3rd Armored Division (France)

The 3rd Armored Division (French: 3e division blindée, 3e DB) is an armored unit of the French Army. The 3rd Armored Division carries the traditions of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division.

The 3rd Armored Division is reactivated in 2016.

World War II

The 3rd Algerian Infantry Division (3e division d'infanterie algérienne, 3e DIA) was formed on April 15, 1943 during World War II.

The 3rd Algerian Infantery Division was disbanded on April 15, 1946.

Cold War

The 3rd Infantry Division was reformed in 1951, taking the heritage of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division, and served throughout the Cold War. In 1957 the 3e DI was transferred to Fribourg-en-Brisgau.^[1]

From 1959-66, the division was designated simply the 3e Division. It was a large formation of around 15,000 men covering the south of Germany (Baden-Württemberg) The three brigade were located at:^[2]

• the 5th Mechanised Brigade at Tübingen,
• the 12th Mechanised Brigade at Offenbourg,
• the 13th Motorised Brigade at Konstanz.

General Emmanuel Hublot took command of the division in 1964.

It became the 3rd Armored Division in 1978, with its command post staying at Fribourg. The division was made up of three regiments of infantry, two armored regiments, two artillery regiments, an engineer regiment and a Headquarters and Combat Support Regiment. Upon conversion to an armored division, part of the division's subordinate units were transferred to the 5th Armored Division.

The 3rd Armored Division was restructured in 1984 according to revised tables of organization.

In 1989 the 110th Infantry Régiment at Donaueschingen was transferred to the Franco-German Brigade.

It served for a number of years as part of the II Corps, French Forces in Germany. It was finally disbanded in July 1991.

The 3rd Light Armoured Brigade (3e brigade légère blindée), was formed on 1 July 1999, taking the heritage of the 3rd Armored Division.

Since 2016

The 3rd Armored Division is reactivated in 2016 (HQ in Marseille) as part of the Scorpion Force.

Current structure

3rd Armored Division consists of the following elements:

• 2^e Régiment de Dragons (2^e RD-NBC) - Défense Nucléaire Biologique et chimique NBC-defense Regiment in Fontevraud-l'Abbaye
• 54^e Régiment d'Artillerie (54^e RA) - Air-defense Regiment in Hyères with Mistral
• 31^e Régiment du Génie (31^e RG) - Engineer Regiment in Castelsarrasin

2^e brigade blindée – 2nd Armored Brigade

Based in Illkirch-Graffenstaden.

• 2^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (2^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Illkirch-Graffenstaden with VAB
• 12^e Régiment de Cuirassiers (12^e RC) - Armoured Regiment in Olivet with 60 Leclerc
• 501^e Régiment de Chars de Combat (501^e RCC) - Armoured Regiment in Mourmelon-le-Grand with 60 Leclerc
• Régiment de Marche du Tchad (RMT) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Meyenheim with VBCI
• 16^e Bataillon de Chasseurs (16^e BC) - Infantry Battalion in Bitche with VBCI
• 92^e Régiment d'Infanterie (92^e RI) - Infantry Regiment in Clermont-Ferrand with VBCI
• 40^e Régiment d'Artillerie (40^e RA) Self-propelled Howitzer Regiment in Suippes with 32 GCT 155mm and 12 120mm mortars
• 13^e Régiment du Génie (13^e RG) - Engineer Regiment in Valdahon

6^e brigade légère blindée – 6th Light Armoured Brigade

Legionnaires in parade uniform

Based in Nîmes.

• 6^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (6^e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in Nîmes with VAB
• 1^er Régiment de Spahis – Cavalry Regiment in Valence with AMX 10 RC and ERC 90
• 1^er Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1^er REC) Foreign Legion - Cavalry Regiment in Orange with AMX 10 RC and ERC 90
• 2^e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie (2^e REI) - Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment in Nîmes with VBCI
• 13^e Demi Brigade de Légion Etrangère (13^e DBLE) - Foreign Legion regiment in with VAB
• 21^e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (21^e RIMa) - Marine Infantry Regiment in Fréjus with VAB
• 3^e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (3^e RAMa) - Marine Artillery Regiment in Canjuers with TRF1 howitzers, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and RTF1 mortars
• 1^er Régiment Étranger de Génie (1^er REG) - Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment in Laudun

11^e brigade parachutiste – 11th Parachute Brigade

8th RPIMa insignia

Based in Balma.

• 11^e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions Parachutiste (11^e CCTP) - Command and Signals Company in Balma
• 1^er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes (1^er RHP) - Parachute Hussar Regiment in Tarbes with ERC 90
• 1^er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes (1^er RCP) Parachute Chasseur Regiment in Pamiers
• 2^e Régiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2^e REP) French Foreign Legion - Parachute Regiment in Calvi
• 3^e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (3^e RPIMa) - Marine Parachute Regiment in Carcassonne
• 8^e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine (8^e RPIMa) - Marine Parachute Regiment in Castres
• 35^e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste (35^e RAP) - Parachute Artillery Regiment in Tarbes with TRF1 howitzers, CAESAR self-propelled howitzers and RTF1 mortars
• 17^e Régiment du Génie Parachutiste (17^e RGP) - Parachute Engineer Regiment in Montauban
• 1^er Régiment du Train Parachutiste (1^er RTP) - Parachute Supply Regiment in Toulouse

Notes

1. Site de amicale de 3e Regiment des Dragoons
2. Fr-wiki article on 3rd Mechanised Brigade (France)

References

• David Isby and Charles Kamps Jr., Armies of NATO's Central Front, Jane's Publishing Company, 1985. ISBN 0-7106-0341-X
• Ian Sumner and Charles Vauvillier, The French Army 1939-45 (2), Osprey, 1998. ISBN 1-85532-707-4