Troupes de marine
Encyclopedia
The or Infanterie de marine, formerly Troupes coloniales, are an arm of the French Army
with a colonial heritage. The Troupes de marine have a dedicated overseas service role. Despite their title they have been a part of the Army since 1958. They are sometimes referred as French Marines in English-speaking medias.
Soldiers of the are likely to spend much more of their service overseas, particularly in Africa, than other French soldiers. The include infantry (including light tank units and airborne units) and artillery
.
The were founded in 1622 (officially titled ) as land forces under the control of the navy, notably for operations in French Canada. The were transferred to the army in 1900 and became part of the Troupes Coloniales
(Colonial Troops). The nickname la Coloniale or la Colo refers to this heritage.
At their height in 1940, the Troupes Coloniales consisted of nine divisions and several demi-brigade
s who manned machine gun emplacements on the Maginot Line
. They were recruited both in France and overseas.
With France divesting itself of its colonies, on 1 December 1958 the title of Troupes de marine was readopted, this time for all the Troupes Coloniales. They became a major component in France's Forces d'Intervention.
"), allegedly because, like porpoises, they accompany ships without really being part of the crew.
Marine Gunners are known as bigors, a nickname whose origin is disputed. It could come from which was the order given for loading the guns on a ship. It could also come from (winkle in English), either due to their toughness and unwillingness to desert their positions in combat or because their duties usually had them stuck on coastal rocks.
(Marine paratroopers wear red beret
s and their badge is a composite of the golden anchor and the silver wing of airborne units). This is worn either on the beret or embroidered on the front of the kepi
.
The modern full dress includes a dark blue kepi
, yellow fringed epaulette
s (official colour name is daffodil) and a navy blue cravat (scarf worn around the neck). A red waist sash
is also sometimes worn by certain units with a history of colonial service in Africa and Indo-China.
Historically the uniform consisted of a blue kepi, double breasted navy blue tunic, lighter blue trousers, and the yellow epaulettes still worn. Worn by all ranks until 1914, this uniform was reissued for regular personnel in 1930 and is still worn by bandsmen. This traditional uniform, gave the nickname of "the Blue Division" to the Troupes de marine units involved in the 1870 Franco-Prussian war
. The pith helmet
was also worn overseas during the colonial period, with blue, khaki or white uniforms according to circumstances.
The epaulettes "of tradition" are gold for officers and NCOs and wool of "daffodil" yellow for other ranks. This colour and pattern is derived from the historic epaulettes of the Metropolitan light infantry.
in the Crimea (1854) where Marine Infantry saved British troops from destruction.
is excused this nickname, probably reflecting a special relation between Marsouins and legionnaires.
in the name of God, long live the colonials. This expression is believed to have originated with the famous missionary Charles de Foucauld
who, when rescued by colonial troops, exclaimed "In the name of God, the great colonials!". Annual ceremonies celebrating the naval troops take place on August 31 and September 1 - the anniversary of the Blue Division. On August 31 detachments of all Marine units parade at Fréjus
where the Museum of Naval Troops is located. On 1 September veterans hold a ceremony at Bazeilles
in Ardennes.
), so it used its marines for colonial defense as well.
The pre-Revolutionary "infanterie de la Marine" was made up of:
Prior to the First Republic, the had been superseded by the on January 1, 1786. The was an early attempt to use sailors for duties previously done by marines - soldiers specializing in naval and amphibious combat.
The February 21, 1816 royal ordinance of Louis XVIII re-establishing authorized two regiments. was increased to three regiments in 1838 and to four in 1854. The 1st Regiment was located in Cherbourg, the 2nd in Brest, the 3rd in Rochefort and the 4th in Toulon.
In 1890, was increased to eight regiments. , created in 1793, was formed into a single regiment in 1814. A second was added on July 8, 1893. Battles fought in this era included those in the Crimean War including Bomarsund
(1847) in the Baltic, Ki Hoa in China(1860), and Mexico (Battle of Puebla
) (1863). Their most famous battle was Bazeilles
(1870) in the Franco-Prussian War.
The fought with distinction during the Sino-French War
(August 1884 to April 1885) and during the period of undeclared hostilities in Tonkin (northern Vietnam) that preceded it. Between June 1883 and April 1886 the Tonkin Expeditionary Corps
included several marine infantry battalions and marine artillery batteries. These units saw service in the Son Tay Campaign
(December 1883), the Bac Ninh campaign
(March 1884), the Capture of Hung Hoa
(April 1884), the Bac Le ambush
(June 1884), the Keelung Campaign
(October 1884 to June 1885), the Battle of Yu Oc
(November 1884), the Battle of Nui Bop
(January 1885), the Lang Son Campaign
(February 1885) and the Pescadores Campaign
(March 1885). In March 1885 the two marine infantry battalions in Lieutenant-Colonel Ange-Laurent Giovanninelli's 1st Brigade suffered heavy casualties storming the Chinese trenches at the Battle of Hoa Moc
. The French victory at Hoa Moc relieved the Siege of Tuyen Quang
, and was commemorated thereafter in an annual ceremony at Tuyen Quang in which a soldier of the French Foreign Legion (representing the besieged garrison) and a marine infantrymen (representing the relief column) solemnly presented arms on the anniversary of the relief of the beleaguered French post.
The French Navy itself, due to the trouble it was having in obtaining marine infantry detachments from the Ministry of Marine, formed the in 1856. The was initially composed of sailors and naval officers who were undertook special infantry training in order to form the "marine" detachments aboard ships.
On 7 July 1900 the were removed from the responsibility of the , transferred to the Ministry of War and added to the French Army's Troupes Coloniales. The regimental titles changed from "Marine" to "Colonial". The remained with the French Navy. The were still preferentially used in amphibious landings. In the World War I Dardanelles campaign, the Corps Expeditionaire d'Orient was more than two-thirds including the 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Colonial Infantry Regiments and Colonial Artillery.
In World War II, a Colonial unit did have "Marine" in its title - The Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique (BIMP). Two divisions of the were trained in amphibious tactics by the Americans and performed amphibious landings at Corsica
(6th Moroccan Mountain Division) and Elba
(9th Colonial Infantry Division - 9e DIC). Both these divisions also landed in southern France in the follow-on echelons of Operation Dragoon. The French wanted the US to transport these two divisions to the Pacific to fight against the Japanese and later retake French Indochina, but transport was a problem.
With France divesting itself of its colonies, on 1 December 1958 the title ofTroupes d' Outre-Mer (Overseas Troops) replaced that of Troupes Coloniales. Finally, on 4 May 1961, the historic designation of "Troupes de marine" was readopted, this time for all the Troupes Coloniales. They became a major component in France's Forces d'Intervention. On July 1963 the (9e BIMa) of the was formed as the first French Force d'Intervention. It was named after and carried the insignia of the 9th Colonial Infantry Division (9e DIC) that had performed a successful amphibious assault on Elba in World War II. The remaining overseas became part of the Forces d'outre mer. In 1964 the Force d'Intervention was expanded by adding two airborne brigades and one motorized brigade and formed into the 11th , which became the 11th Parachute Division in 1971. The were removed from this division in 1976 to form a separate intervention force, and the was expanded on 1 January 1976 to form the (9e DIMa). This division was the amphibious component of the Force d'Intervention, which was renamed the Force d'Action Rapide (FAR) in 1983.
Because of their overseas heritage and their use in the Force d'Intervention, the were mostly volunteer regulars as in France draftees are legally exempt from overseas duty. The conversion of the French Army into a smaller professional force led to the French Army's decision to make the brigade its largest formation and the was reduced in size on 1 July 1999 and became the .
The Troupes de marine are one of the "" (corps) of the French army, which includes specialties associated with other corps (artillery, cavalry, signals) but with amphibious or airborne specialisations.
appeared on the uniforms of French sailors from the late eighteenth century. The Marine Infantry and Artillery troops adopted this insignia at the same time and it remains the modern symbol of the Troupes de marine.
the red beret
was awarded to French paratroopers by King George VI. It was worn officially for the first time in the French army by the 2nd and 3e RCPs at a parade on 11 November 1944. After undergoing a few modifications, the crimson beret became the standard headdress for all French airborne troops in 1973, except for the Legion
paratroops who retained their green berets.
Transcending the concept of mastering the technical military, naval troops to unite around a single symbol, the anchor of gold, marks a unique style whose main features are:
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
with a colonial heritage. The Troupes de marine have a dedicated overseas service role. Despite their title they have been a part of the Army since 1958. They are sometimes referred as French Marines in English-speaking medias.
Soldiers of the are likely to spend much more of their service overseas, particularly in Africa, than other French soldiers. The include infantry (including light tank units and airborne units) and artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
.
The were founded in 1622 (officially titled ) as land forces under the control of the navy, notably for operations in French Canada. The were transferred to the army in 1900 and became part of the Troupes Coloniales
French Colonial Forces
The French Colonial Forces , commonly called La Coloniale, was a general designation for the military forces that garrisoned in the French colonial empire from the late 17th century until 1960. They were recruited from mainland France or from the French settler and indigenous populations of the...
(Colonial Troops). The nickname la Coloniale or la Colo refers to this heritage.
At their height in 1940, the Troupes Coloniales consisted of nine divisions and several demi-brigade
Demi-brigade
Not to be confused with 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign LegionThe Demi-brigade was a military formation first used by the French Army during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Demi-brigade amalgamated the various infantry organizations of the French Revolutionary infantry into a single unit...
s who manned machine gun emplacements on the Maginot Line
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line , named after the French Minister of War André Maginot, was a line of concrete fortifications, tank obstacles, artillery casemates, machine gun posts, and other defences, which France constructed along its borders with Germany and Italy, in light of its experience in World War I,...
. They were recruited both in France and overseas.
With France divesting itself of its colonies, on 1 December 1958 the title of Troupes de marine was readopted, this time for all the Troupes Coloniales. They became a major component in France's Forces d'Intervention.
Nicknames
Troupes de marine soldiers are known in French as ("Harbour PorpoiseHarbour Porpoise
The harbour porpoise is one of six species of porpoise. It is one of the smallest marine mammals. As its name implies, it stays close to coastal areas or river estuaries, and as such, is the most familiar porpoise to whale watchers. This porpoise often ventures up rivers, and has been seen...
"), allegedly because, like porpoises, they accompany ships without really being part of the crew.
Marine Gunners are known as bigors, a nickname whose origin is disputed. It could come from which was the order given for loading the guns on a ship. It could also come from (winkle in English), either due to their toughness and unwillingness to desert their positions in combat or because their duties usually had them stuck on coastal rocks.
Composition
The Troupes de marine include:- Infanterie de Marine
- Infantry
- Light Cavalry , cavalryCavalryCavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
units of Troupes de Marine use the military ranksRanks in the French ArmySee Ranks in the French Navy for more details about the Navy Ranks.The ranks in the Armée de Terre :Rank insignia in the French army depend on whether the soldier belongs to an "infantry" or "cavalry" unit...
of infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
. - Airborne
- Artillerie de Marine
- Artillery
Uniform
The modern Troupes de marine uniform is the same as for other units of the French army (light beige, plain green or woodland or desert camouflage according to circumstances). Distinctive features are a golden fouled anchor either as a gold-metal badge on the beretBeret
A beret is a soft, round, flat-crowned hat, designated a "cap", usually of woven, hand-knitted wool, crocheted cotton, or wool felt, or acrylic fiber....
(Marine paratroopers wear red beret
Red beret
The red beret is a military beret worn by many military police, paramilitary, commando and police forces around the world. The maroon beret has become a symbol of airborne forces, though this is often known as a "red beret", particularly when referring to the British Parachute...
s and their badge is a composite of the golden anchor and the silver wing of airborne units). This is worn either on the beret or embroidered on the front of the kepi
Kepi
The kepi is a cap with a flat circular top and a visor or peak . Etymologically, the word is a borrowing of the French képi, itself a respelling of the Alemannic Käppi: a diminutive form of Kappe, meaning "cap"....
.
The modern full dress includes a dark blue kepi
Kepi
The kepi is a cap with a flat circular top and a visor or peak . Etymologically, the word is a borrowing of the French képi, itself a respelling of the Alemannic Käppi: a diminutive form of Kappe, meaning "cap"....
, yellow fringed epaulette
Epaulette
Epaulette is a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia of rank by armed forces and other organizations.Epaulettes are fastened to the shoulder by a shoulder strap or "passant", a small strap parallel to the shoulder seam, and the button near the collar, or by laces on the...
s (official colour name is daffodil) and a navy blue cravat (scarf worn around the neck). A red waist sash
Sash
A sash is a cloth belt used to hold a robe together, and is usually tied about the waist. The Japanese equivalent of a sash, obi, serves to hold a kimono or yukata together. Decorative sashes may pass from the shoulder to the hip rather than around the waist...
is also sometimes worn by certain units with a history of colonial service in Africa and Indo-China.
Historically the uniform consisted of a blue kepi, double breasted navy blue tunic, lighter blue trousers, and the yellow epaulettes still worn. Worn by all ranks until 1914, this uniform was reissued for regular personnel in 1930 and is still worn by bandsmen. This traditional uniform, gave the nickname of "the Blue Division" to the Troupes de marine units involved in the 1870 Franco-Prussian war
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
. The pith helmet
Pith helmet
The pith helmet is a lightweight cloth-covered helmet made of cork or pith...
was also worn overseas during the colonial period, with blue, khaki or white uniforms according to circumstances.
Kepi and traditional epaulettes
The modern kepi is presented to new recruits in a solemn ceremony. It is worn by executive officers when another headdress is not prescribed. As noted above it includes the anchor badge, symbol of the Marine troops. Its color is dark blue, not black. When not being worn the kepi is expected to be positioned so that the anchor is always visible.The epaulettes "of tradition" are gold for officers and NCOs and wool of "daffodil" yellow for other ranks. This colour and pattern is derived from the historic epaulettes of the Metropolitan light infantry.
Golden Spurs
The officers of marine "mounted" units (that is to say those formerly using horses, or currently armored vehicles) have the privilege of wearing gold spurs for certain occasions. This differs from the usual French cavalry practice of wearing silver spurs. Tradition has it that Queen Victoria of England requested this distinction for the Marine troops from Emperor Napoleon III to honor the branch after the Battle of BalaclavaBattle of Balaclava
The Battle of Balaclava, fought on 25 October 1854 during the Crimean War, was part of the Anglo-French-Turkish campaign to capture the port and fortress of Sevastopol, Russia's principal naval base on the Black Sea...
in the Crimea (1854) where Marine Infantry saved British troops from destruction.
Marsouins, Bigors and Biffins
The nickname used by Marsouins and Bigors for the other branches of the French Army is biffins (slang for ragmen). The name originated in the nineteenth century when sailors of the Fleet and Marine Infantry and Artillerymen, proud of their own smart appearance, accused the soldiers of the Army of being slovenly by comparison. The LegionForeign legion
Foreign legion or Foreign Legion is a title which has been used by a small number of military units composed of foreign volunteers.It usually refers to the French Foreign Legion, part of the French Army established in 1831.It can also refer to:...
is excused this nickname, probably reflecting a special relation between Marsouins and legionnaires.
Traditions
The Feast of the Marines:in the name of God, long live the colonials. This expression is believed to have originated with the famous missionary Charles de Foucauld
Charles de Foucauld
Charles Eugène de Foucauld was a French Catholic religious and priest living among the Tuareg in the Sahara in Algeria. He was assassinated in 1916 outside the door of the fort he built for protection of the Tuareg and is considered by the Catholic Church to be a martyr...
who, when rescued by colonial troops, exclaimed "In the name of God, the great colonials!". Annual ceremonies celebrating the naval troops take place on August 31 and September 1 - the anniversary of the Blue Division. On August 31 detachments of all Marine units parade at Fréjus
Fréjus
Fréjus is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one town...
where the Museum of Naval Troops is located. On 1 September veterans hold a ceremony at Bazeilles
Bazeilles
Bazeilles is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.It lies near Sedan.-History:During the 1870 Franco-Prussian war, Bazeilles was the site of the Battle of Bazeilles, one of the first occasions of modern urban warfare.-Population:...
in Ardennes.
History
The Troupes de marine originate from the created in 1622 by Cardinal Richelieu. These were troops dedicated to naval combat. The French colonies were under the control of the (analogous to the British AdmiraltyAdmiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
), so it used its marines for colonial defense as well.
The pre-Revolutionary "infanterie de la Marine" was made up of:
- "La Marine", formed from the "Compagnies ordinaires de la mer", created in 1622, later becoming the 11th Line Infantry Regiment
- "Royal-Vaisseaux", set up 1638, became the 43d Infantry Regiment
- "La Couronne", set up 1643, became the 45th Infantry Regiment
- "Royal-Marine", set up 1669, became the 60th Infantry Regiment
- "Amirauté", set up 1669
- "Cap", created 1766, became the 106th Infantry Regiment
- "Pondichéry", set up 1772, became the 107th Infantry Regiment107th Infantry Regiment (France)The 107th Infantry Regiment was a French Army infantry regiment. The 107th Infantry Regiment dates back to 1469 where it was created as the Francs Archers Angoumois. In 1755, the Augoumois battalion was stationed in Louisiana on a harbor defense mission. There was another similar mission in 1772...
- "Martinique et Guadeloupe", created 1772, became the 109th Infantry Regiment
- "Port-au-Prince", created 1773, became 110th Infantry Regiment
Prior to the First Republic, the had been superseded by the on January 1, 1786. The was an early attempt to use sailors for duties previously done by marines - soldiers specializing in naval and amphibious combat.
The February 21, 1816 royal ordinance of Louis XVIII re-establishing authorized two regiments. was increased to three regiments in 1838 and to four in 1854. The 1st Regiment was located in Cherbourg, the 2nd in Brest, the 3rd in Rochefort and the 4th in Toulon.
In 1890, was increased to eight regiments. , created in 1793, was formed into a single regiment in 1814. A second was added on July 8, 1893. Battles fought in this era included those in the Crimean War including Bomarsund
Bomarsund, Åland
The Battle of Bomarsund was fought by an Anglo-French task force against Russian defenses at Bomarsund during the Crimean War.-Background:Bomarsund is a 19th century fortress which had started to built in 1832 by Russia in Sund on the Åland Islands in the Baltic Sea...
(1847) in the Baltic, Ki Hoa in China(1860), and Mexico (Battle of Puebla
Battle of Puebla
The Battle of Puebla took place on 5 May 1862 near the city of Puebla during the French intervention in Mexico. The battle ended in a victory for the Mexican Army over the occupying French forces...
) (1863). Their most famous battle was Bazeilles
Bazeilles
Bazeilles is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.It lies near Sedan.-History:During the 1870 Franco-Prussian war, Bazeilles was the site of the Battle of Bazeilles, one of the first occasions of modern urban warfare.-Population:...
(1870) in the Franco-Prussian War.
The fought with distinction during the Sino-French War
Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
(August 1884 to April 1885) and during the period of undeclared hostilities in Tonkin (northern Vietnam) that preceded it. Between June 1883 and April 1886 the Tonkin Expeditionary Corps
Tonkin Expeditionary Corps
The Tonkin Expeditionary Corps was an important French military command based in northern Vietnam from June 1883 to April 1886. The expeditionary corps fought the Tonkin campaign taking part in campaigns against the Black Flag Army and the Chinese Yunnan and Guangxi Armies during the...
included several marine infantry battalions and marine artillery batteries. These units saw service in the Son Tay Campaign
Son Tay Campaign
The Son Tay Campaign was a campaign fought by the French to capture the strategically important city of Son Tay in Tonkin from Liu Yongfu's Black Flag Army and allied contingents of Vietnamese and Chinese troops...
(December 1883), the Bac Ninh campaign
Bac Ninh campaign
The Bac Ninh Campaign was one of a series of clashes between French and Chinese forces in northern Vietnam during the Tonkin campaign...
(March 1884), the Capture of Hung Hoa
Capture of Hung Hoa
The Capture of Hung Hoa was an important French victory in the Tonkin campaign .- Background :Hung Hoa was captured by the French a month to the day after the capture of Bac Ninh...
(April 1884), the Bac Le ambush
Bac Le ambush
The Bac Le ambush was a clash during the Tonkin campaign in June 1884 between Chinese troops of the Guangxi Army and a French column sent to occupy Lang Son and other towns near the Chinese border. The French claimed that their troops had been ambushed by the Chinese...
(June 1884), the Keelung Campaign
Keelung Campaign
The Keelung Campaign was a controversial military campaign undertaken by the French in northern Formosa during the Sino-French War. After making a botched attack on Keelung in August 1884, the French landed an expeditionary corps of 2,000 men and captured the port in October 1884...
(October 1884 to June 1885), the Battle of Yu Oc
Battle of Yu Oc
The Battle of Yu Oc was a French victory during the Sino-French War. The battle was fought to relieve the French garrison of Tuyen Quang, under siege by the T'ang Ching-sung's Yunnan Army and Liu Yongfu's Black Flag Army...
(November 1884), the Battle of Nui Bop
Battle of Nui Bop
The Battle of Nui Bop was a French victory during the Sino-French War. The battle was fought to clear Chinese forces away from the French forward base at Chu, and was an essential preliminary to the Lang Son Campaign in February 1885....
(January 1885), the Lang Son Campaign
Lang Son Campaign
The Lang Son Campaign was a major French offensive in Tonkin during the Sino-French War...
(February 1885) and the Pescadores Campaign
Pescadores Campaign
The Pescadores Campaign in late March 1885 was one of the last campaigns of the Sino-French War . It was fought to capture a strategically important island group off the western coast of Taiwan...
(March 1885). In March 1885 the two marine infantry battalions in Lieutenant-Colonel Ange-Laurent Giovanninelli's 1st Brigade suffered heavy casualties storming the Chinese trenches at the Battle of Hoa Moc
Battle of Hoa Moc
The Battle of Hoa Moc was the most fiercely-fought action of the Sino-French War . At heavy cost, Colonel Giovanninelli's 1st Brigade of the Tonkin Expeditionary Corps defeated forces of the Black Flag and Yunnan Armies blocking the way to the besieged French post of Tuyen Quang.- Background :The...
. The French victory at Hoa Moc relieved the Siege of Tuyen Quang
Siege of Tuyen Quang
The Siege of Tuyen Quang was an important confrontation between the French and the Chinese armies in Tonkin during the Sino-French War...
, and was commemorated thereafter in an annual ceremony at Tuyen Quang in which a soldier of the French Foreign Legion (representing the besieged garrison) and a marine infantrymen (representing the relief column) solemnly presented arms on the anniversary of the relief of the beleaguered French post.
The French Navy itself, due to the trouble it was having in obtaining marine infantry detachments from the Ministry of Marine, formed the in 1856. The was initially composed of sailors and naval officers who were undertook special infantry training in order to form the "marine" detachments aboard ships.
On 7 July 1900 the were removed from the responsibility of the , transferred to the Ministry of War and added to the French Army's Troupes Coloniales. The regimental titles changed from "Marine" to "Colonial". The remained with the French Navy. The were still preferentially used in amphibious landings. In the World War I Dardanelles campaign, the Corps Expeditionaire d'Orient was more than two-thirds including the 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Colonial Infantry Regiments and Colonial Artillery.
In World War II, a Colonial unit did have "Marine" in its title - The Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique (BIMP). Two divisions of the were trained in amphibious tactics by the Americans and performed amphibious landings at Corsica
I Corps (France)
The I Corps was first formed before World War I. During World War II it fought in the Campaign for France in 1940, on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Elba in 1943 - 1944, and in the campaigns to liberate France in 1944 and invade Germany in 1945....
(6th Moroccan Mountain Division) and Elba
I Corps (France)
The I Corps was first formed before World War I. During World War II it fought in the Campaign for France in 1940, on the Mediterranean islands of Corsica and Elba in 1943 - 1944, and in the campaigns to liberate France in 1944 and invade Germany in 1945....
(9th Colonial Infantry Division - 9e DIC). Both these divisions also landed in southern France in the follow-on echelons of Operation Dragoon. The French wanted the US to transport these two divisions to the Pacific to fight against the Japanese and later retake French Indochina, but transport was a problem.
With France divesting itself of its colonies, on 1 December 1958 the title ofTroupes d' Outre-Mer (Overseas Troops) replaced that of Troupes Coloniales. Finally, on 4 May 1961, the historic designation of "Troupes de marine" was readopted, this time for all the Troupes Coloniales. They became a major component in France's Forces d'Intervention. On July 1963 the (9e BIMa) of the was formed as the first French Force d'Intervention. It was named after and carried the insignia of the 9th Colonial Infantry Division (9e DIC) that had performed a successful amphibious assault on Elba in World War II. The remaining overseas became part of the Forces d'outre mer. In 1964 the Force d'Intervention was expanded by adding two airborne brigades and one motorized brigade and formed into the 11th , which became the 11th Parachute Division in 1971. The were removed from this division in 1976 to form a separate intervention force, and the was expanded on 1 January 1976 to form the (9e DIMa). This division was the amphibious component of the Force d'Intervention, which was renamed the Force d'Action Rapide (FAR) in 1983.
Because of their overseas heritage and their use in the Force d'Intervention, the were mostly volunteer regulars as in France draftees are legally exempt from overseas duty. The conversion of the French Army into a smaller professional force led to the French Army's decision to make the brigade its largest formation and the was reduced in size on 1 July 1999 and became the .
The Troupes de marine are one of the "" (corps) of the French army, which includes specialties associated with other corps (artillery, cavalry, signals) but with amphibious or airborne specialisations.
The anchor of gold
As a naval symbol since ancient times, the anchorAnchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
appeared on the uniforms of French sailors from the late eighteenth century. The Marine Infantry and Artillery troops adopted this insignia at the same time and it remains the modern symbol of the Troupes de marine.
- 1772: a royal ordinance provides for the port anchor on the uniforms of the French Royal Navy.
- 1900: the anchor is carried by the Colonial Infantry.
- 1916: the Colonial Troops adopt the badge of an anchor over a flaming grenade (the latter being a traditional distinction of elite troops).
- 1919: All officers of the Colonial Troops adopt a gold anchor on their kepis.
- 1920: an anchor entwined with a cable becomes the common badge of Colonial Troops.
- 1933: Colonial Artillery gunners no longer wear the grenade insignia.
- 1935: the anchor insignia appears alone on the armbands of worn by Staff officers of the Colonial Troops.
- 1939: the anchor no longer to be worn with an intwined cable.
- 1945: the anchor ito be worn on all the attributes of the Colonial Troops.
- 1953: approval of an anchor "of tradition".
- 1962: introduction of the TDM beret, regulated by the Corps.
- 1985: anchor "of tradition" worn on pennants.
Location
The particular role of this branch of the French armed services is to consolidate various specialties: infantry, artillery, cavalry (armored), parachuting and transmission. These specialties, which are consolidated in the Troupes de marine branch, form separate arms in the rest of the Army.Current Units
- Metropolitan France:
- Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine in PoitiersPoitiersPoitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
(light cavalry) - 1er Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RPIMA1st Marine Infantry Parachute RegimentThe 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is one of three regiments in the French Army Special Forces Brigade. Based in Bayonne in the local Citadel...
) in BayonneBayonneBayonne is a city and commune in south-western France at the confluence of the Nive and Adour rivers, in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, of which it is a sub-prefecture...
(airborne commandos) - 3e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RPIMa) in CarcassonneCarcassonneCarcassonne is a fortified French town in the Aude department, of which it is the prefecture, in the former province of Languedoc.It is divided into the fortified Cité de Carcassonne and the more expansive lower city, the ville basse. Carcassone was founded by the Visigoths in the fifth century,...
(airborne) - 8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (8e RPIMa8th Marine Infantry Parachute RegimentThe 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is an airborne regiment in the French Army. It is an elite unit that can be rapidly sent anywhere in the world...
) in CastresCastresCastres is a commune, and arrondissement capital in the Tarn department and Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It lies in the former French province of Languedoc....
(airborne) - 1er Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (1er RIMa1st Marine Infantry RegimentThe 1st Marine Infantry Regiment is a French regiment, that inherits from Colonial Infantry. It is one of the oldest regiments of the Troupes de Marine with 2e RIMa, 3e RIMa, 4e RIMa and 1er RAMa, forming the Blue Division during Franco-Prussian war....
) in AngoulêmeAngoulême-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...
(light cavalry) - 2e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (2e RIMa2nd Marine Infantry RegimentThe 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest marine units in the French Army, as part of the troupes de marine.The 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French army is the only one to carry 15 names on its battle flag and the inscription "AFN 1952-1962"...
) in Le MansLe MansLe Mans is a city in France, located on the Sarthe River. Traditionally the capital of the province of Maine, it is now the capital of the Sarthe department and the seat of the Roman Catholic diocese of Le Mans. Le Mans is a part of the Pays de la Loire region.Its inhabitants are called Manceaux...
(infantry) - 3e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (3e RIMa3rd Marine Infantry RegimentThe 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment is one of the oldest marine units in the French Army, as part of the troupes de marine. It formed part of the 2nd Brigade of the Blue Division during the Franco-Prussian War...
) in VannesVannesVannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
(infantry) - 21e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (21e RIMa21st Marine Infantry RegimentThe 21st Marine Infantry Regiment is a unit of the French Army from descendant of the 2e RIMa and the second RIC garrison. It is one of the oldest and most decorated regiments of the troupes de marine.- Creating and different names :...
) in FrejusFréjusFréjus is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, effectively forming one town...
(infantry) - Régiment de Marche du Tchad (RMTRégiment de marche du TchadThe Régiment de marche du Tchad in a mechanised unit of the French Army, belonging to the Troupes de Marine. It is garrisoned north of Noyon, and is part of the 2nd Armoured Brigade....
) in NoyonNoyonNoyon is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.It lies on the Oise Canal, 100 km north of Paris.-History:...
(infantry) - 1er Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (1er RAMa) in LaonLaonLaon is the capital city of the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-History:The hilly district of Laon, which rises a hundred metres above the otherwise flat Picardy plain, has always held strategic importance...
(artillery) - 3e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (3e RAMa3rd Marine Artillery RegimentThe 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment is the heir to the 3rd Marine artillery regiment created in Rochefort by consular decree of Napoleon Bonaparte on 13 May 1803 and the 3rd Colonial Infantry Regiment of the 3rd Marine Artillery regiment....
) in CanjuersCanjuersCanjuers is a calcareous plateau and a military camp in Provence in southeastern France.-Geography:Situated in the département of the Var in the Prealps of Castellane, on the south of the Verdon Gorge and to the north of Draguignan....
(artillery) - 11e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (11e RAMa11th Marine Artillery RegimentThe 11th Marine Artillery Regiment is an artillery regiment of the French Army. It constitutes the fire support unit of the 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade...
) in Saint-Aubin-du-CormierSaint-Aubin-du-CormierSaint-Aubin-du-Cormier is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in the region of Brittany in north-western France.-Geography:Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier is located at northeast of Rennes and south of Mont Saint-Michel....
(artillery)
- Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine in Poitiers
- Overseas:
- 2e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (2e RPIMa2nd Marine Infantry Parachute RegimentThe 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment in the French Army. It is heir to the traditions of the Free French and colonial paratroopers. As of 2008 it is stationed at Saint-Pierre, Réunion.-History:...
) in Pierrefonds (Réunion) (airborne) - 5e Régiment interarmes d'outre-mer (5e RIAOM5th Overseas Interarms RegimentThe 5th Overseas Interarm Regiment is a troupes de marine regiment stationed in Djibouti...
) in DjiboutiDjiboutiDjibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east... - 6e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (6e BIMa) in LibrevilleLibrevilleLibreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
(GabonGabonGabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
) - 9e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (9e RIMa9th Marine Infantry RegimentThe 9th Marine Infantry Regiment is a regiment of naval troops of the French Army, currently stationed in Guyana, both in Cayenne, the district Loubère near the station Cépérou and a posting on the river Maroni, Saint-Jean-du-Maroni , one of the sites of the former penal colony...
) in CayenneCayenneCayenne is the capital of French Guiana, an overseas region and department of France located in South America. The city stands on a former island at the mouth of the Cayenne River on the Atlantic coast. The city's motto is "Ferit Aurum Industria" which means "Work brings wealth"...
(French guianaFrench GuianaFrench Guiana is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department located on the northern Atlantic coast of South America. It has borders with two nations, Brazil to the east and south, and Suriname to the west...
) (infantry) - 33e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (33e RIMa) in Fort-de-FranceFort-de-FranceFort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
(MartiniqueMartiniqueMartinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
) - Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique - Nouvelle Calédonie (RIMaP-NC) in NouméaNouméaNouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
New Caledonia (infantry) - Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine du Pacifique - Polynésie (RIMaP-P) in PapeetePapeete-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...
- 23e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (23e BIMa) in DakarDakarDakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
(SenegalSenegalSenegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
) - 41e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (41e BIMa) in Pointe-à-PitrePointe-à-PitrePointe-à-Pitre is the largest city of Guadeloupe, an overseas région and département of France located in the Lesser Antilles, of which it is a sous-préfecture, being the seat of the Arrondissement of Pointe-à-Pitre....
(GuadeloupeGuadeloupeGuadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
) - 43e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Marine (43e BIMa) in Port-BouetPort-BouëtPort-Bouët is a town and commune in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.It is one of four communes of Abidjan south of Ébrié Lagoon, the others being Treichville, Koumassi and Marcory. Felix Houphouet Boigny International Airport is located in Port-Bouët...
(Côte d'IvoireCôte d'IvoireThe Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
)
- 2e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (2e RPIMa
The red beret
Inherited from the British SASSpecial Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
the red beret
Red beret
The red beret is a military beret worn by many military police, paramilitary, commando and police forces around the world. The maroon beret has become a symbol of airborne forces, though this is often known as a "red beret", particularly when referring to the British Parachute...
was awarded to French paratroopers by King George VI. It was worn officially for the first time in the French army by the 2nd and 3e RCPs at a parade on 11 November 1944. After undergoing a few modifications, the crimson beret became the standard headdress for all French airborne troops in 1973, except for the Legion
Foreign legion
Foreign legion or Foreign Legion is a title which has been used by a small number of military units composed of foreign volunteers.It usually refers to the French Foreign Legion, part of the French Army established in 1831.It can also refer to:...
paratroops who retained their green berets.
Anthem marine troops
This song is sung at a brisk pace to marching music- In battle or storm,
- The chorus of male songs, (repeat)
- Our soul always ready to danger,
- Brave and lightning guns.
- Men of iron that nothing weary
- We look death in the face,
- In the roaring storm or rough fight. Forward!
- To make a soldier of Marine
- You need in the chest
- The heart of a sailor and that of a soldier.
- Often in the torrid zone,
- The tooth tiger or lion
- Fever or ball homicide
- Just decimate our battalions.
- So to the motherland,
- We see, contorted with agony,
- In a supreme effort to turn our front. Forward!
- And we regret unanimous
- Dear France, O sublime country!
- This is for you to have one life to give.
- Be proud soldier in the Navy,
- Love thy victory bugles
- And your face illuminated by burnished,
- The brilliance of great deeds.
- From the Bosphorus to Martinique,
- From Senegal to the Pacific
- We see your flag colors shine. Forward!
- The glory took you under his wing,
- For the honor always faithful,
- You die in battle or you come back victorious.
- In every battle in the Crimea,
- We too have taken part
- De Malakoff under fire,
- We were climbing the walls.
- At the sight of our uniforms,
- That the fire or sword deforms,
- The enemy turned pale, stepped back many times. Forward!
- And on our foreheads that shines,
- We can see the triple crown
- The laurels of Podor, of Inkerman and Alma.
- When Prussia inundating France,
- About Us unleashed its fury,
- At his balls as his spears
- We have opposed our hearts.
- And when the battle roared,
- Our forehead, wounded by shrapnel,
- Bloody, but untamed, defied the winners. Forward!
- A Bazeilles The Cluze and Neuville,
- When fighting against one hundred thousand,
- The success betrays us but we kept the honor.
- Constantly ready for any fight;
- Valiant soldiers of our major ports,
- No nothing can kill you
- Who do you count your dead point
- You reduce Chinese, Kanaka,
- In Madagascar you, Annam and Tonkin. Forward!
- Also under the sky its dome
- Joined still halo
- Son-Tay and Noumea, Tamatave and Beijing
- A day will come, dear hope,
- Where the ardent call of bugles,
- Will rise to our France
- Avengers ... and we will.
- So for us, oh what a feast!
- We will give younger sisters,
- For the victories of Jena, Auerstadt, Stettin. Forward!
- Yes we love the holy wars
- For the blood of heroes, our fathers,
- In our blood on fire, do not flow in vain
The values of marine troops
Formed initially to garrison overseas, naval troops have acquired a culture of openness. In addition, foreign missions have required the weapon it covers areas of varied specialties (combat infantry and armor, fire support, communications ...) the exercise of which, today, reinforces a long history of professionalization.Transcending the concept of mastering the technical military, naval troops to unite around a single symbol, the anchor of gold, marks a unique style whose main features are:
- A brotherhood of gun mindset maintained by simple and warm human relationships between comrades in arms;
- An ability to adapt to the most unusual situations, a true lifestyle product of history and operational experience repeated;
- A "military humanism", perpetuating culture of others including the ability to make contacts with the most diverse populations and to gain their trust. These high values of identity give meaning to the commitment of the Marsouin and Bigord and always based natural vocation of marine troops serving outre-mer and abroad.
See also
- French Foreign LegionFrench Foreign LegionThe French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
- Marine corpsMarine corpsA marine is a member of a force that specializes in expeditionary operations such as amphibious assault and occupation. The marines traditionally have strong links with the country's navy...
- Fusiliers Marins - Naval light infantry
- Tirailleurs
- French colonial flagsFrench colonial flagsSome of the colonies, protectorates and mandates of the French Colonial Empire used distinctive colonial flags. These most commonly had a French Tricolour in the canton....
- French Colonial EmpireFrench colonial empireThe French colonial empire was the set of territories outside Europe that were under French rule primarily from the 17th century to the late 1960s. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the colonial empire of France was the second-largest in the world behind the British Empire. The French colonial empire...
- List of French possessions and colonies
Sources
- Les Troupes de Marine 1622-1984, Paris: Charles-Lavauzelle, 1991, ISBN 2-7025-0316-0 or ISBN 978-2-7025-0316-4.
- Serge Saint-Michel & Rene Le Honzec, Les Batisseurs d'empire Histoire Troupes de marine Tome II 1871-1931
- CEHD (Centre d'Etudes d'Histoire de la Défense), Les troupes de Marine dans l’armée de Terre. Un siècle d’histoire (1900–2000), Paris, Lavauzelle, 2001, 444 p., ISBN 2-7025-0492-2
- Historique du 16e régiment d'infanterie de marine. Année 1900, Paris, H. Charles-Lavauzelle, 1903.
- Louis Beausza, La formation de l'armee coloniale, Paris, L. Fournier et cie., 1939.
- Marcel Vigneras, Rearming the French, Office of the Chief of Military History, Dept. of the Army, 1957
- John C. Cornelius, Richard J. Sommers, Michael Winey, The Military Forces of France, Washington, GPO, 1977.
- Anthony Clayton, France, Soldiers and Africa, London; Washington: Brassey's Defence Publishers, 1988, ISBN 0-08-034748-7 or ISBN 978-0-08-034748-6.
- Comité national des traditions des troupes de marine, De Bizerte à Sarajevo : les troupes de marine dans les opérations extérieures de 1961 à 1994, Paris:C. Lavauzelle, 1995, ISBN 2-7025-0380-2 or ISBN 978-2-7025-0380-5.
External links
- Unofficial site (managed by the national federation of veterans of oversea and marine troops) Centre de ressources sur les TDM Musée des troupes de marine de Fréjus Les troupes coloniales dans la Grande Guerre