9th Army Corps (France)


The 9th Army Corps was a large military formation of the French Army, constituted during the Second French Empire, and during the First and the Second World War.

History

First World War

At the mobilisation, the 9e Army Corps was constituted near Tours as a subunit of the Second Army. The 9e Corps comprised two infantry divisions, the 17th and 52nd, and the Division Marocaine, a colonial infantry division.

Second World War

In early September 1939, the 9e Corps was re-created in Tours, under general Émile Laure, from elements of the 9th military region. It was a part of the Fourth Army, under General Edouard Réquin, itself a part of the Second Army Group which was charged with the defence of the Maginot Line.

Battle of France

From late 1939 to May 1940, the 9e Corps was deployed around the Saint-Avold – Faulquemont sector, in Moselle, with the general staff in Landroff.
By late May, the Germans had pierced in the Ardennes and, with the military situation degrading, front units on the Maginot Line were gradually brought back and sent on the front on the Somme. On 22 May, General Marcel Ihler took command of the Corps. On 27 May, the Corps marched towards Sarcus, and then to Lyons-la-Forêt, in Normandy, along with General Altmayer's Tenth Army.
The remnants of the 9e Corps were eventually surrounded in Saint-Valéry-en-Caux and surrendered on 12 June 1940.

Detailed Order of Battle (10 May 1940)

9th Army Corps Assets (Corps Troops) (May 1940)
  • Cavalry/Reconnaissance: 15th Army Corps Reconnaissance Group
  • Infantry: 609th Pioneer Regiment – I, II, III Battalions
  • Artillery: 109th Heavy Horse-Drawn Artillery Regiment
  • * 1st Group – 12 x 105mm L 1913 guns
  • * 2nd Group – 12 x 105mm L 1913 guns
  • * 3rd Group – 12 x 155mm L 1917 guns
  • * 4th Group – 12 x 155mm L 1917 guns
  • Engineers:
  • * 109/1 & 109/2 Sapper-Miner Companies
  • * 109/16 Bridging Train Company
  • * 109/21 Engineer Park Company
  • Signals:
  • * 109/81 Field Telegraph Company
  • * 109/82 Radio Company
  • Medical: 9th Light Horse Ambulance
    11th Infantry Division (11e DI)
  • Infantry:
  • * 26th Infantry Regiment – I, II, III Battalions
  • * 170th Infantry Regiment – I, II, III Battalions
  • * 8th Battalion of Chasseurs à Pied
  • Artillery:
  • * 8th Artillery Regiment – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Groups
  • * 208th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment – 4th Group
  • Reconnaissance: 17th Divisional Reconnaissance Group
  • Engineers: 11/1 & 11/2 Sapper-Miner Companies
    47th Infantry Division (47e DI)
  • Infantry:
  • * 8th Infantry Regiment – I, II, III Battalions
  • * 44th Infantry Regiment – I, II, III Battalions
  • * 225th Infantry Regiment – I, II, III Battalions
  • Artillery:
  • * 4th Artillery Regiment – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Groups
  • * 204th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment – 4th Group
  • Reconnaissance: 14th Divisional Reconnaissance Group
  • Engineers: 47/1 & 47/2 Sapper-Miner Companies

Commanders