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French Army

Postcard from a series on the Armies of the European War of 1914. The French Army included units from its African colonies including Morocco and Senegal, and the Départment of Algeria. Text: Guerre Européenne 1914 Armée Française [Mounted] Dragon, Cuirassier, Spahi (petite tenue), Chasseur d'Afrique, Chasseur a cheval, Hussard, Gendarme [Foot] Artilleur morté, Train des Equipages, Garde Républicaine (grande tenue), Tirailleur Senégalais, Tirailleur Algerien, Zouave, Infanterie de ligne, Chasseur à pied, Matelot, Génie, Infanterie de marine, Chasseur Alpin Déposé J.C 8-9 European War 1914 French Army [Mounted] Dragoon, Cuirassier , Spahi (field dress), African Chasseur, Mounted Chasseur, Hussar, Policeman [Foot] Gunner, Train Crew, Republican Guard (full dress), Senegalese infantryman, Algerian infantryman, Zouave, Line Infantry, Chasseur, Sailor, Engineer, Marine, Alpine Chasseur Filed J.C 8-9

Postcard from a series on the Armies of the European War of 1914. The French Army included units from its African colonies including Morocco and Senegal, and the Départment of Algeria.

Image text

Guerre Européenne 1914

Armée Française

[Mounted]

Dragon, Cuirassier, Spahi (petite tenue), Chasseur d'Afrique, Chasseur a cheval, Hussard, Gendarme

[Foot]

Artilleur morté, Train des Equipages, Garde Républicaine (grande tenue), Tirailleur Senégalais, Tirailleur Algerien, Zouave, Infanterie de ligne, Chasseur à pied, Matelot, Génie, Infanterie de marine, Chasseur Alpin



Déposé J.C 8-9



European War 1914

French Army

[Mounted]

Dragoon, Cuirassier , Spahi (field dress), African Chasseur, Mounted Chasseur, Hussar, Policeman

[Foot]

Gunner, Train Crew, Republican Guard (full dress), Senegalese infantryman, Algerian infantryman, Zouave, Line Infantry, Chasseur, Sailor, Engineer, Marine, Alpine Chasseur



Filed J.C 8-9



Reverse, handwritten:



Un bon gros baiser pour le cher bijou de 11 mois.



A great big kiss for the dear jewel of 11 months.

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French Army

The French First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth Armies, from Switzerland to Belgium. Compulsory military service extended from two years to three in ???? 1,000,000. (Liddell Hart, Outline, p. 25)

Overseas?

In 1914, the French Army consisted of five Armies. The First, Second, and Third faced Germany to the east and were positioned between the fortress cities of Belfort, Epinal, Nancy, and Verdun. The Fifth Army was on the Belgian border at Sedan, site of France's defeat in 1871. The Fourth Army was held in reserve southwest of Verdun. If Germany were to invade Belgium, the Fifth Army was to move north into Belgium, and the Fourth Army to fall into position between the Third and Fifth Armies.