97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division

97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division
97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Unit Insignia
Active	December 1, 1939 – September 30, 1940
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Cavalry
Role	Reconnaissance
Size	630 men total
Part of	7th North African Infantry Division
Engagements	World War II Battle of France
Battle honours	Camerone 1863
Disbanded	September 30, 1940

The 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division (French: 97e groupe de reconnaissance de division d'infanterie, 97e GERD) was a motorized cavalry unit composed of members of the French Foreign Legion which existed briefly at the beginning of the Second World War.^[1] The unit was involved in the Battle of France until France's surrender to Germany; the 97th GRDI remained intact for a few months after the surrender until it was disbanded on September 30, 1940.

History

Originally established as the 180th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division on December 1, 1939 at Sousse, Tunisia as part of the French military mobilization at the beginning of World War II. Formed from elements of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment and the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment in addition to elements drawn from the 4th Cavalry Depot of Africa (4e Dépôt de Cavalerie d'Afrique). The 180th GRDI was a part of the 180th North African Infantry Division under the command of General Rochas.

On January 2, 1940, the 97th GRDI was transferred to Pont-du-Fahs in northern Tunisia and the unit was again transferred on February 3, 1940 to Bizerte also in northern Tunisia. On February 3, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Lacombe de La Tour was placed in command of the 97th Reconnaissance Group. On March 21, 1940 the 97th GRDI arrived at Marseilles and by March 24 the unit was transferred to Carcassonne where it was attached to the 16th Cavalry Division.

The 97th GRDI was sent to Camp Valdahon in Doubs on April 23, 1940, but its stay there was interrupted by the German offensive. On May 17, the 97th Reconnaissance Group moved towards Montdidier by rail and quickly thereafter found itself fighting a rear guard delaying action from May 19 to May 25. From June 5 to the 10th, the 97th Reconnaissance Group was engaged in combat as part of the French effort to defend their positions along the Somme and the Arve rivers. On June 9, Lieutenant Colonel Paul Lacombe de La Tour was killed in action in the fighting around the woods around Noroy as the 97th GRDI, serving as a rear guard, attacked German panzer forces in an attempt to cover the 7th Division's retreat across the Oise River. In the assault, the 97th lost half of its fighting vehicles within minutes. The 97th then regrouped and charged again, suffering heavy casualties and losing the remainder of its vehicles to German fire.

After de la Tour's death, command of the unit was assumed by Captain de Guiraud, which he held until the French surrender. From June 11, 1940 to June 22, the 97th GRDI, now fighting largely as infantry, participated in continual delaying actions as part of the 7th North African Infantry Division along a path of retreat running from Luzarches to Saint-Jory-de-Chalais. On June 13, the 97th GRDI with the assistance of Moroccan tirailleurs, was able to prevent German forces from crossing the Seine River. On June 22, 1940 the Second Armistice at Compiègne was signed leading to a cessation of hostilities for the French. On September 7 the 97th Reconnaissance Group was repatriated back to Tunisia and by the months end the unit as a whole was disbanded. By the time of its disbandment, only 256 of the original 650 men were alive, the rest having been killed or captured.

See also

Battle of France

References

External links

Foreign Legion Command French Foreign Legion
Honneur et Fidélité History of the French Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers) List of French paratrooper units Képi Blanc (publication)
Current Foreign Legion Units	Administrative Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments 1st Foreign Regiment Foreign Legion Command Foreign Legion Recruiting Group Infantry & Parachute Infantry 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Cavalry 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment Engineer & Parachute Engineer 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment Training 4th Foreign Regiment Jungle Training Center Combat Training Center at Arta Beach
Defunct Foreign Legion Units	Administrative and Training Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments Parachute Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion Foreign Air Supply Company 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company Infantry 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 3rd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 4th Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment/Garibaldi Legion 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers Cavalry 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Transport Armored Train of the Foreign Legion Disciplinary Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East Foreign Legion Brigades 31st Brigade (France)