French army in 1939.

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Thorson
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Location: Poland

Re: French army in 1939.

#16

Post by Thorson » 08 Jun 2019, 16:35

Thanks for telling me, because I thought that France had 56 divisions on the border according to:
- Situation planned @ M + 22 (24 September)

a) North-East and Jura: 56 divisions
. 23 DI Active (17 DI, 3 DINA, 3 DIC)
. 19 DI Série A (15 DI, 1 DINA, 3 DIC)
. 9 DI Série B
. 2 DLM
. 3 DC
. 1 BS

b) South-East: 9 divisions
. 5 DI Active (3 DI Mtn, 1 DINA, 1 DIC)
. 2 DI Série A Mtn
. 2 DI Série B Mtn
. 1 BS

c) Interior: 7 divisions
. 7 DI Série B

d) North-Africa: 14 divisions
. 10 DI (81e, 82e, 83e, 84e, 85e, 86e, 87e, 88e DIA *, 1e & 3e DM *)
. 4 DI "Protection" (181e, 182e, 183e DIA, 2e DM)
. 5 Cavalry Brigades
* DIA = Division d'Infanterie d'Afrique (mountain type)
* DM = Division d'Infanterie Marocaine (mountain type)
Lower Rhine is the 3 division, so September 24, 35 divisions on the border with Germany.
Do you know how many divisions did 24 Germans have?
I'm talking about the Witzbleben and Dollman armies.

Carl Schwamberger
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Location: USA

Re: French army in 1939.

#17

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 10 Jun 2019, 17:49

Heres are the mobilization dates by Division number, A combination of Nafziger & some book & web searches. Cant attest to the accuracy of the dates. Unfortunatly no information turned up on the assembly area when mobilized. Neither did any useful information on non division formations or units emerge yet. For consideration of potential offensive operations the question of the support groups, artillery, engineers, tanks, & aircraft is important. Neither do I have any clear information of which were 'Active', or Series A & B. A few I am certain of are indicated.

and missing divisions 4e 41e 42 60e...
raised between the autumn 1939 and april 1940 with the 3e DLM 7e DINA 8e 44e 68e DI...


28 Infantry + 5 Horse & Mech. Cavalry = 33 active Divisions




Light Mechanized
1DLM....Mobilized 8/22/39............................Active
2DLM....Mobilized 8/23/39.............................Active

Cavalry
1DC....Mobilized Aug? 39............................Active
2DC....Mobilized Aug? 39............................Active
3DC....Mobilized Aug? 39............................Active
4th & 5th DC were not mobilized until Feb 40

Motor Inf Div
1 DIM...."Organized" 23/5/39...........................Active
2 DIM...."Organized" 8/25/39....?
3 DIM.......................................................Active
5 DIM....Moblized 8/23/399............................Active
9DIM........................................................Active
12 DIM...Mobilized 8/23/39............................Active
15 DIM...Mobilized 9/2/39..............................Active
25 DIM...Mobilized 8/27/39.............................Active

Infantry Div
2DI...."Organized" 9/2/39
3DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
6DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
7DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
9DI....Mobilized 8/26/39
10DI....Mobilized 9/2/39............................Active
11DI....Mobilized 8/22/39............................Active
13DI....Mobilized 8/22/39............................Active
14DI....Mobilized 9/2/39............................Active
16DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
18DI....Mobilized 8/23/39
19DI....Mobilized 8/25/39............................Active
20DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
21DI....Mobilized 9/2/39............................Active
22DI....Mobilized 8/23/39
23DI....Mobilized 8/23/39............................Active
24DI....Mobilized 9/10/39
26DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
27DI....Mobilized 8/22/39 Reorgnized as a Mountain Div 27 Oct 39?...Active
28DI....Mobilized 8/22/39
29DI....Mobilized 8/22/39............................Active
30DI....Mobilized 8/22/39
31DI....Mobilized 9/2/39............................Active
32DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
35DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
36DI....Mobilized 8/28/39............................Active
42DI......................................................Active
43DI....Mobilized 8/22/39............................Active
45DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
47DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
51DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
52DI....Mobilized 8/25/39
53DI....Mobilized 8/26/39...Series B
54DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
55DI....Mobilized 3 Oct 39...Series B
56DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
57DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
58DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
59DI....Mobilized 9/15/39...Emergency 1940
61DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
62DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
63DI....Mobilized 9/3/39
64DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
65DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
66DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
67DI....Mobilized 8/27/39
70DI....Mobilized 9/2/39
71DI....Mobilized 9/3/39...Series B

4 DIC and 4 DINA
1ére to 4e DIC, 1ère to 4e DINA

1Col..."Standing Division"
2Col..."Standing Division"
3Col...?
4Col...Mobilized 9/15/39
5Col...?
6Col...?
7Col...Mobilized 9/10/39
8Col...?
82 African..."existed from" 9/3/39
84, 85, 87 African ?
1NA...Mobilized 8/23/39
2NA...Mobilized 8/23/39
3NA...Mobilized 8/23/39
4NA...Mobilized 8/23/39
5NA...Mobilized 9/2/39
6NA...Mobilized 1 Nov 39
1Mor...Mobilized 9/2/39


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Loïc
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Re: French army in 1939.

#18

Post by Loïc » 10 Jun 2019, 20:51

hello
the list has inaccuries concerning status active/reserve (e.g. the elite de Lattre's 14e DI and 15e DIM are not serie A reserve) the 9e was a DIM and missing divisions 3e DIM 4e 41e 42 60e...
the 8e DIC was not raised before april 1940 like further Divisions raised between the autumn 1939 and april 1940 with the 3e DLM 7e DINA 8e 44e 68e DI...
the 59e only as one of the DLI raised in emergency in june 1940



actually the active Divisions used as couverture for the all the rest of Reserve Divisions were

20 Infantry Divisions of which 7 motorised and 3 alpine
1ère 3e 5e 9e 12e 15e 25e DIM
10e 11e 13e 14e 19e 21e 23e 36e 42e 43e DI
27e 29e 31e DIA

4 DIC and 4 DINA
1ére to 4e DIC, 1ère to 4e DINA

3 Cavalry and 2 DLM
1ère 2e 3e DC
1ére 2e DLM

28 Infantry + 5 Horse & Mech. Cavalry = 33 active Divisions

All the rest are Reserve serie A or B Divisions except the particular case of the 81e to 88e DIA in Algeria-Tunisia and Moroccan Divisions who didn't exist in peacetime but raised in Mobilisation from active regiments or mainly from them

Carl Schwamberger
Host - Allied sections
Posts: 10054
Joined: 02 Sep 2006, 21:31
Location: USA

Re: French army in 1939.

#19

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 13 Jun 2019, 00:19

Loïc wrote:
10 Jun 2019, 20:51
hello
the list has inaccuries concerning status active/reserve ...
Merci

I have partially annotated my previous post with your information. Will try to complete that later today.

Thorson
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Posts: 19
Joined: 02 May 2019, 17:42
Location: Poland

Re: French army in 1939.

#20

Post by Thorson » 21 Jun 2019, 14:46

Hello. I would like to know how many divisions France had before September 17. It would be good to compare German forces.

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