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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.

Command

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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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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 August 5 at 8:15 a.m.; the 2nd echelon on August 6 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 Calvary 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.
  • 24 - 26 August: withdrawal to the Meuse from Sassey-sur-Meuse (3rd army) to Mézières.
  • 27 - 28 August: Battle of the Meuse counter-attack on the Beaumont front, 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 (Détachement d'armée Foch constitué le 29 août entre la 5e et la 4e armée ; devient 9e armée le 5 septembre).
  • 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, bois sabot (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.
  • October 7: 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 Beauséjour fort.

1915

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

1916

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  • January 5: as a result of the 2nd army's withdrawal from the front, right limit (3rd army) extended to the Aisne (Oise).
  • January 9th: German attacks on Mont Têtu.
  • February 12: German attack in the Navarin farm area.
  • February 25: French attack in the Navarin farm area.
  • February 27: German counter-attack in the same area.
  • March 15: French attack in the same area.
  • May 16: 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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May 10: 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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  • February 6: right boundary brought back to Beaurain wood (2nd army).
  • March 29 : 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.
  • May 29: 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.
  • July 4: 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).
July 16: 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.
  • August 21: right limit (2e armée) shifted to the northeast of Vienne-le-Château.
  • September 22: the American army replaces the French 2nd army on the right of the 4th army.
  • September 26 - October 16: engaged in the Meuse-Argonne offensive, initially the Somme-Py battle (September 26 - October 4), then in the exploitation of this battle. Progress to the Aisne, then organization on the Termes front (American army), Vouziers, Rethel region (5th army).
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 - October 21: 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.
  • October 21st: strong German attack towards Terron-sur-Aisne.
  • 1st - November 6: 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 - November 11: 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[1].

Composition

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Notes and references

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  1. ^ a b Alain Adam; David Delporte; Didier Houliez; Eric Denis; Eric Capdebosq. atf40.fr/ATF40/documents/chapitre%203.pdf "Situation of troops from June 5 to 25, 1940" (PDF). {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Cite has empty unknown parameter: |consulté le= (help); Unknown parameter |site= ignored (help).
  2. ^ a b c d e f Cite error: The named reference “:0” was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b "LISTE DES CORPS D'ARMEES FRANCAIS". {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |consulté le= (help); Unknown parameter |site= ignored (help).
  4. ^ "Liste des bataillons français : Bataillons de Mitrailleurs". {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |consulté le= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |site= ignored (help).

Further reading

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  • Les armées françaises dans la Grande guerre. Vol X, p. 203–263. (online)

See also

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Sources and bibliography

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