1st Moroccan Infantry Division

The 1st Moroccan Infantry Division (French: 1e division d'infanterie marocaine, 1e DIM) was a French Army formation during World War I and World War II.

World War I

The division was formed in July 1918 by the renaming and partial reorganization of the Moroccan Infantry Division. In spite of its name, Moroccan troops formed only one of its two brigades, with the other combining soldiers from Madagascar with elements of the French Foreign Legion and the former Imperial Russian Army.^[1]

1st Moroccan Brigade

• 12e Bataillon de tirallieurs Malgaches (12th Madagascar light infantry battalion). Recruited from indigenous Madagascan infantry with French officers.
• Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (Provisional Regiment of the Foreign Legion),
• Légion Russe (Russian Legion).

2nd Moroccan Brigade

• 7e Régiment de Marche de Tirailleurs (7th provisional light infantry regiment). Recruited primarily from indigenous Moroccan infantry with French officers.
• 8e Régiment de Marche de Zouaves (8th provisional Zouave regiment). Recruited primarily from French settlers in Algeria.

The division also had attached to it the 32e régiment d'infanterie territoriale (32nd territorial infantry regiment), a unit of French reservists from Argentan.

The division was involved in many battles - such as the Second Battle of the Marne in 1918 (where, with the American 1st and 2nd Divisions, it was part of the French XX Corps).

World War II

During the Battle of France in May 1940 the division was made up of the following units:

• 1 Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment
• 2 Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment
• 7 Moroccan Tirailleurs Regiment
• 80 Reconnaissance Battalion
• 64 Artillery Regiment
• 264 Artillery Regiment

It was an active division which existed during peacetime. It mainly contained native troops from French Morocco.

References