned france in september 1945 , embarked starting 12 october 1945 marseille french indochina. final command post @ tuttlingen. subordination: xix, , ii corps, army b.
10th colonial infantry division (10th dic). former 2nd dic, formed 24 august 1943 , disbanded 15 january 1944 due lack of trained specialists.
1st armoured division (1st db). created 1 may 1943 in mascara, algeria brigade légère mécanique. campaigns: operations in provence, pursuit across rhône, vosges mountains, alsace , southwestern germany. final command post @ biberach der riss. division inactivated 31 march 1946. subordination: ii corps 15 august 27 october 1944, shortly thereafter transferred corps.
3rd armoured division. created 1 september 1943 in tunisia , subsequently moved morocco. disbanded 31 august 1944, did not see combat. later recreated in may 1945.
5th armoured division (5th db). created 2nd db on 1 may 1943 in rabat, morocco; became 5th db on 16 july more senior unit designation awarded leclerc s division. division landed in marseille 19 september until 1 october 1944. campaigns: vosges mountains, alsace , southwestern germany. division fought 3 separate combat commands supporting infantry units of french first army. final command post @ bludenz, austria. division remained in germany occupation unit. subordination: under ii corps corps , u.s. vi , xxi corps.

divisions formed in france 1944–45

organized liberated manpower in 1944–45 , assigned designations had belonged divisions in 1940. 2 dceo divisions intended use in indochina reassert french authority after defeat of japan.

1st alpine infantry division. formed ffi elements in alps on 25 august 1944. campaigns: alpine front. division disbanded in november 1944 , elements used recreate 27th alpine infantry division. subordination: sector of alps.
1st infantry division. recreated 1 february 1945 in western , northern france. subordinated 1st army on 24 april 1945 , served in lines-of-communication security role. campaigns: karlsruhe-ulm offensive. final command post vicinity riedlingen. disbanded 30 april 1946. subordination: ii corps of 1st army.
3rd armored division. recreated 1 may 1945 in southern france. campaigns: none. disbanded 18 april 1946. subordination: french high command.
3rd colonial infantry division (3rd dic). former 1st dceo, formed august 1945. fought postwar in indochina cefeo.
10th infantry division. recreated 1 october 1944 vicinity paris. subordinated 1st army 6 january - 9 february 1945 , operated vicinity vecoux. thereafter transferred atlantic coast. campaigns: colmar pocket , siege of german-held pockets on atlantic coast. division completed war in western france; disbanded 30 april 1946. subordination: 1st army , detachment of army of atlantic.
14th infantry division (fr). recreated on 16 february 1945 in alsace , commenced operations on 20 march 1945 near buhl. campaigns: rhine front , black forest. division completed war in germany. final command post @ donaueschingen; disbanded 30 april 1946. subordination: , ii corps of 1st army.
19th infantry division. recreated 6 september 1944 ffi elements. campaigns: besieged german-held ports of lorient , quiberon. division completed war in western france; disbanded 31 january 1946. subordination: detachment of army of atlantic.
23rd infantry division. recreated 22 january 1945 ffi elements. campaigns: royan pocket, siege of la rochelle , assault of ile d oleron. division completed war vicinity la rochelle; disbanded 30 november 1945. subordination: detachment of army of atlantic.
25th infantry division. recreated 1 april 1945 ffi elements. campaigns: saint-nazaire pocket. division completed war vicinity saint-nazaire. subordination: detachment of army of atlantic. division reformed 25th airborne division on 1 february 1946; later restructured 3 task forces , disbanded on 8 june 1948.
27th alpine infantry division. recreated 16 november 1944 elements of 1st alpine infantry division. campaigns: alpine front. final command post vicinity of mont cenis; disbanded 15 april 1946. subordination: sector of alps , detachment of army of alps.
36th infantry division. recreated 15 february 1945 liberated manpower in bordeaux , toulouse. campaigns: none, division saw no combat before war ended. final command post vicinity french alps near coast; disbanded 31 january 1946. subordination: french high command.
1st far east colonial division (dceo). formed 16 november 1944 in southern france , organized along lines of u.s. marine division. campaigns: elements saw combat in alps @ war s end. division disbanded , elements contributed formation of 3rd colonial infantry division on 14 august 1945. division completed war in southern france. subordination: french high command.
2nd far east colonial division. formed 1 december 1944 in southern france. campaigns: none, division disbanded on 15 june 1945 , elements used form 3rd colonial infantry division in august 1945. division completed war in southern france. subordination: french high command.




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