16th Army Corps (France)

16th Army Corps
16e Corps d'Armée
Active1870–1940
CountryFrance France
BranchFrench Army
TypeArmy Corps
Part ofSeventh Army (May 1940)
EngagementsFranco-Prussian War
World War I
Battle of France
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Antoine Chanzy
Paul François Grossetti
Bertrand Fagalde

The French 16th Army Corps (16e Corps d'Armée) was a French military unit created in November 1870 by vice admiral Fourichon, which fought in the Franco-Prussian War, the First and Second World War.

History

World War Two

In May 1940, during the Battle of the Netherlands and the Battle of Belgium, the 16th Corps formed the spearhead of the Seventh Army's advance into the Netherlands (Breda Variant). Led by Général Fagalde, it later fought during the evacuation of Dunkirk and was subsequently deployed in Normandy and Brittany to defend the Dives and Orne rivers.[1]

Detailed Order of Battle (May 1940)

16th Army Corps Assets (Corps Troops) (May 1940) (Click "show" to expand)
  • Cavalry/Reconnaissance: 10th Army Corps Reconnaissance Group (10e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d'Armée) [2]
  • Infantry: 616th Pioneer Regiment (616e Régiment de Pionniers) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
  • Artillery: 116th Heavy Horse-Drawn Artillery Regiment (116e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Hippomobile)
    • 1st Group (1er Groupe) – 12 x 105mm L 1913 guns [2]
    • 2nd Group (2e Groupe) – 12 x 105mm L 1913 guns [2]
    • 3rd Group (3e Groupe) – 12 x 155mm L 1917 guns [2]
    • 4th Group (4e Groupe) – 12 x 155mm L 1917 guns [2]
  • Engineers:
    • 116/1 & 116/2 Sapper-Miner Companies (Compagnies de Sapeurs-Mineurs) [2]
    • 116/16 Bridging Train Company (Compagnie d'Équipages de Ponts) [2]
    • 116/21 Engineer Park Company (Compagnie de Parc du Génie) [2]
  • Signals:
    • 116/81 Field Telegraph Company (Compagnie Télégraphique) [2]
    • 116/82 Radio Company (Compagnie Radio) [2]
  • Medical: 16th Light Horse Ambulance (AMH 16) and 216th Light Surgical Ambulance (ACL 216) [2]
9th Motorised Infantry Division (9e DIM) (Click "show" to expand)
  • Infantry:
    • 13th Infantry Regiment (13e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 95th Infantry Regiment (95e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 131st Infantry Regiment (131e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
  • Artillery:
    • 30th Artillery Regiment (30e Régiment d'Artillerie) – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Groups (75mm) [2]
    • 230th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment (230e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Divisionnaire) – 4th, 5th Groups (155mm C) [2]
  • Reconnaissance: 20th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (20e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie) [2]
  • Engineers: 9/1 & 9/2 Sapper-Miner Companies [2]
25th Motorised Infantry Division (25e DIM) (Click "show" to expand)
  • Infantry:
    • 38th Infantry Regiment (38e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 92nd Infantry Regiment (92e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
    • 121st Infantry Regiment (121e Régiment d'Infanterie) – I, II, III Battalions [2]
  • Artillery:
    • 16th Artillery Regiment (16e Régiment d'Artillerie) – 1st, 2nd, 3rd Groups (75mm) [2]
    • 216th Divisional Heavy Artillery Regiment (216e Régiment d'Artillerie Lourde Divisionnaire) – 4th, 5th Groups (155mm C) [2]
  • Reconnaissance: 5th Divisional Reconnaissance Group (5e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d'Infanterie) [2]
  • Engineers: 25/1 & 25/2 Sapper-Miner Companies [2]

Operational Dynamics (May–June 1940)

The composition of the 16th Army Corps was highly fluid during the campaign due to the strategic requirements of the Battle of the Netherlands and the subsequent retreat towards Dunkirk.

Operational Dynamics: Unit Transfers (May–June 1940) (Click "show" to expand)
Period Units Joined Units Departed Context
10–15 May
  • —
 Advance into North Brabant (Netherlands) as part of the Breda Variant. [2]
16–24 May Withdrawal and defense of the Scheldt estuary and the "Northern Fortress." [2]
June 1940 Reconstitution of the Corps in Normandy to defend the Dives/Orne line. [2]
Source: Les Grandes Unités Françaises (SHAT), Vol. 1, 1967.

Commanders

Franco-Prussian War

World War I

World War II

References

  1. ^ Fagalde 1952, p. 528.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak Les Grandes Unités Françaises de la Guerre 1939-1945, Vol. 1, SHAT, 1967.

Sources

High Command of the French Army (May 1940)

Commander-in-Chief: Maurice Gamelin (until 19 May) • Maxime Weygand

Army Groups Army Group 1 (Billotte) • Army Group 2 (Prételat) • Army Group 3 (Besson) • Army of the Alps (Olry)
Field Armies 1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th
Army Corps of the French Army (1939–1940)
Regular Army Corps

1st • 2nd • 3rd • 4th • 5th • 6th • 7th • 8th • 9th • 10th • 11th • 12th • 13th • 14th • 15th • 16th • 17th • 18th • 19th • 20th • 21st • 22nd • 23rd • 24th • 25th

Specialized Corps

Colonial Corps (I, II, III) • Cavalry Corps (I, II) • Fortress Corps (41, 42, 43, 44, 45)

1st Army Group (France) – Structure by Corps (May 1940)
First Army III Corps • IV Corps • V Corps • Cavalry Corps (I, II)
Second Army 10th Corps • 18th Corps • 41st Fortress Corps
Seventh Army I Corps • 16th Corps
Ninth Army 2nd Corps • 11th Corps • 41st Fortress Corps

Source: Les Grandes Unités Françaises (SHAT), 1967

16th Army Corps – Order of Battle (May 1940)
Subordinate Divisions 9th Motorised Infantry Division (9e DIM) • 25th Motorised Infantry Division (25e DIM)
Corps Troops (Organiques) Infantry: 616th Pioneer Regiment • Cavalry: 10th GRCA • Artillery: 116th Heavy Horse Drawn Artillery Regiment (105mm/155mm)
Support & Services 116/1 & 116/2 Sapper-Miner Companies • 116/16 Bridging Train Company • 116/81 Telephone & 116/82 Radio Companies • 16th Light Horse Ambulance (AMH 16)
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Army_Corps_(France)