French Army Expansion

[ATM]

I don't suppose anybody knows how many divisions the French Army increased by during WWI?

[Old Tom]

Hello,

I think they started with 62 infantry and 10 cavalry and according to my note from John Terraines book on Haig's despatches they had 52 front line and 35 reserves divisons in Sep 1918 plus a few serving with US formations. That's from 72 to 87.

Old Tom

Old Tom

[ATM]

Thanks. That sounds about right, interesting the apparent lack of French expansion in terms of divisions. Even more so considering their withdrawal of a regiment from each.

[MJames]

ATM,

If you are interested, the following is from 'Inventaire Sommaire des Archives de la Guerre, Serie N 1872-1919 [servce Historique de L' Armee de Terre 1975)

At the end of 1916 there were 114 infantry divisions (107 active and 7 territorial)

At the end of 1917, 114 (113 active and 1 territorial)

At the armistice, there were 110 (109 active and 1 territorial). this number included 6 Colonial and 2 Moroccan divisions.

Over the same period, the number of cavalry divisions was static at 6 although 2 dismounted divisions were formed in early 1918.

I can supply the figures for 1914 and 1915 if you are interested.

Thanks. That sounds about right, interesting the apparent lack of French expansion in terms of divisions. Even more so considering their withdrawal of a regiment from each.

[ATM]

Yes, that would be very interesting, thankyou.

[MJames]

ATM,

Number of divisions at mobilisation in 1914 - 83 (71 active, 13 territorial)

plus 10 cavalry divisions

Number at end of 1914 - 85 (72 active; 13 territorial) plus 10 cavalry

Number at end of 1915 - 111 (98 active;13 territorial) plus 10 cavalry

Yes, that would be very interesting, thankyou.

[Hoplophile]

The increase in the number of divisions between the start of the war and the end of 1915 gives a somewhat misleading sense tha the French Army underwent considerable expansion during this period. In fact, nearly all of the 'expansion' consisted of organising divisions from existing elements (fortress regiments, alpine regiments, chasseur battalions, North African units, infantry regiments assigned directly to army corps) that had not been assigned to divisions at the start of the war. Even the 'new' infantry regiments formed in the spring of 1915 were formed by taking elements that had been set aside to fill out the ranks of reserve regiments that had yet to form a third battalion.

[TwoBob]

The expansion of the French heavy artillery arm should also be noted.

Petain's Directive No 3 in 1917 formed many new heavy artillery groups allocated to divisions and Corps.A general reserve of six groups also existed.Its said that around 30% of French soldiers were artillerymen by 1918.

Bob