The order of the battle of the French Army in August 1914 was planned according to the mobilisation and concentration Plan XVII and applied on 2 August 1914, the day before the German Empire declared war. The order of battle is similar to the German Army with several armies each having army corps of two infantry divisions, with a number of reserve units at the disposal of the Commander in Chief and Minister of War. The organisation changed during August with the assignment of new reserve units and the creation of new armies.
The peacetime army had, in the spring of 1914, a strength of 882,907 men, with 686,993 in metropolitan France, 62,598 in Algeria and Tunisia, 81,750 in Morocco, and 51,566 auxiliaries.
The territory of the French Republic was divided into 21 military regions, 20 in metropolitan France, and one in Algeria (the 19th). Each region provided two infantry divisions, except the 6th which had three divisions.
The army had 686 infantry battalions. Metropolitan France had 173 infantry regiments, each with three battalions (nine regiments had four), as well as 31 light infantry (French : chasseur à pied) battalions, and 12 colonial infantry regiments (each with three battalions). In the colonies, there was four regiments of Zouaves with six battalions, 9 regiments of Algerian riflemen (French : tirailleurs algériens) with 40 battalions, 2 regiments of the Foreign Legion with six battalions, 5 battalions of African light infantry, 6 Moroccan colonial marching regiments, and 5 battalions of Moroccan auxiliaries.
The cavalry had 378 squadrons, organised into 89 regiments (each with four squadrons): 12 cuirassier, 32 dragoon, 21 light horse (French : chasseur à cheval), 14 hussar, 6 African light horse, and 4 Spahis.
The artillery had 855 batteries (each of four guns), organised into 62 field artillery regiments, 2 mountain artillery regiments, 11 foot artillery regiments, 5 heavy artillery regiments, 10 African artillery groups, and 3 colonial artillery regiments. It provided 42 divisional artillery (with three groups or nine batteries), 20 corps artillery (with four groups or twelve batteries), and 10 horse groups (with three batteries).
The French army began mobilising on August 2, 1914 according to Plan XVII. The 680,000 peacetime troops were joined by 2,900,000 reservists and territorials. The three youngest classes of reservists were used to bring active units up to wartime strength, while new units were created from older reservists and territorials.
Each of 21 military regions provided an army corps of two infantry divisions. Each corps was numbered after the military region it was created from. The 19th region in Algeria did not form a corps, but did send its two divisions. A total of 46 infantry divisions were mobilised with 1,054,000 men, and 10 cavalry divisions with 52,500 men.
Each infantry division is composed of two infantry brigades with two regiments, plus a cavalry squadron, an artillery regiment (with three groups) and an engineer company. Each cavalry division is made up of three brigades with two regiments, plus a cyclist group, an artillery group and a detachment of cyclist engineers. Each army corps is made up of two infantry divisions (except the 6th corps with three divisions) with corps troops of a cavalry regiment (with four squadrons), an artillery regiment (with four groups), and an engineering battalion (with four companies).
Then, reserve infantry regiments are formed from the active regiments. They are given the same number as the active regiment plus 200. Reserve infantry regiments had two battalions, compared with three for the active regiments. These are grouped into 25 reserve infantry divisions numbered from 51 to 75 (numbered after their military region plus 50). These reserve divisions had a total of 450,000 men.
The active and reserve regiments are each created from roughly 50/50 active and reserve personnel. To show this continuity, the active battalions were numbered 1, 2, and 3, while the reserve battalions were numbered 5 and 6.
The oldest were placed into territorial infantry regiments with three or four battalions, some of which were used to create 12 territorial infantry divisions with 184,600 men.
The wartime army increased to:
Added to the 95 active, reserve and territorial divisions with 1,681,100 men are the army troops of 187,500 men, garrisons of 821,400 men, depots of 680,000 men, and railway guards of 210,000 men.
The First Army (French : 1re Armée) was commanded by General Auguste Dubail. In August 1914 it constituted the right wing of the French Army, concentrated between Remiremont and Charmes, with the mission of attacking towards Mulhouse and Sarrebourg. Its strength on mobilisation was 7,588 officers, 258,864 NCOs and men, and 92,106 horses organised into five corps of ten infantry divisions, and two cavalry divisions.
Army Troops
Commander: Georges Édouard Levillain
Commander: Louis Dominique Achille Aubier
Commander: Louis Bonneau
Corps Troops
Commander: Louis Curé
Commander: Paul Superbie
Commander: Marie Joseph Louis Dominique de Castelli
Corps Troops
Commander: Léon Bajolle
Commander: Louis Ernest de Maud'huy
Commander: César Alix
Corps Troops
Commander: Gaston Delétoille
Commander: Gustave Silhol
Commander: Paul Pouradier-Duteil
Corps Troops
Commander: Joseph Louis Alphonse Baret
Commander: Henri Putz
Commander: Émile Edmond Legrand-Girarde
Corps Troops
Commander: Frédéric Edmond Bourdériat
Commander: Pierre Lanquetot
The Second Army (French : 2re Armée) was commanded by General Édouard de Castelnau. In August 1914 its major role in the campaign plan was to liberate Lorraine and attack into Germany. It was concentrated between Pont-Saint-Vincent and Neufchâteau, with the mission of attacking towards Morhange. Its strength on mobilisation was 9,391 officers, 314,804 NCOs and men, and 110,062 horses organised into five corps of ten infantry divisions, three reserve infantry divisions, and two cavalry divisions.
Commander: Antide Lescot
Commander: Louis Conneau
Commander: Pierre Joseph Louis Alfred Dubois
Corps Troops
Commander: Noël Jean-Baptiste Henri Alphonse Dumas
Commander: Justinien Lefèvre
Commander: Louis Espinasse
Corps Troops
Commander: Jean Baptiste Jules Carbillet
Commander: Colle
Commander: Taverna
Corps Troops
Commander: Jean-Jacques Vidal
Commander: Bouchez
Commander: Jacques Marie Armand de Mas-Latrie
Corps Troops
Commander: Charles Exelmans
Commander: Jouannic
Commander: Ferdinand Foch
Corps Troops
Commander: Maurice Balfourier
Commander: Georges Dantant
Commander: Léon Durand
Commander: Charlery de la Masselière
Commander: Émile Brun d'Aubignosc
Commander: Charles Bizard
The Third Army (French : 3re Armée) was commanded by General Pierre Ruffey. In August 1914 it was concentrated between Saint-Mihiel and Verdun, with the mission of holding the Germans in their defensive positions before Metz. Its strength on mobilisation was 6,786 officers, 230,471 NCOs and men, and 80,381 horses organised into three corps of seven infantry divisions, three reserve infantry divisions, and one cavalry division.
Army Troops
Commander: Victor René Boëlle
Corps Troops
Commander: Edgard de Trentinian
Commander: Raoul de Lartigue
Commander: Charles Brochin
Corps Troops
Commander: Pierre Peslin
Commander: Michel Auger
Commander: Maurice Sarrail
Corps Troops
Commander: Louis-Auguste-Didier Souchier
Commander: Émile Hache
Commander: Martial Justin Verraux
Commander: Paul Durand
Commander: Chailley
Commander: Louis Leguay
Commander: Frédéric Micheler
The Fourth Army (French : 4re Armée) was commanded by General Fernand de Langle de Cary. In August 1914 it was concentrated between Saint-Dizier and Bar-le-Duc, with the mission of being held in reserve in the Argonne Region. Its strength on mobilisation was 4,689 officers, 154,899 NCOs and men, and 58,491 horses organised into three corps of four infantry divisions, two colonial infantry divisions, and one cavalry division.
Army Troops
Aviation Squadrons V 14 and V 21
Commander: Jean de l'Espée
Commander: Pierre Auguste Roques
Corps Troops
Commander: Charles Leblond
Commander: Garreau de la Mèchenie
Commander: Arthur Joseph Poline
Corps Troops
Commander: François de Villeméjane
Commander: Jules Lefèvre
Corps Troops
The Fifth Army (French : 5re Armée) was commanded by General Charles Lanrezac. In August 1914 it was concentrated between Hirson and Dun-sur-Meus, with the mission of guarding the border with Belgium. Its strength on mobilisation was 8,886 officers, 290,464 NCOs and men, and 108,360 horses organised into five corps of ten infantry divisions, two reserve infantry divisions, and one cavalry division.
Army Troops
Commander: Hyacinthe Clément Justin Coquet
Commander: Géraud Réveilhac
Commander: Abonneau
Commander: Louis Franchet d'Espèrey
Corps Troops
Commander: Marie Alexandre Gallet
Commander: Henry Victor Deligny
Commander: Augustin Gérard
Corps Troops
Commander: Charles Louis Jacques Régnault
Commander: Charles Rabier
Commander: Henry Sauret
Corps Troops
Commander: Élie Verrier
Commander: Georges Bloch
Commander: Gilbert Desforges
Corps Troops
Commander: Gaëtan Bonnier
Commander: Elie Boë
Commander: Joseph-Paul Eydoux
Corps Troops
Commander: René Radiguet
Commander: Joseph Pambet
In addition to the five field armies, the Chief of the General Staff, General Joseph Joffre had several large formations at his disposal on other fronts, or as a reserve.
Commander: André Sordet
Commander: Buisson
Commander: Dor de Lastours
Commander: Bridoux
Commander: Louis Archinard
Commander: César Besset
Commander: Gustave Lombard
Commander: Voirhaye
Commander: Mardochée Valabrègue
Commander: René Boutegourd
Commander: Louis Loyzeau de Grandmaison
Commander: Pierre Berdoulat
The Army of Africa (corresponding to the 19th Military Region) represents the four divisions raised in Africa and sent to metropolitan France.
Commander: Louis Comby
Commander: Jean-Marie Brulard
Commander: Hubert Lyautey
Commander: Antoine Drude
Four reserve divisions were assigned to provide a mobile reserve in the defence of the fortresses of Verdun, Toul, Épinal and Belfort.
Commander: Bernard
Commander: Joseph Kaufmant
Commander: Jules Heymann
Commander: Marie Joseph Châtelain
Commander: Albert d'Amade
The Army of the Alps was formed from units mobilised in the 14th (Lyon) and 15th (Marseille) military regions to defend the border with Italy, who was a member of the Triple Alliance with Germany and Austria-Hungary.
Commander: Soyer
Commander: Hollender
Commander: Brice Adrien Bizot
Commander: Bigot
Commander: Henri Vimard
Commander: Paul Lacroisade
Plan XVII provided for several large units to be at the disposal of the Minister of War, Adolphe Messimy. These units were gradually transferred to the Chief of the General Staff, General Joseph Joffre.
Commander: Henry Marabail
Commander: Victor-Constant Michel
Commander: Paul Virvaire
Commander: Marie François Caneval
Commander: Charles Groth
Commander: Henri de Ferron
Commander: Tell Aristide Frédéric Antoine Chapel
Commander: Raymond Mayniel
Commander: Louis Penaud
Six territorial infantry divisions were initially used to provide defence of the north-east coast from possible German naval landing, and to guard the Spanish border. As these threats receded, these divisions were gradually moved towards the frontline.
Commander: Louis Marcot
Commander: Charles Vigy
Commander: Roy
Commander: Dennery
Commander: Jules Bunoust
Commander: Henri Eugène Calvel
In addition to the territorial infantry divisions, many independent regiments and other units were formed.
All regiments were assigned to territorial infantry divisions
All regiments were assigned to territorial infantry divisions
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: date format (link) CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)The 5th Canadian Division is a formation of the Canadian Army responsible for the command and mobilization of most army units in the provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador; as well as some units in Kingston, Ontario. The division is recognized by the distinctive maroon patch worn on the sleeve of its soldiers.
The 1st Cavalry Division was a regular Division of the British Army during the First World War where it fought on the Western Front. During the Second World War it was a first line formation, formed from Yeomanry Regiments. It fought in the Middle East before being converted to the 10th Armoured Division.
The following units of the German First Army and British Expeditionary Force fought in the Battle of Mons in World War I.
This is the Operation Herrick ground order of battle, which lists any British ground forces that have taken part in the duration of Operation Herrick between 2002 and 2014.
The Order of battle of the East African campaign shows the ground forces of both sides in East Africa on the date that the Italians declared war on Britain and France, 10 June 1940 and for the British and Commonwealth forces involved in the 1941 offensive.
This is an order of battle of the French and German Armies at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870.
The British Expeditionary Force order of battle 1914, as originally despatched to France in August and September 1914, at the beginning of World War I. The British Army prior to World War I traced its origins to the increasing demands of imperial expansion together with inefficiencies highlighted during the Crimean War, which led to the Cardwell and Childers Reforms of the late 19th century. These gave the British Army its modern shape, and defined its regimental system. The Haldane Reforms of 1907 formally created an Expeditionary force and the Territorial Force.
The 4th Cavalry Brigade was a cavalry brigade of the British Army. It served in the Napoleonic Wars, in the First World War on the Western Front where it was initially assigned to The Cavalry Division before spending most of the war with the 2nd Cavalry Division, and with the 1st Cavalry Division during the Second World War.
This is the order of battle for the First Battle of Ypres fought from 19 October to 22 November 1914 as one of the main engagements of the First World War. It was fought between mixed British Expeditionary Force, French eighth army and armies of the German Empire in northern France and Flanders.
The following units of the British, French and German Empires fought in the First Battle of the Marne from 5–12 September 1914 on the Western Front of World War I.
The Jena-Auerstedt campaign order of battle is listed below. The order of battle includes units from the First French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia that fought each other in the campaign that included the decisive Battle of Jena-Auerstedt on 14 October 1806. The order of battle may be useful to trace the battles of Schleiz and Saalfeld, which occurred before Jena-Auerstedt, as well as battles and capitulations that happened after 14 October, such as Erfurt, Halle, Prenzlau, Pasewalk, Stettin, Waren-Nossentin, and Lübeck.
In September 1939, the British Army was in process of expanding their anti-aircraft and mobile assets. Among these new changes was the formation of Anti-Aircraft Command which was formed on 1 April 1939, and the 1st Armoured Division formed in 1937. The list below will include the British Army units, colonial units, and those units which were in the process of formation.
The Northern Army Group (NORTHAG) was a NATO military formation comprising five Army Corps from five NATO member nations. During the Cold War NORTHAG was NATO's forward defence in the Northern half of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG). The Southern half of the Federal Republic of Germany was to be defended by the four Army Corps of NATO's Central Army Group (CENTAG). During wartime NORTHAG would command four frontline corps and one reserve corps. Air support was provided by Second Allied Tactical Air Force.
The VII Corps of the Grande Armée was a French military unit that existed during the Napoleonic Wars. It was formed in 1805 and assigned to Marshal Pierre Augereau. From 1805 to 1807, Augereau led the VII Corps in the War of the Third Coalition and the War of the Fourth Coalition. It was disbanded after being nearly wiped out at the Battle of Eylau in February 1807 and its surviving troops were distributed to other corps.
This article lists the structure of the Royal Danish Army in 1989 and in May 2020: