| Oran Division | |
|---|---|
| Division d'Oran | |
 Algerian Tirailleurs of the Oran Division in 1896. | |
| Active | 1831–1964 |
| Disbanded | 1957 (1964) |
| Country | France |
| Branch | Army of Africa |
| Type | Infantry |
| Part of | 19th Army Region |
| Garrison/HQ | Oran |
| Engagements | |
The Oran Division (French : Division d'Oran) was an infantry division of the French Army, part of the 19th Army Corps based in French Algeria. It comprised troops from the Army of Africa garrisoned in the Oran region. It was disbanded in 1964.
In 1914, the Oran division consisted of two brigades: [1]
In August 1939, the division was still organised with two brigades:
On mobilisation, the division was disbanded. It set up the 82e division d'infanterie d'Afrique. [2]
It was recreated in 1940 as part of the Armistice Army. It was made up of the following units: [2]
The Oran division opposed the American II Corps during Operation Torch. [3] [4] Then, from 15 November 1942, its elements were sent to the border of Tunisia, which had been invaded by the Axis. Its elements became the Oran marching division on 1 May 1943 at the start of the Allied Tunisian campaign. It was then made up of the following units :
The Oran Marching Division stalled in front of El Fahs, which it took on 7 May 1943. [5] It was then credited with encircling Djebel Oust on 9 May 1943 and Djebel Zaghouan on 13 May 1943. [6] [7] It was disbanded on 30 June 1943, with some of its elements joining the 8th Algerian Infantry Division. [8]
The division was formed on 24 June 1943 from the Oran Marching Division and comprised the following units:
Following the American refusal to deliver the division's equipment, it was disbanded on 1 November 1944.
In 1946, the 19th Corps became the 10th Military Region. The Oran territorial division remained attached to it. It covered the arrondissements of Oran, Sidi Bel Abbès, Mascara, Mostaganem, Tiaret and Tlemcen. [10] In January 1949, the Algiers division was reorganised: its headquarters were moved from Oran to Tlemcen to be closer to potential trouble spots. [11]
On 17 March 1956, the Oran territorial division was renamed the Oran military division. [12] At the end of summer 1956, the division was organised as follows: [13]
These operational sectors and zones did not overlap with the territorial subdivisions.
The military division, which no longer corresponded to a division in the tactical sense of the term, took the name of army corps on 8 March 1957. [14] At the end of 1958, the Oran army corps was divided into four zones: [15]
After the generals' Algiers putsch of 1961, the 1st Intervention Brigade was created on 30 April 1961 and attached to the army corps. [17]
In July 1962, the Algiers Army Corps (12th, 13th and 29th Infantry Divisions, 4th Motorised Infantry Division and Oran Autonomous Grouping) was renamed the 24th Army Corps. [18] On 1 January 1963, the 24th Army Corps became the 2nd Division, with headquarters in Oran and then Arzew and three brigades, the 41st in Mostaganem, the 42nd in Oran and the 43rd in Mers El Kébir. [19] The 51st Brigade, at Colomb-Béchar, was attached to it from 30 April 1963 until it was disbanded on 29 February 1964. [20] The 20th Division was disbanded on 20 June 1964. [19]
This is an outline order of battle of the British First Army on 4 May 1943 during the Tunisian Campaign of World War II.
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