Extent of French Mobilization in 1940.

[Loïc]

Average age inside the Regional Regiments, I dont' know, these units were for oldest reservists 38 to 48 or 50 years old while série B are for 30-38 years old so youngers reservists than the average age of 39 you found

There were 117 regiments raised throughout the period including 5 Passive Defense (Firemen) for Paris and Lyon and 23 partially unarmed Labour/Workers Regiments (one battalion of the 33e RRT had 292 rifles for 1600 men) the others regiments having also labour/pioneer or firemen passive defense units for major cities
but many of their battalions were quickly disbanded, including whole regiments, due to the demobilization of the oldest classes 1909 1910 1911, e.g. an other Labour regiment the 223e RRT with 3700 men in september 1939 was reduced to 1200 men in march 1940 losing two-third of its initial strength

the GUI were not at all Depôts units but 3-battalions-Groups to gather the XXIst autonomous battalions of the active regiments formed with youngest reservists/recalled conscripts, firsts battalions were raised even before september 1939 during the peacetime period
many of these GUI were converted into Infantry Regiments of the newly-raised DLI in june 1940

Regards
Loïc L.

[Kelvin]

Average age inside the Regional Regiments, I dont' know, these units were for oldest reservists 38 to 48 or 50 years old while série B are for 30-38 years old so youngers reservists than the average age of 39 you found

There were 117 regiments raised throughout the period including 5 Passive Defense (Firemen) for Paris and Lyon and 23 partially unarmed Labour/Workers Regiments (one battalion of the 33e RRT had 292 rifles for 1600 men) the others regiments having also labour/pioneer or firemen passive defense units for major cities
but many of their battalions were quickly disbanded, including whole regiments, due to the demobilization of the oldest classes 1909 1910 1911, e.g. an other Labour regiment the 223e RRT with 3700 men in september 1939 was reduced to 1200 men in march 1940 losing two-third of its initial strength

the GUI were not at all Depôts units but 3-battalions-Groups to gather the XXIst autonomous battalions of the active regiments formed with youngest reservists/recalled conscripts, firsts battalions were raised even before september 1939 during the peacetime period
many of these GUI were converted into Infantry Regiments of the newly-raised DLI in june 1940

Regards
Loïc L.

Hi, Loic, thank for your information, but regarding five Alpine Divisions (28-31) exactly they were all active units ? Because I find out All five divisions had their XXI Instruction battalion. But many sources said only 27 and 29e Alpine were active ; others were A Class, but some sources did include 31e as active too.

And so called XXI Instruction battalion some translated as training battalion but " instruction " was also would be saying like German " Lehr " Are they demonstration units to collect qualifed cadre for other units like intregrated into 200 series DLI ?

[Loïc]

hello
there was usually only one active metropolitan Division per region during the peactime period, in some cases 2, with the wartime are usually formed also one série A, one série B, you have here
the 27e active and the 28e série A of the 14e Région (Lyon)
29e active and 30e série A of the 15e Région (Marseille)
31e active converted into alpine Division in the 16e Région (Montpellier) even if traditionally located in Languedoc-Roussillon Pyrénées than Alps area the série A of this last région was the 32e

the XXIe Bataillon d'Instruction, Instruction Training, I could not say for the comparison with the "Lehr" because German Army it is totally an other galaxy for me, these battalions were initially for the disponibles reservists-last conscripts having finished their military service recalled, first battalions were sent to guard the border with Spain before the war, after that with the war their men more than their cadres were sent into "normal" battalions if I can say like that, but I don't have a lot of datas about that, in the battalion assigned to guard the GQG (XXI/5e RI) 300 men were divided between the 3 infantry regiments of the 71e DI in march 1940
these battalions didn't follow their regiments or half-brigades as they were mainly grouped by 3 in the G.U.I. but can be found as any other combat unit with the Divisions or Fortified Sectors, frontline area, 2 news regiments raised (6e & 7e) came from them in october 1939, in june 1940 about the 21 G.U.I. 8 were totally converted into news infantry regiments and the others renforcing others Divisions or sectors

Regards
Loïc

[Kelvin]

hello
there was usually only one active metropolitan Division per region during the peactime period, in some cases 2, with the wartime are usually formed also one série A, one série B, you have here
the 27e active and the 28e série A of the 14e Région (Lyon)
29e active and 30e série A of the 15e Région (Marseille)
31e active converted into alpine Division in the 16e Région (Montpellier) even if traditionally located in Languedoc-Roussillon Pyrénées than Alps area the série A of this last région was the 32e

the XXIe Bataillon d'Instruction, Instruction Training, I could not say for the comparison with the "Lehr" because German Army it is totally an other galaxy for me, these battalions were initially for the disponibles reservists-last conscripts having finished their military service recalled, first battalions were sent to guard the border with Spain before the war, after that with the war their men more than their cadres were sent into "normal" battalions if I can say like that, but I don't have a lot of datas about that, in the battalion assigned to guard the GQG (XXI/5e RI) 300 men were divided between the 3 infantry regiments of the 71e DI in march 1940
these battalions didn't follow their regiments or half-brigades as they were mainly grouped by 3 in the G.U.I. but can be found as any other combat unit with the Divisions or Fortified Sectors, frontline area, 2 news regiments raised (6e & 7e) came from them in october 1939, in june 1940 about the 21 G.U.I. 8 were totally converted into news infantry regiments and the others renforcing others Divisions or sectors

Regards
Loïc

Hi, Loic, thank a lot for your help on Alpine division and GUI.