Blue Division (Second French Empire)

Last updated
"The Last Cartridges" by Alphonse de Neuville Alphonse-Marie-Adolphe de Neuville - Les dernieres cartouches (1873).jpg
"The Last Cartridges" by Alphonse de Neuville

The Blue Division was a French division during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Consisting of Troupes de Marine , it was the first time in the history of the marines to combine marsouins, marine infantry, and bigors, or marine artillery.

Commanded by General Élie de Vassoigne, it was made up of two brigades:

The Blue Division formed part of the 12th Army Corps under the command of Barthélémy Louis Joseph Lebrun, which was the last unit to arrive at Sedan after having made a last attempt to retreat with General de Wimpffen. It fought at Bazeilles on 31 August and 1 September 1870. The town was retaken and abandoned four times, with 2,655 French and 5,200 Bavarians dead, inspiring the patriotic painting Les dernières cartouches (The Last Cartridges) by Alphonse de Neuville. Each year the marines celebrate the anniversary of the battle, ending the ceremonies with the unit's battle cry, "Au nom de Dieu, vive la coloniale" ("In God's name, long live La Coloniale ") - the unit had God Himself as its patron saint.

Related Research Articles

A division is a large military unit or formation, usually consisting of between 6,000 and 25,000 soldiers.

Troupes de marine Branch of the French Army

The Troupes de Marine is a corps of the French Army that includes several specialities: infantry, artillery, armoured, airborne, engineering, and transmissions (Signals). Despite its name, it forms part of the Army, not the Navy. Intended for amphibious and overseas operations, the Troupes de marine have been, and still are, in all the fights of the French army. It has gradually become professionalized since 1970.

This is the order of battle for the Japanese invasion of French Indochina during World War II.

11th Parachute Brigade (France) Military unit

The 11th Parachute Brigade is a unit of the French Army, dominantly infantry, part of the French Airborne Units and specialized in air combat and air assault. The brigade's primary vocation is to project in emergency in order to contribute a first response to a situational crisis. An elite unit of the French Army, the brigade is commanded by a général de brigade with headquarters in Balma near Toulouse. The brigade's soldiers and airborne Marines wear the red beret (amaranth) except for the Legionnaires of the 2ème REP who wear the green beret.

1st Free French Division Military unit of the Free French Forces during World War II

The 1st Free French Division was one of the principal units of the Free French Forces (FFL) during World War II, renowned for having fought the Battle of Bir Hakeim.

9th Marine Infantry Brigade Military unit

The 9th Marine Infantry Brigade is a light armoured, amphibious unit of the Troupes de marine of the French Army.

1st Armored Division (France) Military unit

The 1st Armored Division is a unit of the French Army formed during World War II that took part in the Liberation of France.

3rd Armored Division (France) Military unit

The 3rd Armoured Division is a unit of the French Army. The Division is the heir of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division formed in 1943 and dissolved in 1946, which contributed in the liberation of Marseille during the Second World War.

Régiment dinfanterie-chars de marine Military unit

The Régiment d'infanterie chars de marine RICM in French, is a light cavalry regiment of the French Army, successor to the Régiment d'infanterie coloniale du Maroc RICM.

Tonkin Expeditionary Corps Military unit

The Tonkin Expeditionary Corps was an important French military command based in northern Vietnam (Tonkin) from June 1883 to April 1886. The expeditionary corps fought the Tonkin Campaign (1883–86) taking part in campaigns against the Black Flag Army and the Chinese Yunnan and Guangxi Armies during the Sino-French War and the period of undeclared hostilities that preceded it, and in important operations against Vietnamese guerrilla bands during the subsequent 'Pacification of Tonkin'.

1st Marine Infantry Regiment Military unit

The 1st Marine Infantry Regiment is a French regiment heir of the colonial infantry. The regiment is one of the « quatre vieux » regiments of the Troupes de Marine, with the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2e RIMa, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa, as well the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4e RIMa. Along with the 1st Marine Artillery Regiment 1e RAMa and the 2nd Marine Artillery Regiment 2e RAMa, the 1st Marine formed the Blue Division. The 1e RIMa is a light armoured unit, since 1986, alike with the régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine RICM.

4th Marine Infantry Regiment Military unit

The 4th Marine Infantry Regiment was a French marine regiment of the troupes de marine within the French Army. This regiment was part of the « Quatre Grands » of the Marine Infantry along with the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment 1er RIMa, the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2e RIMa, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa, however was dissolved in 1998. Along with the 1st Marine Artillery Regiment 1er RAMa and 2nd Marine Artillery Regiment 2e RAMa, the 4th Marine formed of the two brigades of the Blue Division. On June 14, 2001, the GSMA of Mayotte, heir to the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment, received the color guard of the regimental colors.

2nd Marine Infantry Regiment Military unit

The 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Troupes de marine in the French Army, the only regiment to bear 16 battle honours inscriptions of the regimental colors. The regiment is one of the "quatre vieux" regiments of the Troupes de marine, with the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment 1er RIMa, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa and the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4e RIMa ; also, alongside the 1st Marine Artillery Regiment 1er RAMa as well as the 2nd Marine Artillery Regiment 2e RAMa which formed the Blue Division.

3rd Marine Infantry Regiment Military unit

The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French Army in the French Forces. The 3e RIMa is one of the oldest of the troupes de marine. This regiment is one of the "Quatre Grands" of marine infantry once garrisoned within the four military ports, ready to embark : the « Grand Un », the « Grand Deux », the « Grand Trois » and the « Grand Quatre ». The « Grand Trois » has participated actively to the various far expeditions of the 19th century in Africa, the Americas, Oceania and the Orient. Surnamed also the "3rd Marine", the unit was part of the « Blue Division » which illustrated capability at the Battle of Bazeilles on August 31 and September 1, 1870. The regiment was subordinated to the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade.

Régiment de marche du Tchad Military unit

The Régiment de marche du Tchad is a mechanised unit of the French Army, belonging to the Troupes de Marine. It is part of the 2nd Armoured Brigade. Formerly garrisoned north of Noyon it was moved in July 2010 to Quartier Colonel Dio, Meyenheim, Alsace.

21st Marine Infantry Regiment Military unit

The 21st Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French military issued by filiation from the 2e RIC.

3rd Marine Artillery Regiment (France) French Army regiment

The 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment is the heir to the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment created in Rochefort by Napoleon Bonaparte's consular decree of May 13, 1803, the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment, then the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment. The 3e RAMa has been present in either a constituted corps or isolated unit since 1803, on almost all the battlefields in which France has been engaged. The regiment was founded in a third operational phase in 1943.

Army of Châlons Military unit

The Army of Châlons was a French military formation that fought during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Formed in the camp of Châlons on August 17, 1870, from elements of the Army of the Rhine which the formation was issued from, the Army of Châlons was engaged in combats of Beaumont and Sedan while disappearing during the capitulation of September 2, 1870.

25th Parachute Division (France) Military unit

The 25th Parachute Division was an airborne division of the French Army, part of the French Airborne Units. Consisting mainly of air infantry specialized in airborne combat, air assault and established in 1956; the Parachute Division took principal part only in the Algerian War.

Army of the Rhine (1870) Military unit

The Army of the Rhine was created after the declaration of war on July 18, 1870. This French military unit fought in the Franco-Prussian War.

References