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4th Army (France)

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4th Army
4e armée
FoundedAugust 2, 1914
CountryFrance
BranchArmy
TypeArmy
EngagementsFirst World War Second World War

The Fourth Army (French: IVe Armée), nicknamed the "Army of Fontainebleau", was a unit of the French Army, which fought during World War I and World War II.

It was one of five armies created and placed on a war footing by the Grand Quartier Général when Plan XVII was launched in response to the German attack of August 1914.

Commanders

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World War I

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Commanders

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Tribute to the Fourth Army which liberated Sommepy-Tahure.

Chief of Staff

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  • General Paul Maistre (2 August – 12 September 1914)
  • Colonel Alphonse Nudant (12 September – 21 November 1914)
  • Colonel Gabriel Alexandre Paquette [fr] (21 November 1914 – 28 January 1916)
  • Colonel Jean Degoutte (28 January – 3 August 1916)
  • Colonel Vidalon (3 August 1916 – 7 January 1917)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel Broussaud (7 January – 26 May 1917)
  • Colonel Spire (26 May 1917 – 8 January 1918)
  • Lieutenant-Colonel André-Gaston Prételat (8 January 1918 – ???)

World War II

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Commanders

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First World War

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Composition at mobilization

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Further information (in French): French mobilization of 1914 [fr]

On mobilization in August 1914, the 4th Army of the French Army was commanded by General de Langle de Cary. It comprised the 12th and 17th Corps, the Colonial Army Corps and a cavalry division.

Chief of Staff: General Paul Maistre (replaced on 12 September 1914 by Colonel Alphonse Nudant, then on 21 November 1914 by Colonel Gabriel Alexandre Paquette);
Deputy Chief: Lieutenant-Colonel Dessens;
Head of 3rd Office: Commandant de La Fontaine ;
Head of Aviation Services: Commandant Barès;
Head of Stages and Services: General Sentis.

The 1st echelon of staff from Paris arrived at Saint-Dizier on 5 August at 8:15 a.m.; the 2nd echelon on 6 August at 9 p.m. from Fontainebleau.

12th Army Corps (Limoges)

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17th Army Corps (Toulouse)

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Colonial Army Corps

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The Colonial Army Corps (CAC, formed in Paris) was commanded by General Jules Lefèvre (replaced on January 22, 1915 by General Henri Gouraud).

Chief of Staff: Colonel Puypéroux;
Deputy Chief of Staff: Lieutenant-Colonel Piquemal;
Artillery Commander: General Gautheron;
Engineer Commander: Colonel Dehoey.

9th Cavalry Divison

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The 9th Cavalry Division (France) [fr] (from Tours) was formed from the 9th, 10th and 11th regions, and was commanded by general Jean de l'Espée.

  • 1st Brigade of Cuirassiers (Tours), Colonel de Mitry
5th Cuirassiers Regiment (France) [fr] (Tours)
8th Cuirassiers Regiment (France) [fr] (Tours)
  • 9th Dragoon Brigade (Nantes), General de Sailly
1st Dragoon Regiment (France) [fr] (Luçon)
3rd Dragoon Regiment (Nantes)
24th Dragoon Regiment (France) [fr] (Rennes)
25th Dragoon Regiment (France) [fr] (Angers)

Army elements

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Artillery

Engineering

Aeronautical squadrons

Changes during the war

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With the arrival of the Americans in the conflict, troops served under French command and for the Fourth Army:

History

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1914

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  • 2–14 August: concentration in the south and west of the Argonne. From 8 August, coverage by the 2nd Army Corps and the 9th Cavalry Division from Mangiennes (3rd Army) to Mouzon (5th Army).
  • 14–21 August: movement northeast to the line: Jametz (3rd Army), Montmédy, Revin (5th Army). On August 21, offensive in the general direction of Neufchâteau.
  • 22–23 August: Battle of Ardennes: advance to the Robelmont line (3rd Army), Tintigny, Jamoigne [fr], Chiny, Bertrix, Houdremont, Revin (5th Army). Heavy fighting, then withdrawal to the right bank of the Chiers.
  • On the 24th and 26th of August, they withdrew to the Meuse. From Sassey-sur-Meuse the 3rd Army withdrew to Mézières.
  • On the 27th and 28 of August, the Fourth Army participated in the Battle of the Meuse as part of a counter-attack on the Beaumont front in the town of Signy-l'Abbaye to prevent German troops from crossing the Meuse.
  • 29 August - 6 September: successive withdrawals: on the Buzancy line Attigny on August 31; on the Arnes River (Suippe) [fr] on September 1; on the Marne and as far as the front: Sermaize-les-Bains (3rd Army), Pargny-sur-Saulx, Écriennes, Courdemanges, Le Meix-Tiercelin (Foch commands army detachment formed on 29 August between the 4th and 5th Armies; becomes 9th Army on 5 September).
  • 6–10 September: engaged in the Battle of Marne (Battle of Vitry). Resisted the German thrust; fierce fighting on the above-mentioned front, particularly on the left wing (south of Sompuis) at the junction with the 9th Army.
  • 10–15 September: pursuit of retreating German troops, up to the Varennes-en-Argonne line (3rd Army), Ville-sur-Tourbe, Sabot Wood (9th Army).
  • 15–22 September: attempts to break the German front, then stabilization and organization of the positions reached.
  • 22–23 September: loss of Varennes-en-Argonne.
  • 26–29 September: violent German attacks in the Argonne. On September 29th, right limit in liaison with the 3rd Army at Le Four de Paris.
  • 7 October: extension of the front to the left as far as Ferme des Marquises (5th Army) following the suppression of the 9th army.
  • October–November: numerous German attacks in Argonne on Grurie wood, Bagatelle, Saint-Hubert and Four de Paris.
  • 20 November: right limit (3rd Army) brought to the Aire river.
  • December 1914 – March 1915: First Battle of Champagne, French offensives followed by German counter-attacks in the Perthes-lès-Hurlus [fr] region, Beauséjour Farm, Souain; capture of Perthes-lès-Hurlus and Fort Beauséjour.

1915

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  • 8 January: sector reduced to the right as far as Aisne (Oise) (3rd Army).
  • 31 May: front reduced to the right as far as Massiges (3rd Army).
  • 10 August: front reduced to the right as far as Sabot Wood (2nd Army introduced on the front).
  • 25 September: engaged in the Second Battle of Champagne, capture of Navarin Farm; then organization and defense of conquered positions.

1916

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  • 5 January: as a result of the 2nd Army's withdrawal from the front, right limit (3rd Army) extended to the Aisne (Oise).
  • 9 January: German attacks on Mont Têtu.
  • 12 February: German attack in the Navarin farm area.
  • 25 February: French attack in the Navarin farm area.
  • 27 February: German counter-attack in the same area.
  • 15 March: French attack in the same area.
  • 16 May: German coup de main at Mount Têtu.
  • 26 June: following the withdrawal of the 3rd Army, right limit brought to Le Four de Paris (2nd Army).

1917

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  • 22 March: right limit reduced to Ville-sur-Tourbe (2nd Army).
  • 17 April – 16 July: Battle of the Champagne Mountains, offensive on the Aubérive front. Prosnes; capture of Aubérive, Mount Sans Nom, Mount Blond, Téton, Casque, Mount Haut and Mount Cornillet. Organization and defense of conquered positions.
  • 10 May: right limit brought to Le Four de Paris (2nd Army).
  • Late July and August: German attacks in the Monts region.

1918

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  • 6 February: right boundary brought back to Beaurain Wood (2nd Army).
  • 29 March: left limit brought up to the Courcy cavalrymen (withdrawal of the 5th Army).
  • 26–27 May: following the withdrawal of the 6th Army, some elements of the left of the 4th Army fall back slightly to the south in the area northwest of Reims.
  • 29 May: left limit (5th Army) brought back to the Prunay area (introduction of the 5th Army) and on May 31 brought to Fort de la Pompelle.
  • 4 July: left boundary (5th Army), moved to Prunay; right boundary 2nd Army, moved to the Houyette ravine.
  • 15–18 July: Battle of Champagne, German offensive towards the Hand of Massiges [fr] at Prunay, halted in front of the French resistance position, after voluntary abandonment of the front lines (battle of Prosnes-Massiges).
    • 16 July: right limit (2nd Army) brought back to Beaurain Wood.
  • 18 July – end of July: during the Second Battle of the Marne, French counter-attacks and advances north of Souain, Prosnes and Beaumont-sur-Vesle. From the end of July, the reconquered positions are organized.
  • 21 August: right limit (2nd Army) shifted to the northeast of Vienne-le-Château.
  • 22 September: the American Army replaces the French 2nd Army on the right of the 4th Army.
  • 26 September – 16 October: engaged in the Meuse–Argonne offensive, initially the Somme-Py battle (26 September – 4 October), then in the exploitation of this battle. Progress to the Aisne, then organization on the Termes front (American Army), Vouziers, Rethel region (5th Army). [2]
Parade of the French Fourth Army on the Place de la République in Strasbourg on November 22, 1918, with General Gouraud in front of the rostrum.
  • 16–21 October: French offensive, heavy fighting in the Olizy, Vouziers region; on October 18, crossing of the Aisne towards Vouziers, creation of a bridgehead north of the Aisne.
  • 21 October: strong German attack towards Terron-sur-Aisne.
  • 1–6 November: Battle of Le Chesne and Buzancy, offensive in conjunction with the American Army towards Châtillon-sur-Bar and Le Chesne: crossing of the Ardennes canal, then organization of positions on the line: Le Chesne (American Army), Semuy, Rilly-aux-Oies.
  • 6–11 November: thrust towards the Meuse, progression via Tourteron and Omont towards the Meuse. Front reached at armistice: Noyers-Pont-Maugis (American Army), Sedan, course of the Meuse, Mézières (liaison with the 5th Army).

World War II

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It was initially attached to Army Group No. 2 (east), then in June 1940 joined Army Group No. 4.[3]

Composition

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Liste des armees francaises" [List of French armies]. atf40.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2024-04-18. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  2. ^ "American Operations in the Meuse-Argonne Region" (PDF). p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
  3. ^ a b Adam, Alain; Delporte, David; Houliez, Didier; Denis, Eric; Capdebosq, Eric. "Situation des troupes du 05 au 25 juin 1940" [Situation of troops from June 5 to 25, 1940] (PDF). atf40.fr (in French). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  4. ^ a b "Liste des corps d'armees francais" [List of French Army Corps]. atf40.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
  5. ^ "Liste des bataillons français—Bataillons de Mitrailleurs" [List of French battalions—Machine Gun Battalions]. atf40.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2020-08-13.

Sources and bibliography

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See also

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