Troupes coloniales-Cedar Herald Index

The Troupes coloniales ("Colonial Troops") or Armée coloniale ("Colonial Army"), commonly called La Coloniale, were the colonial troops of the French colonial empire from 1900 until 1961. From 1822 to 1900 these troops were designated Troupes de marine ("Marine Troops" or just "Marines"), and in 1961 they readopted this name. They were recruited from mainland France or from the French settler and indigenous populations of the empire. This force played a substantial role in the conquest of the empire, in World War I, World War II, the First Indochina War and the Algerian War.

Makeup of French Colonial Forces

The Armée coloniale should not be confused with the famous North African regiments of the French Army such as the Foreign Legion, the Battalions of Light Infantry of Africa, Zouaves, Spahis, Algerian and Moroccan Tirailleurs (sharpshooters) and Goumiers, all of which were part of the Army of Africa. The North African units date from 1830 and were brought together as the XIX Army Corps in 1873, forming part of the French Metropolitan Army.

Troupes coloniales

Instead the Troupes Coloniales can be divided into:

Troupes coloniales

French long service volunteers (or until 1893 colonial settlers doing their military service) assigned to service in France itself or to garrisons in French West and Central Africa, Madagascar, New Caledonia or Indochina; and Indigenous troops recruited in any of the above regions, serving under French officers. These were designated as Tirailleurs sénégalais, Tirailleurs malgaches, Tirailleurs indochinois, etc. according to the name of the colony of origin. Tirailleurs sénégalais was the name given to all West and Central African regiments, because Senegal was the first French colony south of the Sahara.

Troupes coloniales

All colonial troops (la Coloniale or the Colonial) came under a single General Staff. The troupes coloniales were predominantly infantry but included artillery units as well as the usual support services. At various dates they also included locally recruited cavalry units in Indo-China as well as camel troops in sub-Saharan Africa. Across the French colonial possessions in 1914, a total of up to 25,000 native auxiliaries served as civil guards, militia or gendarmes. While officered and partially administered by the Colonial Army these para-military units did not serve outside their territories of recruitment.

On the eve of World War I the Troupes Coloniales consisted of 42,000 French regulars (of whom approximately 13,000 were posted overseas); plus 50,000 African and Indochinese indigenous troops.

Two companies of cipahis (sepoys) garrisoned Pondicherry and other French enclaves in British India. These were converted to gendarmerie in 1907 but returned to the Troupes Coloniales in 1921.

Name changes

The precise meaning of the terms "colonial troops", "colonial army", marine troops or "troops of the French colonies" has changed several times since the 18th century: During the 18th and early 19th centuries "marine infantry" was the title used to identify French troops stationed permanently in France's various overseas territories. After the middle of the 19th century this term was extended to include the "native" troops recruited in the French colonies, excluding North Africa. The title "colonial troops" was adopted in 1900, when all the Marine Infantry and Marine Artillery troops that had previously come under the Ministry of the Navy were transferred to come under the orders of the War Department. In 1958 when France's African colonies had gained their independence, the mission and title of these troops was redefined. After a brief period as "Overseas Troops" (Troupes d'Outre-Mer) the traditional title of Marines was restored. The Marine regiments did however remain part of the French Army.