8th Army (France)

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The Eighth Army (French: VIIIe Armée) was a Field army of the French Army during World War I and World War II.

Active1914–1915, 1917–1919, 1939–1940
CountryFrance
BranchFrench Army
SizeArmy
Quick facts Eighth Army, Active ...
Eighth Army
Active1914–1915, 1917–1919, 1939–1940
CountryFrance
BranchFrench Army
SizeArmy
Part ofArmy Group 3 (1940)
EngagementsFirst World War
Occupation of the Rhineland
Second World War
Commanders
Current
commander		Marcel Garchery (1939–1940)
Notable
commanders		Victor d'Urbal
Marcel Garchery
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During World War I, there were two 8th armies. The first was in existence under the command of General Victor d'Urbal until April 1915 when 9th Army Corps and 20th Army Corps were joined to 10th Army, which d'Urbal assumed command of for the Second Battle of Artois. The remainder of 8th Army was then renamed as the Détachement d'armée de Belgique.[1]

The 8th Army was reformed from the former Détachement d'armée de Lorraine (Army Detachment of Lorraine) and operated on the Western Front between 2 January 1917 and 11 November 1918. After the armistice at the end of World War I, it was part of the occupation of the Rhineland. On 21 October 1919 it was combined with the Tenth Army to form the French Army of the Rhine.

During World War II and the Battle of France, it was part of Army Group 3 along the Maginot Line under the command of General Marcel Garchery.

Order of Battle (May 1940)

At the start of the German offensive, the Eighth Army, commanded by General Marcel Garchery, was organized as follows:

Army Assets (Organiques d'Armée)

More information Army Assets & Reserve (Click "show" to expand) ...
Army Assets & Reserve (Click "show" to expand)
  • Pioneer Regiments: 408th, 418th, 428th, and 443rd Pioneer Regiments (Régiment de Pionniers - RP) [2]
  • Tank Units: 18th and 36th Light Tank Battalions (Bataillon de Chars de Combat - BCC) [Renault R35]; 16th and 17th Reserve Tank Battalions (Bataillon de Chars de Combat de Réserve - BCCR) [2]
  • 19th Infantry Division (19e Division d'Infanterie - 19e DI) (Toussaint) – Active (GQG Reserve):[2]
    • 41st and 117th Infantry Regiments (Régiment d'Infanterie - RI)
    • 22nd Foreign Volunteer Marching Regiment (22e Régiment de Marche de Volontaires Étrangers - RMVE)
    • 21st Divisional Reconnaissance Group (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie - GRDI)
    • 10th Divisional Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Divisionnaire - RAD)
    • 210th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Divisionnaire - RALD)
  • 13th Infantry Division (13e Division d'Infanterie - 13e DI) (Beaudouin) – Active (GQG Reserve):[2]
    • 21st and 60th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 8th Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment (8e Régiment de Tirailleurs Marocains - RTM)
    • 17th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 28th Divisional Artillery Regiment (RAD)
    • 228th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment (RALD)
  • Army Heavy Artillery: 116th Heavy Artillery Regiment (116e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Hippomobile - RALH); 197th Heavy Artillery Regiment (197e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde à Tracteurs - RALT); 316th Position Artillery Regiment (316e Régiment d'Artillerie de Position - RAP) [2]
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13th Army Corps (13e Corps d'Armée)

More information 13th Army Corps (Click "show" to expand) ...
13th Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Corps Assets: 23rd Reconnaissance Group of the Army Corps (23e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée - GRCA) [2]
  • 104th Fortress Infantry Division (104e Division d'Infanterie de Forteresse - 104e DIF) (Cousse) – Active:[2]
    • 28th and 42nd Fortress Infantry Regiments (Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse - RIF)
    • 242nd Infantry Regiment (RI)
    • 5th, 9th, and 10th Pyrenean Chasseurs Battalions (Demi-Brigade de Chasseurs Pyrénéens - DBCPyr) attached
    • I. Battalion, 170th Position Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position - RAP) [Ex-SF Colmar]
  • 105th Fortress Infantry Division (105e Division d'Infanterie de Forteresse - 105e DIF) (Didio) – Active:[2]
    • 10th Fortress Infantry Regiment (RIF)
    • 371st Infantry Regiment (RI) attached
    • 7th and 8th Malagasy Machine Gun Battalions (Bataillon de Mitrailleurs - BM) attached
    • II. Battalion, 159th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP) [Ex-SF Mulhouse]
  • 54th Infantry Division (54e Division d'Infanterie - 54e DI) (Coradin) – Reserve B:[2]
    • 302nd, 317th, and 330th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 44th Divisional Mixed Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Mixte Divisionnaire - RAMD)
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44th Fortress Army Corps (44e Corps d'Armée de Forteresse)

More information 44th Fortress Army Corps (Click "show" to expand) ...
44th Fortress Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Fortified Sector of Altkirch-Franken (Secteur Fortifié d'Altkirch-Franken) (Salvan):[2]
    • 12th and 171st Fortress Infantry Regiments (RIF)
    • III. and IV. Battalions, 159th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP)
  • Defense of Belfort (Défense de Belfort) (Girol):[2]
    • 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Pyrenean Chasseurs Battalions (DBCPyr) attached
    • V. Battalion, 159th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP)
  • Fortified Sector of Montbéliard (Secteur Fortifié de Montbéliard) (de Bizemont):[2]
    • VII. Battalion, 159th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP)
  • 67th Infantry Division (67e Division d'Infanterie - 67e DI) (Boutignon) – Reserve B:[2]
    • 211th, 214th, and 220th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 52nd Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 57th Divisional Mixed Artillery Regiment (RAMD)
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7th Army Corps (7e Corps d'Armée)

More information 7th Army Corps (Click "show" to expand) ...
7th Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Corps Assets: 9th Reconnaissance Group of the Army Corps (9e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée - GRCA); 607th Pioneer Regiment (RP) [2]
  • 27th Infantry Division (27e Division d'Infanterie - 27e DI) (Doyen) – Active:[2]
    • 71st Infantry Regiment (RI)
    • 159th Alpine Infantry Regiment (Régiment d'Infanterie Alpine - RIA)
    • 7th Alpine Chasseurs Demi-Brigade (Demi-Brigade de Chasseurs Alpins - DBCA) [including 11th, 15th, and 28th Battalions]
    • 20th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 58th Divisional Artillery Regiment (RAD)
    • 258th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment (RALD)
    • 107th Heavy Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde à Tracteurs - RALT) attached
  • 2nd Spahi Brigade (2e Brigade de Spahis - 2e BS) (Peillon) – Active, horse cavalry:[2]
    • 7th and 9th Algerian Spahi Regiments (Régiment de Spahis Algériens - RSA)
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References

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