''For the 8th Dragoons in the British Army, see 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars.'' The 8th Dragoon Regiment (''8e régiment de dragons'' or ''8e RD'') was a cavalry regiment 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 Force ...

created under the ''

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for "ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for ...

'' in 1674 by the Marquis of Heudicourt.

History

Original article in French:

Under the ''Ancien Règime''

In 1674, a new regiment was created by the Marquis of Heudicourt, named the Heudicourt Regiment. It was renamed multiple times under the command of the Ancien Règime: • Choiseul-Praslin Regiment (1688) • Toulouse Regiment (1693) • Penthievre Regiment (1737), later also "Penthievre Regiment Dragoons"(1776) This regiment would initially first serve in the Dutch Wars, and the Siege of Luxembourg, playing minor roles. They would enter combat at numerous points in the

War of the League of Augsburg The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between Kingdom of France, France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by t ...

, the Battle of Neerwinden, the early

bombardment of Brussels The bombardment of Brussels by troops of Louis XIV of France on August 13, 14 and 15, 1695, and the resulting fire were together the most destructive event in the entire history of Brussels. Brussels was mostly untouched by most other confl ...

, and the

War of the Spanish Succession The War of the Spanish Succession was a European great power conflict that took place from 1701 to 1714. The death of childless Charles II of Spain in November 1700 led to a struggle for control of the Spanish Empire between his heirs, Phil ...

, proving effective in most of these encounters. Following more Succession crisis in Europe, with the Penthievre Regiment serving in most of these wars, (

War of the Polish Succession The War of the Polish Succession ( pl, Wojna o sukcesję polską; 1733–35) was a major European conflict sparked by a Polish civil war over the succession to Augustus II of Poland, which the other European powers widened in pursuit of thei ...

War of the Austrian Succession The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...

) the Penthievre Regiment lost its commander in the

Seven Years War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754–1 ...

, and took no further action in following events.

Revolutionary Wars

In the Revolutionary Wars, the Penthievre Regiment was renamed, the 8th Dragoon Regiment. Moving from

Army of the Alps The Army of the Alps (''Armée des Alpes'') was one of the French Revolutionary armies. It existed from 1792–1797 and from July to August 1799, and the name was also used on and off until 1939 for France's army on its border with Italy. 1792� ...

Army of the Rhine An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...

, they took part in multiple probing attacks on Coalition Forces at

Mainz Mainz () is the capital and largest city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. Mainz is on the left bank of the Rhine, opposite to the place that the Main joins the Rhine. Downstream of the confluence, the Rhine flows to the north-west, with Ma ...

, and

Wissembourg Wissembourg (; South Franconian: ''Weisseburch'' ; German: ''Weißenburg'' ) is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Grand Est in northeastern France. It is situated on the little river Lauter close to the border between France and Germany a ...

. Then, moved to the Army of the Moselle. In the Army of Italy, they took part in the Siege of Mantua, and the

Battle of Rivoli The Battle of Rivoli (14–15 January 1797) was a key victory in the French campaign in Italy against Austria. Napoleon Bonaparte's 23,000 Frenchmen defeated an attack of 28,000 Austrians under General of the Artillery Jozsef Alvinczi, e ...

. After serving for more years on the Rhine (1799), in 1800, this Regiment was one of three regiments that participated in the coup of 18' Brumaire, and won distinction in the

Battle of Marengo The Battle of Marengo was fought on 14 June 1800 between French forces under the First Consul Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces near the city of Alessandria, in Piedmont, Italy. Near the end of the day, the French overcame General Mich ...

Napoleonic Wars

The 8th Dragoons were part of the occupation force in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...

and were sent to the coast for the 'Invasion' of Britain. But in 1805, they joined the Grand Armèè, participating in their early victories at

Austerlitz Austerlitz may refer to: History * Battle of Austerlitz, an 1805 victory by the French Grand Army of Napoleon Bonaparte Places * Austerlitz, German name for Slavkov u Brna in the Czech Republic, which gave its name to the Battle of Austerlitz a ...

and

Jena Jena () is a German city and the second largest city in Thuringia. Together with the nearby cities of Erfurt and Weimar, it forms the central metropolitan area of Thuringia with approximately 500,000 inhabitants, while the city itself has a po ...

. They were devastated at Elyau like most cavalry units and missed the

Battle of Friedland The Battle of Friedland (14 June 1807) was a major engagement of the Napoleonic Wars between the armies of the French Empire commanded by Napoleon I and the armies of the Russian Empire led by Count von Bennigsen. Napoleon and the French obtai ...

. From 1808 to 1811, the 8th Dragoons would operate entirely in the

Iberian Peninsula The Iberian Peninsula (), ** * Aragonese and Occitan: ''Peninsula Iberica'' ** ** * french: Péninsule Ibérique * mwl, Península Eibérica * eu, Iberiar penintsula also known as Iberia, is a peninsula in southwestern Europe, def ...

in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

s. Summoned to modern day Germany in 1813, they took part in the Battle of Leipzig, in which they would be defeated. They will not take further action in the defense of France. Following Napoleon's return from exile, the 8th Dragoons once again joined the Grande Armèè, becoming part of I Corp. Missing the

Battle of Ligny The Battle of Ligny, in which French troops of the Armée du Nord under the command of Napoleon I defeated part of a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, was fought on 16 June 1815 near Ligny in what is now Belgium. The result was a t ...

, the 8th Dragoons would play a role in the

Battle of Waterloo The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (at that time in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium). A French army under the command of Napoleon was defeated by two of the armie ...

, also defeated.

1815 - 1914

Bourbon Restoration

Following Napoleon's defeat, the 8th Dragoon Regiment was reduced to just a garrison. 1823 saw it active in Spain, and from 1825, they would be stationed at

Nevers Nevers ( , ; la, Noviodunum, later ''Nevirnum'' and ''Nebirnum'') is the prefecture of the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in central France. It was the principal city of the former province of Nivernais. It is sou ...

. They will not be affected by the changes in leadership, with the

Bourbons The House of Bourbon (, also ; ) is a European dynasty of French origin, a branch of the Capetian dynasty, the royal House of France. Bourbon kings first ruled France and Navarre in the 16th century. By the 18th century, members of the Spani ...

overthrown, following two more republics.

Franco-Prussian War

In the Franco-Prussian War, the 8th Dragoons would be highly active, following their reinstatement as a regiment, serving in the Battles of Borny and

Gravelotte Gravelotte (; german: Gravelotte) is a commune in the Moselle department in Grand Est in north-eastern France, 11 km west of Metz. It is part of the functional area (''aire d'attraction'') of Metz. Its population is 827 (2019). From 1871 ...

. They were part of the force that tried to relieve forces participating in the siege in Metz along with the

. It would be followed by skirmishes in Lorcy. Following an uprising in Paris by the French Communes, the 8th Dragoons were put under the command of the Army of Versailles, participating in the

Bloody Week The ''semaine sanglante'' ("") was a weeklong battle in Paris from 21 to 28 May 1871, during which the French Army recaptured the city from the Paris Commune. This was the final battle of the Paris Commune. Following the Treaty of Frankfurt ...

, acts of reprisal against the rebellion.

Before 1914

After the end of the Franco-Prussian War, the 8th Dragoons were at patrol in Luneville, starting from 1877. They would take no military actions as they were on garrison duty.

World War I

After World War I began, the 8th Dragoons were sent to the frontline trenches. They later participated in the Battle of the Marne, and after 3 years in the trenches, the Germans tried desperately to break the stalemate. The 8th Dragoons were part of the counter offensive in 1918, first arriving at

Amiens Amiens (English: or ; ; pcd, Anmien, or ) is a city and commune in northern France, located north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in the region of Hauts-de-France. In 2021, the population of ...

, then to the mountainous terrain of Southern Flanders, and by the end of the attack, were at Aisne.

Peacetime

During peacetime, the 8th Dragoons were quartered at Luneville.

World War II

1939

The 8th Dragoon Regiment, together with 31st Dragoons, form the 4th Cavalry Brigade, itself the first part of the 2nd Light Cavalry Division (France), 2nd Cavalry Division. The 2nd Cavalry Division would station themselves in the Ardennes to delay the Germans for as long as possible, in front of the 9th Army Corps (France), 9th Army.

1940

When the German attack began on May 10, 1940, the 8th Dragoons were made up of four squadrons, with the capacity of 900 men, and 1,200 horses in total. Half of the men would become prisoners of war while a small contingent was withdrawn. Nevertheless, the 8th Dragoons fought with the British Expeditionary Force (World War II), British Expeditionary Force in Belgium and France, delaying the Germans while the main group made its escape. By the time the remaining Allied units at the Dunkirk evacuation, Dunkirk Pocket surrendered, the 8th Dragoons virtually ceased to exist.

1941

The 8th Dragoons were recreated by the Vichy France, Vichy Government under the command of the Armistice Army (Vichy Army), one of the fewest units chosen.

1942

The 8th Dragoons were disbanded once again after the Germans invaded Vichy France, bringing an end to the German puppet state.

1944

After the liberation of France, the 8th Dragoons were recreated, merged with the 1st Spahi Regiment, battering German forces in Alsace and in Germany until German surrender in May. By that time the 8th Dragoons were stationed at Lake Constance, and were awarded the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945, Croix de Guerre.

1945 to present

Following World War II, the 8th Dragoons garrisoned the City of Poitiers, then was sent in 1952 to Saarburg, shortly becoming part of the French occupation force in Germany. In 1956, the 8th Dragoons would participate in their last military operation in the Suez Canal, following the Suez Crisis. In 1964, the 8th Dragoons joined the 4th Hussar Regiment (France), 4th Hussar Regiment, and were stationed in Morhange Barracks where they would be dissolved in 1977.

Garrisons

*Abbeville (1869) *Meaux (1887- 1893) *Lunéville, Lunèville (1894- 1914) *Vitry-le-François, Vitry le François (1914) *Lunèville (1919- 1942) *Remnants were kept there until the Germans get to disarm them* *Alsace-Lorraine, Alace and Germany (1944- 1946) *Oppose German forces as they were pushed back farther into Germany *Poitiers (1946- 1952) *Saarburg (1952- 1964) *Morhange (1964- 1977)

Marquis de camp, regimental colonels, commanders, and lieutenant colonels

Old Regimè/Ancien

Title: Marquis de Camp *Michel Sublet Marquis d'Heudicourt (1674) *Jean Baptiste Gaston de Choiseul, Count of Hostel and marquis de Praslin (1688) * Count of Souternon (1693) *Count of Gacè (1702) *Count d'Agenois (1706) *Marquis d'Estournel (1714) *Marquis d'Hautefort d'Ajat (1734) *Marquis de Crenay, Count of Montaigu (1736) *Viscount of Castellane-Novèjean (1748) *Count of Saluces (1753) *Michel Louis Marie marquis de Beuzeville (1770) *Conrad-Adolphe-Louis de Lardenois de Ville (1773) *Jean Baptiste Gaston de Choiseul (1779) *Jean, comte du Authier (1788- 1790)

Officers of the Revolutionary Army

''Colonel Generals:'' *François du Bouzet de Montjoye, François Bouzet de Montjoye (1791) *Jean Thomas Scelles de la Mothe, Jean Thomas Scelles (1792) *Charles Hubert de Gaignieres, Charles Hubert (1793) *Jean Louis Falque (1794) *Jacques Louis François Milet (1797) *Louis Jean Nicolas Abbot (1798)

Napoleonic officers

*Louis Beckler (1800- 1806) *Alexandre Louis Robert Girardin d'Ermenonville, Alexandre Louis Robert (1806- 1811) *Alexandre Lebrun de Plaisance, Alexandre Lebrun (1811) *Charles Joseph Hatry (1813) *Eugène d'Hautefeuille, Eugène-Gabriel (1814) *Charles Martigue, Charles François Martigue (1815)

Bourbon Restorationists

*Pierre-Jacques Saint-Geniès, Pierre-Jacques (1823) *Jean-Alexandre Le Pays de Bourjolly (1835- 1839)

French Republicans

''Colonels:'' *Xavier de Lagoutte du Vivier, Xavier de Lagoutte (1865- 1869)

World War I

*Louis Conneau (1907) *Temporary command*

World War II

*Léon Cuny (1939- 1940) *Commander Kuntz (5/15/1940- 5/26/1940)*Regiment formally disbanded*

Vichy France

*Pierre Armand Marie Robert Olleris, Olleris (1940- 1941) *Regiment reformed as part of Vichy Army. Disbanded again once Vichy France collapsed*

1945- 1977

*Simon Y. (1955) *Paramelle (1963) *Mercier (1964) *Colomb (1966) *Perier (1968) *Delmotte (1970) *Perrey (1972) *Mialet (1974) *Lieutenant Colonel Georges Delclève (1976- 1977) *Regiment dismissed from service*

Notable personnel from the regiment

* Antoine Remy, a Knight and Baron of the First French Empire, 1st French Empire. Later allied to Louis XVIII. (Joined in 1783) * Louis Jean Nicolas Abbot, a Major General of the Empire, and was Captain of the 8th Dragoon Regiment in 1798. * Charles-Marie de Mac Mahon, second Lieutenant of the 8th Dragoons, heir to the MacMahon family, Mac Mahon family. (Joined in 1877) * Yves Guellec, a brigadier in the 8th Dragoons, soon made his name famous in World War II. (Joined in 1932) * Bernard Chevignard, awarded the Companion of the Liberation decoration for his service in World War II. (Joined in 1933)

Traditions and uniforms

Cav_Penth_1762.png, Uniform of the Penthievre Cavalry from 1762 to 1767 Penthièvre_cav_1740.png, Uniform of the Penthievre Cavalry from 1740 to 1757 Cav_penthièvre_1757.png, Uniform of the Penthievre Cavalry from 1757 to 1762 Cav_Penth_1767.png, Uniform of the Penthievre Cavalry from 1767 to 1776 Penthièvre_dragons_1779.png, Uniform of the Penthievre Dragoons from 1779- 1786 Penthièvre_1776.PNG, Uniform of the Penthievre Dragoons from 1776- 1779 Penthièvre_dragons_1786.png, Uniform of the 8th Dragoons (Cavalry) from 1786- 1791 8RD_1791.PNG, Uniform of the 8th Dragoons after 1791

Standards

Old Regimè

Penthièvre_cav.png, Standard of the Penthievre Regiment (1737) Toulouse_cav_av.png, Standard of the Toulouse Regiment (1693)

1945- present

The modern standard of the 8th Dragoons have the following words sewed into it. *Rivoli 1797 *Marengo 1800 *Austerlitz 1805 *Battle of Heilsberg, Heilsburg 1807 *Battle of Mortagne (1914), La Mortagne 1914 *First Battle of Ypres, Flanders 1918 *Third Battle of the Aisne, L'Aisne 1918

Decorations

Badges/heraldry

In 1953, the official Regimental badge of the 8th Dragoon Regiment was a shield from the Ancien Régime, Ancien Règime with the coat of arms of the Bourbon Penthievre family, of which the regiment was first named after, placed on an anchor. Above will be a Flory Crown, and below will spell in English, Dragon- Penthievre. The badge can be seen at the start of this page. ''The tie of the honor awards are decorated:'' Croix_de_Guerre_1940_1945

Motto

"Which rubs against the pricks itself." -1972 "And of the land and sea." -1977–present motto

Notes

References

Military units and formations disestablished in 1977 1674 establishments in France Dragoon regiments of France