5th Dragoon Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 5th Dragoon Regiment (5e Régiment de Dragons or 5e RD) was a cavalry unit in the French Army
, created under the Ancien Régime in 1656 and dissolved in 2003. This regiment has a double heritage.
As part of Napoleon's Grande Armée it fought at Wertingen
, Auterlitz
in 1805, Nasielsk in 1806, Eylau
, and the Battle of Friedland
in 1807.
In 1815, during the Waterloo campaign of the Hundred Days
, the regiment was at the Battle of Ligny
and the Battle of Waterloo
In August, it participated in the raid on Belgium which led to the siege of Liège
, then Neufchâteau, Fleurus
and Orbais, and then was back in France in Maubeuge
on August 21. From August 23 to September 4, the regiment covered the retreat of the French Army after the defeat at the Battle of Charleroi
. The regiment was near Versailles
on September 5. In the First Battle of the Marne
, September 5 to 14, the 5th Dragoon was engaged in Betz
, Nanteuil
, Margny
, Rosière and Senlis
. Following these successes, the regiment received the honour of adding "L'Ourcq 1914" on its banner.
In the "Race to the Sea
" from September 14, the 5th Dragoons crossed the Somme in Péronne
, fighting in the First Battle of Arras
, Picardie, in Lens
on October 4, an attack by foot in Riez-Bailleul where it pushed the enemy back several kilometres.
On November 11, it arrived near Ypres
, where it dug in the trenches.
In February 1915, the regiment embarked for Champagne, then in March for the Vosges
, where it has the honour of inscribing "Vosges 1915" on its banner. In May, the 5th Dragoon is in Amiens
, in June in Artois
where it goes back to serving in the trenches.
1916: The regiment still serves in the trenches, in groups of 200 men. Colonel Massiat replace Colonel Dauve at the commandment of the regiment.
1917: On March 19, the 5th Dragoon reaches Noyon
, where it is employed in discovery missions in the surroundings of Chauny-Tergnier and then, by foot, goes back in the trenches in the Coucy
sector. On August 15, Lieutenant-Colonel Bucant succeeds to Colonel Massiat.
1918: Until the end of May, the regiment remains inactive, stationed for rest. On March 18, a new change in the corps commandment brings Lieutement-Colonel Letexerant at the head of the 5th Dragoon.
On May 28, the regiment brings itself towards Meaux
, after a long horse march. The 5th Dragoon sets foot in Mareuil
and occupies Montigny
. On June 2, it attacks the enemy by foot in Marizy
and Passy-en-Valois
. This surprise attack, without artillery preparation, stops the progression of German troops. In July, in Villesaint, the Germans, who had taken over Dermans and Château-Tierry and has crossed the Marne are driven back, after several counter-attacks, by-foot members of the 5th Dragoon. On July 17, the regiment participates in the recapture of Œuilly
and to the enemy's rejection on the Marne. The Second Battle of the Marne
is won and the banner now bears the name of that victory: "La Marne 1918". The Germans are retreating and the 5th Dragoon is informed of the victory a few kilometres before Nancy on November 11, 1918.
The 5th Dragoon Regiment participated in the final offensive, entering the Palatinate on December 6 and was stationed in Pirmasens
from December to January 1919, then in Landau
in February, then Nierstein Oppenhiem on the Rhine in July 1919. In September, the regiment settles in Worms
, then Düsseldorf
. It was not until 1925 that the 5th Dragoon returned to France, first in Auxonne
and the in Gray
, where it wasdisbanded on October 28, 1928.
In November 1929 the regimental banner was entrusted to the 5e Battaillon de dragons portés, a unit that had just been created, on March 9, 1929, replacing the 6e groupe de Chasseurs Cyclistes.
on August 27.
Following a reorganization in 1940 it passed in the 11th B.L.M. of the Arras
General in February. On May 10, it is in Revin
, crossed over the Meuse in Dinan
and foght in Belgium until May 15, where it participated in the beautiful feat of arms of Morville
which allowed the banner to bear the inscription "Meuse 1940". Significantly diminished, the remaining elements pulled back and took position 4 km (2.5 mi) from Hirson
, after which they regrouped in Le Nouvion on May 16. On May 17, they settle as support in Oisy
. On May 18, what remained of the regiment, 10 officers and 130 brigadiers and dragoons carrying about 5 cartridges each, withdraw in Bohain. While moving, they were intercepted by German tanks. After this last combat with no ammunition left, they remaining elements were taken prisoner. The survivors and the regimentary batch withdraw in la Souterraine
, where the regiment is disbanded. The banner was taken from the Germans and hidden in the castle of Meyrieu, where it remained until the Libération.
Following the model of the armistice army, the regiment was reformed in Mâcon
in August 1940. On November 8, 1942, following the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa
, the regiment was sent to Toulon
to participate in costal defence, which lasted 10 days. Under Case Anton
, the Germans occupied Vichy France and the regiment was disarmed at Macon on September 27.
are tortured, massacred or die in deportation. Their sacrifice allows for the inscription "Résistance Bourgogne 1944" on their banner. The 5th in resistance participation to the liberation of Mâcon, Chalon-sur-Saône
and Autun
. In September 1944, reconstituted in G.R.D., it holds the sector of the Beaufortin in the Alps
and fights in the Unbaye. On April 22 and 23, 1944, it takes the La Roche-la-Croix and Saint-Ours forts and participates in the capture of the Col de Larche. On Easter Monday of 1945 in Chambéry
, General de Gaulle
gives the banner back to the regiment. The 5 Dragoon is transformed into two squadrons of Hotchkiss
tanks and two of de-reconnaissance on Bren Carriers
.
In July 1994, the land army reorganization put the regiment into the 27th Mountain Infantry Division. It became the armored regiment of the division with its headquarters in Grenoble
.
(from 1668)
The last badge to be used was created in 1965. It features the model helmet from 1874, with which the Dragoons went to the front in 1914. The mane was exaggeratedly widened in order to accommodate the crowned monogram of king Louis XIV
, framing the number 5. The inscription on the edging reminds us that the regiment was created in 1668 to be attached to the responsibility of the Colonel General
of the Dragoon
s created the same year for the benefit of the famous Duke of Lauzun.
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
, created under the Ancien Régime in 1656 and dissolved in 2003. This regiment has a double heritage.
History
- 1656-59: La FrondeFrondeThe Fronde was a civil war in France, occurring in the midst of the Franco-Spanish War, which had begun in 1635. The word fronde means sling, which Parisian mobs used to smash the windows of supporters of Cardinal Mazarin....
- 1667-68: Spanish War of DevolutionWar of DevolutionThe War of Devolution saw Louis XIV's French armies overrun the Habsburg-controlled Spanish Netherlands and the Franche-Comté, but forced to give most of it back by a Triple Alliance of England, Sweden, and the Dutch Republic in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle.-Background:Louis's claims to the...
- Flanders CampaignFlanders CampaignThis feature refers to the conflict that took place during the Wars of the French Revolution 1792–1801.For the Low Countries campaigns of the War of the Grand Alliance 1688–97 see Nine Years' War...
: Senef 1674, Battle of Cassel (1677)Battle of Cassel (1677)The Battle of Cassel was fought on April 11, 1677, as a part of the Franco-Dutch War. It resulted in a French victory under Philippe I, Duke of Orléans, assisted by the Duke of Humières and Marshal Luxembourg, against the Dutch under William III of Orange, Stadtholder of the Netherlands... - War of the League of Augsburg: Siege of NamurSiege of Namur (1692)The Siege of Namur, 25 May–30 June 1692, was a major engagement of the Nine Years' War, and was part of the French grand plan to defeat the forces of the Grand Alliance and bring a swift conclusion to the war...
, Steenkerque 1692Battle of SteenkerqueThe Battle of Steenkerque was fought on August 3, 1692, as a part of the Nine Years' War. It resulted in the victory of the French under Marshal François-Henri de Montmorency, duc de Luxembourg against a joint English-Scottish-Dutch-German army under Prince William of Orange...
, Neerwinden 1693Battle of LandenThe Battle of Landen , in the current Belgian province of Flemish Brabant, was a battle in the Nine Years' War, fought in present-day Belgium on 29 July 1693 between the French army of Marshal Luxembourg and the Allied army of King William III of England... - War of the Spanish SuccessionWar of the Spanish SuccessionThe War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
: Spire 1703, Ramillies 1706Battle of RamilliesThe Battle of Ramillies , fought on 23 May 1706, was a major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession. For the Grand Alliance – Austria, England, and the Dutch Republic – the battle had followed an indecisive campaign against the Bourbon armies of King Louis XIV of France in 1705...
, Lorch 1707, Malplaquet 1709Battle of MalplaquetThe Battle of Malplaquet, fought on 11 September 1709, was one of the main battles of the War of the Spanish Succession, which opposed the Bourbons of France and Spain against an alliance whose major members were the Habsburg Monarchy, Great Britain, the United Provinces and the Kingdom of... - War of the Austrian SuccessionWar of the Austrian SuccessionThe War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
: Rocoux 1746Battle of RocouxThe Battle of Rocoux was a French victory over an allied Austrian, British, Hanoveran and Dutch army outside Liège during War of the Austrian Succession.-Preliminary maneuvers:...
, Lauffeld 1747Battle of LauffeldThe Battle of Lauffeld, also known as the Battle of Lafelt or Battle of Maastricht, also Battle of Val, took place on 2 July 1747, during the French invasion of the Netherlands. It was part of the War of the Austrian Succession... - Seven Years' WarSeven Years' WarThe Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
: Hastenbeck 1757Battle of HastenbeckThe Battle of Hastenbeck was fought as part of the Invasion of Hanover during the Seven Year's War between the allied forces of Hanover, Hesse-Kassel and Brunswick and the French... - French Army of the North: Valmy 1792Battle of ValmyThe Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
, Neerwinden 1793Battle of Neerwinden (1793)The Battle of Neerwinden took place on near the village of Neerwinden in present-day Belgium between the Austrians under Prince Josias of Coburg and the French under General Dumouriez...
and Wattignies 1793Battle of Wattignies (1793)The Battle of Wattignies was fought at the village of Wattignies-la-Victoire, France, on 15 and 16 October 1793 during the French Revolutionary Wars. The French army commanded by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and Lazare Carnot defeated the army of Habsburg Austria led by Prince Josias of Coburg... - Ardennes and Sambre-et-Meuse ArmiesArmy of Sambre-et-MeuseThe Army of Sambre-et-Meuse is the best known of the armies of the French Revolution. It was formed on 29 June 1794 by combining three forces: the Army of the Ardennes, the left wing of the Army of Moselle, and the right wing of the Army of the North. It had a brief but celebrated existence...
1794-95 - Army of ItalyArmy of Italy (France)The Army of Italy was a Field army of the French Army stationed on the Italian border and used for operations in Italy itself. Though it existed in some form in the 16th century through to the present, it is best known for its role during the French Revolutionary Wars and Napoleonic...
: MondovìBattle of MondoviThe Battle of Mondovì was fought on 21 April 1796 between the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte and the army of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont led by Michelangelo Alessandro Colli-Marchi. The French victory meant that they had put the Ligurian Alps behind them, while the plains of Piedmont lay...
, CastiglioneBattle of CastiglioneThe Battle of Castiglione saw the French Army of Italy under General Napoleon Bonaparte attack an army of Habsburg Austria led by Feldmarschall Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser on 5 August 1796. The outnumbered Austrians were defeated and driven back along a line of hills to the river crossing at...
, Bassano 1796Battle of BassanoThe Battle of Bassano was fought on 8 September 1796, during the French Revolutionary Wars, in the territory of the Republic of Venice, between a French army under Napoleon Bonaparte and Austrian forces led by Count Dagobert von Wurmser. The battle ended in a French victory...
, Cremona 1799, Marengo 1800
As part of Napoleon's Grande Armée it fought at Wertingen
Battle of Wertingen
In the Battle of Wertingen on October 8, 1805, French forces led by Marshals Joachim Murat and Jean Lannes mauled a small Austrian corps commanded by Feldmarschall-Leutnant Franz Auffenberg. This was the opening battle of the Ulm Campaign.-Background:...
, Auterlitz
Battle of Austerlitz
The Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
in 1805, Nasielsk in 1806, Eylau
Battle of Eylau
The Battle of Eylau or Battle of Preussisch-Eylau, 7 and 8 February 1807, was a bloody and inconclusive battle between Napoléon's Grande Armée and a Russian Empire army under Levin August, Count von Bennigsen near the town of Preußisch Eylau in East Prussia. Late in the battle, the Russians...
, and the Battle of Friedland
Battle of Friedland
The Battle of Friedland saw Napoleon I's French army decisively defeat Count von Bennigsen's Russian army about twenty-seven miles southeast of Königsberg...
in 1807.
- Spain: Almonacid, 1809Battle of AlmonacidThe Battle of Almonacid was fought on August 11, 1809 during the Peninsular War between Sébastiani's IV Corps of the French Peninsular Army, which had withdrawn from the Battle of Talavera to defend Madrid, and the Spanish Army of La Mancha under General Venegas...
, Ocana 1809Battle of OcanaThe Battle of Ocana or Battle of Ocaña was fought on 19 November 1809 between French forces under Marshal Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult and King Joseph Bonaparte and the Spanish army under Juan Carlos de Aréizaga, which suffered its greatest single defeat in the Peninsular War...
, Battle of VitoriaBattle of VitoriaAt the Battle of Vitoria an allied British, Portuguese, and Spanish army under General the Marquess of Wellington broke the French army under Joseph Bonaparte and Marshal Jean-Baptiste Jourdan near Vitoria in Spain, leading to eventual victory in the Peninsular War.-Background:In July 1812, after... - War of the Sixth CoalitionWar of the Sixth CoalitionIn the War of the Sixth Coalition , a coalition of Austria, Prussia, Russia, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Sweden, Spain and a number of German States finally defeated France and drove Napoleon Bonaparte into exile on Elba. After Napoleon's disastrous invasion of Russia, the continental powers...
: Battle of CraonneBattle of CraonneThe Battle of Craonne was fought on March 7, 1814, and resulted in a French victory under Napoleon I against Russians and Prussians under General Blücher.Craonne is a village on the Chemin des Dames, in the département of Aisne....
, Battle of La Fère-Champenoise 1814
In 1815, during the Waterloo campaign of the Hundred Days
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days, sometimes known as the Hundred Days of Napoleon or Napoleon's Hundred Days for specificity, marked the period between Emperor Napoleon I of France's return from exile on Elba to Paris on 20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII on 8 July 1815...
, the regiment was at the Battle of Ligny
Battle of Ligny
The Battle of Ligny was the last victory of the military career of Napoleon I. In this battle, French troops of the Armée du Nord under Napoleon's command, defeated a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, near Ligny in present-day Belgium. The bulk of the Prussian army survived, however, and...
and the Battle of Waterloo
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815 near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
- Spain 1823
- Belgium 1831
- Army of the Rhine (France): SpicherenBattle of SpicherenThe Battle of Spicheren, also known as the Battle of Forbach, was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War. The German victory compelled the French to withdraw to the defenses of Metz.- History :...
, BornyBattle of Borny-ColombeyThe Battle of Borny-Colombey was a minor battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It saw the escape route of the French army under François Bazaine blocked when they encountered the First Army under von Steinmetz...
, Rezonville, NoisevilleBattle of NoisevilleThe Battle of Noisseville on August 31, 1870 was fought during the Franco-Prussian War and ended in a Prussian victory.Traveling from Metz, the French forces under Marshal François Achille Bazaine attempted to break through the investing line of the Prussian forces under Prince Frederick Charles...
, ColombeyBattle of Borny-ColombeyThe Battle of Borny-Colombey was a minor battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It saw the escape route of the French army under François Bazaine blocked when they encountered the First Army under von Steinmetz...
1870.
World War I
On July 31, 1914, the regiment was assigned to the Sordet cavalry corps brigades the 21st Dragoon at the 5th Division of General Lastour.In August, it participated in the raid on Belgium which led to the siege of Liège
Battle of Liège
The Battle of Liège was the opening engagement of the German invasion of Belgium, and the first battle of World War I. The attack on the city began on 5 August 1914 and lasted until the 16th when the last Belgian fort finally surrendered...
, then Neufchâteau, Fleurus
Fleurus
Fleurus is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Fleurus had a total population of 22,221. The total area is which gives a population density of 375 inhabitants per km²...
and Orbais, and then was back in France in Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Maubeuge is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is situated on both banks of the Sambre , east of Valenciennes and about from the Belgian border.-History:...
on August 21. From August 23 to September 4, the regiment covered the retreat of the French Army after the defeat at the Battle of Charleroi
Battle of Charleroi
The Battle of Charleroi , or the Battle of the Sambre , was fought on 21 August 1914, between French and German forces and was part of the Battle of the Frontiers. The French were planning an attack across the Sambre River, when the Germans launched an attack of their own...
. The regiment was near Versailles
Versailles
Versailles , a city renowned for its château, the Palace of Versailles, was the de facto capital of the kingdom of France for over a century, from 1682 to 1789. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris and remains an important administrative and judicial centre...
on September 5. In the First Battle of the Marne
First Battle of the Marne
The Battle of the Marne was a First World War battle fought between 5 and 12 September 1914. It resulted in an Allied victory against the German Army under Chief of Staff Helmuth von Moltke the Younger. The battle effectively ended the month long German offensive that opened the war and had...
, September 5 to 14, the 5th Dragoon was engaged in Betz
Betz, Oise
Betz is a small village in northern France. It is designated municipally as a commune within the département of Oise.-References:*...
, Nanteuil
Nanteuil
Nanteuil is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.-References:*...
, Margny
Margny, Ardennes
Margny is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France.-Population:...
, Rosière and Senlis
Senlis, Oise
Senlis is a French commune located in the Oise department near Paris. It has a long and rich heritage, having traversed centuries of history. This medieval town has welcomed some of the most renowned figures in French history, including Hugh Capet, Louis IX, the Marshall of France, Anne of Kiev and...
. Following these successes, the regiment received the honour of adding "L'Ourcq 1914" on its banner.
In the "Race to the Sea
Race to the Sea
The Race to the Sea is a name given to the period early in the First World War when the two sides were still engaged in mobile warfare on the Western Front. With the German advance stalled at the First Battle of the Marne, the opponents continually attempted to outflank each other through...
" from September 14, the 5th Dragoons crossed the Somme in Péronne
Péronne, Somme
Péronne is a commune of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It is close to where the Battles of the Somme took place during World War I...
, fighting in the First Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1914)
The Battle of Arras , which began on 1 October 1914, was an attempt by the French Army to outflank the German Army to prevent its movement towards the English Channel during the Race to the Sea....
, Picardie, in Lens
Lens, Pas-de-Calais
Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is one of France's large Picarde cities along with Lille, Valenciennes, Amiens, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Arras, and Douai.-Metropolitan area:...
on October 4, an attack by foot in Riez-Bailleul where it pushed the enemy back several kilometres.
On November 11, it arrived near Ypres
Ypres
Ypres is a Belgian municipality located in the Flemish province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the city of Ypres and the villages of Boezinge, Brielen, Dikkebus, Elverdinge, Hollebeke, Sint-Jan, Vlamertinge, Voormezele, Zillebeke, and Zuidschote...
, where it dug in the trenches.
In February 1915, the regiment embarked for Champagne, then in March for the Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
, where it has the honour of inscribing "Vosges 1915" on its banner. In May, the 5th Dragoon is in Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
, in June in Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
where it goes back to serving in the trenches.
1916: The regiment still serves in the trenches, in groups of 200 men. Colonel Massiat replace Colonel Dauve at the commandment of the regiment.
1917: On March 19, the 5th Dragoon reaches Noyon
Noyon
Noyon is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.It lies on the Oise Canal, 100 km north of Paris.-History:...
, where it is employed in discovery missions in the surroundings of Chauny-Tergnier and then, by foot, goes back in the trenches in the Coucy
Coucy-la-Ville
Coucy-la-Ville is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.On the main Chauny to Soissons road, shortly after the village of Folembray, take a right hand turn and within half a mile you will come to the village of Coucy-la-Ville....
sector. On August 15, Lieutenant-Colonel Bucant succeeds to Colonel Massiat.
1918: Until the end of May, the regiment remains inactive, stationed for rest. On March 18, a new change in the corps commandment brings Lieutement-Colonel Letexerant at the head of the 5th Dragoon.
On May 28, the regiment brings itself towards Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
, after a long horse march. The 5th Dragoon sets foot in Mareuil
Mareuil-lès-Meaux
Mareuil-lès-Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in north-central France.-External links:* * *...
and occupies Montigny
Montigny
Montigny is the name or part of the name of several communes in northern France:*Montigny, in the Calvados *Montigny, in the Cher *Montigny, in the Loiret *Montigny, in the Meurthe-et-Moselle *Montigny, in the Sarthe ...
. On June 2, it attacks the enemy by foot in Marizy
Marizy
Marizy is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.-Geography:The Arconce forms part of the commune's eastern border, then flows south-southwestward through its southern part.-References:*...
and Passy-en-Valois
Passy-en-Valois
Passy-en-Valois is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-References:*...
. This surprise attack, without artillery preparation, stops the progression of German troops. In July, in Villesaint, the Germans, who had taken over Dermans and Château-Tierry and has crossed the Marne are driven back, after several counter-attacks, by-foot members of the 5th Dragoon. On July 17, the regiment participates in the recapture of Œuilly
Œuilly, Marne
Œuilly is a commune in the Marne department in the Champagne-Ardenne region in north-eastern France....
and to the enemy's rejection on the Marne. The Second Battle of the Marne
Second Battle of the Marne
The Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
is won and the banner now bears the name of that victory: "La Marne 1918". The Germans are retreating and the 5th Dragoon is informed of the victory a few kilometres before Nancy on November 11, 1918.
The 5th Dragoon Regiment participated in the final offensive, entering the Palatinate on December 6 and was stationed in Pirmasens
Pirmasens
Pirmasens is a district-free city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, near the border with France. It is famous for the manufacture of shoes. The surrounding rural district was called Pirmasens from 1818 until 1997, when it was renamed Südwestpfalz....
from December to January 1919, then in Landau
Landau
Landau or Landau in der Pfalz is an autonomous city surrounded by the Südliche Weinstraße district of southern Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. It is a university town , a long-standing cultural centre, and a market and shopping town, surrounded by vineyards and wine-growing villages of the...
in February, then Nierstein Oppenhiem on the Rhine in July 1919. In September, the regiment settles in Worms
Worms, Germany
Worms is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, on the Rhine River. At the end of 2004, it had 85,829 inhabitants.Established by the Celts, who called it Borbetomagus, Worms today remains embattled with the cities Trier and Cologne over the title of "Oldest City in Germany." Worms is the only...
, then Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
. It was not until 1925 that the 5th Dragoon returned to France, first in Auxonne
Auxonne
Auxonne is a commune in the Côte-d'Or department in Bourgogne in eastern France.Auxonne is one of the sites of the defensive structures of Vauban, clearly seen from the train bridge as it enters the Auxonne SNCF train station on the Dijon - Besançon train line. It also was home to the Artillery...
and the in Gray
Gray, Haute-Saône
Gray is a commune in the Haute-Saône department in the region of Franche-Comté in eastern France. It has a population of 6,175 inhabitants .-Geography:Gray is situated on the banks of the Saône River...
, where it wasdisbanded on October 28, 1928.
In November 1929 the regimental banner was entrusted to the 5e Battaillon de dragons portés, a unit that had just been created, on March 9, 1929, replacing the 6e groupe de Chasseurs Cyclistes.
World War II
In 1939 the 5e bataillon de dragons portés was transformed into the "5th Dragoon Regiment". As part of the 1st Cavalry Division it embarked for AisneAisne
Aisne is a department in the northern part of France named after the Aisne River.- History :Aisne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Île-de-France, Picardie, and Champagne.Most of the old...
on August 27.
Following a reorganization in 1940 it passed in the 11th B.L.M. of the Arras
Arras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
General in February. On May 10, it is in Revin
Revin
Revin is a commune in the Ardennes department in the Champagne-Ardenne region in northern France.Revin is situated on the banks of the Meuse.-Population:-Personalities:Yazid Mansouri, the Algeria national football team captain was born in Revin....
, crossed over the Meuse in Dinan
Dinan
Dinan is a walled Breton town and a commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department in northwestern France.-Geography:Its geographical setting is exceptional. Instead of nestling on the valley floor like Morlaix, most urban development has been on the hillside, overlooking the river Rance...
and foght in Belgium until May 15, where it participated in the beautiful feat of arms of Morville
Morville
- Belgium :* Morville, Belgium, a part of Florennes in the province of Namur- France :* Morville, Manche, in the Manche département* Morville, Vosges, in the Vosges département* Morville-en-Beauce, in the Loiret département...
which allowed the banner to bear the inscription "Meuse 1940". Significantly diminished, the remaining elements pulled back and took position 4 km (2.5 mi) from Hirson
Hirson
Hirson is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.It is a few miles south of the border with Belgium, and was in the past an important strategic position due to being near the intersection of several railway lines....
, after which they regrouped in Le Nouvion on May 16. On May 17, they settle as support in Oisy
Oisy
Oisy may refer to the following places in France:* Oisy, Aisne, a commune in the department of Aisne* Oisy, Nièvre, a commune in the department of Nièvre* Oisy, Nord, a commune in the department of Nord...
. On May 18, what remained of the regiment, 10 officers and 130 brigadiers and dragoons carrying about 5 cartridges each, withdraw in Bohain. While moving, they were intercepted by German tanks. After this last combat with no ammunition left, they remaining elements were taken prisoner. The survivors and the regimentary batch withdraw in la Souterraine
La Souterraine
La Souterraine is a commune in the Creuse department in the Limousin region in central France.-Geography:An area of farming and light industry comprising the town and a few small hamlets situated some west of Guéret at the junction of the D1, D912, D951 and the N145 roads. The small river...
, where the regiment is disbanded. The banner was taken from the Germans and hidden in the castle of Meyrieu, where it remained until the Libération.
Following the model of the armistice army, the regiment was reformed in Mâcon
Mâcon
Mâcon is a small city in central France. It is prefecture of the Saône-et-Loire department, in the region of Bourgogne, and the capital of the Mâconnais district. Mâcon is home to over 35,000 residents, called Mâconnais.-Geography:...
in August 1940. On November 8, 1942, following the Anglo-American invasion of French North Africa
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
, the regiment was sent to Toulon
Toulon
Toulon is a town in southern France and a large military harbor on the Mediterranean coast, with a major French naval base. Located in the Provence-Alpes-Côte-d'Azur region, Toulon is the capital of the Var department in the former province of Provence....
to participate in costal defence, which lasted 10 days. Under Case Anton
Case Anton
Operation Anton was the codename for the military occupation of Vichy France carried out by Germany and Italy in November 1942.- Background :...
, the Germans occupied Vichy France and the regiment was disarmed at Macon on September 27.
The Resistance
Most of the demobilized fight in clandestinely. Many of them, arrested by the GestapoGestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
are tortured, massacred or die in deportation. Their sacrifice allows for the inscription "Résistance Bourgogne 1944" on their banner. The 5th in resistance participation to the liberation of Mâcon, Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
and Autun
Autun
Autun is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in Burgundy in eastern France. It was founded during the early Roman Empire as Augustodunum. Autun marks the easternmost extent of the Umayyad campaign in Europe.-Early history:...
. In September 1944, reconstituted in G.R.D., it holds the sector of the Beaufortin in the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and fights in the Unbaye. On April 22 and 23, 1944, it takes the La Roche-la-Croix and Saint-Ours forts and participates in the capture of the Col de Larche. On Easter Monday of 1945 in Chambéry
Chambéry
Chambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
, General de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
gives the banner back to the regiment. The 5 Dragoon is transformed into two squadrons of Hotchkiss
Hotchkiss H35
The Hotchkiss H35 or Char léger modèle 1935 H was a French light tank developed prior to World War II.Despite having been designed from 1933 as a rather slow but well-armoured light infantry support tank, the type was initially rejected by the French Infantry because it proved difficult to steer...
tanks and two of de-reconnaissance on Bren Carriers
Universal Carrier
The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
.
Austria
- 1945: Early September, the regiment leaves ChambéryChambéryChambéry is a city in the department of Savoie, located in the Rhône-Alpes region in southeastern France.It is the capital of the department and has been the historical capital of the Savoy region since the 13th century, when Amadeus V of Savoy made the city his seat of power.-Geography:Chambéry...
for the surroundings of l'Arbois to receive complementary material. On September 8, 1945, it leaves its quarters for Austria. On November 8, it is reviewed by General Betouard in DornbirnDornbirnDornbirn is a city in Vorarlberg, Austria. It is the administrative center of the district Dornbirn, which also includes the city of Hohenems, and the market town Lustenau....
then moves towards West TyrolTyrol (state)Tyrol is a state or Bundesland, located in the west of Austria. It comprises the Austrian part of the historical region of Tyrol.The state is split into two parts–called North Tyrol and East Tyrol–by a -wide strip of land where the state of Salzburg borders directly on the Italian province of...
on November 10. The squadrons settle in Lemoos, EhrwaldEhrwaldEhrwald is a municipality in the Austrian district of Reutte, Tyrol.Ehrwald lies at the southern base of the Zugspitze , Germany's highest mountain, but which is shared with Austria. The town is connected to the Zugspitze with the Tyrolean Aerial Tramway .-References:...
, Muhl, the headquarters and the EHR in ReutteReutteReutte is a market town in Tyrol, Austria. It is the administrative center of the Reutte district . Reutte is located on the Lech river, and has a population of 5,738 .- Neighbouring municipalities :...
.
From French North Africa to today
- 1955: After five years of living in Austria, the 5th Dragoon goes back to France and settles in PérigueuxPérigueuxPérigueux is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region...
where it is transformed into a medium ShermanM4 ShermanThe M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
tank regiment. On February 1, the regiment is transformed into an Instruction Center for the Armored Arm and Cavalry branch for units engaged in French North Africa. It is disbanded in 1964. On September 5, 1955, an infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
-type battalion is created with officers of the 5th Dragoon. This unit, assambled at the Ruchart Campt takes the name of "Dragoon Battalion 2/342". It lands in CasablancaCasablancaCasablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
on October 10 and stations East of RabatRabatRabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
. - 1956: In January, the 2/342 moves on TouissitTouissitTouissit is a town in Jerada Province, Oriental, Morocco. According to the 2004 census it has a population of 3429.The Touissit-Bou Beker district is the most important Mississippi Valley-Type mining district of Northern Africa...
, South of OujdaOujdaOujda is a city in eastern Morocco with an estimated population of 1 million. The city is located about 15 kilometers west of Algeria and about 60 kilometers south of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Oriental Region of Morocco and the birthplace of the current Algerian president,...
to ensure the protection of the Algeria-Morocco border between OujdaOujdaOujda is a city in eastern Morocco with an estimated population of 1 million. The city is located about 15 kilometers west of Algeria and about 60 kilometers south of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the capital of the Oriental Region of Morocco and the birthplace of the current Algerian president,...
and FiguigFiguigFiguig - Ifiyey is a town in eastern Morocco near the Atlas Mountains, on the border with Algeria.The town is built around an oasis of date palms, called Tazdayt in the Berber languages, surrounded by rugged, mountainous wilderness...
. On March 1, it becomes the 21st Dragoon Regiment. - 1964-1978: On June 1, 1964, the 7th Chasseur Regiment of Africa in Friedrichaffen takes the name of 5th Dragoon Regiment. Il is equipped with AMX-13AMX-13The AMX-13 is a French light tank produced from 1953 to 1985. It served with the French Army and was exported to over twenty-five other nations...
and AMX SS-11 tanks. In 1968, it holds a garrison in TübingenTübingenTübingen is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is situated south of the state capital, Stuttgart, on a ridge between the Neckar and Ammer rivers.-Geography:...
until it is disbanded on August 31, 1978. - 1978-2003: On September 1, 1978, the 5th Dragoon is reborn in ValdahonValdahonValdahon is a commune in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France.-Population:-External links:*...
as an AMX-30B combat tank regiment, replacing the disbanded 30th Dragoon. - In 1991, it is part of the 7th Regional Military Division and comprises an ECS, 3 tanks squadrons with AMX 17, an instruction squadron and the lighting squadron of the armored division.
- In 1992, it receives more AMX 30AMX 30The AMX-30 is a main battle tank designed by GIAT, first delivered to the French Army in 1966. The first five tanks were issued to the 501st Régiment de Chars de Combat in August of that year. The production version of the AMX-30 weighed , and sacrificed protection for increased mobility...
B and gets another tank squadron.
In July 1994, the land army reorganization put the regiment into the 27th Mountain Infantry Division. It became the armored regiment of the division with its headquarters in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
.
- The 5th Dragoon remains operational until the end. Its squadrons are engaged in UN peace missions in LebanonLebanonLebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and BosniaBosnia and HerzegovinaBosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
as well as in missions overseas, including GuadeloupeGuadeloupeGuadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
. - In the context of the land army reorganization, the 5th Dragoon is disbanded in Valdahon on June 30, 2003.
Filiation
Double heritage:- 1656: Foreign Dragoons of the King (Dragons étrangers du Roi)
- 1668: Colonel-General Regimen (Régiment Colonel-Général), formed by the duplication of the Foreign Dragoons of the King
- 1791: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1814: Dragoon Regiment of the Dauphin (n°3)
- 1815: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1816: Dragoon Regiment of the Hérault (n°5)
- 1825: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1928: Disbanded
- 1929: Recreated following the traditions of the 6thgroup of cyclist chasseurs (6e groupe de chasseurs cyclistes (6th DC) and of the 5th dragoons under the name of 5th carrier dragoons battalion
- 1939: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1942: Disbanded
- 1944: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1946: Disbanded
- 1948: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1951: Disbanded
- 1953: 5th Dragoon Regiment
- 1964: Disbanded and immediately recreated with elements from the 7th Chasseurs Regiment of Africa (7e Régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique (7e RCA )
- 2003: Disbanded on June 30, 2003.
Garrisons
- 1871–1873: Camp de Graves,Abbeville, Amiens
- 1873–1885: Saint Omer
- 1885–1914: Compiègne
- 1919–1925: Worms puis Düsseldorf
- 1925–1928: Auxonne puis Gray
- 1948–1951: Schwaz et Hall (Austria)
- 1953–1964: Périgueux
- 1964–1968: Friedrischaffen
- 1968–1978: Tübingen
- 1978–2003: Le Valdahon
Corps chiefs
Colonel GeneralsColonel General (France)
A Colonel General was an officer of the French army during the Ancien Régime, Napoleonic era and the Bourbon Restoration.The positions were not military ranks, but rather offices of the crown. The position was first created under François I. The Colonels General served directly below the Marshals...
(from 1668)
- 1668: Antoine Nompar de Caumont, Duke of Lauzun
- 1669: Nicolas d'Argouges, Marquis of Rannes
- 1678: Louis François, duc de BoufflersLouis François, duc de BoufflersLouis François, Duc de Boufflers, Comte de Cagny was a Marshal of France....
- 1692: René de Froulay de TesséRené de Froulay de TesséRené de Froulay, comte de Tessé was a French Marshal and diplomat.- Military career :Tessé was born at Le Mans...
- 1703: Antoine V de GramontAntoine V de GramontAntoine V de Gramont , Duke of Guiche, French military figure and member of the Gramont family. He was the oldest child of Antoine Charles IV de Gramont and Marie Charlotte de Castelnau. At the age of thirteen, he became a musketeer and by 1687 he had become head of his regiment and had married the...
, Duke of Guiche - 1704: François de Franquetot de CoignyFrançois de Franquetot de CoignyFrançois de Franquetot de Coigny was a Marshal of France, Count, and from 1747, the Duke of Coigny.He was born in the Coigny château near Coutances, Normandy as son of Robert-Jean de Coigny, and Marie-Françoise de Matignon. His uncle was Charles-Auguste de Goyon-Matignon, Marshal of France and his...
- 1734: Jean-Antoine-François de Franquetot, Count of Coigny
- 1748: François de Franquetot, Duke of Coigny (for the second time, in replacement of his brother, killed in a duel)
- 1754: Marie-Charles-Louis d'Albert de Luynes, Duke of Chevreuse
- 1771: François-Henri de Franquetot de CoignyFrançois-Henri de Franquetot de CoignyFrançois-Henri de Franquetot de Coigny, 1er duc de Coigny was a Marshal of France.The grandson of another Marshal of France, François de Franquetot de Coigny, he entered the musketeers at age fifteen. When he was eleven, his father, Jean, Marquis de Coigny , was killed in a duel...
, Duke of Coigny - 1783: Louis-Joseph-Charles-Amable d'Albert, Duke of LuynesDukes of LuynesThe Duke of Luynes is a territorial name belonging to the noble French house of Albert. Luynes is, today, a commune of the Indre-et-Loire département in France . The family of Albert, which sprang from Thomas Alberti The Duke of Luynes is a territorial name belonging to the noble French house of...
Mestres de camp, commandants and colonels
- 1671: Gabriel de Cassagnet, Marquis of Tilladet
- 1681: Balthazar Phelypeaux, Count of Saint Florentin
- 1692: N. de Saint Mars
- 1694: N. Moret de Bournonville
- 1702: Charles Legendre de Berville
- 1719: N. de Préval
- 1727: Jean Toussaint de La Pierre, Marquis of Frémeur
- 1744: Gédéon Marie Léopold, Marquis of Goyon
- 1748: Charles Marie Léopold, Count of Dunois
- 1758: Marie Jean Louis Riquet, Chevalier of Caraman
- 1769: Louis-Joseph-Charles-Amable d'Albert, Duke of Luynes
- 1771: Jean-Philippe de Franquetot, Chevalier of Coigny
- 1780: Jean Jacob, Baron of Coëhorn
- 1784: Antoine Louis de La Vieuville, Marquis of Wignacourt
- 1786: Hugues Hyacinthe-Timoléon, Duke of Cossé
- 1788: Pierre Charles, Count of Seuil
- 1791: Joachim Charton
- 1792: Auguste Marie Henri Picot, Marquis of Dampierre
- 1793: Pierre Joseph Le Cler, dit Verdet
- 1796: Jean Baptiste Milhaud
- 1800: Louis BonaparteLouis BonaparteLouis Napoléon Bonaparte, Prince Français, Comte de Saint-Leu , King of Holland , was the fifth surviving child and the fourth surviving son of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino...
- 1803: Ythier Sylvain Privé
- 1804: Jacques Nicolas, Baron Lacour
- 1808: Louis Ernest Joseph, Count of Sparre
- 1812: Morin
- 1815: Canavas de Saint-Amand
- 1815: Borie de Vintimille
- 1816: de Calvières
- 1818: de Hanache
- 1830: de Lafitte
- 1833: Koenig
- 1843: de Solliers
Corps chiefs
- 1900: Villiers
- 1903: Granier de Cassagnac
- 1906: Gallet
- 1907: Boudenat
- 1910: de Lallemand du Marais
- 1914: Dauve
- 1916: Maissiat
- 1917: Bucant
- 1918: Letixerant
- 1920: Morgon
- 1921: Herbillon
- 1923: Villemont
- 1925: Wallace
- 1929: de Causans
- 1934: de Saint-Laumer
- 1938: Drand de Villers
- 1940: Chavannes de Dalmassy
- 1940: Brousset
- 1940: Watteau
- 1944: de La Ferté Senectère
- 1945: de Legue de Keplean
- 1946: de Coulanges
- 1948: d'Origny
- 1951: Dewatre
- 1952: Brute de Remur
- 1954: Jouslin de Noray
- 1957: Lavigne
- 1959: de Chasteignier
- 1961: Ceroni
- 1964: Duplay
- 1966: Gilliot
- 1968: Martin
- 1970: Ract-Madoux
- 1972: de la Follye de Joux
- 1974: Pichot
- 1975: Chaix
- 1977: Morin
- 1978: Allard
- 1979: Charpy
- 1981: Toujouse
- 1983: d'Hérouville
- 1985: Millier
- 1987: Ledeuil
- 1989: Saulais
- 1991: Boyer
- 1993: Leduc
- 1995: de Quatrebarbes
- 1997: de La Bretoigne
- 1999–2001: Colonel MARTIAL
- 2001–2003: Colonel ESPARBES
Banner
It bears, sewed in golden letters in its layers, the following inscriptions :- Valmy 1792Battle of ValmyThe Battle of Valmy was the first major victory by the army of France during the French Revolution. The action took place on 20 September 1792 as Prussian troops commanded by the Duke of Brunswick attempted to march on Paris...
- Wattignies 1793Battle of Wattignies (1793)The Battle of Wattignies was fought at the village of Wattignies-la-Victoire, France, on 15 and 16 October 1793 during the French Revolutionary Wars. The French army commanded by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan and Lazare Carnot defeated the army of Habsburg Austria led by Prince Josias of Coburg...
- Arcole 1796Battle of the Bridge of ArcoleThe Battle of Arcole, or Battle of Arcola saw a bold manœuvre by Napoleon Bonaparte's French Army of Italy to outflank the Austrian army under József Alvinczi and cut its line of retreat...
- Austerlitz 1805Battle of AusterlitzThe Battle of Austerlitz, also known as the Battle of the Three Emperors, was one of Napoleon's greatest victories, where the French Empire effectively crushed the Third Coalition...
- Eylau 1807Battle of EylauThe Battle of Eylau or Battle of Preussisch-Eylau, 7 and 8 February 1807, was a bloody and inconclusive battle between Napoléon's Grande Armée and a Russian Empire army under Levin August, Count von Bennigsen near the town of Preußisch Eylau in East Prussia. Late in the battle, the Russians...
- L'Ourcq 1914
- Vosges 1915Battle of the VosgesThe Battle of the Vosges also known as the Battle of Tripstadt was fought on 13 July 1794 in eastern France in the Vosges Mountains from which it derives its name.-The Introduction:...
(traditions of the 6th groupe de chasseurs cyclistes) - La Marne 1918Second Battle of the MarneThe Second Battle of the Marne , or Battle of Reims was the last major German Spring Offensive on the Western Front during the First World War. The German attack failed when an Allied counterattack led by France overwhelmed the Germans, inflicting severe casualties...
- La Meuse 1940MeuseMeuse is a department in northeast France, named after the River Meuse.-History:Meuse is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790...
- Bourgogne Resistance 1944French Forces of the InteriorThe French Forces of the Interior refers to French resistance fighters in the later stages of World War II. Charles de Gaulle used it as a formal name for the resistance fighters. The change in designation of these groups to FFI occurred as France's status changed from that of an occupied nation...
Decorations
Its tie is decorated:- With the Croix de guerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
1914–1918, with 3 palms and 2 silver stars (distinctions of the 6 chasseurs cylclistes). - With the Croix de guerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
1939–1945, with 1 palm. - Fourragère, with the colours of the Croix de guerreCroix de guerreThe Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
ribbon, 1914–1918.
Heraldry
The first badge was designed in 1929 by Captain Lemaire. It represented an "azure star kept in a giant ivory number 5- the badge being entirely enamelled and unframed".The last badge to be used was created in 1965. It features the model helmet from 1874, with which the Dragoons went to the front in 1914. The mane was exaggeratedly widened in order to accommodate the crowned monogram of king Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, framing the number 5. The inscription on the edging reminds us that the regiment was created in 1668 to be attached to the responsibility of the Colonel General
Colonel General (France)
A Colonel General was an officer of the French army during the Ancien Régime, Napoleonic era and the Bourbon Restoration.The positions were not military ranks, but rather offices of the crown. The position was first created under François I. The Colonels General served directly below the Marshals...
of the Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
s created the same year for the benefit of the famous Duke of Lauzun.