| Armenian Legion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1916-1920 |
| Country | Armenia |
| Allegiance | France |
| Size | 4,124 [1] |
| Nickname | "La Légion d'Orient" |
| Engagements | Battle of Arara (Sinai and Palestine Campaign), Franco-Turkish War |
| Commanders | |
| Ceremonial chief | Boghos Nubar |
The Armenian Legion, established with the French-Armenian Agreement (1916), was a foreign legion unit within French Army. The Armenian legion was established under the goals of the Armenian national liberation movement and was an armed unit besides the Armenian volunteer units and Armenian militia during World War I which fought against the Ottoman Empire. The initial name of the legion was "La Légion d'Orient" (The Eastern Legion).[2] It was renamed as "La Légion Arménienne" (The Armenian Legion) on February 1, 1919. The soldiers in this legion were referred to informally among the Armenians as "Gamavor" (Volunteer).
Contents |
The Armenians living in France joined to the French Foreign Legion at the beginning of the war. This was before the establishment of the French Armenian Legion.
| “ | Nearly all the able-bodied Armenians in France, between 1000 and 1500 strong, joined the French Foreign Legion quite early in the war. Some Armenians came from the United States to fight for France. Only some 250 have survived, I understand, most of whom are proud possessors of the Military Cross.[3] | ” |
Negotiations of Boghos Nubar with French political and military authorities culminated in the formation of the French Armenian Legion.
The Legion was established officially in Cairo, Egypt in November 1916, with the accord of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an Armenian delegation. Several Armenian organizations pledged contribution to form several battalions under the planned Armenian Legion.
The parties agreed to the following:
Signed in Paris by General Pierre Roques, Minister of War, and General Marie-Jean-Lucien Lacaze, Minister of Navy, the official decision regarding the establishment of the Armenian Legion was signed on 15 November 1916 in Paris.
According to this initial decision,
The number of volunteers was an equivalent of 6 battalions, each containing 800 volunteers, and another 6 battalions was planned to be formed. Armenian committees were organizing the conscription process to recruit these soldiers in France and United States.
Ninety-five percent Armenian in composition, the Legion included Ottoman Armenian refugees, former prisoners of war, and permanent residents of Egypt, America, and Europe. The majority of the soldiers were said to be recruits from the Armenian-American community or embittered survivors of the battle of Musa Dagh who were living in refugee camps in Port Said, Egypt, at the time.
After the initial training in Cyprus, the Armenian Legion was first deployed in Palestine, to help French and British armies against Ottoman and German armies.
Under the command of General Edmund Allenby, the Legion, fighting in Palestine, Syria, and finally Cilicia, won the plaudits of Clemenceau’s government and its Entente allies."[5]
Following this campaign, they were deployed in Anatolia (Asia Minor) according to the initial decisions. They were active around the cities of Adana and Mersin involved in skirmishes with local civilians and unorganized Turkish militia.[6] Their undisciplined actions,massacres, destroyings, attacks and banditry against the local Muslim population became a source of embarrassment and headache for the French.[7]
In May 1919, the Armenians declared an independent state in Cilicia. However this state was short lived as France disbanded the Armenian Legion and recognized Turkey's sovereignty over the region in 1920.[8][9]