1st Battalion of Somali Tirailleurs

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1st Battalion of Somali Tirailleurs
"1er Bataillon de Tirailleurs Somalis"
Ahmed Abokob, a Somali skirmisher from Djibouti, apart of the 1st Battalion of Somali Tirailleurs
c. 1917
Active1916-1958
CountryFrance
BranchFrench Army
TypeTroupes coloniales
RoleInfantry
Garrison/HQMadagascar (1919-1932, 1947-1958)
ColorsRed and Blue
Engagements
DecorationsCroix de guerre 1914-1918
Croix de guerre 1939-1945

The 1st Battalion of Somali Tirailleurs, formed in 1916 from recruits from the French Somali Coast, was a unit belonging to the French Army.

It distinguished itself during the First World War, notably during the recapture of Fort Douaumont in October 1916 with the Moroccan colonial infantry regiment. Recreated during the Second World War, it participated particularly in the fighting at Pointe de Grave in April 1945. Disbanded in 1946, its traditions were preserved by the Somali company until 1958.

Combat History

First World War

On February 22, 1915, a company of Somali riflemen was established, disbanded the following year.[1]

The 6th Somali Marching Battalion was formed at Majunga (Madagascar) on May 11, 1916, from recruits from the French Somali Coast. It was assembled in Fréjus on June 10, 1916, and was renamed the 1st Somali Tirailleurs Battalion that same day.[2]

The battalion originally served as a staging battalion, but the officers met the demands of the Somalis to serve as fighters and not as workers.[2]

In October 1916 the battalion was attached to the RICM. It entered the war by participating in the assault on Fort Douaumont on October 24, 1916. After this feat of arms which had a significant impact, the flag of the RICM was decorated with the cross of the Legion of Honor and the 2nd and 4th companies of the Somali battalion also received the Croix de Guerre with palm.[2]

The Somali Tirailleurs receive their supplies at the Fréjus camp, mid-1916.

In December 1916, the battalion, reorganized as a combat unit, was completed by the addition of a machine gun company and a platoon of 37 mm cannons. The battalion winters in Fréjus and Saint-Raphaël.[2]

In May 1917, the battalion participated in the Battle of Chemin des Dames during which it was cited in the order of the division. On October 23, 1917, it won the victory of Malmaison within the RICM and obtained the first army citation for the entire battalion.[2]

In May and June 1918, the battalion took part in the 3rd Battle of the Aisne and in July in the 2nd Battle of the Marne. In August and September 1918, the Somali battalion fought on the Oise front and in October 1918 it obtained its second citation to the order of the army as well as the right to wear the fourragère in the colors of the Croix De Guerre.[2]

Of 2,434 riflemen recruited on the Somali Coast, 2,088 came to fight in Europe. Their losses are estimated at 517 killed and 1,200 wounded.[2]

Interwar Period

On January 1, 1919, following the end of the war, the battalion consisted of:

The strength of the battalion, dissolved on January 23, 1919, was quickly reduced to two companies, sent to Madagascar.[2] The force was then reduced to a single company of Somali riflemen, integrated into the 1st Malagasy mixed regiment. It was dissolved in 1932.[4][5]

Second World War

In December 1942, the French Somali Coast joined Free France and once again provided a battalion of Somali riflemen to participate in the fighting for the liberation of France. In 1 janvier 1943, it split into two on 16 May 1944 : the sovereignty battalion sets up a Somali marching battalion .[6]

On 26 August 1944, the Somali marching battalion was entrusted in Djibouti with the guarding of the tricolor pennant of the 1st Battalion Somali tirailleurs of World War I. The first Somali elements joined French North Africa in March and the Somali marching battalion was regrouped in Sousse in September.[7]

The Somali marching battalion arrived in France in February 1945 and was regrouped on the 26th with the marching battalions of No. 14 and No. 15 to form the French Equatorial Africa and Somalia regiment.[7]

The regiment was integrated into the Atlantic Army Detachment (DAA), commanded by General de Larminat, responsible for reducing the Royan pocket. It was involved in the liberation of Royan and Pointe de Grave, before liberating Soulac in avril 1945. During these battles the losses of the Somali battalion amounted to 41 killed (5 Europeans and 36 riflemen) and 106 wounded (10 Europeans and 96 riflemen) or 147 men out of a strength of 860.

As a reward for their successes in April 1945, the regiment and its three battalions each received a citation in the divisional orders on 14/7/1945. On 20/8/1945, the Somali battalion received a citation in the army's orders. [2]

From 1945 to the present day

The Somali Marching Battalion was disbanded on June 25, 1946. On August 1, 1946, the Somali Battalion became the Somali Company (known as the “Somali Traditions Company”), [2] integrated into the Senegalese tirailleurs battalion of the French Somali Coast.[8]

In 1947, the Somali company joined the island of Madagascar, which was subject to an anti-colonial revolt.[2] From July 1948 to October 1949, it was integrated into the Senegalese reinforcement rifle battalion.[9] On December 1, 1958, the company was renamed the 1st Autonomous Marine Infantry Company (1st CAIMA) then, on November 1, 1960, it became the 3rd Company of the 12th Marine Infantry Battalion (ex-Malagasy Tirailleurs Battalion)1, dissolved in 1962.

In 1970, the 5th Overseas Combined Arms Regiment (RIAOM) inherited the traditional heritage of the Somali battalion, in addition to that of the colonial infantry. On its flag, five battle inscriptions, two decorations and, since 1996, the red belt of the Somali troops today recall the memory of the Somali riflemen who distinguished themselves in the French Army.[10]

Emblem

The unit's badge, made for the Somali company, is approved G.1080 on 12/2/1954[1]. Somali's head represents the unit's soldiers, the 1st BTS inscription on his collar recalls the unit's heritage. Finally, the anchor of the colonial troops bears the inscription "Somalie".[9]

Battalion Leaders

  • May 1916 : Battalion Chief Fortin
  • 14 July 1916 : Captain Depui
  • 21 November 1916 until the end of the First World War : Battalion Chief Bouet
  • 1944-1945 : Battalion Chief Bentzmann

Inscriptions on its flag

Fourragère in the colors of the Croix de Guerre 1914-1918

Its flag bears the inscriptions:[11]

  • VERDUN DOUAUMONT 1916
  • MALMAISON 1917
  • AISNE 1917 - 1918
  • THE MARNE 1918
  • NOYON 1918

Decorations

During World War I, the 1 Somali rifle received three citations, including two in the army order :

He is entitled to wear the fourragère in the colours of the ribbon of the 1914-1918 war cross which rewards units cited at least twice in the orders of the army .

At the level of individual citations, during the First World War, there were:[12]

  • 9 Legion of Honour crosses (including one for Officer of the Legion of Honour) to the battalion officers
  • 35 military medals (9 to Europeans and 26 to Somalis)
  • 1 180 citations to order :
    • 31 to the army order (17 to the Europeans and 14 to the Somalis).
    • 51 citations to the order of the army corps (41 to the Europeans, 10 to the Somalis)
    • 109 to the order of the division (92 to the Europeans, 17 to the Somalis)
    • 206 to the brigade order (132 to the Europeans, 74 to the Somalis)
    • 783 to the regimental order (148 to the Europeans, 635 to the Somalis).

During World War II, the 1st Battalion of Somali Tirailleurs was awarded a citation in the army order and a citation in the division order within the French Equatorial Africa and Somali Marching Regiment to which it belonged.

Notes and references

  1. ^ Vaudable, Henri (1995). Histoire des troupes de marine, à travers leurs insignes: Des origines à la fin de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale (in French). Service historique de l'armée de terre. p. 221. ISBN 978-2-86323-092-3.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Champeaux 1997.
  3. ^ a b Jolly 2013, p. 168.
  4. ^ Jolly 2013, p. 251.
  5. ^ Jolly 2013, p. 59.
  6. ^ Bernard Le Marec (1994). Les Français libres et leurs emblèmes (in French). Lavauzelle. p. 71. ISBN 978-2-7025-0367-6.
  7. ^ a b Bernard Le Marec (1994). Les Français libres et leurs emblèmes (in French). Lavauzelle. p. 71. ISBN 978-2-7025-0367-6.
  8. ^ Vaudable, Henri (1995). Histoire des troupes de marine, à travers leurs insignes: Des origines à la fin de la Deuxième Guerre mondiale (in French). Service historique de l'armée de terre. p. 221. ISBN 978-2-86323-092-3.
  9. ^ a b Jacques Sicard (April 2007). "L'armée française face à la rébellion malgache, 1947-1949". Armes Militaria Magazine (261): 51–60.
  10. ^ Champeaux, Antoine (2013-07-03). "Le patrimoine de tradition des troupes indigènes". Revue historique des armées (in French) (271): 89–106. doi:10.3917/rha.271.0089. ISSN 0035-3299. Retrieved 2024-03-22.
  11. ^ Décision No. 12350/SGA/DPMA/SHD/DAT du 14 septembre 2007 relative aux inscriptions de noms de batailles sur les drapeaux et étendards des corps de troupe de l'armée de terre, du service de santé des armées et du service des essences des armées, Bulletin officiel des armées, No. 27, 9 novembre 2007
  12. ^ Bouet 1931, p. 67.

Bibliography

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