Let's Build.. Free French Forces Serving in North Africa.

[PPZ]

- Part 6 : ...........................april 1942 : Libya's desert

OOB of 1st DFL

- 2nd Free French's Independent Brigade

- Commander of 2nd BFL : Gn Cazaud
- Compagny of QG 52 : Lt Belan

- First Group : Lt Cl Lelange
- Bataillon de Marche n°11 : Cdt Langlois

- Second Group : Lt Cl Garbay
- Bataillon de Marche n°3 : Cdt Allegrini
- 1er Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère : Cdt de Bollardiére
- 1er Groupe d'Artillerie Coloniale : Cpt Marsault
- 21e Compagnie Nord-Africaine : Cpt Giraud
- 23e Compagnie Nord-Africaine : Cpt Guyot
- 2e Compagnie Anti-Chars (A.T.) : Cpt Magendie
- 2e Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs : Lt Herlin
- 2e Compagnie Transmissions : Cpt Huet
- 102e Compagnie Auto (transport) : Cpt Baquié
- 2e Atelier Lourd de Réparation Auto : Cpt Bagier
- Intendance : Int Perrat
- Groupe d'Exploitation n°2 : Asp Bertrand
- Groupe Sanitaire Divisionnaire n°2 : Med Cdt Delavenne
- Diverses Services : furniture, treasure, post office, military police,
military justice, religious services, supplys, instruction's centers ....

In all : 3159 men

.... the two brigades are under command of Gn de Larminat (QG is
situated in Bardia from april 3, 1942)
- Compagnie de QG 50 : Lt Fénaux
-Additionally :
- 1e Compagnie de Chars (Crusader's tank) : Cpt Divry
- 1e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée : Cpt Jourdier
( Spahis Marocains using machine-gun's cars and guns "Conus")

Period from april 1st to june 30, 1942
- April 1st, 1942 : 2nd BFLI is ready, moving to libya's desert. The 3th
BFLI is keeping for protection of Lebanon and Syria until the end of
the war
- April 20, 1942 : BM11 take position in Djaraboud's oasis.
1st BFLI is always in Bir-Hakeim's Box, in face of Axis Force's attack of
mai 27, 1942. Same situation for the 2nd BFLI in Bardia's sector. Only
Bir-Hakeim and Tobrouk resist.
-Mai 30, 1942 : BM11 moves to Djalo (300 kms S.W.)
- Until june 11, 1942, Afrika Korps is stopped before Bir Hakeim
- During the night of june 11, 1st BFLI evacuates the Box, rejoining the
2nd BFLI in Egypt.
-June 30, 1942 : BM11 retreats to Cairo (950 kms by Kattara's desert)

Part 7 : El Alamein : october 1942 ..................

Cordialement

[David W]

Have just got out of bed for the first time since my operation on Thursday.

Will speak properly later.

Thanks David.

[PPZ]

-Part 7 : ........................ october 1942 : EL Alamein

OOB of 1st DFL

- Free French of Western Desert
( united two BFLI of Middle Orient)

- Commander of FFWD : Gn de Larminat
- Compagnie de QG50 : Lt Fénaux

- First Light Division : Gn Koenig
- Compagnie de QG51 : Lt Muracciole
- 2e Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère : Cl Amilakvary
- 1e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine et du Pacifique : Cdt Bouillon
- 22e Compagnie Nord Africaine : Cpt Lequesne
- 1e Regiment d'Artillerie : Cdt Laurent-Champrosay
- 1e Bataillon de Fusilliers- Marins (A.A.) : CC Amyot d'Inville
- Compagnie Anti-Chars (A.T.) : Cpt Jacquin
- 1e Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs : Cpt Desmaisons
- 1e Compagnie Transmissions : Cpt Renard
- 101e Compagnie Auto (transport) : Cpt Dulau
- Atelier Lourd de Réparations Auto n°1 : Cpt Bell
- Intendance : Int Bouton
- Groupe d'exploitation n°1 : Lt Foussat
- Groupe Sanitaire Divisionnaire n°1 : Med-Cdt Vignes
- Ambulance Chirurgicale Légère : Med-Cdt Durbach
- Hôpital de Campagne Hadfied-Spears : Med Ch Vernier

- Second Light Division : Lt Cl Alessandri
- Compagnie de QG52 : Lt Bélan
- 1er Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère : Cdt de Sairigné
- Bataillon de Marche n°11 : Cdt Langlois
- Bataillon de Marche n°5 : Cdt Gardet
- 1er Groupe d'Artillerie Coloniale : Cdt Marsault
- 2e Compagnie Anti-Chars (A.T.) : Cpt Magendie
- 2e Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs : Lt Hulin
- 2e Compagnie Transmissions : Cpt Huet
- 102e Compagnie Auto (transport) : Cpt Baquié
- Atelier Lourd de Réparations Auto n°2 : Cpt Bagier
- Intendance : Int Perrat
- Groupe d'Exploitation n°2 : Lt Bertrand
- Groupe Sanitaire Divisionnaire n°2 : Med-Cdt Delavenne

- Diverses Services : Furniture, treasure, post office, military police,
military justice, religious services, supplys, instruction's centers ......

In all : 6318 men

- Free French Flying Column
- 1er Régiment de Marche de Spahis Marocains : Cdt Rémy
- 1e Compagnie de Chars (Crusader) : Cdt Divry

Period from june 30 to november 30, 1942
- July, august and september 1942 : after having suffer heavy loss, the
two BFL move to rest in Egypt and must be reconstituate.
- BM2 leaves the 1st BFL to Madagascar (after a period in Lebanon)
- Survivors of Bataillon du Pacifique and Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine
formated a new unit : Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine et du
Pacifique (BIMP)
- 3e Bataillon de Légion Etrangère is dissolved (men rejoined the
2e Bataillon de Légion Etrangère)
- BM3 is rapatried to Tchad and includes the Regiment Sénégalais du
du Tchad (Lelerc's column)
- BM5 created in Cameroun joins the 2nd BFL
- October 11, 1942 : the FFWD joins the VIIIe British Army in El Alamein
( 1st L.D. in south, face to Himeîmat's cliff ; 2nd in center of lignes)
- october 23, 1942 : Gn Montgomery starts the Battle of El Alamein
- 1st L.D. in action in Himeîmat
- november 4, 1942 : retreat of Axis Forces to Tobrouk and Benghazi
- Montgomery orders operation "Super-Charge"
- In Action to Tunisia : BIMP and Free French Flying Column
- november 30, 1942 : FFWD is based in Gambut


Part 8 : Tunisia : may 1943 ........................

Cordialement !
P.S. : to David : have a fast recover !

[David W]

Thank you.

Am well enough to sit at computer for short peroids.

Can you tell me more about 1e Compagnie Chars (Crusaders) as listed 04/42. I have never seen them on any order of battle before El Alamein 10/42.

Thanks. A somewhat sore David.

[PPZ]

- Part 8 : ...........................may 1942 : Tunisia's campaign

OOB of 1st DFL

- Commander of 1st DFL : Gn de Larminat
- Commandant's Adjoined : Gn Koenig
- Compagnie de QG50 : Lt Olivier

- First Brigade : Gn Lelong
- Compagnie de QG51 : Lt Murraciole
- 1e Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère : Lt Rozenweld
- 2e Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère : Cdt de Sairigné
- 22e Compagnie Nords Africaines : Cpt Lequesne
- 1e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine et du Pacifique : Cdt Bouillon
- 1e Compagnie Anti-Chars : Cdt Arnaud
- 1e Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs : Cpt Desmaisons
- 1e Compagnie de Transmissions :Cpt Huet
- Groupe d'Exploitation n°1 : Lt Foussat
- Atelier Lourd n°1 : Cpt Bagier
- Groupe Sanitaire n°1 : Med-Cdt Guillon

- Second Brigade : Gn Brosset
- Compagnie de QG52 : Lt Belan
- Bataillon de Marche n°4 : Lt Cl Bourgeois
- Bataillon de Marche n°5 : Cdt Gardet
- Bataillon de Marche n°11 : Cdt Langlois
- 2e Compagnie Anti-Chars : Cpt Magendie
- 2e Compagnie de Sapeurs-Mineurs : Lt Tissoire
- 2e Compagnie de Transmissions : Cpt Hault
- Groupe d'Exploitation n°2 : Lt Bertrand
- Atelier Lourd n°2 : Cpt Weis
- Groupe Sanitaire n°2 : Med-Cpt Guénon
- 1e Régiment d'Artillerie : Lt Cl Laurent Champrosay
- 1e Bataillon de Fusiliers-Marins : CC Amyot d'Inville
- 101e and 102e Compagnies Auto : Cpt Dulau
- Intendance Divisionnaire : Int Perrat
- Ambulance chirurgicale légère : Med-Cdt Vignes
- Hôpital de Campagne Hadfield-Spears : Med Ch Vernier

- Diverses Services

In all : 7090 men

- Period of november 30, 1942 to june 8, 1943
- the two Free French Lights Divisions stay five months near Gambut
- BIMP in action with the VIIIth British Army joins the Leclerc's Column
in South of Tripoli (january 27, 1943). BIMP and Flying Column
participate at the Médéline's combats
- January 24, 1943 : BM4 joins the 2e DLFL
- February 1st, 1943 : the two DLFL are dissolved and the Premiere
Division Française Libre is created (two Brigades) in addition to one
Brigade n°4 : Cl Raynal (creating in Tahag with volounteers of
French Somalia)
- April 18, 1943 : Operation " Vulcain" : Division leaves Gambut to
Tunisia's Front
- May 1st, 1943 : First DFL in action in Zaghouan's mountains (1e BIMP
rejoins the mai 7, 1943)
- May 10, 1943 : 1st Brigade in action in Djabel Garci, 2nd in Takrouna's
village
- May 13, 1943 : Axis Force surrounder in Tunisia (300 000 men)
- May 20, 1943 : Allies in Tunis
- June 8, 1943 : Alger's HQ is affraid of the Gn de Gaulle's Free French
fidelity . Fighting spirit and politics choices of this volounteers become
a trouble for the politicians of North Algeria. 1st DFL is sending to
Tripolitaine's desert (Zuara)
- June 10, 1943 : the same problem for Leclerc's Column sending to
Sabrata where (with integration of Flying Column) , she becomes the
2nd DFL
- August 1st 1943 :the end of engagements in FREE FRENCH FORCES

- Cordialement

[PPZ]

- Bonsoir David !

- England 1940 : 1e Compagnie de Chars : Lt Volvey (12 H39)
- Syria's campaign : all H39 are destroyed. 1e Compagnie de Chars using
R35 from Vichy's troops . Lt Volvey is WIA. April 13, 1942, 1e Compagnie de Chars : Cpt Divry leaves Syria to Egypt (giving up R35)
- April in Cairo : Mena's camp : Cruiser Mark VI (A15) Crusader II are
delivery to Free French. (Firing exercices in Abassieh, mecanic formations and driving school in Workshop of Alexandria, transmissions
exercices (using radio is new) in Beni Youssef). Free Frenchs are very
satisfy by the Crusader ( only a lot of problems with the water-pomp)
- august 17 : 8 tanks of this compagny and 1e Regiment de Marche de Spahis Marocains (RMSM) create the Free Fench Flying Column under command of the 7th Armoured British Division
- september 10, 1942 : 1e Compagnie de Chars is ready
- october 18, 1942 : rejoins strarting positions of El Alamein's Battle.
- october 23, 1942 : in action

Cordialement !

[David W]

Superb work PPZ.

I realise to my shame that I never thanked you properly. (I'll put it down to post operative brain numbing!)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[Urmel]

Great stuff.

Merci beaucoup!

[David W]

Looks like some of my original dates of arrival into North Africa were wrong. Sadly this forum does not let you edit old posts.
Let me know if you want me to list the erratta.

i am still looking for a War Establishmemnt/T.o&E for the Battalions in North Africa. Can anyone help?
I understand that they would probably need to ne actual rather than theoretical.

[David W]

Does anyone know how many men would have been in the three Companies of the Nord Africaine Machine Gun Battalion in 1942?

[David W]

Also, does anyone have any information pertaining to to the 1st & 2nd Free French Engineer Companies?