David Lehmann wrote:Hello,
The French Army in FRANCE in 1940 :
In 1940 there were 28* active infantry divisions (generally rather well equipped, most men under 30 years old) :
• 7 "motorized" infantry divisions (1e, 3e, 5e, 9e, 12e, 15e, 25e DIM)
• 10 infantry divisions (10e, 11e, 13e, 14e, 19e, 21e, 23e, 36e, 42e, 43e DI)
• 3 mountain infantry divisions (27e, 29e, 31e DIA)
• 4 colonial infantry divisions (1e, 2e, 3e, 4e DIC)
• 4 north African infantry divisions (1e, 2e, 3e, 4e DINA)
* there were only 20 in early 1939
Fortress infantry divisions : 101e, 102e, 103e, 104e and 105e DIF (administratively divisional organization but infantry regiments spread all along the Maginot Line).
The mobilization allowed to constitute :
• 24 “A” type reserve infantry divisions (equipment rather complete) :
--o 2e, 4e, 6e, 7e, 16e, 18e, 20e, 22e, 24e, 26e, 31e, 32e, 35e, 41e, 44e, 45e and 47e DI
--o 28e and 30e DIA
--o 5e, 6e and 7e DIC
--o 5e and 6e DINA
• 19 “B” type reserve infantry divisions (older men, many equipments and officers lacking) :
--o 51e, 52e, 53e, 54e, 55e, 56e, 57e, 58e, 60e, 61e, 62e, 63e, 66e, 67e, 68e, 70e and 71e DI
--o 64e and 65e DIA
A total of 71 infantry divisions (+ 5 fortress infantry divisions) at the beginning of the campaign.
There were also 4 armored divisions (1e, 2e, 3e and 4e DCR) depending from the infantry, 3 created between January and May 1940 and the fourth during the campaign.
For the cavalry, there were originally 3 cavalry divisions (1e, 2e and 3e DC) later reorganized to form 5 light cavalry divisions (1e, 2e, 3e, 4e and 5e DLC). There were also 3 light mechanized divisions (1e, 2e and 3e DLM) formed before May 1940 (the 3e DLM being mostly formed by reservists) plus the 4e and 7e DLM formed during the campaign on reduced establishments from two shattered cavalry divisions.
The fortress divisions could be considered active units as their components were originally active units. The ratio of active and reserve troops in the active, series A and series B divisions probably varied widely among those of the same type. It should also be pointed out some active divisions had to give up a large part of their active elements to form the series A and B divisions ; they could almost be called series A themselves.
On 10th May 1940 the cavalry consisted in :
• 5 Divisions Légères de Cavalerie (DLC)
• 3 Divisions Légères Mécaniques (DLM)
• 1 Brigade de Cavalerie (BC)
• 3 Brigades de Spahis (BS)
• 23 Groupes de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée (GRCA)
--o 20 normal (horses)
--o 3 motorized
• 105 Groupes de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie (GRDI)
--o 52 normal (horses)
--o 7 motorized (5 with armored cars)
--o 46 reduced (in the colonies or late created units)
• A few corps francs de cavalerie (including armored cars) during the campaign
• 3 regiments in the 4e DCR
DINA stands for Division d'Infanterie Nord-Africaine, North-African Infantry Division.
1) The organization of a DINA is similar to a French "North-East" infantry division. Generally all the officers are white but there are white and arabs among the troops. The Africans were not segregated like in the US Army, the troops were mixed and there were also African officers, I have at least the example of one Senegalese captain.
2) There is no tanks in such a unit.
3) The equipment was as good as the other infantry units and most of the DINA were active trooops.
4) What do you call "French Foreigner Corps" ? There are aslo French colonial units, French overseas units and French Foreign Legion units ....
There were initially 4 DINA and 2 more after the mobilization. A 7e DINA was created on 16th March 1940 but the only North African element was the infantry.
These division were roughly identical in organization to the other type "North East" infantry divisions, except the infantry and artillery regiments were type "Nord Africaine".
The exception was 5e DINA, a "white" North African Division with Zouave infantry and colonial artillery regiments.
In October 1939, a regiment of North African troops from the 2e, 3e and 4e DINA were each replaced by a "white" regiment.
A division on open terrain would hold a front 5 to 7 kilometers wide and some 5 deep.
Composition of a DINA :
• A divisional headquarters
• 1 RZ (Régiment de Zouaves) = Zouave infantry regiment = Europeans (a metropolitan regiment in 4e DINA and a demi-brigade de Chasseurs à Pied in 6e DINA, no European regiment in 1e and 7e DINA - The Zouaves regiments are initially built with white colonists from Algeria)
• 2 North African infantry regiments (3 regiments in 1e and 7e DINA). These regiments were RTA = régiment de tirailleurs algériens, RTT = régiment de tirailleurs tunisiens or RTM = régiment de tirailleurs marocains
• A (13th) divisional pioneer company
• A (14th) divisional AT company (CDAC = compagnie divisionnaire anti-char - 12x 25mm SA34 AT guns)
• A North African light artillery regiment (RANA = régiment d'artillerie nord africaine, 36 75mm Mle1897 guns)
• A North African heavy artillery regiment (RALNA = régiment d'artillerie lourde nord africaine, 24 155mm C Mle1917 guns)
• A (10th) divisional AT battery (BDAC = batterie de défense anti-char, 8 47mm SA37 AT guns in several reserve divisions it is a mixed AT battery with 75mm and 47mm guns)
• A divisional artillery park (PAD = parc d'artillerie divisionnaire)
• An engineer battalion (bataillon de sapeurs-mineurs)
• A telegraph company
• A radio company
• A horse drawn HQ transport company
• A motor HQ transport company
• A divisional quartermaster service
• A divisional medical group
Total for the DINA :
• 497 officers, 1736 NCOs, 14309 corporals and men = 16542 soldiers
• 4869 horses / mules
• 1278 wagons
• 546 motor vehicles (cars, trucks, heavy trucks, Renault UE chenillettes)
• 284 motorcycles / side-cars
• 625 bicycles
Regards,
David
Hi, David, I see the book why France collapsed mentions each French North African infantry regiment had 1,995 Arab soldiers and nine officers and 331 French soldiers and 57 officers.
Did other units in DINA, like engineer battalion, signal units, transport company, artillery units and other admin units also some breakdown in the number of Arab and French in each unit ? Thank.