Country France Type Infantry division | Branch Army Role Infantry | |
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Engagements 1870 WarFirst World WarSecond World War |
The French 2nd Infantry Division (French: 2e Division d'Infanterie, 2e DI) was one of the oldest divisions of the French army.
Contents
Heads of the 2nd Infantry Division
The Hundred Days
Schmitz brigade, commanded by Brigade General Nicolas Schmitz.13th Light Infantry Regiment17th Line Infantry RegimentAulard brigade, commanded by Brigade General Pierre Aulard.19th Line Infantry Regiment51st Line Infantry Regiment10th company of the 6th Foot Artillery Regiment, with 8 troops.1870 War
They joined the Rhine Army, commanded by Marshall Mac Mahon.
Composition :
50th Line Infantry Regiment74th Line Infantry Regiment78th Line Infantry Regiment1st Algerian Tirailleur RegimentAfter the dissolution of the Imperial Army, they joined the new Armée de la Loire, commanded by General Louis d'Aurelle de Paladines.
2nd Infantry Division : General Martineau des Chenez
1st Brigade : General Dariés2nd Brigade : General RébillardArtillery :Composition during the War
The 2nd Infantry Division were mobilised in the 1st Region
Infantry
8th Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to armistice33rd Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to November 191673rd Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to November 1916100th Infantry Regiment from August 1914 to June 1915208th Infantry Regiment from November 1916 to armistice43rd Territorial Infantry Regiment from August 1918 to armisticeArtillery
27th Countryside Artillery Regiment from the mobilisation to armistice101st Light Artillery RegimentTemplate:VIth Artillery Group from 15 June 1918 to armisticeTrench Artillery
27th Countryside Artillery Regiment101st battery from 2 January 1917 to armisticeCavalry
6th Chasseur Regiment6th Squadron from mobilisation to armisticeEngineers
3rd Engineers RegimentCompany 1/21914
4–13 August
Transport by van to the region of Auvillers-les-Forges and crossing the Meuse to reach Revin and Givet.13–23 August
Movement, via Olloy, to Dinant.15 August, combat at Dinant, formed defence in front of the Meuse, via Dinant and Anbée.22 August, movement towards Charleroi.23–29 August
Engaged in the Battle of Charleroi, via Saint-Gérard.24 August, return, via Couvin, to the region of Guise26 August, combat at Gué-d'Hossus.29 August – 6 September
Engaged in the 1st Battle of Guise ; combat at Sains-Richaumont.30 August, return, via Crécy-sur-Serre, Pontavert and Baizil, to the South of Esternay.6–13 September
Engaged in the 1st Battle of the Marne.6–10 September, Battle of Deux Morins : Combat in Esternay, Bergères-sous-Montmirail and Fontaine-Chacun.10 September, continue, via Verneuil and Ville-Dommange, until Reims.13 September – 12 December
Engaged in the 1st Battle of Aisne : combat in the region of Bétheny, la Neuvillette.16 September, movement along the road heading North-West ; combat at Cholera Farm and towards la Ville-aux-Bois. Stabilisation and occupation of a sector towards Gernicourt and Beau marais Forest, heading left, on 15 October, until the moulin Pontoy, and to the right, on 1 November, until cote 10812–14 October, French attack on Cholera Farm and the Ville-aux-Bois Forest.4 November, attack and capture of Sapigneul.11 November, capture of cote 108.12 December 1914 – 12 January 1915
Retreat from the front towards Fismes.16 December, transport by van to Cuperly.20 December or thereabouts, movement to La Cheppe, heading to Laval, to take part in the 1st Battle of Champagne: Engaged on 9 January 1915, North of Mesnil-lès-Hurlus.1915
12–20 January
Retreat from the front and back to Bussy-le-Château.20 January – 2 March
Occupation of the sector towards Mesnil-lès-Hurlus16 March, French attack on les Mamelles, leading to violent combat in the region (Battle of Champagne)2 March – 5 April
Retrait from the front and back to Courtisols (arriving 14 March)20 and 21 March, movement to the region of Avize ; rest.29 March, transport by van towards Vavincourt, then, at the end of 1st April, movement towards the South-East of Verdun.5–11 April
Engaged in the 1st Battle of la Woëvre, towards Buzy Forest and the East of Braquis.11–29 April
Retreat from the front (arriving on 18th) ; further movement, via Souilly and Les Hauts-de-Chée, to Commercy.29 April – 11 May
Movement towards the front ; 30 April, attack on Ailly Forest, leading to occupation of a sector towards Ailly Forest5 May, German attack, and French counter-attack.11–15 May
Retreat from the front, and transport by van to the regions of Épernay and Fismes.15 May – 3 September
Movement towards the front and occupation of a sector of Berry-au-Bac and the moulin Pontoy, reduced to the right, on 18 August, to la Miette, then, on 31 August, up to la Ville-aux-Bois.3 September – 2 October
Retreat from the front, and rest at Guyencourt.2 October 1915 – 12 February 1916
Movement to the front, and occupation of a sector of Sapigneul and la Miette.12 November, movement along the road, and occupation of a new sector between Berry-au-Bac and Temple Farm, extended to the left, on 20 November, up to the Pontoy windmill:Battle of Mines at cote 108.1916
12–21 February
Retreat from the front and regrouping at Ville-en-Tardenois ; rest and instruction.21 February – 8 March
Transport by train, movement to the region of Verdun.26 February, engaged by accident in the Battle of Verdun, at Douaumont (violent combat)8 March – 14 April
Retreat from the front and rest at Bar-le-Duc.1st April, transport by van to the region of Dormans ; rest.11 April, movement to Fismes.14 April – 24 July
Occupation of a sector between the road from Paissy to Chermizy-Ailles and Soupir, reduced to the right on 17 July up to Troyon.24 July – 3 September
Retreat from the front and rest at Ville-en-Tardenois.7 August, transport by truck to the region of Conty.Rest south-west of Amiens until 25 August, towards Corbie.3 September – 5 October
Movement to the front ; engaged in the Battle of the Somme, towards le Forest and the Forest of Maurepas14 September, capture of Priez farm.19–26 September, capture of the 2nd line (further battles in the area, and the capture of Combles, on the 26th)27 September, again engaged, towards Combles and Morval, leading to Combles and Frégicourt (former municipality reunited with Combles in 1834).5–9 October
Retreat from the front and rest at Conty.9–16 October
Transport by van to the region of Châlons-sur-Marne and rest at Somme-Vesle.16 October – 30 November
Movement to the front and occupation of a sector at Maisons de Champagne and the butte du Mesnil.30 November – 14 December
Retreat from the front, and rest at Possesse.14 December 1916 – 6 January 1917
Movement to the camp at Mailly, rest and instruction.1917
6 January – 27 February
Gradual movement to the front, while occupying a sector covering Maisons de Champagne and la Courtine15 February, violent German attack.21 February – 6 March
Retreat from the front, movement through the region of Sainte-Menehould, via Dampierre-le-Château, l'Épine, Sarry, Athis and Vinay.6 March – 8 April
Movement via Dormans ; instruction (work at the Aisne)8–19 April
Movement to the front and occupation of a sector covering Craonne and le Ployron.16 April, engaged in the 2nd Battle of the Aisne : combat on the Craonne plateau; defence, and organisation of their captured positions.19 April – 7 July
Retreat from the front and rest at Ventelay ; from 25 April, rest at Viels-Maisons.9 May, gradual movement towards the camp at Mailly ; rest and instruction.15 June, gradual movement towards Provins ; rest and instruction.7–30 July
Transport by van to Flandres.14 July, movement of the infantry to the front and occupation of a sector covering Het-Sas (under the orders of the 1st D.I.)30 July – 4 August
Retrait from the front ; rest in the region of Roesbrugge-Haringe.4–22 August
Mouvement towards the front and rest in the region of Bikschote16 August, offensive against Martje Vaert and Broenbeck (Battle of Langemarck - part of the Battle of Passchendaele)22 August – 6 October
Retreat from the front; rest and instruction in the region of West-Cappel.6–16 October
Occupation of a sector north of Bixschoote and Langemark (together with the British Army) :9 October, offensive in the forest of Houthulst, attack on Mangelaare (part of the Battle of Poelcappelle).16 October – 21 November
Retreat from the front, then rest, instruction and work at Bergues.21 November – 7 December
Occupation of a sector north of Langemarck and Kloosterschool (together with the British front)7 December 1917-17 January 1918
Retreat from the front (relieved by the British Army). Rest at Gravelines.11 December, gradual movement to the region of Senlis ; rest.1918
17 January – 20 March
Gradual movement to Soissons22 January, work on the 2nd position in the region.8 February, gradual movement towards Roucy ; then work on the 2nd position in the region.20–31 March
Movement towards the front and occupation of a sector in the region of Miette, Ployon.31 March-20 May: Retreat from the front; movement towards Fismes, and, on 3 April, towards Écuiry ; rest.
14 April, bridging the Oise towards Choisy-au-Bac.2 May, movement towards Warluis ; rest. Led to work on the 2nd position in the region of Beauvais.20–31 May
Movement towards Marseille-en-Beauvaisis.28 May, transport by train south to Compiègne.Soon afterwards, to Montigny-Lengrain, to join the Third Battle of the Aisne.31 May – 18 July
Movement to the front and occupation of a sector covering Dammard and Troësnes: frequent local actions, particularly on 29, 30 June and 1 July, to the east of Mosloy.18–27 July
Engaged, at Troësnes to the south, in the Battle of soissonnais et l'Ourq (Second Battle of the Marne)Progression towards Épaux-Bézu and through the region of Rocourt-Saint-Martin northward.27 July – 19 August
Retreat from the front ; movement towards Mareuil-sur-Ourcq, then to Pierrefonds ; rest.19–29 August
Movement to Vic-sur-Aisne and occupation of a sector north of Autrêches.Engaged in the 2nd Battle of Noyon, at l'Ailette, via Pont-Saint-Mard.29 August – 11 September
Retreat from the front and rest at Pont-Sainte-Maxence.11 September – 28 October
Transport via van to Alsace ; from 15 September, occupation of a sector covering Burnhaupt-le-Haut and Leimbach.28 October – 11 November
Retreat from the front and gradual movement to Ceintrey ; preparing offensive.Attachments
Organic attachment : 1st CA from August 1914 to November 1918
Ist Army
26 April – 12 May 191524 April – 10 June 19177 July – 11 December 1917IInd Army
26 February – 31 March 1916IIIrd Army
23 – 25 April 191524 February 191631 August – 9 September 1918IVth Army
16 December 1914 – 3 April 191522–23 February 19169 October 1916 – 7 March 1917Vth Army
2 August – 15 December 191422 April 191513 May 1915 – 21 February 19161st – 5 April August 19166 March – 20 April 19172 – 28 May 1918VIth Army
7 August – 8 October 191612 December 1917 – 1st May 191829 May – 4 August 1918VIIth Army
10 September – 7 November 1918Xth Army
6 August 191621 – 23 April 191711 June – 6 July 19175 – 30 August 19188 – 11 November 1918D. Armées Gérard
4 – 21 April 1915Région Fortifiée de Verdun
25 February 1916The Second World War
Under the orders of the Battle of 10 May 1940, the 2nd Infantry Division joined the Colonial Army Corps (with the 51st Highland Division and the 56th DI), to be commanded by the IIIrd Army of General Condé.