Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins

The Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins or (RBFM) was an armored naval infantry regiment of the 2nd Armored Division. The regiment belonged to the units of the French Fusiliers Marins which are units of the French Navy of France.

The RBFM was composed of Fusiliers Marins, whose Naval ships were either immobilized or destroyed, and were accordingly equipped with U.S. American equipment and material.

U.S. American disembarking in North Africa
On November 1942, Anglo-American troops disembarked in North Africa and were joined by a group of Fusiliers-Marins (45 Fusiliers-Marins and 333 Officiers Mariniers, Quarter-masters and Sailors ). The men intended to join Algeria where they would form a battalion of Fusiliers Marins for the mounting of Artillery de Marine at Bizerte. Many volunteered in the great tradition of Fusiliers-Marins and all packed U.S. American materials.

Surveillance of Bizerte
They were armed and quite quickly, the surveillance role became of a weight in the « Bizerte Battalion ». Some embarked again while others were joining to form a tank chasseur regiment in formation. On September 1943, the Bizerte Battalion became designated the Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins. (RBFM by September 19, 1943). They then made way towards Casablanca, Morocco where they were issued U.S. American Uniforms and their future packing equipment. Other volunteers from France also joined.

At Berkane, Morocco, they went on training finally on the tank chasseur TD M10. This instruction was conducted along the 11th African Chasseur Regiment 11e RCA. First equipped with materials of the RCA, they ended up receiving new material in light of their integration in the 2nd Armored Division 2e DB.

Integration to the 2nd Armored Division
Under the command of Naval Ship-of-the-line captain Maggiar, assisted by capitaine de corvette Martinet, a unit took formation regrouping 300 wheeled vehicles out of which 36 M10 Wolverine, 25 M3 Scout Cars, 6 American Half-Track M2, 3 Half-Track M3.

Four combat squadrons, under the orders of Lieutenants de Vaisseau Pauly, Guillon, Bonnet and Richard equipped with automitrailleuses, half-tracks, tank chasseurs and protection jeeps.

Articulation
The RBFM was articulated into 5 squadrons:


 * Headquarter staff squadron
 * Hors-rang squadron
 * 1st Squadron commanded by a Naval Lieutenant de Vaisseau (LV)
 * 2nd Squadron commanded by a Naval Lieutenant de Vaisseau
 * 3rd Squadron commanded by a Naval Lieutenant de Vaisseau
 * 4th Squadron commanded by a Naval Lieutenant de Vaisseau

The hors-rang squadron was composed of a female platoon ambulance, the Marinettes, the homologue of the Rochambelle, commanded by a female Enseigne de vaisseau. These were the daughters of the 2nd Armored Division 2e DB forming the 13th Medical Battalion of the 2nd Leclerc Armored Division.

Arrival in Normandy
The 2nd Armored Division reached the French soil, at 0130, during the night from August 2 to 3 of 1944, at Saint Martin de Varreville, the coast of Utah Beach where the U.S. Army 4th Infantry Division disembarked on June 6. The RFBM followed the path mission of the 2nd Armored Division, in front of heavy fire. The cannon type 75 of the U.S. M4 Sherman tank which formed part of the 2nd Armored Division was insufficient to pierce through opposing armor. The cannon type 76.2 of the TD M10 fulfilled requirements. The cannon artillerymen of the French Navy earned the right to bear wearing the red fourragere.

In the meantime, the equipment material of the RBFM was exhausted in training and displacement movement. Used equipment was returned while awaiting lines of trains carrying new material. The 2nd squadron was delivered new equipment on August 20.

Forward Straight Ahead
Departed Lastelle on August 6, direction Coutances, La Haye-Fresnel, Avranches, Ducey, Saint-Laurent-de-Terregate. The itinerary would be that of the 2nd Armored Division 2e DB, except for the episode in the Royan Pocket.

First victory
The TD faced the opposition's Panther tank front forward. It was cannon type 75 against cannon type 76.2 of the TD, the later protected by the jeep escorts outflanking the opposition's voltigeurs.

Campagne de France
The campaign would be that of the 2nd Armored Division 2e DB which the RBFM formed an essential component facing the powerful Panzers.

Liberation of Paris
The RBFM contributed in an active role to the Liberation of Paris by the 2nd Armor Division. Three penetration axes were put in motion.
 * The first penetration axe consisted to enter by the bridge of Sèvres, the later was reached by July 24 at night, despite a strong resistance. The 4th Squadron constituted the formation of this column.
 * Arpajon, Longjumeau, Antony, Sceaux, to arrive by the gates of Orléans, Gentilly and Italy while progressing in direction of Hötel de Ville to finish at Meurice. The 3rd squadron constituted the formation of this column.
 * Trappes, Voisins-le-Bretonneux where one of the TD had to fired a couple tank rounds into the bell tower of the church, due to the later being serviced as an observation post. The 1st and 2nd Squadrons along with command post of the regiment made movement part of the third column.

The squadrons later distinguished themselves at Luxembourg, the Bridge of Sèvres, and Concorde.

Later the 1st and 2nd squadrons were prepositioned at the Hippodrome de Longchamp, the 3rd squadron at the Bourget while the 4th squadron mounted the defensive at the fort de la Briche, at Saint Denis.

Since Normandy, the regiment destroyed some 60 opposing tanks; while they had barely endured the loss of 10 destroyer-tanks.

Dompaire
The 2nd Armor Division reached Lorraine with the Vosges and at Dompaire, the regiment's tank-destroyers accompanied by U.S. Thunderbolts sorties engagements faced an entire panzer-brigade.

At Ville-sur-Illon, another air sorties took into effect to face a counter-attack mounted by a series of Panzer IV.

Liberation of Strasbourg
Units of the RBFM regrouped for an assault on Strasbourg parting with the 2nd Armored Division. The regiment was first part of the charge that initiated at Baccarat, then pierced through while ramming Phalsbourg, through the hills and in the forests, even throughout the routes deemed difficult for the armored equipment.

Another charge was part of an episode where the regiment ended at Pont de Kehl.

Notable Officers

 * Philippe de Gaulle. The RBFM had welcomed in its ranks he who had become the Admiral Philippe de Gaulle. The Admiral had joined and rallied to Free France as a enseigne de Vaisseau.
 * Jean Alexis Moncorgé.

Distinctions
The RBFM was not a unit of the Free French Forces nor was it part of the Free French Naval Forces, accordingly, their members couldn't bear wearing the insignia of the Free French; nevertheless, this regiment finished the war with several citations:


 * 4th Squadron : 41 tanks destroyed - 16 cannons destroyed - 43 various trucks and vehicles placed out of combat

The Régiment Blindé de Fusiliers-Marins was decorated with the fourragère de la Légion d'Honneur des Fusiliers Marins de Dixmude, awarded on May 1944 by the Minister.

Reconstitution
Dissolved, the regiment was reconstituted and articulated into an Marine Amphibious Regiment in the French Far East Expeditionary Corps. The regiment would stand dignified of the far past and near future savoir-faire accomplishments.

Bibliographies

 * La campagne d'Alsace du RBFM