WesWorld

French and Colonial Forces in Indochina

French ground forces in the Pacific comprise French 18th Corps, 2 Legion Etranger regiments, and one Colonial Division, as found in the link below.

http://wesworld.jk-clan.de/thread.php?threadid=493&sid=

3 divisions of 18th Corps are in Indochina, and 1 is spread between New Caledonia and French Polynesia.

French investments in Indochina's arms production will support expanded Colonial forces, which are intended to develop into national armies after the 1945 Plebicite. The present Colonial Division will develop into a force of 4 divisions, two Vietnamese, 1 Cambodian, and 1 Laotian, with their organization adapted from the French model:

12,000 men
3 Rifle Regiments (18x 81mm mortars)
1 Reconnaissance Company
1 Artillery Regiment (12 120mm mortars, 12x 75mm field guns))
1 Engineer Company
1 Signal Company
Headquarters and Rear Service units

The main adaptation is a reduction in artillery and the replacement of the Tank Company with a Reconnaissance Company. These adaptations produce a force that is sufficiently light to permit operations in mountainous or forested areas. Another element is that commanders and senior NCOs at the Company level and above have two Deputies who commanders have the responsibility to train in their own duties, in order to rapidly provide command cadre for new units if required.

The French government has also established a Home Guard in 8 provinces bordering or near the Kingdom of Siam. Each of these Provinces has raised an Infantry Battalion with the organization below:

4 Infantry Companies
1 Engineer Platoon
1 Mortar Battery (4x 81mm)
1 Medical Platoon
1 Supply Platoon
1 Headquarters Platoon

The Engineer element is larger than is usual for a battalion-sized unit. This reflects its tasking to provide training in the use of explosives to the Infantry Companies and its responsibility for providing cover/concealment/deception support to the other battalion elements.

The leadership of the Cambodian Division and the Provincial Home Guard battalions are drawn from the Cambodian Regiment of the present Colonial Division.

For the other Cambodian provinces, the Home Guard trains and equips locally-raised village squads and platoons for disaster response and local defense.