Army Group 3 ( 3
A 3 was a
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 ...
formation during 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 ...
, stationed along the river
Rhine
The Rhine ( ) is one of the List of rivers of Europe, major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Austria–Swit ...
manning the
Maginot line
The Maginot Line (; ), named after the Minister of War (France), French Minister of War André Maginot, is a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built by French Third Republic, France in the 1930s to deter invas ...
.
It was responsible for manning the southern end of the
Maginot Line
The Maginot Line (; ), named after the Minister of War (France), French Minister of War André Maginot, is a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles and weapon installations built by French Third Republic, France in the 1930s to deter invas ...
, along the River Rhine and controlled one army. The army group's Commander-in-Chief was
Antoine-Marie-Benoit Besson.
Fortified sectors
Until 16 March 1940, the Altkirch sector was part of the
Fortified Region of Belfort. Afterwards, the Altkirch sector was under the command of the 44th Army Fortress Corps under General Tence,
which was in turn under the command of the
French 8th Army, General Garchery at the
Fort de Giromagny
Fort de Giromagny, also known as Fort Dorsner, was built near Belfort in northeastern France between 1875 and 1879. The fort forms the southern end of the defensive curtain of the Haute Moselle Region, abutting the fortified region of Belfort, whi ...
, part of Army Group 3.
[Mary, Tome 3, p. 146] The 44th Corps' headquarters was at Dannemarie. The 67th Infantry Division, commanded by General Boutignon, provided infantry support. The 67th DI was a series B reserve division, not suitable for heavy or sustained combat Following to its reorganization, the sector was called the Defensive Sector of Altkirch.
The SF/SD Altkirch was commanded by General Salvan. Fortress troops were provided by the 12th and 171st Fortress Infantry Regiments. Artillery support was provided by the third and fourth battalions of the 159th Position Artillery Regiment.
At the midpoint of the Battle of France on 1 June 1940, the fortress troops of the SF Altkirch amounted to two fortress infantry regiments in five battalions, comprising 165 officers and 3,300 men.
[Mary, Tome 3, p. 189]
Order of battle
*
French 8th Army - General
Marcel Garchery
**
7th Army Corps
***
13th Infantry Division
*** 27th Infantry Division
***2nd Brigade de Spahis (7th and 9th Algerian Spahi regiments of cavalry (horsed))
**
13th Army Corps
*** 19th Infantry Division
*** 54th Infantry Division
*** 104th Infantry Division
*** 105th Infantry Division
**
44th Army Corps (France)
*** 67th Infantry Division
***
Fortified Sector of Altkirch
***
Fortified Sector of Montbéliard
***
Belfort Defences
*
45th Fortress Army Corps (HQ
Ornans)
**
57th Infantry Division (France)
**63rd Infantry Division
**
Jura Central Fortified Sector
References
Biblopraphy
*Mary, Jean-Yves; Hohnadel, Alain; Sicard, Jacques. Hommes et Ouvrages de la Ligne Maginot, Tome 3. Paris, Histoire & Collections, 2003. (French)
*Les Grandes Unités Françaises de la Guerre 1939–1945, Historiques Succincts, Service Historique de l'Armée de Terre, Vincennes : SHAT, 1967
Further reading
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Army groups of France
Military units and formations disestablished in 1940
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