Corps expéditionnaire d ' Orient The Corps Expeditionnaire d ' Orient ( Oriental Expeditionary Force ) ( CEO ) was a French expeditionary force raised for service during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I . The corps initially consisted of a single infantry division that was raised in North Africa from metropolitan French and French colonial African soldiers , but later grew to two divisions . It took part in fighting around Kum Kale , on the Asiatic side of the Dardanelles , at the start of the campaign before being moved to Cape Helles where it fought alongside British formations for the remainder of the campaign . In October 1915 , the corps was reduced to one division again and was finally evacuated from the Gallipoli Peninsula in January 1916 when it ceased to exist . Formation . Initially , the force consisted of 16 , 700 troops organised into one division , made up of two brigade s , which had been raised from the 17th Colonial Division in North Africa and included both " metropolitan " French and colonial African troops . The force had a strong divisional artillery , consisting of six field and two mountain batteries , but having been raised quickly , it received only limited training as a formation , and with only two brigades it was smaller than the British divisions that took part in the campaign . Later in the campaign , the corps was expanded to include a second division , raised from the 156th Infantry Division . At its height , the corps ' strength was around 42 , 000 men . Operational service . Following the Ottoman Empire ' s entry into the war on the Central Powers side in late 1914 , the Allies began preparations to capture the Dardanelles in order to secure a supply route to Russia . As part of these preparations , the Corps Expeditionnaire d ' Orient was raised on 22 February 1915 under the command of General Albert d ' Amade , who had previously served in Morocco and the Western Front . Throughout February and March , Anglo - French naval forces attempted to penetrate the Dardanelles , aided by small landing parties that were put ashore to destroy Ottoman fortifications . Several small - scale operations were undertaken , starting on 19 February , but they were hampered by bad weather which delayed the main attack until 18 March . Entering the straits in broad daylight , the force was heavily engaged by Ottoman shore batteries and following heavy losses from mines and shelling , they were forced to turn back . After this , the Allied strategy to capture the Dardanelles turned towards a large - scale landing . Hastily formed , after assembling on Lemnos there had been no time for the corps to undertake large - scale training before it was committed to the land campaign . During the initial Allied landing on 25 April , the corps undertook a diversionary landing on the Dardanelles Asiatic coast around Kum Kale , to divert Ottoman forces away from the main landings on the Gallipoli Peninsula , and to disrupt Ottoman artillery that could have fired upon the main landings . The 6th Colonial Regiment led the division ashore , supported by three battleships and a Russian warship . Part of the first wave was turned back by heavy fire , but the rest managed to get ashore and they proceeded to secure the village and an Ottoman fort . Throughout the course of 26 April , the Ottoman 3rd Division counterattacked , but the following day , having lost over 2 , 200 killed or wounded , the Ottomans began surrendering to the French in large numbers . Nevertheless , they were withdrawn shortly afterwards , having lost about 300 killed and 500 wounded . Following this , the French force re - embarked and was landed at Cape Helles , where they took up a position on the right flank around ' S ' Beach . With a strength of 24 battalions , they subsequently took part in the First Battle of Krithia on 28 April . In early May , the Ottoman forces launched a heavy counterattack on the Allied positions with a force of over 16 , 000 men . The attack was beaten back , but the French division suffered heavy casualties – up to 2 , 000 men – and at the height of the assault some of the Senegalese and Zouaves " broke and ran " . As a result , the 2nd Naval Brigade from the British Royal Naval Division , had to take over some of their positions . Reinforcements were brought in , including a second French division , which arrived between 6 and 8 May , although they did not arrive in time to take part in the Second Battle of Krithia , during which the 1st Division attacked towards the Kereves Dere gully , and although they made slow progress they eventually managed to secure the high ground overlooking this position before the attack petered out . D ' Amade was replaced as commander of the corps in late May when he was dismissed and recalled to France . He was replaced by General Henri Gouraud . On 4 June , both divisions took part in the Third Battle of Krithia , once again forming the right of the Allied line as part of the effort to take Achi Baba , a high feature that dominated the Allied position . The six French batteries were detached to support the British , while the infantry were tasked with attacking the Haricot Redoubt , overlooking the Kereves Dere spur . Attacking in daylight , but possessing a numerical superiority , the Allies made ground across a broad front , before the French were forced back by an Ottoman counterattack . Regaining positions on the right , the Ottomans were able to enfilade the British positions and eventually they too were forced back , and the attack ultimately failed . In preparation for the August Offensive , minor attacks continued around Helles , and the French undertook further attacks on the Haricot Redoubt , which they subsequently took on 21 June albeit with heavy casualties . On 30 June , command of the corps changed again when Gouraud , who had been viewed with considerable respect by the British commander , Ian Hamilton , was wounded while touring the front line to boost the morale of his troops . He was replaced by Maurice Bailloud , who had previously commanded one of the corps ' divisions . A period of stalemate followed , and after the August Offensive failed to break the deadlock , the Allied commanders at Gallipoli requested heavy reinforcements . The French initially proposed to send a further four divisions , but following Bulgaria ' s entry into the war , this was cancelled , and in late September one of the corps ' divisions was diverted to Salonika , on the Macedonian front . As the French began to refocus their actions in the Mediterranean around Salonika , in early October , the Corps Expeditionnaire d ' Orient was renamed the " Corps Expeditionnaire des Dardanelles " ; nevertheless , a total of 21 , 000 French troops remained on the peninsula to show political support to the British . The corps remained in existence until 6 January 1916 when , following the evacuation of French forces from the peninsula , it was subsumed into the larger Army of the Orient serving in Salonika . Around 80 , 000 men served in the two French divisions . Casualties during the campaign amounted to around 47 , 000 killed , wounded or sick . Order of battle . Source : 1st Division 2nd Division