Vichy French Military Division order of battle

The Military Division (French: Division Militaire, abbreviated to DM) was a Vichy French infantry formation in 1940-1942, during World War II. The divisions were numbered according to the military regions.^[1] The Vichy French Military Division had a near-identical organisation as the French Infantry Divisions of 1939-1940, but with the restrictions of the Armistice of 22 June 1940 imposed them.^[1] The whole Army of Vichy France, except for the Garde, was demobilized on 27 November 1942 after Case Anton.^[1]

Military Division
Division Militaire DM
Active	1940-42
Country	Vichy France
Branch	Armistice Army
Type	Infantry
Size	Division
Engagements	World War II

Organisation

The table below shows the order of battle that a Military Division aspired to.^[1] In addition, each Military Division had a Bureau of Anti-National Activities [fr], which had the purpose of countering politically subversive actions, especially those by Communists, but also those of the supporters of Charles de Gaulle.^[2]

Unit
Division headquarters[3]
3x Infantry regiments (each of an identical composition) (or 3x Demi-brigades of Chasseurs à Pied, each with 3 battalions)[3]
I battalion	4 mixed rifle and MG companies:[Note 1] 26x FM 24/29 light machine gun 16x Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun 36x Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37/VB rifle grenade 3x 60mm mortars 3x 81mm mortars
II battalion	4 mixed rifle and MG companies (as above)
III battalion	4 mixed rifle and MG companies (as above)
Cavalry regiment[3] (either Cuirassier/Dragoon or Chasseur/Hussar)
A single Cuirassier or Dragoon regiment (divided into reconnaissance groups) 2 mounted squadrons 3 cyclist squadrons (15x Hotchkiss MGs, 10x 81mm mortars) 1 armoured car squadron (8x Panhard AMD)[Note 2]	A single Chasseurs à cheval or Hussar regiment 4 mounted sabre squadrons 1 heavy weapons squadron (12x Hotchkiss MGs, 4x 81mm mortars)
Artillery regiment[3]
I group	3 batteries[Note 3][Note 4]
II group	3 batteries
III group	4 batteries
Engineer battalion[1]
2 companies a half-company bridging train
Signals group,[1][Note 5] also known as a battalion[3]
Transport group,[1][Note 5] also known as company[3]
Guard regiment[1][3]

Moreover, there existed four cavalry regiments of the general reserve.^[3]

Equipment

This Armistice banned anti-tank and gas protection equipment, while minimizing mechanization.^[1] However, the reduction of the French army meant that its remains could be entirely equipped with the newest and best equipment available, e.g. MAS-36 rifle, MAS-38 and Thompson submachine guns.^[1] The previously used VB rifle grenade was over time replaced with the Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37.^[1] Artillery was only allowed to have 75mm calibre guns.^[1]

Military Divisions

Table of Military Divisions within the Vichy Army and their main component units^[4]

Military divisions	Location of divisional headquarters	Infantry units	Cavalry regiment	Artillery regiment
7th Military Division[4]	Bourg-en-Bresse[4][5]	65th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 151st Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 4e Chasseurs à Pied Demi-brigade:[4] 1st Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr][4] 2nd Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr][4] 10th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr][4]	5th Dragoon Regiment[4]	61st Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
9th Military Division[4]	Châteauroux[4]	1st Infantry Regiment[4] 27th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 32th Infantry Regiment [fr][4]	8th Cuirassier Regiment [fr][4]	72nd Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
12th Military Division[4]	Limoges[4][6]	26th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 41st Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 1st Chasseurs à Pied Demi-brigade:[4] 8th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 16th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 30th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr]	6th Cuirassier Regiment[4]	35th Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
13th Military Division[4]	Clermont-Ferrand[4][7]	5th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 92nd Infantry Regiment[4] 152nd Infantry Regiment [fr][4]	8th Dragoon Regiment[4]	4th Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
14th Military Division[4]	Lyon[4]	153rd Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 159th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 3rd Chasseurs Alpins Demi-brigade:[4] 6th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr][4] 13th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr][4] 27th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr][4]	11th Cuirassier Regiment [fr][4]	2nd Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
15th Military Division[4]	Marseille[4][8]	43rd Alpine Infantry Regiment[4] 21st Colonial Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 173rd Autonomous Battalion [fr][4] 2nd Chasseurs Alpins Demi-brigade:[4] 20th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr][4] 24th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr][4] 25th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr][4]	12th Cuirassier Regiment[4]	10th Colonial Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
16th Military Division[4]	Montpellier[4][9]	8th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 51st Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment [fr][4]	3rd Dragoon Regiment[4]	15th Artillery Regiment [fr][4]
17th Military Division[4]	Toulouse[4]	18th Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 23rd Infantry Regiment [fr][4] 150th Infantry Regiment[4]	2nd Dragoon Regiment[4]	24th Artillery Regiment [fr][4]