5th Army (France)

Fifth Army
Memorial to the 5th Army
Active1914–1918
1939–1940
Country France
BranchFrench Army
TypeField army
SizeArmy
Part ofFrench Second Army Group (until May 1940)
Army Group 3 (from May 1940)
Engagements
Commanders
Current
commander		Victor Bourret
Notable
commanders		Charles Lanrezac
Louis Franchet d'Espèrey
Victor Bourret

The Fifth Army (French: Ve Armée) was a field army of the French Army that fought during World War I and World War II.

World War I

On 29 August 1914 the 5th Army under Lanrezac won a partial victory at the battle of Guise, delaying the German attack.[1] However, Lanrezac was replaced by Louis Franchet d'Espèrey on 3 September 1914. Under its new commander, it participated in the victory at the First Battle of the Marne.[2]

World War II

During the Battle of France in 1940, the Fifth Army was part of the Second Army Group. It was responsible for the defense of the Maginot Line sector in Lower Alsace, from the Rhine to the Vosges mountains.

Order of Battle (10 May 1940)

At the start of the German offensive, the Fifth Army was commanded by Général d'armée Victor Bourret.[3] Its headquarters was located at Wangenbourg.

Army Assets (Organiques d'Armée)

Army Assets & Reserve (Click "show" to expand)
  • Pioneer Regiments: 405th, 415th, 425th, and 441st Pioneer Regiments (Régiment de Pionniers - RP) [3]
  • Tank Units: 10th and 11th Light Tank Battalions (Bataillon de Chars de Combat - BCC) [Renault R35]; 43rd Reserve Tank Battalion (Bataillon de Chars de Combat de Réserve - BCCR) [3]
  • Army Heavy Artillery: 115th Heavy Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Hippomobile - RALH); 155th Position Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie de Position - RAP) [3]

VIII Army Corps (8e Corps d'Armée)

VIII Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Commander: General Concornier [3]
  • Corps Assets: 8th Reconnaissance Group of the Army Corps (8e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée - GRCA) [3]
  • 24th Infantry Division (24e Division d'Infanterie - 24e DI) (Aymes) – Active:[3]
    • 50th, 63rd, and 78th Infantry Regiments (Régiment d'Infanterie - RI)
    • 31st Divisional Reconnaissance Group (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie - GRDI)
    • 21st Divisional Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Divisionnaire - RAD)
  • 31st Infantry Division (31e Division d'Infanterie - 31e DI) (Vauthier) – Active:[3]
    • 15th, 81st, and 96th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 30th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 56th Divisional Artillery Regiment (RAD)

XII Army Corps (12e Corps d'Armée)

XII Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Commander: General Dentz [3]
  • 16th Infantry Division (16e Division d'Infanterie - 16e DI) (Vauthier) – Active:[3]
    • 89th, 98th, and 105th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 23rd Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 49th Divisional Artillery Regiment (RAD)
  • 70th Infantry Division (70e Division d'Infanterie - 70e DI) (Fay) – Reserve B:[3]
    • 209th, 222nd, and 234th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 55th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 51st Divisional Mixed Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Mixte Divisionnaire - RAMD)

XVII Army Corps (17e Corps d'Armée)

XVII Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Commander: General Noël [3]
  • 62nd Infantry Division (62e Division d'Infanterie - 62e DI) (Laure) – Reserve B:[3]
    • 216th, 250th, and 307th Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 51st Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 53rd Divisional Mixed Artillery Regiment (RAMD)
  • 103rd Fortress Infantry Division (103e Division d'Infanterie de Forteresse - 103e DIF) (Valleur) – Active:[3]
    • 34th and 172nd Fortress Infantry Regiments (Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse - RIF)
    • 155th Position Artillery Regiment (RAP) [Elements]

43rd Fortress Army Corps (43e Corps d'Armée de Forteresse)

43rd Fortress Army Corps (Click "show" to expand)
  • Commander: General Lescanne [3]
  • Fortified Sector of the Lower Rhine (Secteur Fortifié du Bas-Rhin)
  • Fortified Sector of Haguenau (Secteur Fortifié de Haguenau)
  • 30th Infantry Division (30e Division d'Infanterie - 30e DI) (Duron) – Active:[3]
    • 49th, 55th, and 91st Infantry Regiments (RI)
    • 21st Divisional Reconnaissance Group (GRDI)
    • 12th Divisional Artillery Regiment (RAD)


See also

References

  1. ^ Gregory, Adrian (2014). A War of Peoples 1914-1919. Oxford University Press. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-19-954257-4.
  2. ^ Mansoor, Peter R.; Murray, Williamson (2016). Grand Strategy and Military Alliances. Cambridge University Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-1-107-13602-1.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Les Grandes Unités Françaises de la Guerre 1939-1945, Vol. 1, Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre (SHAT), 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
3rd Army Group (France) – Structure by Corps (May 1940)
Third Army VI Corps • XXIV Corps • 42nd Fortress Corps
Fourth Army IX Corps • XX Corps
Fifth Army VIII Corps • XII Corps • XVII Corps • 43rd Fortress Corps
Eighth Army VII Corps • 13th Corps • 44th Fortress Corps

Source: Les Grandes Unités Françaises (SHAT), 1967

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