The 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment (3^e R.T.A) was an

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

unit of the Army of Africa 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 ...

. Recruited primarily from Algerian Muslims, it was mainly commanded by French officers. The racial boundaries were not absolute, with some French volunteers serving in the ranks and a limited number of Muslims being appointed as officers. After 1913 a selective form of conscription was applied to Algerian Muslims but the majority of Muslim soldiers serving in the 3^e R.T.A continued to be voluntarily enlisted. During its existence from 1842 to 1962, the regiment distinguished itself in the intervention in Mexico, during the Battle of San Lorenzo, which earned the regiment the

Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...

and specially during

World War II 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 ...

during which, commanded by Colonel François de Linares then Colonel Agostini as part of the

3rd Algerian Infantry Division The 3rd Algerian Infantry Division () was an infantry division of the Army of Africa which participated in World War II. Following the liberation of French North Africa, the division fought in Tunisia, Italy, metropolitan France and in Germany. ...

, the regiment was cited four times at the orders of the armed forces. The 3^e RTA was one of the five most-decorated French regiments of the Second World War; along with the

4th Tunisian Tirailleurs Regiment The 4th Tunisian Tirailleurs Regiment () was an infantry regiment of the Army of Africa, part of the French Army. Active between 1884 and 1956, the regiment was one of the most decorated of the French Army. The regiment had a distinguished rec ...

(4^e RTT), the 2nd Moroccan Tabors Group, the Chad Marching Regiment () and the

13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion The 13th Demi-Brigade of Foreign Legion (), was created in 1940 and was the main unit of the 1st Free French Division, Free French Forces (FFL). From the coast of Norway to Bir Hakeim, to Africa then the Alsace, while passing by Syria and Italy ...

Names

* 1842 : 3rd Indigenous Battalion of

Constantine Constantine most often refers to: * Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 306 to 337, also known as Constantine I * Constantine, Algeria, a city in Algeria Constantine may also refer to: People * Constantine (name), a masculine g ...

* 1856 : 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment, 3^e RTA * 1962 : disbanded The regiment originated as the indigenous (locally recruited Muslim) Battalion of Constantine, created in Algeria in 1842. In 1856 the battalion was designated as the 3^e RTA. The regiment was dissolved in 1962.

History

1815 to 1848

French conquest of Algeria The French conquest of Algeria (; ) took place between 1830 and 1903. In 1827, an argument between Hussein Dey, the ruler of the Regency of Algiers, and the French consul (representative), consul escalated into a blockade, following which the Jul ...

() ** Regiments having participated to the conquest of Algeria by France ()

Second French Empire

Franco-Prussian War of 1870

Detaille - 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs at Woerth

On August 1, 1870, the 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment formed part of the Army of the Rhin. Together with the 87th Infantry Regiment commanded by Colonel Blot, the 3rd formed the 2nd Brigade under the orders of Général Lacretelle. This 2nd Brigade, together with the 1st Brigade of Général Fraboulet de Kerléadec, two batteries of artillery plus one of mitrailleuse, and one engineer company constituted the 4th Infantry Division commanded by Général de division de Lartigue. The division was part of the 1st Army Corps with Marshal

Patrice de MacMahon, Duke of Magenta Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893), was a French general and politician who served as President of France from 1873 to 1879. He was elevated to the dignity of Marshal ...

as commanding general. On August 17, 1870, the 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment was part of the

Army of Châlons The Army of Châlons () was a French military formation that fought during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. Formed in the camp of Châlons on August 17, 1870, from elements of the Army of the Rhine which the formation was issued from, the Army of ...

. With the 87th Infantry Regiment of Colonel Blot, the 2nd Marching Regiment of Lt-Colonel de Lenchey and the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd Grenadiers of the Guard, the 3rd formed the 2nd Brigade at the orders of Général Carrey de Bellemare. This 2nd Brigade with the 1st Brigade of Général Fraboulet de Kerléadec, two batteries de 4 and one de mitrailleuse, and one engineer company constituted the 4th Infantry Division commanded by Général de brigade de Lartigue. The division was part of the 1st Army Corps with Général de division

Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot (; 24 February 1817 – 16 August 1882) was a French general. Ducrot served in the Crimean War, Algeria, the Italian campaign of 1859, and as a division commander in the Franco-Prussian War. At the outbreak of the Franco ...

as commanding general.

World War I

1914

* Vers Charleroi : Oret, Mettet (August 23), Florennes (August 24) * Unfolding of the IIIrd Army and IV Army: Courgivaux, Petit-Morin * Battle of the Marne : Cuts-la-Pommeraye (September 15–17)

1915

* Ist Army and IIIrd Army in Argonne and one Meuse: Plateau des Loges * September 25 - October 6 :

Second Battle of Champagne The Second Battle of Champagne (, utumn Battle in the First World War was a French offensive against the German army at Champagne that coincided with the Third Battle of Artois in the north and ended with a French defeat. Battle On 25 Sep ...

Épine de Védegrange

1916

Battle of Verdun The Battle of Verdun ( ; ) was fought from 21 February to 18 December 1916 on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in French Third Republic, France. The battle was the longest of the First World War and took place on the hills north ...

: Louvemont, Côte-du-Poivre (February), Souville (July) * Apprehending of the Forts de Douaumont and Forts de Vaux: Bois le Chaume, Bezonveaux (December 15)

1917

* Verdun: Côte 304

1918

* Moreuil (August 8) * Battle of Noyon (August 28) * Chauny, Tergnier

World War II

Composition of the regiment

During the Second World War, one North-African

tirailleur A tirailleur (), in the Napoleonic era, was a type of light infantry trained to skirmish ahead of the main columns. Later, the term "''tirailleur''" was used by the French Army as a designation for indigenous infantry recruited in the French c ...

regiment consisted a little more than 3000 men (out of which 500 officers and sous-officiers) and 200 vehicles. The proportion of Maghrebis reach 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.

Campaigns

In 1943, the 3^e RTA formed part of the Marching Division of Constantibe, subsequently designated as the

. The regiment earned distinction in Tunisia then during the Italian campaign: first in January 1944 while apprehending Monna Acquafondata, then

Operation Diadem Operation Diadem, also referred to as the Fourth Battle of Monte Cassino or, in Canada, the Battle of the Liri Valley, was an offensive operation undertaken by the Allies of World War II ( U.S. Fifth Army and British Eighth Army) in May 1944, as ...

in May 1944. The regiment was cited twice during that campaign, carrying the inscriptions: "Abruzzes 1944" and "Rome 1944" on its colours. Disembarked at Provence on August 15, 1944, the 3^e DIA entered first to Toulon, participated to the

Liberation of Marseille The Battle of Marseille was an urban battle of World War II that took place August 21–28, 1944, and led to the liberation of Marseille by Free French forces under the command of General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny. The groundwork was laid ...

, manoeuver during which the 3^e and 7^e RTA formed the forward contingent. The regiment made way towards the Alpes and Jura, until the Alsace. Accordingly, the regiment then mounted the confrontations in the Vosges, apprehended Mulhouse and mounted the defensive of Strasbourg at Kilstett, in January 1945. The 3^e DIA mounted the assault on the Siegfried line, reached the Rhin at Spire and apprehended Stuttgart. Since Naples, the 3^e DIA endured the loss of 4000 killed and 12,000 wounded.

Collective citations

Throughout the course of Second World War, the 3^e RTA obtained 7 collective citations at the orders of the armed forces (4 for the regiment and 3 for the battalions).

Casualties

The 3^e DIA recorded 811 killed in action in the 3^e RTA from November 1942 to May 1945, out of which 614 Maghrebis (75%) and 197 Europeans (25%).

Since 1945

In the spring of 1947, the following tirailleur units were disembarked at Saigon: the B.M of the 1st (), 2nd (), 3^e RTA, 7^e RTA and the 4^e RTT, and the 25^e, 23^e and 27^e BTA. All eight of these battalions, were repatriated from Indo China to North Africa within 24 to 30 months. * 1954 :

Battle of Dien Bien Phu The Battle of Điện Biên Phủ was a climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War that took place between 13 March and 7 May 1954. It was fought between the forces of the French Union and Viet Minh. The French began an operation to in ...

Disbandment

Following the campaign in Indochina, the regiment returned to Algeria. Following the outbreak 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 1954 the 3^e RTA was involved in active service in the region of Constantine. * In 1955, the regiment provided support for the creation of the 3rd Company Group of Algerian Nomades (1st, 2nd, 3rd Algerian Nomades Companies ()) * At the end of the

in 1962, the majority of the units formerly comprising the French Army of Africa were disbanded. Algerian Muslim conscripts were demobilised while long service volunteers were given the option of transferring to other units of the French Army. The 3^e RTA was amongst the regiments dissolved.

Traditions

Regimental Colors

Decorations

The regimental colors of the 3rd Algerian Tirailleurs Regiment are decorated with: * Croix of the

in 1863''Histoire de l'armée française'', éditions Pygmalion, 1997 for the capture of two flags on May 8, 1863 during the Battle of San Lorenzo, by

Ahmed Ben Miloud, who was awarded the

Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...

; *

Croix de guerre 1914–1918 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 depa ...

with: ** 2 palms and 1 silver star *

Croix de guerre 1939-1945 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 depa ...

with: ** Four palms. * Médaille d'Or de la Ville de Milan Fourragere: * The Regimental Colors bear wearing the fourragere with colors of the

with olives of the colors of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 File:Fourragère MM.png,

Honours

Battle honours

*Artois 1915 *Champagne 1915 *Verdun 1916 * Soissonnais 1918 *Picardy 1918 *Aisne 1918 *Levant 1920-–1921 *Morocco 1925–1926 *Fondouk El Okbi 1943 *Rome 1944 *Marseille 1944 *Vosges 1944 *Indochine 1947–1954 *AFN 1952–1962

Regimental Commanders

* 1811 - ... : Colonel commandant Adrien * 1818 - ... : Chef de bataillon Frédéric * 1825 - ... : Lieutenant Dieudonné * 1870 : Colonel Gandil * 1870 : Colonel Barrué * 1905 - ... : Colonel Gabriel (1849-1930) * World War I ** Until August 25, 1914 : Colonel Simon, provisionary command was assured by commandant Demaris ** From September 19, 1914 to April 28, 1916 : Lieutenant-colonel de Gouvello ** From April 28 to August 6, 1916 : Colonel Thouvenel, provisionary command was assured by Commandant Gonnel then Commandant Le Clerc ** From August 26 to October 7, 1916 : Colonel Simon ** Since October 7, 1916 : Lieutenant-colonel Vibert * World War II ** 19/09/1943 – 15/09/1944: Colonel de Linarès ** 15/09/1944 – March 1945: Colonel Agostini ** March 1945 - ... : Colonel de la Boisse ** 1958 - ... :

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 ...

Gandoet commanding the 19th Infantry Division

References

Bibliography

* ''Historique du 3^e régiment de Tirailleurs algériens : ouvrage rédigé d'après les ordres de M. le colonel Boitard'', G. Heim, Constantine (Algérie), 1888, 582 p. * ''Le 3^e Régiment de Tirailleurs Algériens pendant la campagne d'Italie (janvier-août 1944)'', Vie exaltante, numéro 20, Éditions de la nouvelle France, Paris, 1945. * ''Livre d'or de la 3e division d'infanterie algérienne''. Fribourg-en-Brisgau: Imprimerie nationale, 1948. * ''Par les portes du Nord : la libération de Toulon et de Marseille en 1944'', Nouvelles Éditions Latines, 2005. {{DEFAULTSORT:Algerian Tirailleurs, 3rd Regiment Tirailleurs regiments of France Armée d’Afrique Military units and formations established in 1856 Military units and formations disestablished in 1962 Military of French Algeria Military units and formations of France in World War I Infantry regiments of France in World War II