Figure 1.--This is a French colonial postcard sent from Rabat, Morocco (July 31, 1916). It is not a personal portrait, but a commercial card. There are large numbers of these French commercial cards depicting African soldiers in the French Army often with their families. These postcards are interestingb because they tell us a lot about the colonial soldiers. A CIH postcard collector reports that they responding to different interests. On the one hand they responded to curiosity about exotic things. On the other hand they showed that these French Army soldiers were different. Until well into the 20th century, when posted in the Empire they often had no boots, their wives might go shirtless, their younger children often unclothed. Of course we cannot exclude a certain racist element. Here is a tirailleur (rifleman) sénégalais with his young son. We can see that the child suffers from Kwashiorkor Syndrome (malnutrition). We were rather surprised by this. We would have thought that French colonial soldiers would have had families in better condition than the general population. Note that the soldier has brought his family with him when posted to Morocco. Notably, you see nothing like this in Britain which also had African colonies.

The French Troupes coloniales (Colonial Troops) also referred to as the Armée coloniale (Colonial Army) often called La Coloniale were colonial troops recruited in the French colonial empire (1900-1961). This of course meant during both World Wars. Earlier in the post Napoleonic 19th century (1822-1900) these troops were were called Troupes de marine (Marine Troops or Marines). This reflects the fact that they inimically were under the authority of the Navy. This term was resurrected after 1961 and France's major colonial wars. This was a practice began unofficially very early in the development of the French Empire (16th century), but only regularized after the Napoleoic Wars when France began building a new empire, primarily in Africa (19th century). La Coloniale played an important role in the expansion of the French Empire (19th century). The men were recruited from 1) mainland France, 2) French settler populations, and 3) indigenous populations in the French Empire. Recruitment was ostensibly voluntary, but in fact a degree of conscription was commonly involved, especially with the Tirailleurs sénégalais. In Sub-Saharan Africa , village chiefs were often given quotas to fill. This force played a substantial role in the conquest of the empire, in World War I, World War II, the First Indochina War and the Algerian War. The French used colonial troops to a much greater extent than the British, especially in combat units. France had different types of colonial forces Substantial numbers were deployed on the Western Front. The French colonial troops played an important role in World War I and were used by the French after the War as occupation troops. This particularly incensed the race conscious Germans. The best know are the tirailleurs sénégalais (Senegalese riflemen). The colonial troops in World War I were a small, but important part of the French Army, especially given the huge losses on the Western Front. The two major gyps of colonial forces were 1)ethnic French recruits, primarily from settler populations and 2) indigenous people from the colonies. The indigenous groups were grouped into repartee units based on the colony of recruitment. They were mostly, but not entirely formed into infantry units.

French Settler Units

This group included primarily French long service volunteers (and until 1893) colonial settlers doing their military service assigned to service in France itself or to garrisons in French West and Central Africa, Madagascar, New Caledonia and and indochina. The largest settler group was located in Algeria making the post-World War II Algerian War for Indeopence a particularly bitter conflict.

Indigenous Units

Running an empire is expensive. This is especially the case when large expenive military forces are needed to gasrison yhe empire. All imperial powers attempt to recruit locals to help maontain secuity. This is much less expensive than to maintain regular army forces in their colonies. But os couse they may not be as relaible as forces recruited in the mother country. This was not a problem in the 19th centyury when the colonies were required. Unlike nationalist sentiment in Europe, nationalist sentiment in the colonies was lacking ir non-existent. Firces were thus recruited from indigenous populations recruited throughout European empires. This was especially the case with the French Empire. The officers were white Frenchmen. These were designated as Tirailleurs indochinois, Tirailleurs malgaches, Tirailleurs sénégalais, as well as other colonial groups. Most were infantry units, thus the term Tirailleurs (riflemen). The French more than the other colonial empires, not only used their indigenous forces for colonial security, but help fight World War I in Europe. This was less true in World War I, but ionly because the French Army collapsed in the first year of the War an the Grermans occupied France. Tirailleur uniforms had many distinct features, especially when serving in colonial postings, but during World War I they were uninformed basically like other French soldiers.

Tirailleurs indochinois

After France seized control of important areas of Southeast Asia, creating Indo-China. They began reorganising Tirailleurs indochinois finding this much less expensive than using all French soldiers. At the time, natiionalist sentiment was not yet a major issue. The colonial authorities behan organising several infantry regiments (1880). 【Rives and Deroo】 The most important of these units was the Tonkinese Rifles (Tirailleurs tonkinois), evetually five egiments were organized. Tonkin was an area of Vietnam. There are reoorts of widespread desertion when these units were first organized. 【Bouinais and Paulus, p. 190.】 Overtime, the French managed to establish more relaiable forces. Officers were brought in from the regular French Marine (Colonial) Infantry annd the the Tirailleurs indochinois was turned into a more effective force. As in Africa, organisin a local force was important in effectvely occupying the colony. The Tirailleurs indochinois was not ony used for domestic security. They were deployed in China during the Boxer Rebellion (1900), the Allied intervention in Siberia (1918–19), Syria (1920–21) and Morocco (1925–26). The major foreign deployment was during World War I (1914-18). The French Army was at first reluctant to deploy its Tirailleurs indochinois to Europe. As the War continued and casualties mounted were sustained, The French Army turned increasinly to its colonies. Some 40,000 Tirailleurs indochinois were deployed to Europe, Annamite and Cambodian tirailleurs. 【Jouineau, p. 63.】 Most did not see combat. They were deoployed in rear areas in guard, depot, and factory-workers duties. There was some lmioted combat action, including Verdun, the Chemin des Dames, and in Champagne. The Tirailleurs indochinoi alsoaction in the Balkans, nrthern Greece. The French were shocked when 50 tirailleurs mutinied to support the Việt Nam Quốc Dân Đảng during the Yen Bai rebellion. They were quickly overcome by loyal tirailleurs in that unit. 【Rives and Deroo, pp. 72–73.】 World War I saw the rise of nationalist sentiment in many of the European colonies. In Indo-China this was especially true in Vietnam. As a result, the French increasingly turned to non-ethnic Vietnamese recruits. And the Viet Minh generated increasing nationalist sentiment during World War II and the Japanese intervention (1939-45). Vichy France was an Axis ally and thus when the Japanese intervened in Indo-China, it did not replace the French Adminiistration until the final months of the War. The Allies invaded France (June 1944) and within a few mongths had liberated the county. With heend if Vichy, the Free French ordered French units in Indo-China drive out the Jaoanese. It was a Qitioxic order, but the French moved against the Japanese (1945). Some tirailleur units stood with the Frencg durung the fighting. We think this may ahave been anti-Japanese sentimentb than pro-French support. The Vietnamese came to hate the Japanese, in part because of the terrible famine they caused. The "3e RTT" (3e régiment de tirailleurs tonkinois) fought bravely, but was annihilated by the Japanese. There were six Tonkinese and Annamite tirailleur regiments active then in existence were either smashed or had to dispersed. Some of the men joined upm wityh the Viet Minh. ASgter the Japanese surrender thee units were not reconstituted when the French returned. 【Rives and Deroo, pp. 98–99.】

Tirailleurs malgaches

Madagascar was one of the last colonies added to the French Empire (1896). As was the case in other French colonies, French authorities as in other colonies organized a local security force, recruiting Malagasy troops. This followed the established pattern of the Senegalese Tirailleurs, becoming part of the colonial French Armed Forces. There were three regiments in service by 1905, located at Tananarive, Tamatave and Diego Suarez. This was meant to be essentially a colonial security force. The Tirailleurs malgaches wore the same dark blue or khaki uniforms that the Tirailleurs senegalais which was the initial French colonial force. The only difference was TM collar patches rather TS. With the World War I emergency, Governor General Hubert Garbit began the mobilizations of the Malagasy population. The first unit was transported to France (October 1915). Five other groups followed (1916). Like the Tirailleurs indochinois, the Tirailleurs malgaches battalions were initially employed behind the lines in guard, depot and factory-work assignments. We are not sure how many saw combat duty. Some 26 Malagasy battalions were organized (1916-18). Most were garrisoned at camps in Fréjus and Puget-sur-Argens in the Var, part of the French Mediterranean coast. As a result of the huge casualties. the Malagasy units were gradually placed in combat roles. A total of Malagasys served in the French Army, some 41,355 eventually served in combat roles. Thee were 10,000-15,000 assigned to heavy artillery regiments. A total of 3,101 Malagasys were killed or missing and 1,835 injured. The disparity here is unexplained. Usually more soldiers are injured than killed. They Malagasy units were for the most part dissolved and returned to Madagascar after the War (1918-19). The Malagasy tirailleurs units were predesignated marine (navy) units as the 1st and 2nd regiments mixte de Madagascar -- RMM (1926). French authorities on Madagascar during World War II declared loyalty to Vichy after the German invasion and occupation (1940). French colonial officials in Africa and other colonies remained loyal in part because it looked by the Axis might win the War. The Japanese Kido Butai foray into the Indian Ocean showed the threat (March-April 1942). The Ameican naval victory at Midway reduced the danger (June 1942). Madagascar became imprtant sdtragucally, because American and British supplies for the Desert Amy in Egypt and to go around Cape Horn and into the Indian Ocean. The British invaded (November 1942), The Malagasy units participated in a prolonged Vichy defense. As a result, they were disbanded by the British. They were reformed by the French after the War (1946). The RMM were merged with the main Troupes de Marine, losing any Malagasy identity (1957). After a few years as part of the French Community, Madagascar opted for independence (1960).

Tirailleurs sénégalais

Tirailleurs sénégalais were not all from Senegal. This was was the name given to all West and Central African regiments, essentially most Black Africans serving in the French army. Affrica was the major area of French colonial expansion. The term was used because Senegal was the first French colony in Sub-Saharan Africa. They were one of the larger French colonial units. In the 19th century these troops in Africa often went barefoot which was fairly standard in Africa at the time. Meaning that theylargely retained thaeir African culture even while serbing un the Frech Army. Of course when Workd War I broke out in Europe and they were transported to France, there was more exposure to French culture. During World War I, they were uniformed like other French soldiers when serving in France. French commanders rporterdly ommonly used them as shock troops. It is not entirely clear why. It may have been because the French wanted to limit casualties of white Frenchmen or the French saw Africans as more barbaric and this more adept at brutal hand to hand fighting. Perhaps a little of both. A major problen in World War I was the cold winter weather in the trenches of northerv France, conditions the Africans were not acusuomed to growing up in tropical Africa. Inevitably some were captured by the Germans. We do not know if they were treated differently than white French POWs. When American units began arriving in France (1917), General Pershing was unsure how to use the segregated African American units. Some were turned over to the French because of their experience with Tirailleurs sénégalais. Others like the Harlem Hell Fighters fought as a proud part of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF). The depleted French Army was more than happy to have African Americans. We believe they fought with white French officers. There may have been Black junior officers as in the AEF. Service in France was a cross-cultural experience for both the French and Africans as ell as the African Americans. There were incidents of racism, but also a spirit of toleration and mutual acceptance. It was part of the reason that Josephine Baker was such a sensation in France. Meaning the French attitude toward African soldiers was very different than American attitudes. World War I occured during a period of heightened racism in the United States and the Great Migration from the rural South to the urban North was beginning. The Africans did no suffer the post-War malaise that France did because of the huge casualties. his was because the Tirailleurs sénégalais and other colonial formations were a relatively small part of the French Army. After World War I, the Tirailleurs sénégalais were used as part of the French occupation forces in Germany which was deeply resented in Germany with the creation of what the Germans called the Rhineland Bastards. When the Germans invaded France in World War II (1940), large numbers of Tirailleurs sénégalais were captured. In the NAZIfied World War II Army, the Germans murdered many if not most, a poorly reported German war crime. Vichy to its shame made no effort to protect these men who were serving to save France.

Sources

Bouinais, Albert Marie Aristide and A. Paulus. L'Indo-Chine française contemporaine: Cochinchine (Cambodge: 1885).

Jouineau, Andre . French Army 1918 1915 to Victory (2009).

Rives, Maurice and Eric Deroo. Les Lính tâp: Histoire des militaires indochinois au service de la France, 1859-1960 (1999).

Created: 12:37 AM 8/19/2024
Last updated: 10:55 AM 8/24/2024