| 17th Colonial Infantry Division | |
|---|---|
| Active |
|
| Country |  France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Type | Infantry |
| Size | Division |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | |
17th Colonial Infantry Division was an infantry division of the French Army during the First World War. It was deployed overseas, seeing action during the Gallipoli campaign, and thereafter on the Salonika front, fighting alongside British troops in both theatres of war. It was sent to the Crimea in December 1918 as part of the Army of the Danube.
Transporting the troops by boat, for concentration at Lemnos.
The vanguard embarked on the Armand-Béhic and the Savoie (TM) at Toulon, departing 4 February; on the Djurdjura and the Vin-Long at Bizerte, the Chaouïa at Philippeville (Skikda) and the Carthage at Oran which concentrate at Sidi-Abdallah (Bizerte) to form a convoy and leave on 4 March. All arrived in Malta on 6 March to join the St-Louis and the Edgar-Quinet which set sail for Lemnos on 6 March and arrived on March 11. [2]
A second departure from Marseille on 4 March: Lorraine, Dumbéa, Magellan, Australian, Charles-Roux, Moulouya, Théodore Mante, Italy, Pelion, from Toulon on March 4: fr:La Savoie (paquebot de 1901), fr:La Lorraine (paquebot), the Paul Lecat, the Bien-Hoa, the Ceylan departed from Oran on 7 March. To go through Bizerte and then form two groups:
First group: fr:La Provence (paquebot de 1906), Dumbéa, Magellan, Théodore Mante, Moulouya, Charles-Roux. Departure from Bizerte on 14 March to arrive in Lemnos on 15 March. [2] Second group: Savoy (CA), Lorraine, Paul Lecat, Bien-Hoa, Italy, Pelion, Ceylon. Departure from Bizerte on 13 March to arrive in Lemnos on 17 March. The 1st echelon on the Hérault leaves on the 4th from Marseille, passes the 6th in Toulon and arrives in Lemnos on the 10th. The 2nd echelon on Admiral-Hammelin passed through Bizerte on the 17th and arrived at Lemnos on the 27th. [2]
Hastily formed, after assembling on Lemnos there had been no time for the corps to undertake large-scale training before it was committed to the land campaign. [3] During the initial Allied landing on 25 April, the corps undertook a diversionary landing on the Dardanelles Asiatic coast around Kum Kale, to divert Ottoman forces away from the main landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula, [4] and to disrupt Ottoman artillery that could have fired upon the main landings. The 6th Mixed Colonial Regiment led the division ashore, supported by three battleships and a Russian warship. Part of the first wave was turned back by heavy fire, but the rest managed to get ashore and they proceeded to secure the village and an Ottoman fort. Throughout the course of 26 April, the Ottoman 3rd Division counterattacked, but the following day, having lost over 2,200 killed or wounded, the Ottomans began surrendering to the French in large numbers. Nevertheless, the French were withdrawn shortly afterwards, having lost about 300 killed and 500 wounded. [5] [6]
Following this, the French force re-embarked and was landed at Cape Helles, where they took up a position on the right flank around 'S' Beach. [7] On 28 April, the commander of the C.E.O. set up the French headquarters at the old castle situated at Sedd el Bahr. With a strength of 24 companies, [8] they subsequently took part in the First Battle of Krithia on 28 April. [9] In early May, the Ottoman forces launched a heavy counterattack on the Allied positions with a force of over 16,000 men. The attack was beaten back, but the French division suffered heavy casualties – up to 2,000 men – and at the height of the assault some of the Senegalese and Zouaves "broke and ran". [10] As a result, the 2nd Naval Brigade from the British Royal Naval Division, had to take over some of their positions. [11] Reinforcements were brought in, including a second French division, which arrived between 6 and 8 May, although they did not arrive in time to take part in the Second Battle of Krithia, during which the 1st Division attacked towards the Kereves Dere gully, and although they made slow progress they eventually managed to secure the high ground overlooking this position before the attack petered out. [12] [13]
A period of stalemate followed, and the August Offensive failed to break the deadlock. Following Bulgaria's entry into the war, on 24 September, a secret telegram was despatched from the French Minister of War to Bailloud. [15] [16] [17] He was ordered to prepare a division of the C.E.O. composed exclusively of metropolitan units to be sent to aid Serbia. Bailloud and the reconstituted division commenced embarkation on 30 September. The French began to refocus their actions in the Mediterranean around Salonika.
In the autumn of 1915, there were concerns as to the ability of the Senegalese to cope with the winter weather, and their withdrawal from Gallipoli was proposed, [18] once the British agreed to replace them. [19] [20] In order to facilitate this, the 57th and 58th regiments were to be composed of Senegalese, with the 54th and 56th composed of Marsouins. This reconstitution took place on 11 December 1915. [21] Similarly, five companies of creoles were detached from the 54th and 56th in order to be sent to a wintering camp. The plan did not go ahead. The creole companies of the 54th were detached on 15 December, and returned to their unit on 22 January 1916. [22] The two locations for the "wintering" were either Egypt or Algeria. For political reasons, it was deemed inappropriate to send them there, but to keep them on Lesbos. [23] It was usual practice for Senegalese to be sent to Fréjus for a period of "wintering" (hivernage), [24] but this location did not get proposed as an alternative, notwithstanding its previous mention by General Joffre. [25] The men of the 58th were evacuated in batches between 16 December and 5 January, [26] whilst the 57th were evacuated by a convoy of several ships on 13 December 1915. The marsouins of the 54th and the 56th were evacuated on 2 and 3 January 1916 respectively. [27] Six older artillery pieces were destroyed and abandoned, two 140 mm guns (modèle 1884) and four 240 mm guns (modèle 1876), [28] given that it was not possible to embark all of the heavy guns. [29] [30] [31]
1st Division (renamed as fr:17e division d'infanterie coloniale on 6 January 1916 [47] ) under Jean-Marie Brulard
Since February 1916, its infantry component is now made up of the 1st and 3rd regiments of colonial infantry, [54] having arrived between 18 and 27 February, [56] taking the place of the six Tirailleur battalions [57] of the 57th and 58th Colonial Infantry Regiments that have remained on Lesbos.
All of the 75mm batteries above were grouped together in April 1917 to form the 201st Field Artillery Regiment. [59]
Four Battalions of Tirailleurs Sénégalais arrive in Salonika, the 81st, 93rd, 95th and 96th, are assigned to the division, and are collectively known as the Groupement des Bataillons Sénégalais du 17e D.I.C. with effect from 21 November 1917. The Commanding Officer of the fr:96e bataillon de tirailleurs sénégalais, Major Albert Jean René Desaulses De Freycinet, assumes overall command of the Groupement [60] [61] [62] [63] In due course Lieutenant Colonel Auguste Marie Louis Debieuvre commanded the Groupement, following his service on the western front with the 58th Regiment and then the fr:33e régiment d'infanterie coloniale, until he was promoted and handed over command once more to Major De Freycinet. [64] Lieutenant Colonel Debieuvre had served as the commanding officer of the 58th Regiment since 21 August 1915 up to its disbandment in May 1917. [51]
The battery of 58mm trench mortars are now redesignated as the 8th Battery of the 179th Trench Artillery Regiment, with effect from 1 April 1918. [65] The Groupe of 65mm artillery batteries of the 1st Mountain Artillery Regiment are now redesignated as the 3rd Groupe of the 13th Colonial Artillery Regiment, with effect from 1 May 1918. [66]
Notes
Citations
Ordre de bataille 1 juin 1915 K34
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War Diaries
Ordre de bataille 1 juin 1915 K34
Also contains the war diary for the predecessor units (i) 4e brigade mixte coloniale du 20 mars au 9 octobre 1915 ;(ii) 2e brigade mixte coloniale (nouvelle formation) du 9 octobre 1915 au 23 mai 1916.
Also contains the war diary for the 8e régiment mixte colonial from the 2 May to 16 August 1915
Also contains the war diary for the predecessor units (i) Groupe spécial du 1er R.A.M. du 27 juillet 1915 au 30 novembre 1917 ;(ii) 7e groupe du 1er R.A.M. du 1er décembre 1917 au 30 avril 1918.
Also contains the war diary for the predecessor units (i) batterie (indéterminée) du 19 avril 1915 au 30 septembre 1917 ;(ii) batterie (indéterminée) du 201e R.A.C., du 1er octobre 1917 au 31 mars 1918.