The 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment7e Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens (7e R.T.A.) was an infantry unit of the French Army, part of the Army of Africa.
Active between 1913 and 1946, the unit is one of the most decorated of the French Army. The regiment distinguished itself in World War I, when the unit was cited six times at the orders of the armed forces and awarded the Légion d'honneur. During World War II, it was part of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division (3e DIA), notably in the Italian campaign with the French Expeditionary Corps of General Alphonse Juin, and was cited three times at the orders of the armed forces
Dissolved in 1964, the regiment became the 170th Infantry Regiment ().
Creation and names 1913: creation of the 7th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment, (7e RMT). 1919: named the 7th Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment, (7e RTA). 1962: designated 7th Tirailleurs Regiment. 1964: dissolved 1 July and re-formed as the 170th Infantry Regiment.
History World War I The 2nd battalion of the regiment remained in North Africa. It was part of the Moroccan Division and fought alongside the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion, the 4th Tunisian Tirailleurs Regiment and the 8th Zouaves Regiment.
1914 Deployment of the IIIrd and IVth Army on the Marne 5–13 September: First Battle of the Marne First Battle of Ypres: Bois Triangulaire 12 November: North of Ypres
1915 28 January: Flanders: Grande Dune near Nieuport Second Battle of Artois: Cote 140 9 May: Vimy Ridge 25 September – 6 October: Second Battle of Champagne Butte de Souains 25 September: Bois Sabot
1916 4 July: Battle of the Somme: Belloy-en-Santerre
1917
17 April: Mont-sans-Nom, Auberive Verdun
1918 26 April: Villers-Bretonneux, Bois du Hangard 29 May – 1 June: , Missy-aux-Bois, Chaudun 12 June: Amblémy Saint-Pierre-Aigle, Daumiers July 1918: Chaudun 28 August – 17 September: Tunnel of Vauxaillon, Neuville-sous-Marginal
Casualties From 1914 to 1918, losses for the 7th Marching Tirailleurs Regiment were: 2326 killed or missing (97 officers, 232 junior officers, 260 corporals and 1737 soldiers).Historique du 7e régiment de tirailleurs, Constantine, Lefter, p.37
Throughout this war, the 7th Regiment collectively obtained 31 citations and 464 medals.
Interwar period In 1928, the 7e RTA adopted the designation of 11e RTA then went back to 7e RTA. In 1936, the 7e RTA was garrisoned at Constantine, Algeria.
World War II Composition of the regiment During the Second World War, one North-African tirailleur regiment consisted of a little more than 3000 men (of which 500 officers and junior officers) and 200 vehicles. The proportion of Maghrebis reached 69% for the regiment, 74% for the battalion, 79% for the company of fusiliers-voltigeurs, 52% for the anti-tank company and 36% for the cannon infantry company.Le Corps expéditionnaire français en Italie, Histoire et Collections, 2003, p. 33.
Campaigns 1939: part of the 83e DIA () 1943: belonged to the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division January to May 1944: Battle of Monte Cassino August 1944: disembarkation at Provence, liberation of Toulon and Marseille Fall – winter 1944: Alps, Jura, Alsace, Vosges, capture of Mulhouse and the defense of Strasbourg
Collective citations Throughout the course of the Second World War, the 7e RTA obtained ten collective citations at the orders of the armed forces (three for the regiment, four for battalions, and three for companies).Livre d'or de la 3e division d'infanterie algérienne, Imprimerie Nationale, 1948, pp.92–97
Casualties The 3rd Algerian Infantry Division 3e DIA recorded 809 killed in action in the 7th RTA from November 1942 to May 1945, of whom 614 were Maghrebis (75%) and 195 Europeans (25%).Livre d'or de la 3e division d'infanterie algérienne, Imprimerie Nationale, 1948, pp.98–116
Indochina War Four marching battalions were constituted successively to fight in the First Indochina War, which included the heavy usage of colonial forces. The 5th Marching Battalion (V/7e RTA), under chief of battalion Roland de Mecquenem, was at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu during the Gabrielle resistance. After a heavy artillery bombardment they retreated from the Viet Minh's 308th Infantry Division.
Algerian War The 7e RTA fought in the Algerian War, in the corps of the 21st Infantry Division, in the sector of Aurès Nemencha. At the cease-fire on 19 March 1962, the regiment constituted along with 91 other regiments, a local unit force of the Algerian order of battle, the 427 UFL-UFO composed of 10% of metropolitan military and 90% of Muslim military personnel at Barika, during the transition period, while being at the service of the executive provisionary power of Algeria until the independence of Algeria (Evian Accords, 18 March 1962).
Following that, the regiment was back in France in 1962, and garrisoned until 1964, when the unit was dissolved to form the 170th Infantry Regiment.
Traditions Regimental colors
Decorations The regimental colors are decorated with:
Légion d'honneur (1919): Cited for the First World War Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with: Six palms one vermeil star Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with: Three palms Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with: Three palms (One for the Levant, one for Indochina and one for Morocco)
Fourragère: Colors of the Légion d'honneur with olives of the colors of the croix de guerre 1939–1945
The regiment was the first indigenous to be awarded the fourragère with the colors of the Croix de la Légion d'honneur (1914–1918).
Battle Honours Artois 1915 Champagne 1915 Verdun 1915 Soissonnais 1918 Picardy 1918 Aisne 1918 Levant 1920–1921 Morocco 1925–1926 Fondouk El Okbi 1943 Rome 1944 Marseille 1944 Vosges 1944 Indochina 1947–1954 AFN 1952–1962
Regimental commanders Lt-Colonel Fellert: August 1914 – September 1914 Lt-Colonel Levêque: October 1914 – December 1914 Cdt Jacquot: December 1914 – January 1915 Lt-Colonel Demetz: January 1915 – February 1916 Lt-Colonel Schuhler: February 1916 – May 1916 Lt-Colonel Schultz: May 1916 – May 1918 Lt-Colonel Mensier: June 1918
Regimental Commanders 1913 – 1914: Colonel Mathieu 1914 – 1916: Lt-Colonel Laurent 1916 – 1916: Lt-Colonel Demaris 1916 – 1916: Lt-Colonel Delom 1916 – 1917: Cdt Pimont 1917 – 1918: Lt-Colonel Felici 1918 – 1918: Cdt Conneau 1918 – 1918: Lt-Colonel Vaissières 1918 – 1918: Colonel Fropo 1918 – 1919: Colonel Lamiable 1919 – 1920: Lt-Colonel Fadat 1920 – 1920: Cdt de Font Reaulx 1920 – 1920: Cdt Diard 1920 – 1920: Lt-Colonel Fadat 1920 – 1920: Cdt Diard 1920 – 1920: Cdt de Font Reaulx 1920 – 1924: Colonel Lemaître 1924 – 1928: Colonel Pidaud 1928 – 1930: Colonel Pichon 1930 – 1933: Colonel de Tassy de Montluc 1933 – 1937: Colonel Watrin 1937 – 1940: Colonel Richard 1940 – 1942: Colonel Cortot 1942 – 1943: Colonel Regnault 1943 – 1944: Colonel Chappuis 1944 – 1944: Lt-Colonel Pichot 1944 – 1945: Colonel Goutard 1945 – 1947: Colonel Lardin 1947 – 1948: Colonel Allard 1948 – 1950: Colonel Du Passage 1950 – 1952: Colonel Costantini 1952 – 1954: Colonel Derville 1954 – 1956: Colonel Arfouilloux 1956 – 1958: Colonel de Raffin de la Raffinie 1958 – 1960: Colonel Chevallier 1960 – 1961: Colonel Ahmed Rafa 1961: Colonel Breil
Honorary arms particular to the regiment Combats of 9 May 1915 in Artois. Combats of 25 September 1915 in Champagne. Combats of 20 August 1917 at Verdun. Combats of April 1918 in the Somme. Combats of 29 to 31 May and 18 to 20 July in Aisne. Combats of 2 September to September 1918 in the Aisne. Combats of 17 April 1917 in Champagne.
Officers and Tirailleurs General Jacques Schmitt (1919–2005), volunteer in 1941. Twelve citations, commander of the Légion d'honneur.
See also 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment
References
Bibliography Les Africains, Historama, hors-série n° 10, 1970 Anthony Clayton, Histoire de l'Armée française en Afrique 1830–1962, Albin Michel, 1994 L'Armée d'Afrique: 1830–1962, Charles-Lavauzelle, 1977 De Sétif à Marseille, par Cassino, (Preface by General Jean Delaunay – commentary by Colonel Henri Ortholan) Editions Anovi 2007 General Jacques Schmitt, Journal d'un officier de Tirailleurs (1944) (Preface by Colonel Ortholan), Editions Bernard Giovanangeli, 2010.
External links