The 1st Spahi Regiment () is an armored regiment of the modern
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
, previously called the 1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment (). It was established in 1914 as a mounted cavalry unit recruited primarily from indigenous Moroccan horsemen. The regiment saw service in the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
as part of the
Forces Françaises Libres, as well as post-war service in the
French-Indochina War and elsewhere. The modern regiment continues the traditions of all former
Spahi
Spahis () were light cavalry, light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the Arab and Berber populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, w ...
regiments in the French
Army of Africa.
History
World War I
The Moroccan Spahis of the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
were created in 1914 by Général
Hubert Lyautey. The initial title of the regiment was that of the ''
Régiment de Marche de Chasseurs Indigènes à Cheval'' (R.M.C.I.C). The French Army had already raised four regiments of indigenous cavalry in both Algeria and Tunisia during the 19th century, and extended the designation of "spahis" to the Moroccan mounted units recruited after 1908.
The first Marching Moroccan Spahi Regiment (''Régiment de Marche de Spahis Marocains,'' R.M.S.M) participated in the
First Battle of the Marne
The First Battle of the Marne or known in France as the Miracle on the Marne () was a battle of the First World War fought from the 5th to the 12th September 1914. The German army invaded France with a plan for winning the war in 40 days by oc ...
. Subsequently, sent to the
Orient Front, the regiment served with distinction at Pogradec, Skumbi, Bofnia, Uskub and on the Danube. The regiment was accordingly awarded 5 citations and a
fourragere with the colors of the
Médaille militaire.
Inter-war period
The regiment was redesignated as the 21st Moroccan Spahi Regiment (''21
e Régiment de Spahis Marocains, 21
e R.S.M.'') in 1921 and served in the campaigns in the
Levant
The Levant ( ) is the subregion that borders the Eastern Mediterranean, Eastern Mediterranean sea to the west, and forms the core of West Asia and the political term, Middle East, ''Middle East''. In its narrowest sense, which is in use toda ...
from 1920 to 1927. The regiment was awarded 3 additional citations plus a fourragere in the colors of the
Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures. In 1929, the regiment was renamed as the 1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment (''1
er Régiment de Spahis Marocains, 1
er R.S.M.'').
World War II
On July 1, 1940,
Captain
Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...
Paul Jourdier, who commanded the 1st Squadron of the 1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment, decided to defect from the Vichy-led
Army of the Levant
The Army of the Levant () identifies the armed forces of France and then Vichy France which occupied, and were in part recruited from, the Mandate for Syria and the Lebanon, French Mandated territories in the Levant during the interwar period and ...
and join the British forces in Palestine. While on maneuvers in southern
Lebanon
Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
, Jourdier succeeded in detaching a small contingent comprising half of his squadron. The 1st RSM at this stage in the war was still a mounted cavalry unit, consisting of mostly North African Muslim troopers under French officers.
Reinforced by detached units that had separately crossed the border between Lebanon and Palestine, plus volunteers from
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, the squadron undertook mounted operations in Eretria. The squadron conducted horse-mounted
cavalry charges at Umbrega, still under the leadership of Captain Paul Jourdier. The defection of a regular cavalry unit of the Vichy forces was widely publicized by the British and Free French forces, making use of photographs showing charging spahis.
The regiment was subsequently dismounted and participated in the
Syria–Lebanon Campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the invasion of Syria and Lebanon (then controlled by Vichy France, a vassal state of Nazi Germany) in June and July 1941 by British Empire forces, during the Second World War.
...
on trucks, as part of the
1st Free French Brigade.
Other squadrons were created, forming first one then two army corps reconnaissance groups (GRCA), commanded by Jourider and Robert de Kersauson.
Reinforced by a company of the
501e Régiment de chars de combat of the Free French Forces, the 2nd Group constituted the ''Free French Flying Column'' which participated in the
Battle of El Alamein. It subsequently participated in the advance to Tunisia, initially as part of the British
Eighth Army, then in 1943 in the FFF commanded by
Général
is the French word for general. There are two main categories of generals: the general officers (), which are the highest-ranking commanding officers in the armed forces, and the specialist officers with flag rank (), which are high-level offic ...
Philippe Leclerc de Hauteclocque
Philippe François Marie Leclerc de Hauteclocque (22 November 1902 – 28 November 1947) was a Free France, Free-French general during World War II. He became Marshal of France posthumously in 1952, and is known in France simply as or ju ...
.
On September 25, 1942, the two Groups were merged to form the 1st Moroccan Spahi
Marching Regiment (), under the command of
Jean Rémy.
As a reconnaissance regiment of the
2nd Armored Division, the 1st RMSM participated in the Western Europe campaign of 1944-45, suffering heavy losses in both France and Germany.
The original (i.e. non-regiment de march) 1
e RSM saw mounted combat in Syria before being motorized in Morocco during 1943. The unit then took part in the battle of
Royan, France in 1945. It was subsequently merged with the
8th Dragoon Regiment.
Decorations
The 1st Marching Moroccan Spahi Regiment (1
er RMSM) was awarded the distinction of
Compagnon de la Libération by decree of August 7, 1945 and cited twice at the orders of the armed forces.
Regimental colors
The Regimental Colors of the 1
e RMSM include in golden letters, the following inscriptions in the folds:
*Erytrhée 1941
*El-Alamein 1942
*Tunisie 1943
*Paris 1944
*Strasbourg 1944
Between 1944 and 1945, as part of the
2nd Armoured Division, the 1
e RMSM suffered the loss of 184 men out of whom 12.5% were Moroccan.
Post-war: 1945-62
One squadron of the 1st RSM served in the
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam, and alternatively internationally as the French-Indochina War) was fought between French Fourth Republic, France and Việ ...
, between 1945 and October 1946.
During the post-war era the regiment underwent several changes in title, as well as being transferred between a number of different garrisons.
In 1947, the regiment was designated as the 1st Regiment of Moroccan Spahis (), a title it retained during its remaining service in Morocco.
In 1956 the 1st RSM was transferred to Algeria. The regiment was then re-designated as the 1st Regiment of Spahis (). In October 1958 its title was again changed to the 21st Regiment of Spahis () - in order to avoid confusion with the 1st Regiment of Algerian Spahis ().
The 1960s and Afterwards
The 1st Spahi Regiment continued in the
French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
after the end of the
Algerian War
The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...
in 1962, although most of the other units of the former
Armee d'Afrique were disbanded. Reportedly during a cabinet meeting, one of General
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle (22 November 18909 November 1970) was a French general and statesman who led the Free France, Free French Forces against Nazi Germany in World War II and chaired the Provisional Government of the French Re ...
's ministers urged that the 1st RSM be retained in service because of its distinguished role in the
Free French Forces
__NOTOC__
The French Liberation Army ( ; AFL) was the reunified French Army that arose from the merging of the Armée d'Afrique with the prior Free French Forces (; FFL) during World War II. The military force of Free France, it participated ...
during World War II. De Gaulle responded favourably, commenting:
" ''On ne dissout pas un Compagnon de la Libération.'' " ("One does not dissolve a Companion of the Liberation").
In 1961, the regiment was transferred to
Speyer
Speyer (, older spelling ; ; ), historically known in English as Spires, is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in the western part of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the r ...
in West Germany, as part of the
French Forces in Germany. Its role was that of a reconnaissance regiment of the
2nd Army Corps.
In 1965, following the dissolution of the 1st Regiment of Algerian Spahis, the regiment was given its present-day title of the 1st Spahi Regiment ().
In 1984 the regiment was transferred from Germany and the FFA, to be incorporated in the
6th Light Armoured Division and garrisoned in Valence.
The regiment participated in
Opération Daguet during 1991, as part of the French contingent in the
Gulf War
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.
In 2009, the regiment left the
6th Light Armoured Brigade and joined the
1st Mechanized Brigade. On August 1, 2015, the regiment was reintegrated in the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The regiment's armored vehicle core consists of 48
AMX 10 RC, 90
VAB and 110 trucks. The regiment trains new recruits at headquarters; including armored vehicle crewmen and various mechanical trades as well as musicians and
non-commissioned officers
A non-commissioned officer (NCO) is an enlisted rank, enlisted leader, petty officer, or in some cases warrant officer, who does not hold a Commission (document), commission. Non-commissioned officers usually earn their position of authority b ...
.
The most decorated unit of the modern
Cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from ''cheval'' meaning "horse") are groups of soldiers or warriors who Horses in warfare, fight mounted on horseback. Until the 20th century, cavalry were the most mob ...
and Armoured Arm of the French Army, the regiment carries 14 battle honors on its colors.
Organization
* Escadron de Commandement et de Logistique (ECL) – Command and Logistics Squadron
* Escadron d'administration et de soutien (EAS) - Administration & Support Squadron
* 1
er Escadron – 1st Squadron (4 combat troops)
* 2
e Escadron - 2nd Squadron (4 combat troops)
* 3
e Escadron - 3rd Squadron (3 combat troops)
* 4
e Escadron - 4th Squadron
* 5
e Escadron - (reserve)
* Escadron d'instruction - Instruction Squadron
Traditions
Uniform and insignia
As mounted cavalry the North African personnel of the regiment wore high turbans, red jackets, wide blue-grey trousers and a white
burnous
A burnous (), also burnoose, burnouse, bournous or barnous, is a long cloak of coarse woollen fabric with a pointed hood, often white, traditionally worn by Arabs, Arab and Berbers, Berber men in North Africa. Historically, the white burnous was w ...
(cloak). A dark blue over-cloak with hood was worn over the burnous, to distinguish the Moroccan spahis from their red-cloaked Algerian and Tunisian counterparts. After mechanization, features such as the double burnous/cloak and red sash of the historical Spahi uniform were retained and are still worn by the modern regiment on parade. A red
forage cap of a model worn since the 1940s, is another present-day distinguishing feature.
The regimental insignia is a combination of the
Cross of Lorraine
The Cross of Lorraine (), known as the Cross of Anjou in the 16th century, is a heraldry, heraldic two-barred cross, consisting of a vertical line crossed by two shorter horizontal bars. In most renditions, the horizontal bars are "graded" with ...
with the Sharifian
Pentagram
A pentagram (sometimes known as a pentalpha, pentangle, or star pentagon) is a regular five-pointed star polygon, formed from the diagonal line segments of a convex (or simple, or non-self-intersecting) regular pentagon. Drawing a circle around ...
from the
Flag of Morocco.
Regimental colors
Regimental song
Nous étions au fond de l’Afrique
Gardiens jaloux de nos couleurs
Quand, sous un soleil magnifique
Retentissait ce cri vainqueur :
En avant ! En avant ! En avant
C’est nous les Africains
Qui revenons de loin
Venant de nos pays
Pour sauver la Patrie
Nous avons tout quitté
Parents, gourbis, foyers,
Et nous gardons au cœur
Une invincible ardeur
Car nous voulons porter haut et fier,
Le beau drapeau de notre France entière,
Et si quelqu’un venait à y toucher,
Nous serions là pour mourir à ses pieds.
Battez tambours, à nos amours
Pour le Pays, pour la Patrie,
Mourir au loin, c’est nous les Africains.
Pour le salut de notre Empire
Nous combattons tous les vautours
La faim, la mort nous font sourire
Quand nous luttons pour nos amours.
En avant ! En avant ! En avant !
De tous les horizons de France
Groupés sur le sol africain
Nous venons pour la délivrance
Qui, par nous se fera demain
En avant ! En avant ! En avant !
Et lorsque finira la guerre
Nous reviendrons à nos gourbis
Le cœur joyeux et l’âme fière
D’avoir libéré le Pays
En criant, en chantant, en avant !
Decorations
The Regimental Colors of the 1st Spahi Regiment is decorated with:
*
Croix de la Libération (historically linked to the 1
er R.M.S.M)
*
Croix de guerre 1914-1918 with:
** 5 palms
(historically linked to the 1
er R.M.S.M)
*
Croix de guerre 1939-1945 with:
** 2 palms
(historically linked to the 1
er R.M.S.M)
*
Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with :
** 4 palms
(historically linked to the 1
er R.M.S.M)
*
Croix de la Valeur militaire
Croix (French for "cross") may refer to:
Belgium
* Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut
France
* Croix, Nord, in the Nord department
* Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort d ...
with :
** 1 bronze star (awarded May 8, 2014)
* Mérite Militaire Chérifien - Military Sharifian Medal
(historically linked to the 1
er R.S.M)
* Médaille de la bravoure Serbe - Medal of Serbian Bravery
(historically linked to the 1
er R.S.M)
* Ordre Serbe de Kara-Georges de 4
e rang, avec glaives - Serbian Order of Kara-Georges 4th order
(historically linked to the 1
er R.S.M)
* Croix de Guerre Serbe avec une citation à l'ordre de l'Armée Ordre Roumain de Saint Michel - Serbian Croix de Guerre with citation at the orders Romanian Order Army of Saint-Michael
(historically linked to the 1
er R.S.M)
* American U.S. Presidential Unit Citation
*
Fourragere with:
** colors of the
Médaille militaire, with olives of the
Croix de guerre 1914-1918 and
Croix de guerre 1939-1945
** colors of the
Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures
** colors of the
Croix de la Libération since June 18, 1996
File:Fourragères aux couleurs de la médaille militaire puit des T.O.E..jpg, Fourragere with colors of the Médaille militaire, with olives of the Croix de guerre 1914-1918, Croix de guerre 1939-1945 and Fourragere with colors of the Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures
File:Fourragere Ordre de la Libération.jpg, Fourragere with colors of the Croix de la Libération since June 18, 1996
File:Puc-2edb-origine-p-ghemard.jpg, U.S. Presidential Unit Citation
Honours
Battle honours
["Édition Chronologique n° 45 du 29 octobre 2010".Le Ministère de la Défense instruction n°1515/DEF/EMA/OL/2 du 23 septembre 1983, modifiée, sur les filiations et l'héritage des traditions des unités; décision n°010318/DEF/CAB/SDBG/CPAG du 15 juillet 2008 portant création d'une commission des emblèmes. Art 1er. L'inscription "Koweït 1990-1991" est attribuée aux drapeaux et étendards des formations des armées énumérées ci-dessous. 2e R.E.I, 1er R.E.C, 6e R.E.G, 3e R.I.Ma, 1er R.P.I.Ma, 11e R.A.Ma, 4e Régiment de dragon, 1er Régiment de Spahis, 6e Régiment de Commandement et de Soutien, 1er R.H.C, 3e R.H.C, puis les formations de l'Armée de l'Air les 5e, 7e, 11e escadre de chasse, la 33e escadre de reconnaissance et les 61e et 64e escadre de transport. Le présent arrêté sera publié au bulletin officiel des armées, Hervé Morin.]
Regimental Commanders
1st Spahi Regiment - Gallery
Image:Spahi-img 0990.jpg, Traditional Uniform of the 1st Spahi Regiment.
Image:Spahi-img 1029.jpg, Traditional Uniform of Spahis.
File:1st Spahis Bastille Day 2008.jpg, 1st Spahi Regiment during a parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually some variety ...
in 2008.
See also
*
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny (2 February 1889 – 11 January 1952) was a French ''général d'armée'' during World War II and the First Indochina War. He was posthumously elevated to the dignity of Marshal of France in 1952.
...
References
* ''Calots Rouges et croix de Lorraine'', Paul Oddo et Paul Willing, Carnet de la Sabretache – 1988
* ''Les spahis du 1er marocains'', Thierry Moné, Lavauzelle - 1998,
* ''Le burnous bleus et les chemins du devoir'', Thierry et Mary Moné, La Gandoura - 2007,
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spahis, 1st Spahi Regiment
20th-century regiments of France
21st-century regiments of France
Cavalry regiments of France
Armée d’Afrique
Military units and formations established in 1914
Cavalry regiments of France in World War I
Cavalry regiments of France in World War II