The 150th Infantry Regiment (''150e régiment d'infanterie'' or ''150e RI'') was an
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and marine i ...
regiment
A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, service and/or a specialisation.
In Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of front-line soldiers, recruited or conscripted ...
in the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed For ...
. Also known as the ''Régiment de Bagatelle'', it inherited the traditions of the short-lived 150th Demi-Brigade (1794 to 1796) and 150th Line Infantry Regiment (1813 to 1814). The latter was formed by
Napoleon I
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
on 12 January 1813 to fight in Germany, where it was decimated, finally disbanding at
Arras
Arras ( , ; pcd, Aro; historical nl, Atrecht ) is the prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais Departments of France, department, which forms part of the regions of France, region of Hauts-de-France; before the regions of France#Reform and mergers of ...
on 21 July 1814. The final regiment with the numeral 150 was formed as 150th Infantry Regiment on 25 July 1887. This fought in both World Wars, forming part of
12th Infantry Division in May–June 1940 and holding the French sector of the perimeter around
Dunkirk
Dunkirk (french: Dunkerque ; vls, label=French Flemish, Duunkerke; nl, Duinkerke(n) ; , ;) is a commune in the department of Nord in northern France.[Operation Dynamo
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...]
and only surrendering on the beach at
Malo-les-Bains on 4 June.
The regiment was re-formed in the
armée d'armistice
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
at
Agen
The communes of France, commune of Agen (, ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Lot-et-Garonne Departments of France, department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France. It lies on the river Garonne southeast of Bordeaux.
...
on 31 August 1940, but this unit was disbanded on 28 November 1942. The
Free French Forces
__NOTOC__
The French Liberation Army (french: Armée française de la Libération or AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (french: Forces françaises libres, l ...
also raised a battalion named 150th Infantry Regiment on 1 September 1944 at
Verdun
Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department.
Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...
. The regiment was definitely re-formed using marching battalions from the Free French Forces in February 1945 and took part in the liberation of
Royan
Royan (; in the Saintongeais dialect; oc, Roian) is a commune and town in the south-west of France, in the department of Charente-Maritime in the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region. Its inhabitants are known as ''Royannais'' and ''Royannaises''. Capi ...
. At the end of 1945 it was in Paris but the following year it was disbanded and another 150th Infantry Battalion formed at Verdun. This was sent to
Morocco
Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...
in 1947 before being disbanded on 1 January 1949. A final motorised infantry regiment was formed with the numeral 150 on 4 January 1963, becoming mechanised infantry twelve years later and finally being disbanded in 1990. The numeral was revived in 1990 for a reserve regiment, but this too was disbanded in 1996, ending the regiment's lineage.
Infantry regiments of France
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