Vichy French Military Division order of battle

Military Division
	Division Militaire ; DM
Active	1940-42
Country	France
Branch	Armistice Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II

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The Military Division (French: Division Militaire, abbreviated to DM) was a Vichy French infantry formation in 1940-1942, during World War II. The divisions were numbered according to the military regions.^[1] The Vichy French Military Division had a near-identical organisation as the French Infantry Divisions of 1939-1940, but with the restrictions of the Armistice of 22 June 1940 imposed them.^[1] The whole Army of Vichy France, except for the Garde [fr], was demobilized on 27 November 1942 after Case Anton.^[1]

Organisation[edit]

The table below shows the order of battle that a Military Division aspired to.^[1] In addition, each Military Division had a Bureau of Anti-National Activities [fr], which had the purpose of countering politically subversive actions, especially those by Communists, but also those of the supporters of Charles de Gaulle.^[2]

Division headquarters^[3]
Unit
3x Infantry regiments (each of an identical composition) (or 3x Demi-brigades of Chasseurs à Pied, each with 3 battalions)^[3]
I battalion	4 mixed rifle and MG companies:^{[Note 1]} 26x FM 24/29 light machine gun 16x Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun 36x Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37/VB rifle grenade 3x 60mm mortars 3x 81mm mortars
II battalion	4 mixed rifle and MG companies (as above)
III battalion	4 mixed rifle and MG companies (as above)
Cavalry regiment^[3] (either Cuirassier/Dragoon or Chasseur/Hussar)
A single Cuirassier or Dragoon regiment (divided into reconnaissance groups) 2 mounted squadrons 3 cyclist squadrons (15x Hotchkiss MGs, 10x 81mm mortars) 1 armoured car squadron (8x Panhard AMD)^{[Note 2]}	A single Chasseurs à cheval or Hussar regiment 4 mounted sabre squadrons 1 heavy weapons squadron (12x Hotchkiss MGs, 4x 81mm mortars)
Artillery regiment^[3]
I group	3 batteries^{[Note 3]}^{[Note 4]}
II group	3 batteries
III group	4 batteries
Engineer battalion^[1]
2 companies a half-company bridging train
Signals group^[1]^{[Note 5]}, also known as a battalion^[3]
Transport group^[1]^{[Note 5]}, also known as company^[3]
Garde regiment^[1]^[3]

Moreover, there existed four cavalry regiments of the general reserve.^[3]

Equipment[edit]

This Armistice banned anti-tank and gas protection equipment, while minimizing mechanization.^[1] However, the reduction of the French army meant that its remains could be entirely equipped with the newest and best equipment available, e.g. MAS-36 rifle, MAS-38 and Thompson submachine guns.^[1] The previously used VB rifle grenade was over time replaced with the Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37.^[1] Artillery was only allowed to have 75mm calibre guns.^[1]

Military Divisions[edit]

Table of Military Divisions within the Vichy Army and their main component units^[4]
Military divisions	Location of divisional headquarters	Infantry units	Cavalry regiment	Artillery regiment
7th Military Division^[4]	Bourg-en-Bresse^[4]^[5]	65th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 151st Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 4e Chasseurs à Pied Demi-brigade:^[4] 1st Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr]^[4] 2nd Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr]^[4] 10th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr]^[4]	5th Dragoon Regiment^[4]	61st Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
9th Military Division^[4]	Châteauroux^[4]	1st Infantry Regiment^[4] 27th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 32th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4]	8th Cuirassier Regiment [fr]^[4]	72nd Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
12th Military Division^[4]	Limoges^[4]^[6]	26th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 41st Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 1st Chasseurs à Pied Demi-brigade:^[4] 8th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 16th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 30th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr]	6th Cuirassier Regiment^[4]	35th Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
13th Military Division^[4]	Clermont-Ferrand^[4]^[7]	5th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 92nd Infantry Regiment^[4] 152nd Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4]	8th Dragoon Regiment^[4]	4th Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
14th Military Division^[4]	Lyon^[4]	153rd Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 159th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 3rd Chasseurs Alpins Demi-brigade:^[4] 6th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr]^[4] 13th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr]^[4] 27th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr]^[4]	11th Cuirassier Regiment [fr]^[4]	2nd Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
15th Military Division^[4]	Marseille^[4]^[8]	43rd Alpine Infantry Regiment^[4] 21st Colonial Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 173rd Autonomous Battalion [fr]^[4] 2nd Chasseurs Alpins Demi-brigade:^[4] 20th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr]^[4] 24th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr]^[4] 25th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr]^[4]	12th Cuirassier Regiment^[4]	10th Colonial Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
16th Military Division^[4]	Montpellier^[4]^[9]	8th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 51st Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4]	3rd Dragoon Regiment^[4]	15th Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]
17th Military Division^[4]	Toulouse^[4]	18th Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 23rd Infantry Regiment [fr]^[4] 150th Infantry Regiment^[4]	2nd Dragoon Regiment^[4]	24th Artillery Regiment [fr]^[4]

References[edit]

Notes[edit]

↑ Theoretically, there would be 3x 50mm 1937-pattern grenade launcher and 6x MAS-38 and Thompson submachine guns per platoon.
↑ The Panhard's anti-tank gun was replaced with a second 7.5mm machine gun.
↑ Each battery had four Canon de 75 modèle 1897.
↑ One battery was tractor-drawn, the other two were horse-drawn.
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 The term 'group' is used for support units, though equivalent to that of a company.

Footnotes[edit]

↑ ^1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 Vauvillier & Sumner 1998, p. 38-39.
↑ Peschanski, Laurent; Douzou, Denis. La Résistance française face à l'hypothèque Vichy (in français). pp. 27–28. OCLC 695234273. Search this book on
↑ ^3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 ^3.7 Sereau 1961, p. 41.
↑ ^4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 ^4.10 ^4.11 ^4.12 ^4.13 ^4.14 ^4.15 ^4.16 ^4.17 ^4.18 ^4.19 ^4.20 ^4.21 ^4.22 ^4.23 ^4.24 ^4.25 ^4.26 ^4.27 ^4.28 ^4.29 ^4.30 ^4.31 ^4.32 ^4.33 ^4.34 ^4.35 ^4.36 ^4.37 ^4.38 ^4.39 ^4.40 ^4.41 ^4.42 ^4.43 ^4.44 ^4.45 ^4.46 ^4.47 ^4.48 ^4.49 ^4.50 ^4.51 ^4.52 ^4.53 ^4.54 ^4.55 ^4.56 ^4.57 ^4.58 ^4.59 ^4.60 ^4.61 ^4.62 ^4.63 ^4.64 ^4.65 ^4.66 Vauvillier & Sumner 1998, p. 38.
↑ Convert, Pascal (2020-05-22). Daniel Cordier, son secrétariat, ses radios: Essai critique sur Alias Caracalla (in français). Librinova. ISBN 979-10-262-5532-1. ...la 7ème Division Militaire de Bourg-en-Bresse... Search this book on
↑ Bail, Sylvain Le (2003). Le G.M.R. du Périgord (in français). Le Chene Vert. p. 128. ISBN 978-2-914805-01-8. Le préfet régional de Limoges consultera le général Jeannel, commandant la 12ème division militaire. Search this book on
↑ Carlier, Marc (2006). Les ralliements à la France libre: Niger-Est, 1940-1942 (in français). Mémoires d'hommes. ISBN 978-2-84367-033-6. ... la 13ème division militaire, siégeant à Clermont-Ferrand... Search this book on
↑ Waksman, Pierre (1981). Etat des fonds privés: dépots, donations, successions, achats (in français). Ministère de la défense, Etat major de l'Armée de terre, Service historique. p. 52. ISBN 978-2-86323-046-6. Search this book on
↑ Rappolt, Axel (2007). Leclerc et l'Indochine 1945-1947 (in français). Atelier national de reproduction des thèses. p. 133. ISBN 978-2-7295-6350-9. ...la 16ème division militaire de Montpellier... Search this book on

Sources[edit]

Sereau, Raymond (1961). L'armée de l'armistice (1940-1942) (in français). Nouvelles Editions Latines. Search this book on
Vauvillier, François; Sumner, Ian (1998). The French Army 1939-45. Men-at-Arms. I. United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781855326668. Search this book on

Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1942 Category:Military units and formations established in 1940 Category:Divisions of Vichy France

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[:05-4] Theoretically, there would be 3x 50mm 1937-pattern grenade launcher and 6x MAS-38 and Thompson submachine guns per platoon.

[:04-5] The Panhard's anti-tank gun was replaced with a second 7.5mm machine gun.

[:02-6] Each battery had four Canon de 75 modèle 1897.

[:03-7] One battery was tractor-drawn, the other two were horse-drawn.

[:0-8] 5.0 ^5.1 The term 'group' is used for support units, though equivalent to that of a company.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillierSumner199838-39-1] 1.00 ^1.01 ^1.02 ^1.03 ^1.04 ^1.05 ^1.06 ^1.07 ^1.08 ^1.09 ^1.10 ^1.11 Vauvillier & Sumner 1998, p. 38-39.

[2] Peschanski, Laurent; Douzou, Denis. La Résistance française face à l'hypothèque Vichy (in français). pp. 27–28. OCLC 695234273. Search this book on

[FOOTNOTESereau196141-3] 3.0 ^3.1 ^3.2 ^3.3 ^3.4 ^3.5 ^3.6 ^3.7 Sereau 1961, p. 41.

[FOOTNOTEVauvillierSumner199838-9] 4.00 ^4.01 ^4.02 ^4.03 ^4.04 ^4.05 ^4.06 ^4.07 ^4.08 ^4.09 ^4.10 ^4.11 ^4.12 ^4.13 ^4.14 ^4.15 ^4.16 ^4.17 ^4.18 ^4.19 ^4.20 ^4.21 ^4.22 ^4.23 ^4.24 ^4.25 ^4.26 ^4.27 ^4.28 ^4.29 ^4.30 ^4.31 ^4.32 ^4.33 ^4.34 ^4.35 ^4.36 ^4.37 ^4.38 ^4.39 ^4.40 ^4.41 ^4.42 ^4.43 ^4.44 ^4.45 ^4.46 ^4.47 ^4.48 ^4.49 ^4.50 ^4.51 ^4.52 ^4.53 ^4.54 ^4.55 ^4.56 ^4.57 ^4.58 ^4.59 ^4.60 ^4.61 ^4.62 ^4.63 ^4.64 ^4.65 ^4.66 Vauvillier & Sumner 1998, p. 38.

[10] Convert, Pascal (2020-05-22). Daniel Cordier, son secrétariat, ses radios: Essai critique sur Alias Caracalla (in français). Librinova. ISBN 979-10-262-5532-1. ...la 7ème Division Militaire de Bourg-en-Bresse... Search this book on

[11] Bail, Sylvain Le (2003). Le G.M.R. du Périgord (in français). Le Chene Vert. p. 128. ISBN 978-2-914805-01-8. Le préfet régional de Limoges consultera le général Jeannel, commandant la 12ème division militaire. Search this book on

[12] Carlier, Marc (2006). Les ralliements à la France libre: Niger-Est, 1940-1942 (in français). Mémoires d'hommes. ISBN 978-2-84367-033-6. ... la 13ème division militaire, siégeant à Clermont-Ferrand... Search this book on

[13] Waksman, Pierre (1981). Etat des fonds privés: dépots, donations, successions, achats (in français). Ministère de la défense, Etat major de l'Armée de terre, Service historique. p. 52. ISBN 978-2-86323-046-6. Search this book on

[14] Rappolt, Axel (2007). Leclerc et l'Indochine 1945-1947 (in français). Atelier national de reproduction des thèses. p. 133. ISBN 978-2-7295-6350-9. ...la 16ème division militaire de Montpellier... Search this book on

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Military Division
Division Militaire DM
Active	1940-42
Country	France
Branch	Armistice Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II