# Vichy French Military Division order of battle

The Military Division (French: Division Militaire, abbreviated to DM) was a Vichy French infantry formation in 1940-1942, during World War II. The divisions were numbered according to the military regions. The Vichy French Military Division had a near-identical organisation as the French Infantry Divisions of 1939-1940, but with the restrictions of the Armistice of 22 June 1940 imposed them. The whole Army of Vichy France, except for the Garde, was demobilized on 27 November 1942 after Case Anton.

## Organisation

The table below shows the order of battle that a Military Division aspired to. In addition, each Military Division had a Bureau of Anti-National Activities [fr], which had the purpose of countering politically subversive actions, especially those by Communists, but also those of the supporters of Charles de Gaulle.
Unit :
| Division headquarters ||
| 3x Infantry regiments (each of an identical composition) (or 3x Demi-brigades of Chasseurs à Pied, each with 3 battalions) ||
| I battalion | 4 mixed rifle and MG companies: 26x FM 24/29 light machine gun 16x Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine gun 36x Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37/VB rifle grenade 3x 60mm mortars 3x 81mm mortars |
| II battalion | 4 mixed rifle and MG companies (as above) |
| III battalion | 4 mixed rifle and MG companies (as above) |
| Cavalry regiment (either Cuirassier/Dragoon or Chasseur/Hussar) ||
| A single Cuirassier or Dragoon regiment (divided into reconnaissance groups) 2 mounted squadrons 3 cyclist squadrons (15x Hotchkiss MGs, 10x 81mm mortars) 1 armoured car squadron (8x Panhard AMD) | A single Chasseurs à cheval or Hussar regiment 4 mounted sabre squadrons 1 heavy weapons squadron (12x Hotchkiss MGs, 4x 81mm mortars) |
| Artillery regiment ||
| I group | 3 batteries |
| II group | 3 batteries |
| III group | 4 batteries |
| Engineer battalion ||
| 2 companies a half-company bridging train ||
| Signals group, also known as a battalion ||
| Transport group, also known as company ||
| Guard regiment ||
Moreover, there existed four cavalry regiments of the general reserve.

## Equipment

This Armistice banned anti-tank and gas protection equipment, while minimizing mechanization. However, the reduction of the French army meant that its remains could be entirely equipped with the newest and best equipment available, e.g. MAS-36 rifle, MAS-38 and Thompson submachine guns. The previously used VB rifle grenade was over time replaced with the Lance Grenades de 50 mm modèle 37. Artillery was only allowed to have 75mm calibre guns.

## Military Divisions

Table of Military Divisions within the Vichy Army and their main component units :
| Military divisions | Location of divisional headquarters | Infantry units | Cavalry regiment | Artillery regiment |
| 7th Military Division | Bourg-en-Bresse | 65th Infantry Regiment [fr] 151st Infantry Regiment [fr] 4e Chasseurs à Pied Demi-brigade: 1st Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 2nd Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 10th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] | 5th Dragoon Regiment | 61st Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 9th Military Division | Châteauroux | 1st Infantry Regiment 27th Infantry Regiment [fr] 32th Infantry Regiment [fr] | 8th Cuirassier Regiment [fr] | 72nd Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 12th Military Division | Limoges | 26th Infantry Regiment [fr] 41st Infantry Regiment [fr] 1st Chasseurs à Pied Demi-brigade: 8th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 16th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] 30th Chasseurs à Pied Battalion [fr] | 6th Cuirassier Regiment | 35th Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 13th Military Division | Clermont-Ferrand | 5th Infantry Regiment [fr] 92nd Infantry Regiment 152nd Infantry Regiment [fr] | 8th Dragoon Regiment | 4th Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 14th Military Division | Lyon | 153rd Infantry Regiment [fr] 159th Infantry Regiment [fr] 3rd Chasseurs Alpins Demi-brigade: 6th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr] 13th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr] 27th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr] | 11th Cuirassier Regiment [fr] | 2nd Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 15th Military Division | Marseille | 43rd Alpine Infantry Regiment 21st Colonial Infantry Regiment [fr] 173rd Autonomous Battalion [fr] 2nd Chasseurs Alpins Demi-brigade: 20th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr] 24th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr] 25th Chasseurs Alpins Battalion [fr] | 12th Cuirassier Regiment | 10th Colonial Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 16th Military Division | Montpellier | 8th Infantry Regiment [fr] 51st Infantry Regiment [fr] 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment [fr] | 3rd Dragoon Regiment | 15th Artillery Regiment [fr] |
| 17th Military Division | Toulouse | 18th Infantry Regiment [fr] 23rd Infantry Regiment [fr] 150th Infantry Regiment | 2nd Dragoon Regiment | 24th Artillery Regiment [fr] |