41st Army Corps (France)

41st Fortress Corps
41e Corps d'Armée de Forteresse
Active1939–1940
Country France
BranchFrench Army
TypeArmy Corps (Fortress)
RoleDefend the fortifications
Part ofNinth Army (1940)
EngagementsWorld War II
Battle of France
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Emmanuel Urbain Libaud

The French 41st Fortress Corps (41e Corps d'Armée de Forteresse) was a French military unit during the Second World War. Under the command of General Emmanuel Urbain Libaud, the corps held a strategic crossing of the Meuse river at Monthermé against heavy Luftwaffe attacks and assaults by the German XXXXI Panzer Corps until 15 May 1940.[1]

History

During the Battle of France, the 41st CAF was part of the Ninth Army. It was responsible for a difficult sector of the Meuse, where the river winds through steep Ardennes valleys. The corps was eventually bypassed and forced to retreat following the German breakthroughs at Sedan and Dinant.

Detailed Order of Battle (10 May 1940)

41st Fortress Corps Assets (Corps Troops) (May 1940) (Click "show" to expand)
  • Infantry: 641st Pioneer Regiment (641e Régiment de Pionniers) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
  • Artillery: 160th Position Artillery Regiment (160e Régiment d'Artillerie de Position) [2]
  • Engineers:
    • 41/1 & 41/2 Sapper-Miner Companies [2]
    • 41/16 Bridging Train Company [2]
    • 41/21 Engineer Park Company [2]
  • Signals:
    • 41/81 Field Telegraph Company [2]
    • 41/82 Radio Company [2]
  • Medical: 41st Light Horse Ambulance (AMH 41) [2]
61st Infantry Division (61e DI) (Click "show" to expand)
  • Infantry:
    • 219th Infantry Regiment (219e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 248th Infantry Regiment (248e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 310th Infantry Regiment (310e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
  • Artillery:
    • 47th Artillery Regiment (47e Régiment d'Artillerie) – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Groups (75mm) [2]
    • 247th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment (247e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Divisionnaire) – 4th Group (155mm C) [2]
  • Reconnaissance: 68th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (68e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie) [2]
  • Engineers: 61/1 & 61/2 Sapper-Miner Companies [2]
102nd Fortress Division (102e DIF) (Click "show" to expand)
  • Infantry (Fortress):
    • 148th Fortress Infantry Regiment (148e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 147th Fortress Infantry Regiment (147e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 52nd Colonial Machine-Gun Battalion (52e Bataillon de Mitrailleurs Coloniaux) [2]
  • Artillery:
    • 160th Position Artillery Regiment (160e RAP) – Elements attached to the division [2]
  • Reconnaissance: 42nd Divisional Reconnaissance Group (42e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie) [2]

Commanders

  • 1939 – 1940: Général Libaud

References

  1. ^ Deighton, Len (15 July 2021). Blitzkrieg: From the Rise of Hitler to the Fall of Dunkirk. Penguin Books Limited. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-14-199586-1.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Les Grandes Unités Françaises de la Guerre 1939-1945, Vol. 1, SHAT, 1967.

Sources

  • Les Grandes Unités Françaises (SHAT), Vol. 1, Vincennes, 1967.
High Command of the French Army (May 1940)

Commander-in-Chief: Maurice Gamelin (until 19 May) • Maxime Weygand

Army Groups Army Group 1 (Billotte) • Army Group 2 (Prételat) • Army Group 3 (Besson) • Army of the Alps (Olry)
Field Armies 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th
Army Corps of the French Army (1939–1940)
Specialized Corps

Colonial Corps (I, II, III) • Cavalry Corps (I, II) • Fortress Corps (41st, 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th)

Regular Army Corps

1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th ... 25th

1st Army Group (France) – Full Structure by Corps (May 1940)
First Army III Corps • IV Corps • V Corps • Cavalry Corps (I, II)
Second Army 10th Corps • 18th Corps •
Seventh Army I Corps • 16th Corps
Ninth Army 2nd Corps • 11th Corps • 41st Fortress Corps

Source: Les Grandes Unités Françaises (SHAT), 1967 • Order of Battle as of 10 May 1940

41st Fortress Corps – Order of Battle (May 1940)
Subordinate Divisions 61st Infantry Division (61e DI) • 102nd Fortress Division (102e DIF)
Corps Troops (Organiques) Infantry: 641st Pioneer Regiment • Artillery: 160th Position Artillery Regiment (Elements) • Signals: 41/81 Telegraph & 41/82 Radio
Support & Services 41/1 & 41/2 Sapper-Miner Companies • 41/16 Bridging Train • 41/21 Engineer Park • 41st Light Horse Ambulance
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