The order of the battle of the French Army in August 1914 was planned according to the mobilisation and concentration Plan XVII and applied on 2 August 1914, the day before the German Empire declared war. The order of battle is similar to the German Army with several armies each having army corps of two infantry divisions, with a number of reserve units at the disposal of the Commander in Chief and Minister of War. The organisation changed during August with the assignment of new reserve units and the creation of new armies.
The peacetime army had, in the spring of 1914, a strength of 882,907 men, with 686,993 in metropolitan France, 62,598 in Algeria and Tunisia, 81,750 in Morocco, and 51,566 auxiliaries. [1]
The territory of the French Republic was divided into 21 military regions, 20 in metropolitan France, and one in Algeria (the 19th). Each region provided two infantry divisions, except the 6th which had three divisions.
The army had 686 infantry battalions. Metropolitan France had 173 infantry regiments, each with three battalions (nine regiments had four), as well as 31 light infantry (French: chasseur à pied) battalions, and 12 colonial infantry regiments (each with three battalions). In the colonies, there was four regiments of Zouaves with six battalions, 9 regiments of Algerian riflemen (French: tirailleurs algériens) with 40 battalions, 2 regiments of the Foreign Legion with six battalions, 5 battalions of African light infantry, 6 Moroccan colonial marching regiments, and 5 battalions of Moroccan auxiliaries.
The cavalry had 378 squadrons, organised into 89 regiments (each with four squadrons): 12 cuirassier, 32 dragoon, 21 light horse (French: chasseur à cheval), 14 hussar, 6 African light horse, and 4 Spahis.
The artillery had 855 batteries (each of four guns), organised into 62 field artillery regiments, 2 mountain artillery regiments, 11 foot artillery regiments, 5 heavy artillery regiments, 10 African artillery groups, and 3 colonial artillery regiments. It provided 42 divisional artillery (with three groups or nine batteries), 20 corps artillery (with four groups or twelve batteries), and 10 horse groups (with three batteries).
Mobilisation
The French army began mobilising on August 2, 1914 according to Plan XVII. The 680,000 peacetime troops were joined by 2,900,000 reservists and territorials. The three youngest classes of reservists were used to bring active units up to wartime strength, while new units were created from older reservists and territorials.
Each of 21 military regions provided an army corps of two infantry divisions. Each corps was numbered after the military region it was created from. The 19th region in Algeria did not form a corps, but did send its two divisions. A total of 46 infantry divisions were mobilised with 1,054,000 men, and 10 cavalry divisions with 52,500 men.
Each infantry division is composed of two infantry brigades with two regiments, plus a cavalry squadron, an artillery regiment (with three groups) and an engineer company. Each cavalry division is made up of three brigades with two regiments, plus a cyclist group, an artillery group and a detachment of cyclist engineers. Each army corps is made up of two infantry divisions (except the 6th corps with three divisions) with corps troops of a cavalry regiment (with four squadrons), an artillery regiment (with four groups), and an engineering battalion (with four companies).
Then, reserve infantry regiments are formed from the active regiments. They are given the same number as the active regiment plus 200. Reserve infantry regiments had two battalions, compared with three for the active regiments. These are grouped into 25 reserve infantry divisions numbered from 51 to 75 (numbered after their military region plus 50). These reserve divisions had a total of 450,000 men.
The active and reserve regiments are each created from roughly 50/50 active and reserve personnel. To show this continuity, the active battalions were numbered 1, 2, and 3, while the reserve battalions were numbered 5 and 6.
The oldest were placed into territorial infantry regiments with three or four battalions, some of which were used to create 12 territorial infantry divisions with 184,600 men.
1,525 infantry battalions (642 active, 406 reserve and 410 territorial), of approximately 1,100 men (with four companies of 254 men);
545 cavalry squadrons (316 active, 176 reserve and 37 territorial) of approximately 120 men (in four platoons of 30 cavalrymen);
1,468 artillery batteries (1,042 active, 265 reserve and 161 territorial), each of four guns (a group usually has three batteries);
508 engineering companies and detachments.
Added to the 95 active, reserve and territorial divisions with 1,681,100 men are the army troops of 187,500 men, garrisons of 821,400 men, depots of 680,000 men, and railway guards of 210,000 men. [3]
Order of Battle — First-line Units
Armies deployed north to south
Fifth Army
Charles Lanrezac
The Fifth Army (French: 5re Armée) was commanded by General Charles Lanrezac. In August 1914 it was concentrated between Hirson and Dun-sur-Meus, with the mission of guarding the border with Belgium. Its strength on mobilisation was 8,886 officers, 290,464 NCOs and men, and 108,360 horses organised into five corps of ten infantry divisions, two reserve infantry divisions, and one cavalry division. [4][5]
Companies 11/3, 11/4, 11/16, and 11/21, 6th Engineer Regiment
21st Infantry Division Commander: René Radiguet [22]
41st Infantry Brigade
64th Infantry Regiment
65th Infantry Regiment
42nd Infantry Brigade
93rd Infantry Regiment
137th Infantry Regiment
5th Squadron, 2nd Light Horse Regiment
51st Field Artillery Regiment
Company 11/1, 6th Engineer Regiment
22nd Infantry Division Commander: Joseph Pambet [23]
43rd Infantry Brigade
62nd Infantry Regiment
116th Infantry Regiment
44th Infantry Brigade
19th Infantry Regiment
118th Infantry Regiment
6th Squadron, 2nd Light Horse Regiment
35th Field Artillery Regiment
Company 11/2, 6th Engineer Regiment
Fourth Army
Fernand de Langle de Cary
The Fourth Army (French: 4re Armée) was commanded by General Fernand de Langle de Cary. In August 1914, it was concentrated between Saint-Dizier and Bar-le-Duc, with the mission of being held in reserve in the Argonne Region. Its strength on mobilisation was 4,689 officers, 154,899 NCOs and men, and 58,491 horses organised into three corps of four infantry divisions, two colonial infantry divisions, and one cavalry division. [24][25]
The Third Army (French: 3re Armée) was commanded by General Pierre Ruffey. In August 1914 it was concentrated between Saint-Mihiel and Verdun, with the mission of holding the Germans in their defensive positions before Metz. Its strength on mobilisation was 6,786 officers, 230,471 NCOs and men, and 80,381 horses organised into three corps of seven infantry divisions, three reserve infantry divisions, and one cavalry division. [36][37]
Companies 6/11, 6/17, and 6/22, 3rd Engineer Regiment
Transmission Detachment, 8th Engineer Regiment
Second Army
Édouard de Castelnau
The Second Army (French: 2re Armée) was commanded by General Édouard de Castelnau. In August 1914 its major role in the campaign plan was to liberate Lorraine and attack into Germany. It was concentrated between Pont-Saint-Vincent and Neufchâteau, with the mission of attacking towards Morhange. Its strength on mobilisation was 9,391 officers, 314,804 NCOs and men, and 110,062 horses organised into five corps of ten infantry divisions, three reserve infantry divisions, and two cavalry divisions. [53][54]
The First Army (French: 1re Armée) was commanded by General Auguste Dubail. In August 1914 it constituted the right wing of the French Army, concentrated between Remiremont and Charmes, with the mission of attacking towards Mulhouse and Sarrebourg. Its strength on mobilisation was 7,588 officers, 258,864 NCOs and men, and 92,106 horses organised into five corps of ten infantry divisions, and two cavalry divisions. [76][77]
43rd Infantry Division Commander: Pierre Lanquetot [94]
85th Infantry Brigade
158th Infantry Regiment
149th Infantry Regiment
86th Infantry Brigade
1st Light Infantry Battalion
3rd Light Infantry Battalion
10th Light Infantry Battalion
31st Light Infantry Battalion
6th Squadron, 4th Light Horse Regiment
12th Field Artillery Regiment
Company 21/2, 11th Engineer Regiment
Order of Battle — Second-line Units
Formations at the disposal of the Chief of the General Staff
Joseph Joffre
In addition to the five field armies, the Chief of the General Staff, General Joseph Joffre, had several large formations at his disposal on other fronts, or as a reserve.
The Army of the Alps was formed from units mobilised in the 14th (Lyon) and 15th (Marseille) military regions to defend the border with Italy, who was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary.
1st Mountain Artillery Regiment (two groups (2+3 batteries))
Company 14/13, 13th Engineer Battalion
75th Reserve Infantry Division Commander: Henri Vimard [120]
149th Infantry Brigade
240th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
258th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
150th Infantry Brigade
255th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
261st Infantry Regiment (reserve)
13th Light Horse Regiment (two squadrons)
19th Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
38th Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
2nd Mountain Artillery Regiment (one group)
Company 15/12, 7th Engineer Regiment
91st Territorial Infantry Division Commander: Paul Lacroisade [121]
181st Territorial Infantry Brigade
129th Territorial Infantry Regiment
130th Territorial Infantry Regiment
182nd Territorial Infantry Brigade
132nd Territorial Infantry Regiment
134th Territorial Infantry Regiment
135th Territorial Infantry Regiment
10th Dragoon Regiment (two squadrons)
57th Field Artillery Regiment (two groups)
Company 17/1T, 2nd Engineer Regiment
Formations at the disposal of the Minister of War
Adolphe Messimy
Plan XVII provided for several large units to be at the disposal of the Minister of War, Adolphe Messimy. These units were gradually transferred to the Chief of the General Staff, General Joseph Joffre.
67th Reserve Infantry Division Commander: Henry Marabail [122]
133rd Infantry Brigade
211st Infantry Regiment (reserve)
214th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
220th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
134th Infantry Brigade
259th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
283rd Infantry Regiment (reserve)
288th Infantry Regiment (reserve)
10th Dragoon Regiment (two squadrons)
18th Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
23rd Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
57th Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
Companies 13/16, 19/16, and 24/16, 2nd Engineer Regiment
86th Territorial Infantry Division Commander: Raymond Mayniel [129]
171st Territorial Infantry Brigade
69th Territorial Infantry Regiment
70th Territorial Infantry Regiment
172nd Territorial Infantry Brigade
71st Territorial Infantry Regiment
72nd Territorial Infantry Regiment
25th Dragoon Regiment (two squadrons)
49th Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
89th Territorial Infantry Division Commander: Louis Penaud [130]
177th Territorial Infantry Brigade
89th Territorial Infantry Regiment
90th Territorial Infantry Regiment
178th Territorial Infantry Brigade
93rd Territorial Infantry Regiment
94th Territorial Infantry Regiment
21st Light Horse Regiment (two squadrons)
52nd Field Artillery Regiment (one group)
Isolated Divisions
Six territorial infantry divisions were initially used to provide defence of the north-east coast from possible German naval landing, and to guard the Spanish border. As these threats receded, these divisions were gradually moved towards the frontline.
81st Territorial Infantry Division Commander: Louis Marcot [131]
161st Territorial Infantry Brigade
11th Territorial Infantry Regiment
12th Territorial Infantry Regiment
162nd Territorial Infantry Brigade
14th Territorial Infantry Regiment
16th Territorial Infantry Regiment
9th Cuirassier Regiment
29th Field Artillery Regiment (two groups)
Company 2/1T, 1st Engineer Regiment
82nd Territorial Infantry Division Commander: Charles Vigy [132]
163rd Territorial Infantry Brigade
17th Territorial Infantry Regiment
18th Territorial Infantry Regiment
164th Territorial Infantry Brigade
21st Territorial Infantry Regiment
22nd Territorial Infantry Regiment
7th Light Horse Regiment (two squadrons)
11th Field Artillery Regiment (two groups)
Company 3/1T, 3rd Engineer Regiment
87th Territorial Infantry Division Commander: Roy [133]
Répartition et emplacement des troupes de l'armée française[Distribution and location of French army troops] (in French). Paris: Imprimerie nationale. 1 May 1914.
Service historique de l'état-major des armées; Historical Service of the General Staff of the Armed Forces (1922–1934). Les Armées françaises dans la Grande guerre[The French Army during the Great War (bnf:41052951h)](Eleven books subdivided into 30 volumes) (in French). Paris.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
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