38th Infantry Division (France)
38th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the French Army active during the First World War.
The 38th Division was formed in August 1914 from personnel from North Africa within the 19th Military Region; The division consisted primarily of tirailleurs and Zouaves.
Of particular note is that the 4e brigade marocaine was a part of the Division for a large part of WW1. It was formed around two infantry regiments. The Régiment d'infanterie coloniale du Maroc is the most decorated unit of the French Army. Not to be outdone, the 4e régiment mixte de zouaves et tirailleurs gained a reputation as an elite formation, too. It distinguished itself during the First World War, notably during the recapture of Fort Douaumont on 24 October 1916 and the battle of La Malmaison on 23 October 1917. The unit was cited six times in the orders of the Army during the war, and consequently received the red Fourragère on 9 November 1918. Its flag was decorated with the Légion d'honneur on 13 July 1919.
The Division is noted for its role in the first and second offensive stages of the fighting at Verdun during October and December 1916. It captured the Fort de la Malmaison during the battle of the same name on 23 October 1917.
Commanders
- 2 August - 11 November 1914 : Général Muteau
- 12 November 1914 - 13 January 1915 : Général de Bazelaire
- 13 January - 21 May 1915 : Général Hély d'Oissel
- 21 May 1915 - 22 April 1916 : Général Rouquerol
- 22 April 1916 - 16 October 1918 : Général Arthur Guyot de Salins
- 16 October 1918 - 12 April 1919 : Général Dufieux
Chain of Command
Source:| From | To | Army |
| 13 August 1914 | 27 October 1914 | 5th Army (France) |
| 27 October 1914 | 16 November 1914 | DAB |
| 16 November 1914 | 31 December 1914 | 8th Army (France) |
| 31 December 1914 | 17 January 1915 | 2nd Army (France) |
| 17 January 1915 | 7 April 1915 | GPN |
| 7 April 1915 | 22 May 1915 | DAB |
| 22 May 1915 | 13 June 1915 | GPN |
| 13 June 1915 | 10 May 1916 | GAN |
| 10 May 1916 | 25 May 1916 | 6th Army (France) |
| 25 May 1916 | 22 January 1917 | 2nd Army |
| 22 January 1917 | 24 January 1917 | 4th Army (France) |
| 24 January 1917 | 3 February 1917 | 5th Army |
| 3 February 1917 | 29 July 1917 | 6th Army |
| 29 July 1917 | 20 August 1917 | 3rd Army (France) |
| 20 August 1917 | 6 November 1917 | 6th Army |
| 6 November 1917 | 12 December 1917 | 5th Army |
| 12 December 1917 | 9 February 1918 | 4th Army |
| 9 February 1918 | 20 March 1918 | 5th Army |
| 20 March 1918 | 27 March 1918 | 6th Army |
| 27 March 1918 | 12 April 1918 | 3rd Army |
| 12 April 1918 | 2 May 1918 | 4th Army |
| 2 May 1918 | 7 May 1918 | 6th Army |
| 7 May 1918 | 11 June 1918 | 3rd Army |
| 11 June 1918 | 2 August 1918 | 10th Army (France) |
| 2 August 1918 | 11 August 1918 | 3rd Army |
| 11 August 1918 | 30 August 1918 | 10th Army |
| 30 August 1918 | 16 September 1918 | 3rd Army |
| 16 September 1918 | 11 November 1918 | 7th Army (France) |
Composition
1914
August 1914- 75e brigade
- 76e brigade
1915
End of July 1915- 75e brigade - has transferred out to the 25th Division
- Brigade de Fusiliers Marins- replaced the 75e, with the Division until its disbandment
- 76e brigade
1916
As of 1 January 1916- 76e brigade
- 4e brigade marocaine - attached since November 1915
1918
End of September 1918- 4e régiment de marche de zouaves, no change
- 4e régiment mixte de zouaves et tirailleurs, no change
- 10e groupe, comprising 49e, 65e & 69e bataillons de chasseurs à pied, to replace the 8e RMTZ
- RICM transferred out to the newly-formed 2nd Moroccan Division in August 1918, no replacement formation to take their place.
Chronology
1914
2 August 1914 : mobilized partly in Algeria, partly in France.4 – 18 August : transported by sea and then by rail; all units were concentrated in the Chimay region.
18 – 24 August : moved, via Froidchapelle and Walcourt, towards the Sambre.
22 August 22 : engaged in the Battle of Charleroi : fighting towards Châtelet and Somzée.
24 August – 6 September : retreated, via Sains-Richaumont, towards the Chevresis-Monceau region.
29 August : engaged in the Battle of Guise : fighting, towards Ribemont and Villers-le-Sec, Meuse. From 30 August, retreated, via Chavonne, Trélou-sur-Marne and Montmirail, Marne, to the north of Provins.
6 – 14 September : engaged in the First Battle of the Marne.
6 – 19 September : Battle of the Two Morins. From 10 September, continued via Château-Thierry and Fismes, up to the Chemin des Dames, north of Paissy.
14 September – 26 October : engaged in the First Battle of the Aisne : fighting towards the Hurtebise and Creute farms; stabilization of the front and occupied a sector towards the Hurtebise farm and the road from Paissy to Ailles.
12 October : French attacks towards the Creute farm.
26 – 29 October : withdrew from the front line; transported by rail, from the Fismes region to that of Calais, then transported by trucks to that of Furnes, Belgium.
29 October – 9 December : moved to the front line. Engaged in the Battle of the Yser: repeated violent fighting towards Luyghem, Poesele, Bikschote and the Passeur house; then stabilisation of the front, and occupied of a sector on the Yser, towards the Knokke bridge and the Passeur house. From 4 December, French attacks on the Passeur's house.
9 – 25 December : moved and occupied a new sector towards Verbranden-Molen and the castle 1 km west of Hollebeke.
14 December : French attacks.
1915
25 December 1914 – 2 February 1915 : withdrew from the front line and moved in stages to the Cassel, Nord region.31 December : transported by rail to the southwest of Montdidier, Somme: rest and refresher training.
17 January : transported by rail to Dunkirk region; rest in the Hondschoote region.
31 January : moved to Coxyde.
2 February 1915 – 20 April 1916 : moved to the front line and occupied a sector towards Nieuwpoort, Belgium.
23 April - 6 May : elements engaged towards Steenstrate and Lizerne.
9 May : German attack at Nieuwpoort.
1916
20 April – 30 May : withdrew from the front line to Bergues; rest and refresher training.10 May : transported by truck to the training camp at Crèvecœur-le-Grand;refresher training.
25 May : transported by rail to Laheycourt, then moved to Vaubecourt: rest.
30 May – 22 June : moved towards the front line.
12 June : engaged in the Battle of Verdun, towards Hill 304 and the eastern edge of the Avocourt woods.
22 June – 12 July : withdrew from the front line; rest in the Fleury-sur-Aire, Jubécourt region.
12 – 27 July : moved to the front line, engaged again in the Battle of Verdun; occupied a sector towards Hill 304 and the eastern edge of the Avocourt wood.
27 July – 3 August : withdrew from the front line to Revigny; rest.
3 – 21 August : moved to the front line, occupied a sector towards the Thiaumont fortification and the Vaux wood: fighting from the 17th to the 21st August.
21 August – 21 October : withdrew from the front line; rest and refresher training at the Tannois camp.
21 – 31 October : transported by trucks to Verdun. From the 23rd, occupied a sector towards the Haudromont woods and the Thiaumont fortification.
24 October : engaged in the 1st Verdun Offensive : capture of Fort Douaumont, then occupation and organisation of the captured positions towards the Bois d'Haudromont and Fort Douaumont.
31 October – 10 December : withdrew from the front; rest in the Tannois, Stainville region.
10 – 20 December : transported by trucks to Verdun.
14 December : occupied a sector towards the Haudromont woods and the village of Douaumont
15 December : engaged again in the 1st Verdun Offensive: capture of Louvemont; on the 18th, capture of the Chambrettes farm; then occupation and organisation of the captured positions.
20 December 1916 – 16 January 1917 : withdrew from the front line to the Ligny-en-Barrois, Gondrecourt-le-Château region; rest and refresher training.
1917
16 January – 15 April : moved, via Mailly-le-Camp and Montmirail, Marne, to Nogent-l'Artaud; rest and refresher training.27 March : moved in stages towards Château-Thierry, then Coulonges and Bazoches.
2 - 14 April : elements in the sector towards the Chemin des Dames.
15 – 29 April : took up a position north of the Aisne (river), towards Jumigny.
From 16 April : engaged in the Second Battle of the Aisne: capture of enemy positions south of Chermizy-Ailles; then organisation of the captured terrain towards the Hurtebise farm and the road from Paissy to Ailles.
25 April : violent German attack and French counter-attack.
29 April – 7 July : withdrew from the front line to Fismes ; rest and refresher training.
7 July – 20 August : grouping in the Belleau, Aisne region and from 29 July, transported by truck to the Lassigny camp; rest and refresher training.
20 August – 18 September : transported by trucks to Vailly-sur-Aisne; then occupied a sector towards the Pantheon and the north of the Colombe farm.
18 September – 20 October : withdrew from the front line to Ecury; rest and refresher training.
20 – 31 October : occupied a sector between the north of the Colombe farm and the west of the Pantheon. From 23 October, engaged in the Battle of La Malmaison: attack and capture of the fort of Malmaison, then organisation of the captured positions towards Pargny-Filain and Chavignon.
31 October – 12 December : withdrew from the front line; transported by trucks to Crézancy, then moved in stages to Avize and Vertus; rest and refresher training.
12 December 1917 – 1 February 1918 : moved towards Tours-sur-Marne and Mourmelon-le-Grand; employed on working parties.
1918
1 February – 25 March : moved to the Vertus region; rest and refresher training.25 February - 25 March : moved to the Damery, Marne region; rest and refresher training.
25 March –April 3 : moved to Mareuil-le-Port; on the 26th, transported by truck to Ressons-sur-Matz. From 27 March : engaged in the 2nd battle of Picardy during Operation Michael.
28, 29 and 31 March : resistance to the German offensive towards Orvillers-Sorel.
3 April – 8 May : withdrew from the front line to Gournay-sur-Aronde; rest and working parties.
10 April : grouping between Pont-Sainte-Maxence and Estrées-Saint-Denis.
12 April : transported by truck to Tours-sur-Marne and Aÿ; rest and refresher training.
1 May : moved in stages towards Tracy-le-Mont and Offémont.
8 May – June 11 : occupied a sector towards Sempigny and Varesnes. Engaged in the Third Battle of the Aisne, retreated to Mont de Choisy, situated to the north east of Caisnes.
30 May and 5 June : violent German attacks towards Mont de Choisy.
11 June – 14 July : withdrew, then occupied and defended a sector towards Tracy-le-Val and Bailly.
14 – 23 July : ring road moved, and, from the 15th, occupied a sector towards the Chavigny farm and Saint-Pierre-Aigle. From 18 July, engaged, towards Longpont and the Chavigny farm, in the Second Battle of the Marne : combats of Longpont and Tigny, progression to Hartennes. Undertook the attacks on 18 and 19 July in concert with the 2nd Infantry Division (United States).
23 July – 4 August : withdrew from the front line, its positions were relieved by the 34th Division (United Kingdom). Regrouped at Vez, Oise, then moved towards Cuise-la-Motte and Trosly-Breuil; rest.
4 August – 6 September : occupied a sector towards Bailly, Oise and the Saint-Mard woods.
19 - 29 August : engaged in the Carlepont region to the north of the Oise river, between Noyon and Pontoise-lès-Noyon.
29 August - 6 September : organisation of the positions conquered in this region.
6 – 15 September : withdrew from the front line, moved to Chevrières, Oise; rest and refresher training.
15 September – 2 November : transported by rail to Montbéliard.
From 22 September, occupied a sector in Oberelsaß, between Fulleren and Burnhaupt-le-Bas, moved to the right, 12 October, between Fulleren and the Swiss border.
2 – 11 November : moved to Héricourt, Haute-Saône, then, from the 5th, to Épinal, via Ronchamp, Luxeuil-les-Bains, Plombières-les-Bains, Remiremont and Arches, Vosges.