The 1^er Régiment de Fusiliers Marins 1^er RFM French ( 1^er RFM, or first regiment of Fusiliers Marins) was a unit of the

Free French Navy The Free French Naval Forces (french: Forces Navales Françaises Libres, or FNFL) were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier. History In the wake of the Armistic ...

during the campaign of Italy, then in the campaign of France.

Creation

On September 24, 1943, the Fusiliers Marins Battalion increased effectifs by integrating volunteers from the naval corps present in North Africa (french: marine d'Afrique du Nord) (particularly radio and mechanic specialists), accordingly being designated as 1^er Régiment de fusiliers marins (1^er RFM), an armored reconnaissance unit of the 1st Free French Division 1^er DFL. Command was entrusted to naval

Corvette captain Corvette captain is a rank in many navies which theoretically corresponds to command of a corvette (small warship). The equivalent rank in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth, and United States is lieutenant commander. The Royal Canadian Navy uses ...

Hubert Amyot d'Inville. The regiment was equipped with U.S. American equipment, notably the M24 Chaffee.

Campaigns

Italy

Following a trained supported phase, the 1^er RFM disembarked in Naples at the corps of the 1^er DFL, on April 22, 1944. Since May 12, the regiment engaged in intense combats on Garigliano. While bearing the forefront of the division on three axes, the RFM led combats at Montefiascone and Radicofani. The regiment counted 61 killed out of which Amyot d'Inville and 140 wounded.

Provence

At the end of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...

, the regiment was disembarked in Provence, at Cavalaire-sur-Mer, under the command of

Pierre de Morsier. The unit combatted for the liberation of Toulon and Hyères, then reclimbed through the valley of the Rhône, penetrated in Lyon, then reached Autun; the Savary squadron entered following a hard confrontation during which five men were killed and four were wounded. Savary done, in Côte d'Or, the liaison were assumed with units of the 2^e DB (Leclerc) which disembarked in Normandy. The RFM pursues the respective advancement in direction of the Vosgues.

Vallée du Rhône

The regiment conducted the juncture with the 1st Spahi Regiment (

Normandy landings The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on Tuesday, 6 June 1944 of the Allies of World War II, Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during World War II. Codenamed Operation Neptune and ...

with the 2^e DB) at Châtillon-sur-Seine on September 12. This juncture is considered as one of the junctures between Allied troops of Normandy and those of Provence.

Haute-Saône

On September 27, the tank squadron led the attack on Clairegoutte before apprehending Ronchamp on October 8, then Vescemont, Rougegoutte, Romagny and Rougemont-le-Château the following month. Distinguished particularly in the following operations: Vessel Ensign Bokanowski, Aspirant Vasseur and, alongside the sailors, the men of the 11th Cuir-Vercors (french: 11^e Cuir-Vercors) placed under the orders of the 1^er RFM.

Battle of the Royan pocket

Following the campaign in the Vosges, the 1^re DFL was sent to the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe an ...

front to reduce the Royan pocket and Grave cap (french: poche de Royan), however was it recalled urgently on the eastern front due to a German offensive launched in December 1944 in Alsace.

Alsace

In January 1945, the fusiliers marins distinguished themselves again in Alsace, at Herbsheim and Rossfeld, before pursuing their march towards the Rhin.

Alpes

Retrieved from the Alsace front, the division was assigned to the detachment of the Army of the Alps (french: armée des Alpes) in April 1945, in the massif of Authion, where the 1st squadron fought with distinction, enduring the loss in the offensive of five officers out of six and nearly 50% of its forces that were engaged.

Traditions

Ordre de la libération

The mechanic

sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. The profession of the s ...

Georges Brières, killed at Giromagny, rests in the

Mémorial de la France combattante The Mémorial de la France combattante (Memorial to Fighting France) is the most important memorial to French fighters of World War II (1939–1945). It is situated below Fort Mont-Valérien in Suresnes, in the western suburbs of Paris. It commem ...

. Brières represents the sacrifice of all sailors lost for the Liberation of France.

Regimental Colors

The regimental colors, memory and tradition of the 1^er Régiment de fusiliers marins are confined to the fusiliers school. With the Naval leadership of the

Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins The Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins or ( RBFM) was an armored naval infantry regiment of the French 2nd Armored Division. The regiment belonged to the units of the French Fusiliers Marins which are units of the French Navy whose ships we ...

RBFM of the

French Navy The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in t ...

which was not part of 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 ...

FFL, nor part of the

Free French Naval Forces The Free French Naval Forces (french: Forces Navales Françaises Libres, or FNFL) were the naval arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War. They were commanded by Admiral Émile Muselier. History In the wake of the Armistice a ...

FNFL, the Naval leadership of the 1^er Régiment de Fusiliers Marins showcased the valor of French arms.

Regiment combat casualties

Between October 1940 and May 1945, the ensemble of the 1^er BFM/ 1^e RFM endured the loss of 195 men amongst them 12 officers out of which 2 commandants.

Decorations

Awarded to the men of this regiment: * 200 croix de guerre, * 70 médailles militaires, * 32

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

, * 31 croix de la Libération. The regimental colors of the 1^er RFM was awarded 5 citations at the orders of the armed forces obtained for 1939-1945 with attribution of the croix de la Libération, the médaille de la Résistance française and la croix de guerre. In August 1945, the 1^er RFM was reassigned at the disposition of Naval authorities.

References

External links

Histoire du 1^er RFM sur le site de l'Ordre de la Libération
{{DEFAULTSORT:1er Regiment de Fusiliers Marins Marines regiments of France Military units and formations established in 1943 Military units and formations disestablished in 1945 20th-century regiments of France Free French Naval Forces