9th Army (France)

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The Ninth Army (French: IXe Armée) was a field army of the French Army during World War I[1] and World War II.

The Ninth Army, first named "détachement d'armée Foch", was formed for the first time on 29 August 1914, to fill the gap between the Fourth and Fifth Army. It played an important role in the first Battle of the Marne. The Ninth Army was disbanded on 5 October 1914, when Foch became commander of Army Group North.

The Ninth Army was recreated on 6 July 1918 under command of Antoine de Mitry to fight in the Second Battle of the Marne.

In 1940, during the Battle of France, the Ninth Army was part of the First Army Group. It was tasked with defending the central sector of the Ardennes, holding the Meuse river line between Namur and Sedan. This sector became the focal point of the German breakthrough (Schwerpunkt) by Panzer Group Kleist.

At the start of the German invasion on 10 May 1940, the Ninth Army was commanded by Général d'armée André Corap. Its composition was as follows:

At the start of the German invasion on 10 May 1940, the Ninth Army was commanded by Général d'armée André Corap.[2] Headquarters was located at Vervins. In addition to the major corps, the army controlled several organic assets and attached units:

• Army Assets (attached)
  • 518th Tank Brigade (Groupe de Bataillons de Chars 518)[2]
  • 3rd Spahi Brigade (Colonel Marc)[2]
  • Pioneer Regiments: 445th, 446th, and 481st Colonial Pioneer Regiments.[2]

• 2nd Army Corps (Motorized) (Général de division Bouffet)[2]
  • 4th Light Cavalry Division (Général de division Barbe)[2]
  • 5th Motorized Infantry Division (Général de brigade Boucher)[2]

• 11th Army Corps (Général de corps d'armée Martin)[2]
  • 1st Light Cavalry Division (Général de brigade d'Arras)[2]
  • 18th Infantry Division (Général de division Duffet)[2]
  • 22nd Infantry Division (Général de brigade Hassler)[2]

• 41st Fortress Corps (Général de corps d'armée Libaud)[2]
  • 61st Infantry Division (Général de brigade Vauthier)[2]
  • 102nd Fortress Division (Général de division Portzert)[2]

• Army Reserves
  • 4th North African Infantry Division (Général de division Sancelme)[2]
  • 53rd Infantry Division (Général de brigade Etchberrigaray)[2]hberrigaray)

For much of WWII, the army was made up, in part, of soldiers from French colonies in Africa and the West Indies—including Frantz Fanon.[3] However, in October of 1944, the High Command initiated what they referred to as a blanchiment (whitening) of the ninth division (by then restructured), relocating the African soldiers to other areas.[3] They typically moved them to areas with more temperate climate, giving the reasoning that cold temperatures were unfamiliar to them.[3] Some soldiers criticized them for this decision, believing they did it to reserve the honor of crossing the Rhine into Germany for white Frenchmen.[3]

• General Ferdinand Foch (29 August 1914 – 5 October 1914)
• General Antoine de Mitry (6 July 1918 – 7 August 1918)

• General André Corap (2 September 1939 – 19 May 1940)
• General Henri Giraud (19 May 1940)

• List of French armies in WWI
• Battle of France order of battle

• Doumenc, Aimé (1945). Histoire de la neuvième armée (in French). Paris: Arthaud.
• Horne, Alistair (1969). To Lose a Battle: France 1940. Boston: Little, Brown. ISBN 978-0141030654.
• Mary, Jean-Yves (2009). Le corridor des Panzers: Par delà la Meuse 10 - 15 mai 1940 (in French). Bayeux: Heimdal. ISBN 978-2840482703.

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