French Unit Organization and TO&E

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nikolas93TS
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French Unit Organization and TO&E

Post by nikolas93TS »

I found a quite detailed Division 59 organization, which should be valid until 1967 re-organization. It is a good starting point given our time-frame, even if additional data is necessary, and similar charts for later organization are highly needed.

Division 59
3 Brigades per division: 2 Armored and 1 Infantry in Armored Divisions; 2 Infantry and 1 Armored in Infantry Divisions

Division HQ
Signal Battalion
[*]Battalion Headquarters
[*]2 Signal Companies
[*]Signal Equipment Detachment
Army Aviation Battalion (Groupe d'Aviation Légère Divisionnaire ;GALDIV)
[*]HHQ Service Detachment
[*]Liaison Detachment (8x Alouette II helicopters; 10x L 19 planes)
[*]Recon Detachment (10x Alouette III helicopters armed with MG and SS 11 ATM)
[*]Observation Detachment (10x Alouette II helicopters or 10x Nord 3400 airplanes)
[*]Utility Detachment (10x Sikorsky S 58)
Reconnaissance Regiment (Régiment de Reconnaissance)
[*]HHQ Service Company (5x EBR)
[*]3 Recon Companies (17x EBR each)
Heavy Artillery Regiment (Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Divisionnaire)
[*]HHQ Service Battery (BCS)
[*]Observation and Calibration Platoon
[*]Fire Direction Platoon
[*]Radar Platoon
[*]Technical Platoon (muzzle velocity and weather)
[*]2 Heavy Artillery Battalions
· HHQ Service Battery (BCS)
· 2 Batteries (4x howitzers each)(155mm) [being replaced by AMX-13 155]
[*]Rocket Battalion (some battalions have only 1x battery)
HHQ Service Battery (BCS)
· 1 Battery (2x Honest John)
· 1 Battery (2x Lacrosse)
[both types to be replaced by the French Pluton]
[*]Antiaircraft Battalion (GAAL)
· HHQ Service Battery (BCS)
· 3 Batteries (40mm Bofors and M16 half-track)
[to be replaced by AMX with dual 30mm]
Engineer Regiment (Regiment de Genie)
· 2 Companies w/Gillois Bridging equipment
NBC Unit
Supply and service elements [including, but I think not all are indicated]
· Supply Company
· Medical Battalion
· Heavy Maintenance Company

Armored Brigade (Brigade Blindee)
[*]HHQ Company
[*]Signal Company
[*]Recon Company
· 3 Recon Platoons: 6x AML; 3x Jeeps, 3x Jeeps w/SS-11 each (?)

Mechanized Regiment (Regiment Mecaniseé)
· HHQ Service Company(CCS)
· 3 mechanized infantry companies (each):
- HQ & Support Platoon: 2x jeeps; 2x AMX-VTT; 2x AMX-VTT w/ 81mm mortars; 1x 1½ ton truck
- 4 Infantry Platoons; each:
Command Group (Groupe de Commandement): 1x AMX-VTT
1 Officer (Mat 49 SMG)
1 NCO (Mat 49 SMG)
9 Soldiers (1x pistol; 5x Mat 49; 2x semi-auto rifles, 1x rifle w/grenade launcher; 1x LRAC 73 mm )
(Radios: 1 SCR 508 - 1 PRC 10 - 2 TRPP 8)
3 Combat Groups (Groupes de combat), each 1 AMX-VTT
1 NCO (Mat 49 SMG)
1 Driver(Mat 49 SMG)
Rifle Team (Equipe Grenadier Voltigeur)
1 Corporal (Mat 49 SMG)
4 Soldiers (1x Mat 49 SMG; 2x semi-auto rifles; 1x rifle w/grenade launcher)
Light Machine gun Team
1 Corporal (1x BAR or AA52;1 pistol)
2 Soldiers (2x semi-auto rifles)
[*]1 Support Detachment: 5x 4-ton truck Berliet 8 KT; 1x 4-ton truck Berliet 8 KT with crane

2 Tank Regiments
· HHQ Service Company (ECS)
· 3 Tank Companies (each):
- HQ Platoon:: 2x jeeps, 1x AMX VTT; 2x AMX-13 or M47 Patton
- 3 Tank Platoons: 3x jeeps; 1x 1½ ton truck; 5x AMX-13 or M47 Patton each
- Maintenance Section: 1x jeep; 1x 4 ton truck; 1 AVR AMX-55)
- Supply Section: 1x 1½ ton truck; 1x 4 ton truck
[*]Antitank Company
- HQ Platoon: 2 jeeps, 1x AMX-VTT
-3 Tank Platoons (each): 3x jeeps; 1x 1½ ton truck; 2x AMX-VTT; 4x AMX-13 w/ SS.11
[*]Maintenance Detachment: 1x jeep; 1x 4 ton truck; 1x AVR AMX-55
Artillery Regiment
- HQ Battery (BHR)
- 2 Artillery Units:
HQ Supply Battery (BCS) [includes 2x reserve guns]
2 Batteries: 4x AMX 105 each.
Engineer Company: no details; includes AMX VTT; 2x bridgelayers AMX; 6x Gillois bridgelayers
Supply Battalion
[*]HQ Transport Company
[*]Medical Company
[*]Maintenance Company
[*]Administrative Company

Infantry Brigade (Brigade d'Infanterie)
[*]HHQ Company
[*]Signal Company
[*]Recon Company: same as Armored Brigade
[*]Motorized Infantry Regiment
· HHQ Company (CCS)
· 2 Tactical Group HQs (Etat Major Tactique de Groupe de Compagnies)
· Heavy Mortar Co: 6x 120mm
· AT Co: 12x x 106mm RR on jeeps; 6x SS-10 on jeeps
· 6 Infantry Companies,
each:
- 1 HQ Platoon: 2x 7.62mm LMGs; 2x 12,7mm HMGs; 2x 81mm Mortars
- 4 Infantry Platoons: each
Command Group (Groupe de Commandement): 1 2½ ton truck
1 Officer (Mat 49 SMG)
1 NCO (Mat 49 SMG)
8 Soldiers (1x 12,7mm HMG; 1x LRAC 73 mm )
(Radios: 1x PRC 10 - 2x TRPP 8)
3 Combat Groups (Groupes de combat), each 1x 2½ ton truck w/7.62mm LMG
1 NCO
1 Driver
Rifle Team (Equipe Grenadier Voltigeur)
1 Corporal (Mat 49 SMG)
4 Soldiers (2x Mat 49 SMG; 1x semi-auto rifle; 1x rifle w/grenade launcher)
Light Machine Gun Team
1 Corporal (1x BAR or AA52; 1x pistol)
2 Soldiers (2x semi-auto rifles)

[*]Mechanized Regiment – see above
[*]Tank Regiment – see above
[*]Artillery Regiment– see above
[*]Engineer Company – see above
[*]Supply Battalion– see above

[*]Régiment d'infanterie - DOT
· HQs & HQs Supply Company (CCS)
· 1x AT Platoon: ENTAC ATGM
· 3x Infantry Companies
· 1x Recon Platoon: 4 Recon Sections each (2x jeeps per section)
· 3x Commando Platoons (each): 3x Commando Sections (1 NCO/7 men, 1x LMG, 1x ATR)
· 1x Heavy Section (2x 81mm Mortars; 3x 106mm RR)

Mountain Brigade
[*]HHC
[*]Signal Company
[*]1 Armored Recon Battalion
· HHC: 9x SS-11 on jeeps
· 3x Recon Companies: 12x AML each
[*]4x Mountain Battalions
[*]Mountain Artillery Regiment
[*]Engineer Company
[*]Supply Battalion
[*]Transport Company
[*]Medical Company
[*]Maintenance Company
[*]Administrative Company
Armored Brigade Database Specialist
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nikolas93TS
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RE: French Unit Organization and TO&E

Post by nikolas93TS »

The above 1959 chart might not be 100% correct, as I have noticed some incongruencies and discrepancies with similar OOBs, but should be perfectly usable for Armored Brigade tactical level.

By 1967, another major Army reorganization was underway. 1st French Army was formed, with 1er Corps d'Armée headquartered in Metz (close to German border) with 3 division, and 2e Corps d'Armée with two divisions based in Baden-Baden. Other than these "Forces de manoeuvre", there was also France-based "Forces d'intervention" in form of one parachute division (two brigades) and one marine brigade, and Territorial Army with infantry brigades and regiments plus other elements.
Main five maneuver divisions were all Mechanized, consisting both in wartime and peacetime of three brigades. On paper each brigade was mechanized, but due to budget shortages in practice it was two mechanized and one motorized brigade. The constituent elements of the brigade are essentially: two mechanized (or motorized) regiments, the tank regiment, the artillery regiment and the engineer company (plus command and support battalion and signal company). Motorized regiments lacked jeep-mounted recon company, and used AMX-13 and 105mm artillery batteries instead of AMX-30 and 155mm.

Each mechanized regiment had:
[*]Command and Support squadron or company
[*]2x AMX-13/90 Squadrons (companies) each with 4 cannon-armed platoons (I assume two-tank HQ section + 3x four-tank platoons) and one AMX-13 (SS.11) platoon: a total of 28 AMX-13 and 8 AMX-13 (SS.11) per regiment;
[*]2x Mechanized Company each with 1x Command Section (section de commandement) and 3x Combat Sections (sections de combat): for a total of 28 AMX-VTT

Tank regiment:
[*]Command and Support Squadron
[*]4x Tank Squadrons each with 4x tank platoons (13x AMX-30 per squadron, so 4x 13 + 2 HQ section tanks = 54 per regiment)
[*] Recovery & Maintenance Squadron (escadron portè) with 3x Platoons + 2x HQ sections (vehicles not specified)

Artillery regiment:
[*]HHQ Service Battery;
[*]3x 5 self-propelled 155mm
Armored Brigade Database Specialist
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