The 5th Army Corps (French: 5e Corps d'Armée) was a military unit of the French Army which fought in the Franco-Prussian War and both World Wars. It comprised three divisions during the 1940 campaign.[1]
World War I
On mobilization in 1914, the V Corps was part of the Third Army. It participated in the Battle of the Ardennes and saw continuous action throughout the war.
World War II
1940 Campaign
During the 1940 Battle of France, the 5th Army Corps was part of the First Army under the First Army Group. On 10 May 1940, the corps headquarters was located at La Capelle under General de corps d'armée Victor-Constant-Virginie-René Altmayer.
Order of Battle (May 1940)
| V Corps Assets (May 1940) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Commander: Lieutenant-General René Altmayer[2]
- Infantry: 605th Pioneer Regiment (605e Régiment de Pionniers)[2]
- Artillery: 104th Heavy Horse-Drawn Artillery Regiment (104e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Hippomobile) – 1st and 2nd battalions (105mm L), 3rd and 4th battalions (155mm L)[2]
- Artillery Support: 5th Artillery Park (5e Parc d'Artillerie) – 5th Artisan Repair Company, 105th and 135th Motorised Ammunition Sections[2]
- Engineers:
- 105/1 & 105/2 Sapper-Miner Companies (Compagnies de Sapeurs-Mineurs)[2]
- 105/16 Bridging Company (Compagnie d'Équipages de Ponts)[2]
- 105/21 Engineer Park Company (Compagnie de Parc du Génie)[2]
- Signals:
- 105/81 Field Telegraph Company (Compagnie Télégraphique)[2]
- 105/82 Radio Company (Compagnie Radio)[2]
- 105/83 Messenger Pigeon Detachment (Détachement Colombophile)[2]
- Transport: Horse Company 255/5 and Motorised Company 355/5[2]
- Quartermaster & Finance: Quartermaster and Finance Group 105/5 and Meat Supply Company 205/5[2]
- Medical:
- 5th Light Horse Ambulance (Ambulance Médicale Hippomobile)[2]
- 205th Light Surgical Ambulance (Ambulance Chirurgicale Légère)[2]
- 5th Medical Supply Group (Groupe Sanitaire de Ravitaillement)[2]
- 5th Hygiene, Cleaning and Disinfection Section (Section d'Hygiène, Lavage, Désinfection)[2]
- Air Force:
- Air Force Headquarters 5 (Forces Aériennes 5)[2]
- 505th Army Cooperation Squadron (505e Groupe Aérien d'Observation)[2]
- 55/109 Observation Flight (Escadrille d'Observation 55/109)[2]
- 5/152e Static Balloon Park Section (Section du Parc d'Aérostation)[2]
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| 12th Motorized Infantry Division (12e DIM) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Infantry: 106th, 150th, and 151st Infantry Regiments[2]
- Infantry Support: 13th Pioneer Co (150th RI) & 14th Anti-Tank Co (151st RI)[2]
- Cavalry: 3rd Divisional Reconnaissance Group (3e GRDI)[2]
- Artillery: 25th Artillery Regiment and 225th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment[2]
- Anti-Tank: 10th Divisional AT Battery (25th Artillery Regt) & 705/409 AT Battery[2]
- Engineers: 12/1 & 12/2 Sapper-Miner Companies[2]
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| 5th North African Infantry Division (5e DINA) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Infantry: 6th, 11th, and 14th Algerian Tirailleur Regiments[2]
- Infantry Support: 13th Pioneer Co (14th RTA) & 14th Anti-Tank Co (6th RTA)[2]
- Cavalry: 85th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (85e GRDI)[2]
- Artillery: 22nd Artillery Regiment and 222nd Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment[2]
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| 101st Infantry Division (101e DI) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Infantry: 213th, 310th, and 331st Infantry Regiments[2]
- Artillery: 43rd Artillery Regiment and 243rd Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment[2]
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| Hainaut Fortified Sector (Secteur Fortifié du Hainaut - SFH) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Infantry:
- 54th Fortress Machine-Gun Battalion (54e Bataillon d'Infanterie de Forteresse)[2]
- 84th Fortress Infantry Regiment (84e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse)[2]
- 87th Fortress Infantry Regiment (87e Régiment d'Infanterie de Forteresse)[2]
- Artillery: 161st RAP (161e Régiment d'Artillerie de Position) – 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Groups[2]
- Engineers: 205/1, 205/2 (Sappers), 205/81 (Telegraph), and 205/82 (Radio) Companies[2]
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| 519th Armored Group (519e Groupe de Bataillons de Chars - 519e GBC) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Commander: Lieutenant-Colonel de la Font[2]
- Armor Units:
- 9th Light Tank Battalion (9e Bataillon de Chars de Combat) – Renault R35[2]
- 22nd Light Tank Battalion (22e Bataillon de Chars de Combat) – Renault R35[2]
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| V Corps Reserves (May 1940) (Click "show" to expand)
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- Infantry Support: 14th Anti-Tank Company, 150th Infantry Regiment (14e Compagnie Divisionnaire Antichar du 150e RI)[2]
- Artillery Support: 10th Divisional Anti-Tank Battery (47mm), 25th Artillery Regiment[2]
- Anti-Aircraft: 105/404th and 115/404th AA Batteries (75mm)[2]
- Additional AT: 671st Anti-Tank Battery (671e Batterie Antichar) (47mm)[2]
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References
- Weygand, Maxime, "Weygand, Memoires, Part I", Paris: Flammarion, 1953
- Les Grandes Unités Françaises de la Guerre 1939-1945, Vol. 1, Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre (SHAT), Vincennes, 1967.