French Expeditionary Corps
Italy 1943-1944

CD TO&E:
1st Infantry Division de Marche (1st DMI)

by Greg Novak

The last French Infantry Division to see service in Italy was the 1st Motorized Infantry Division, later renamed the 1st Infantry Division de Marche. It arrived in Italy in April 1944, after a series of problems with its organization. The division was created from the Free French units that had served with the British 8th Army in North Africa, and was organized at first as two brigade British motorized infantry division. To round out the division, a third brigade was added, but with American weapons and organization. Before it could see service in Italy, it was decided to convert the entire division to an American organization to bring it in line with the other elements of the CEF and to simplify supply problems. However, while the TO&E of the division was to be American, the 1st DMI kept the British practice of Brigades and separate independent infantry battalions.

1st Infantry Division de Marche (1st DMI), with:
Troop Quality: Veteran
Morale: 9, Legion Elements morale of 10

Divisional Headquarters, with: as 2nd DIM above

Divisional Troops, with:

    50th Headquarters Company as 2nd DIM above
    1st Signal Battalion, with: as 2nd DIM above
    Military Police, with: as 2nd DIM above
    9th Ordnance Company, with: as 2nd DIM above
    101st Transport Company, with: as 2nd DIM above
    102nd Transport Company, with: as 2nd DIM above

1st Regiment du Fusiliers Marins, with: as 2nd Regiment Spahis Marocain

1st Engineer Battalion, with:

    Headquarters and Service Company, with:
      1 command stand
      1 jeep
      2 engineer stands
      1 bulldozer
      1 tractor trailers for bulldozer
      1 mediurn truck with Class IV Bridge
      1 light truck with assault boat trailer
      1 medium baggage truck with field kitchen
      1 medium general supply truck with trailer
      1 compressor truck
      1 light truck
      1 support stand

    1st, 4th, and 6th Engineer Companies, each with:

      1 command stand
      1 jeep
      1 medium truck with AAMG and trailer
      2 medium dump trucks
      3 engineer stands

1st Infantry Brigade, with:

    51st Headquarters Company, with:
      1 command stand
      1 jeep
      1 staff radio light truck
      1 recon infantry stand
      1 light truck

    51st Service Company, with:

      1 medium ammo truck with trailer
      1 command stand
      1 support stand
      1 jeep
      1 light truck
      1 medium baggage truck with field kitchen
      2 medium general supply trucks with trailers and AAMG

    13th Cannon Company, (Foreign Legion), with:

      1 command stand
      1 jeep
      1 medium truck with AAMG
      1 105L16 mountain howitzer
      1 gun crew stand (ds)
      1 medium truck with trailer
      1 support stand

    13th Antitank Company, (Foreign Legion), with:

      1 command stand
      1 jeep
      2 gun crew stands
      1 engineer stand
      2 light trucks
      2 57L52 AT guns
      1 light truck with ammo trailer

    1st Foreign Legion Infantry Battalion, with:

      Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 jeep

      Headquarters Company, with:

        1 command stand
        1 jeep
        1 gun crew stand
        1 57L52 AT gun
        2 light trucks
        1 pioneer stand
        1 light baggage truck with field kitchen
        1 medium general supply truck with trailer

      3 Rifle Companies, each with:

        1 command infantry stand
        2 infantry stands
        1 weapons stand
        2 medium trucks

      Weapons Company, with:

        1 command stand
        1 jeep
        2 MMG stands
        1 81 mm mortar stand (ds)
        2 jeeps with light ammo trailers
        2 medium trucks2nd Foreign Legion Infantry Battalion (2 BLE), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above

        22nd Marche Battalion of North Africa (22 BMNA), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above

2nd Infantry Brigade, with:

    52nd Headquarters Company, with: as 51st Headquarters Company above
    52nd Service Company, with: as 51st Service Company above
    2nd Cannon Company, with: as 13th Cannon Company above
    2nd Antitank Company, with: as 13th Antitank Company above
    4th Marche Battalion (4 BM){Senegalese from Cameroun), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above
    5th Marche Battalion (5 BM) {Senegalese from Cameroun), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above
    11th Marche Battalion (11 BM) {Senegalese from BM 1 and Syria), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above

4th Infantry Brigade, with:

    4th Headquarters Company, with: as 51st Headquarters Company above
    4th Service Company, with: as 51st Service Company above
    4th Cannon Company, with: as 13th Cannon Company above
    4th Antitank Company, with: as 13th Antitank Company above
    21st Marche Battalion (21 BM), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above
    24th Marche Battalion (24 BM), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above
    Pacific Colonial Infantry Battalion (BIMP) [Free French from Pacific Islands), with: as 1st Foreign Legion Battalion above
    1st Artillery Regiment, with: as 2nd DIM above
    21st Groupe Forces Terrestres Antiaeriennes, with:
      Groupe Headquarters, with:
        1 command stand
        1 command car

      Headquarters Battery, with:

        1 medium ammo truck with trailer and AAMG
        1 command stand
        1 jeep
        1 medium baggage truck with field kitchen
        1 medium general supply truck with trailer
        1 light truck
        1 support stand

      4 AA Batteries, each with:

        1 command stand
        1 jeep
        2 light trucks
        2 40L56 AA guns
        2 gun crew stands
        2 M16 MGMCs
        1 light truck with ammo trailer

For weapon information and firing data, use the charts for the US Army.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Les Grandes Unites Francaises, Vol. 4, Campagnes de Tunisie et D'Italie, Historiques Succincts, Paris, 1970.
Bitter Victory, The Battle for Sicily, Carlo D'Este, Collins London,1988.
Rearming the French, Marcel Vigneras, Washington DC, 1957.
The Allied Forces in Italy 1943-45, Guido Rosignoli, David & Charles Publishers, Newton Abbot, Devon, United Kingdom, 1989.

French Expeditionary Force Italy 1943-1944

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© Copyright 1994 by Greg Novak.
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