Active 1913–1964 Branch French Army | Country France Type Tirailleurs Regiment | |
 | ||
Motto(s) « La victoire ou la mort » (Fr) Engagements World War I
World War II
Indochina War | ||
The 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment (French: 7e Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens , 7e R.T.A), was a French infantry unit of the French Army belonging to the Army of Africa (French: Armée d'Afrique).
Contents
- Creation and different nominations
- World War I
- 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- 1917
- 1918
- Casualties
- Interwar period
- Composition of the regiment
- Campaigns
- Collective citations
- Indochina War
- Algerian War
- Decorations
- Battle honours
- Regimental Commanders of the 7th Marching Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment
- Honorary arms particular to the regiment
- Notable Officers Tirailleurs
- Bibliographies
- External links
- References
Active between 1913 and 1946, the unit is one of the most decorated of the French Army. The regiment distinguished capability during World War I, during which the unit was cited six times at the orders of the armed forces and was awarded the Légion d'honneur, then during World War II, at the corps of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division 3e DIA, notably during the Italian campaign with the French Expeditionary Corps of général Juin; cited newly three times at the orders of the armed forces
Dissolved in 1964, the regiment became the 170th Infantry Regiment (French: 170e RI).
Creation and different nominations
World War I
The 2nd battalion of the 7e RMT remained in North Africa.
The regiment was part of the Moroccan Division and engaged in combat alongside the RMLE, the 4e RTT as well as the 8e RZ.
1914
1915
1916
1917
1918
Casualties
From 1914 to 1918, losses for the 7th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment 7e RMT were 2326 killed or disappeared ( 97 officers, 232 sous-officiers, 260 corporals and 1737 soldiers).
Throughout the campaign course, the 7e RMT obtained collectively 31 citations and 464 Médaille militaire.
Interwar period
In 1928, the 7e RTA adopted the designation of 11e RTA and back to 7e RTA.
In 1936, the 7e RTA was garrisoned at Constantine.
Composition of the regiment
During the Second World War, one North-African tirailleur regiment consisted a little more than 3000 men (out of which 500 officers and sous-officiers) and 200 vehicles. The proportion of Maghrebis reach 69% for the regiment, 74% for the battalion, 79% for the company of fusiliers-voltigeurs, 52% for the anti-tank company and 36% for the cannon infantry company.
Campaigns
Collective citations
Throughout the course of the Second World War, the 7e RTA obtained 10 collective citations at the orders of the armed forces (3 for the regiment, 4 for the battalions, and 3 for the companies).
Casualties
The 3rd Algerian Infantry Division 3e DIA recorded 809 killed in action in the 7e RTA from November 1942 to May 1945, out of which 614 Maghrebis (75%) and 195 Europeans (25%).
Indochina War
Four Marching Battalions were constituted successively to combat in Indochina. The 5th Marching Battalion (V/7e RTA), of chef de battaillon de Mecquenem, illustrated capability at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu during the mounting of the defensive at the Gabrielle resistance center.
Algerian War
The 7e RTA combat engaged in Algeria, at the corps of the 21st Infantry Division, in the sector of Aurès Némenchas. At the cease-fire on March 19, 1962, the regiment constituted along with 91 other regiments, a local unit force of the Algerian order of battle, the 427 UFL-UFO composed of 10% of metropolitan military and 90% of Muslim military personnel at Barika, during the transitory period, while being at the service of the executive provisionary power of Algeria until the independence of Algeria (Evian Accords March 18, 1962). Following events, the regiment was back in France in 1962, and garrisoned until 1964 where the unit was dissolved to form the 170th Infantry Regiment.
Decorations
The Regimental Colors are decorated with the :
The regiment was the first indegenous to be awarded the Fourragère with colors of the Croix de la Légion d'honneur (1914-1918).