Moroccan Division (France)


The Moroccan Division or the 1st Moroccan Division of 1914, initially the Marching Division of Morocco was an infantry division of France's Army of Africa which participated in World War I.
Moroccan Division was a division made up primarily of white French colonial troops who had been sent to police Morocco, rather than soldiers from Morocco. The Moroccan Division illustrated capability in the First Battle of the Marne in September and the Second Battle of Artois of May 1915 where for the first time, a French division pierced the front.
The Moroccan Division was one of the most decorated units of the French Army and all its regiments were cited at the orders of the armed forces at the end of the conflict. The Moroccan Division was the only division of all French regimental colours to be decorated with the légion d’honneur throughout the course of World War I.
The four principal units which composed formation of the Moroccan Division between 1914 and 1918 were the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion RMLE, the 4th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment 4e RTT, the 7th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment 7e RTA and 8th Marching Zouaves Regiment 8e RZ, all awarded the French fourragere with colours of the légion d’honneur at the end of the conflict.

Creation and different nominations

On the eve of mobilisation on August 2, 1914, the troops which were at the disposition of the French Army in Morocco constituted:
  • 1st Colonial Infantry Battalion of Morocco at Fez
  • 6 Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiments of Morocco composed each of 1 colonial battalion and 2 Senegalese Tirailleurs at Rabat, La-Chaouïa, Meknés, Fez et Marrakech.
  • 2 Mixed Artillery Colonial Groups and the other of 4
  • 6 companies of Senegalese scouts
  • 13 battalions of Algerian Tirailleurs
  • 9 battalions of Tunisian Tirailleurs
  • 9 battalions of Zouaves
  • 5 battalions of Moroccan Trailleurs
  • 1 squadron of Senegalese Spahi
While at disposition, these part forces were made immediately available to Général Hubert Lyautey who created since mobilisation in Morocco, the Marching Division of Morocco , with mainly 3 battalions regrouped at Bled-el-Makhzen which formed the Colonial Infantry Marching Regiment of Morocco of the 1st Marching Brigade of Morocco belonging to this division.
Under orders of Général Georges Humbert, the units constituting the Marching Division of the Morocco were regrouped at Bordeaux and positioned themselves in the region of Tournes on August 18, and that to join the Colonial Troops Army Corps of the IVth Army in the battle of.
On August 20, 1914, the Marching Division of Morocco was renamed the Moroccan Division formed by principle of two Marching brigades of Morocco.
The Colonial Infantry Marching Regiment of Morocco was subsequently designated as 1st Colonial Infantry Marching Regiment of Morocco with regimental commander Lieutenant-Colonel Pernot leading 3 battalions:
  • 6th Battalion of Commandant Vincent – the 7th Battalion of Commandant Coup – and 9th Battalion of Commandant Garrely.
The regiment was attached to the 1st Marching Brigade of Morocco of général Blondlat, along with the 1st Zouaves Regiment of Lieutenant-Colonel Leveque leading also 3 battalions of Commandants Lagure, Randier and Burkart.
The 2nd Marching Brigade of Morocco of Colonel Cros regrouped:
  • 1 Regiment of Moroccan Tirailleurs constituted of 3 battalions formed based on Tirailleurs Regiments of Occidental Morocco.
  • *.
  • 1 Mixed Regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Fellert, constituted of 3 battalions formed based on Tirailleurs Regiments of Oriental Morocco.
  • *, one of the battalions, also formed based on the 2nd Zouaves Regiment .
The 1st Moroccan Division was supported by:
  • 1 Artillery unit commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Ducros compromised on one marching group under the orders of Commandant Turpin ) and one group of 2 artillery batteries of the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment 3e RAC under the orders of Commandant Martin.
  • 1 Engineering Divisionary Company of of Morocco under the orders of Captain Quinson.
During the battle of Bataille des Ardennes on August 23, 1914, the 1st Moroccan Division was integrated in the 9th Army Corps of the IVth Army under the orders of général Dubois. This army corps had for mission to cover the unfolding of the later while maintaining positions on the designated line Signy-l'Abbaye / La-Fosse-à-l'Eau, on which this corps had to counter a massive advancement.

World War I

Order of Battle

1st Moroccan Brigade Formation
  • * 2nd Mixed Colonial Regiment – 3 battalions from August till October 1, 1914.
  • * Marching Zouaves Regiment – 3 battalions from August till October 1, 1914.
  • * 4th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment hailing from the French 38th Infantry Division – October 1, 1914 till June 30, 1918 ).
  • * 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment – October 17, 1914 to November 11, 1915.
  • * 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment – July 10 to November 11, 1915.
  • * Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion, by merger of the two foreign regiments – November 11, 1915 to November 11, 1918.
  • * 12e Bataillon de Tirailleurs malgaches – July 7 till November 11, 1918.
  • * Russian Legion Battalion / Honorary Russian Legion – beginning of 1918 till November 11, 1918.2nd Moroccan Brigade Formation
  • * 1st Mixed Zouaves and Trailleurs Regiment until September 5, 1914; Zouave by designation, no Zouave Battalion was ever found in the 1st Mixed Zouaves and Tirailleurs Regiment.
  • * 2nd Mixed Zouaves and Trailleurs Regiment until September 5, 1914.
  • * Marching Tirailleurs Regiment of Occidental Morocco – 3 battalions from September 5 till October 1, 1914.
  • * 1st Battalion of 5th Algerian Tirailleurs.
  • * 4th Battalion of 7th Algerian Tirailleurs.
  • * 5th Battalion of 4th Tunisian Tirailleurs.
  • * Marching Tirailleurs Regiment of Oriental Morocco – 4 battalions from September 5 till October 1, 1914.
  • * 1st Battalion of the 2nd Algerian Tirailleurs.
  • * 4th Battalion of the 2nd Algerian Tirailleurs.
  • * 3rd Battalion of the 6th Algerian Tirailleurs.
  • * 3rd Battalion of 2nd Zouaves.
  • * 7th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment, formed by merger of the Marching Tirailleurs Regiment of Occidental Morocco and Marching Tirailleurs Regiment of Oriental Morocco – October 1, 1914 till November 11, 1918.
  • * 8th Marching Zouaves Regiment by changing designation of 8th Marching Zouave Regiment – October 1914 till November 11, 1918.

Composition formations

August–September 1914

1st Moroccan Brigade – 1914
  • * Colonial Marching Regiment
  • * Marching Zouave Regiment2nd Moroccan Brigade – 1914
  • * Marching Tirailleurs Regiment of Oriental Morocco
  • * Marching Tirailleurs Regiment of Occidental Morocco

October 1914 – June 1918

1st Moroccan Brigade

July–November 1918

1st Moroccan Brigade

Engagements

Mobilized in Morocco:

1914

1915

1916

  • January 16 – February 24: movement towards Crépy-en-Valois; instruction. As of January 23, movement by stage towards the camp of Crèvecœur-le-Grand; pause instruction. As of February 13, movement towards the region of Noyers-Saint-Martin; pause.
  • February 24 – June 19: movement towards Montdidier, occupation of a sector between l'Oise and Plessis-de-Roye.
  • June 19 – July 6: retrieved from the front. Transported by V.F. into the region of Amiens. In reserve at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme.
  • July 6–15: movement towards front, engaged in the Battle of Somme, towards Belloy-en-Santerre and east of Flaucourt
  • July 15–29: retrieved from the front. Transported by V.F. in the region of Gournay-sur-Aronde.
  • July 29 – October 29: movement towards the front and occupation of a sector between Belval and la lisière south of the wooden forst of Loges.
  • October 29 – November 17: retrieved from the front. Pause towards Estrées-Saint-Denis. As of November 3, movement towards the camp de Crèvecœur; instruction.
  • November 17 – December 28: transported by truck into the region of Chuignolles. Occupation of a sector towards Belloy-en-Santerre and south of Barleux.
  • December 28, 1916 – January 25, 1917: retrieved from the front, movement towards the camp de Crèvecœur; instruction.

1917

  • January 25 – February 8: movement towards the front; occupation of a sector towards Beuvraignes and south Armancourt, Somme.
  • February 8 – March 14: retrieved from the front. Element at work towards Montdidier, elements at pause towards Froissy and Crèvecœur-le-Grand.
  • March 14–31: movement towards Montdidier, engaged within the second frontal line during Operation Alberich.
  • March 31 – April 26: transported by V.F. from Montdidier and Hargicourt towards Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple and Cuperly. As of April 3, occupation of a sector between Auberive-sur-Suippe and north of Baconnes. As of April 17, engaged in the bataille des Monts de Champagne, apprehending of Auberive-sur-Suippe.
  • April 26 – June 2: retrieved from the front, pause towards Châlons-en-Champagne.
  • June 2 – July 4: transported by truck towards Jonchery-sur-Vesle, then starting June 5, occupation of a sector between Miette and Aisne.
  • July 4 – August 18: retrieved from the front. As of July 10, pause towards Arcis-sur-Aube. As of August 8, transported by truck into the region Verdun; work.
  • August 18 – September 3: occupation of a sector toward Chattancourt and Meuse.
  • September 3 – October 3: retrieved from the front, transported by truck into the region of Vaucouleurs, then starting September 8 at camp de Bois l'Évêque; pause and instruction.
  • October 3, 1917 – January 21, 1918: occupation of a sector between Limey-Remenauville and l'étang de Vargévaux.

1918

  • On January 21 – March 31: retrieved from the front, instruction towards Vaucouleurs and work. As of March 26, regroupment towards Vaucouleurs; pause and instruction.
  • March 31 – April 24: transported by V.F. north to Beauvais; work and instruction towards Rumigny; then held ready to intervene towards Sains-en-Amiénois and Hangard.
  • April 24 – May 7: movement towards the front, participated to the action of supporting Australian and British troops during the Bataille de Villers-Bretonneux 1918, south of la bourgade and towards the wooden forest of Hangard. Organization and defensive mountings, in this region with a reduced left sector, on April 29, until the northern lisière of the wooden forest of Hangard.
  • May 7–28: retrieved from the front, transported by trucks towards Nanteuil-le-Haudouin; paused.
  • May 28 – June 4: transported by truck towards Dommiers. Engaged in the Third Battle of the Aisne towards the Montagne de Paris, Missy-aux-Bois, Chaudun, combat and retrieved, then organisation again at the front. As of June 1, regroupment in the region of Vivières, Villers-Cotterêts.
  • June 4–20: movement towards the front and occupation of a sector towards Ambleny and Aisne, made way right on June 14 towards Ambleny and Fosse-en-Haut.
  • June 20 – July 5: retrieved from the front and paused towards Rethondes.
  • July 5–22: movement towards the front and occupation of a sector towards Fosse-en-Haut and Saint-Pierre-Aigle. As of July 18, engaged towards Laversine and Saint-Pierre-Aigle in the Battle of Soisonnais, attack on Saint-Pierre-Aigle, Dommiers and Chaudun.
  • July 22 – August 27: retrieved from the front; transported into the regions Breteuil and Crèvecœur-le-Grand; pause.
  • August 27 – September 17: transported by truck to the front, preparation of offensives. Took part in the frontal line pushing towards the Hindenburg Line. Apprehending of Terny-Sorny, September 5; progression towards Vauxaillon, apprehending of positions of region of Allemant
  • September 17 – October 13: retrieved from the front and paused toward Vic-sur-Aisne, then towards Meaux. As of September 24, transported by V.F. to Rosières-aux-Salines; paused.
  • October 13 – November 11: movement towards the front and occupation of a sector towards Brezange-la-Grande and Brin-sur-Seille; offensive preparations.
  • November 17: Liberation of Château-Salins and Moselle.

Army attachments and Army Corps detachments

Most Armed/Army Corps are the subdivisions of an Army, which could also be the designation of an Air Army/Force or Naval Army/Force contingent. However and throughout the courses of the World Wars, France centralized the vast majority of front combat theatre battles, led almost entirely by regiments of the French Army, hence the designation of "Army". During World War I, the Moroccan Division being organically assigned part of the French Army included the following land "Army" attachments which included various Army Corps detachments and Army Corps ):

Division Decorations

Moroccan Division Commanders

Division Commanders

  • August 18 – October 8, 1914: Division Général Humbert
  • October 8, 1914 – June 21, 1915: Division Général Ernest Joseph Blondlat
  • June 21, 1915 – August 3, 1916: Division Général Codet
  • August 3, 1916 – September 1, 1917: Division Général Degoutte
  • September 1, 1917 – January 23, 1922: Général Albert Joseph Marie Daugan

Brigade Commanders

  • 1st Moroccan Brigade
  • 2nd Moroccan Brigade

Memorial of Givenchy-en-Gohelle

A Monument was inaugurated in June 1925 at Givenchy-en-Gohelle on the plateau de Vimy, in front of the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, and renders homage to the Moroccan Division and the hundreds of thousands of Foreign soldiers engaged for France during the War.

Bibliographies

  • Jean-Louis Larcade, Zouaves et tirailleurs, les régiments de marche et les régiments mixtes : 1914-1918, Argonautes, 2000
  • Anthony Clayton, Histoire de l'Armée française en Afrique 1830-1962, Albin Michel, 1994
  • Pages de gloire de la Division marocaine, 1919
  • AFGG, vol. 2, t. 10 : Ordres de bataille des grandes unités : divisions d'infanterie, divisions de cavalerie, 1924, 1092 p..
  • Ministère des Armées, État-Major de l'Armée de Terre, Service Historique, Inventaire sommaire des archives de la Guerre 1914–1918, Imprimerie « La Renaissance »