In 1958, during a political crisis in France caused by the Algerian civil war, Charles De Gaulle came out of retirement to become Premier, with the power to rule by decree. Many of the French colonists (les colons) in Algeria felt betrayed when, rather than leading France to victory in Algeria, De Gaulle negotiated Algerian independence.
A special role in the fighting was taken by the French Foreign Legion. Created in 1831 to pacify Algeria, the Legion was linked by pride and history to the French colony. The Legion is a volunteer armed force chiefly composed in its enlisted ranks to foreigners. At this time period, the Foreign Legion included many former German soldiers (even S.S. veterans), as well as many Spaniards and Italians.
The war lasted for seven bitter years, during which at least 100,000 Muslim and 10,000 French soldiers died. Algeria gained its independence on 3 July 1962.
A parachute regiment has eight companies and fields 1000 men, of whom 800 are operational. There are 4 combat companies, one transport, one shock, the compagnie d'appui (light artillery), and the base company.
The base company remains at the settlement where the unit is permanently based, while the rest of the unit is at the field camp. Typically, four companies are on operations, with a fifth on reserve at field camp.
EQUIPMENT
The French armed forces made use of these weapons in this period:
SCENARIOS
The following ideas are provided for those interested in wargaming this
historical period. The examples are taken from actual events, with sources
listed; referees may want to adjust the scenarios if balanced battles are
desired. In many cases, the sources (primarily French) provide no real
information on the size of the Arab forces involved.
One man waits near the intersection of two mountain paths (pistes), which climb the steep, brushy slopes. His job is to let the enemy get past him, then to shoot them from behind.
On the fifth night, the listener hears movement, and readies his submachinegun. He cannot see the enemy. Then the chef du guard arrives (armed with only a pistol). They wait until (by sound) they think the Arabs are 10 yards away, then attack with grenades. The chief has taken the SMG, and coming out from behind the rock, opens fire on the fleeing enemy. He then charges up the trail after them.
Confused fighting breaks out, with the French unit (a section? a company? source doesn't say) pursuing the Arabs up the hill. Three Arabs are eventually found dead. Nobody knows how many got away.
Source: Legionnaire, pgs. 121-124.
January 1962: Encounter in the Mist
A company of legionnaires has been trucked to the bottom of a gorge (using a
road built by the Legion in years gone past), and now the soldiers following a
zigzag path toward the summit.
At the top of the ridge, a unit of Arab fellagha are sheltering in a mechta (Arab farm house). It is raining, and clouds form bands of mist on the hilltops.
The Arab sentry is dozing, and their camp is caught by surprise when the legionnaires arrive. The legionnaires are likewise surprised. After a hasty firefight, the fellagha retreat into the mist, and the French are unable to maintain contact. The mechta is burned.
Source: Legionnaire, pg. 176.
As the parachutists rest, spread out in a long line at the crest, artillery and two dive bombers attack the "enormous wooded valley" below. At the same time, helicopters deposit a company of parachutists on the opposite side of the valley.
Eventually, the original parachutists (perhaps in company strength, though the original source does not say) receive the order to descend into the valley and "drive" the enemy toward the other parachute unit (which remains in its positions). As for the Muslims, their goal is to escape the trap or, if they cannot, to make a stand and take as many legionnaires with them as they can.
Source: Legionnaire, pg.87-89.
December 1960: Mountain Patrol
During the afternoon, two companies (2nd and 3rd) of Legion parachutists scale
neighboring hills. The right-hand company comes under fire (20 men out of
action in the first barrage), and the left company is ordered to quickly reach
its peak and pour fire (rifles, LMG, mortar) down upon the Arabs on the first
hilltop. The fellagha are in well-dug-in and camouflaged trenches, which are
nearly impossible to see from the other hilltop. Mortar fire appears to have
little effect on the Arabs in their positions.
An attempt is made to bring in another parachutist company (1st) by helicopter for a landing on the summit of the Arab-held hill, but the helicopters are driven off by machinegun fire. (One parachutist finds himself left behind on the hill, but manages to survive.)
Fighting continues throughout the afternoon. Intensive machinegun fire from fast-moving Alouette helicopters seems to wear down Arab resistance.
Around 4 p.m., the 1st and 4th companies (reinforcements) advance from the base of the hill and in one line attack. 2nd Company has been pulled out. 3rd Company continues to pour in supporting fire (and to receive counter-fire). Reaching the top of the hill, the attackers move from bunker to bunker, firing submachinegun bursts and throwing grenades.
No prisoners are taken. The dead include 53 Arabs, armed with 20 SMG's, 6 LMG's (Brens and German '42s), and "several" rifles.
Helicopters sight movement in the steep-sided gorge beyond the hill, and the 3rd Company is ordered to investigate. The 13th Demi-Brigade moves a company into position to block the end of the far valley. The valley is a mile and a half long, with tall fir trees and thick undergrowth on the floor. Visibility restricted to "a few yards."
The 3rd company advances with one section in front, and two sections to either side. A cave entrance is found, straw indicates that it has been inhabited, and the helicopters confirm this is where the movement was seen. A volunteer is sent in, but the search is interrupted when the helicopter spotted reports movement 100 yards further down the valley.
In the resulting firefight, 3 young Arabs are killed, equipped with two Enfield rifles and a Sten gun.
After the battle, a patrol of 3 legionnaires is sent out to recover the Arab bodies, cut off the heads, and return with the heads for inspection by an officer of the Deuxi\eme Bureau. (Four days ago, "loyal" Arab soldiers rebelled and killed their French officers, and the authorities want to know if those killed in the operation were these men.) The patrol fortunately does not encounter any Arabs "passed over" earlier.
Source: Legionnaire, pgs. 96-102.
March 1961: The Gorge
This fight takes place in the "country of the dead" -- barren red-brown
mountains, topped with snow, dusty and covered with wispy scrub, lots of
boulders and rocks.
Trucks transport the parachutists of the Legion to the top of the Gorge of Rhoufi, which runs through the plains like a knife gash. The sides are sheer and rounded, leading down to a river which follows a crescent path. The legionnaires descend along a 3'-wide path to the river, where Arabs dwell in caves and square-shaped dwellings. Then the soldiers begin to climb the far side of the gorge.
At 4:30 p.m., 2nd Company comes under fire from fellagha who are entrenched in hills at the summit of one of the many hills. 3rd and 4th Companies advance on the flanks, pouring in fire by mortar and LMG, which allows 2nd Company to make the assault. The legionnaires companies are short-handed, due to stragglers during the long march.
Five Arabs surrender, and 15 are found dead. They were armed with two Thompsons, Brens, and machine pistols. Seven legionnaires are "lost."
Source: Legionnaire, pgs. 126-128.
April 1961: Easter Sunday Firefight
A company of French regular paratroopers (b/eret rouges) have been
ambushed in a gorge, and Foreign Legion reinforcements are being rushed in by
helicopter in the early afternoon.
The far side of the gorge is a vertical rock face marked with caves and fault lines. The fellagha are in the caves. At the bottom of the gorge are the beret rouges. The Legion 2nd Company (reinforcements) has taken positions on the opposite side of the gorge, and are engaging the Arabs in a fierce firefight. 3rd and 4th Companies are in reserve beyond the gorge, but are then moved to positions along the crest of a hill (but still in line of sight of the Arabs). 4th Company is caught moving over the top of a hill, and seven men are lost to Arab machinegun fire. The legionnaires entrench.
The firefight continues all afternoon and into the night. Two dive bombers provide support, firing napalm and rockets into the gorge, while helicopter gunships also pour fire on the fellagha positions (one chopper crashes in the gorge). Plane-dropped flares provide illumination as night falls. Meanwhile, the gorge has been completely surrounded by French troops, and helicopters resupply their men with ammunition.
By 3 a.m., Arab fire drops off. In the morning, they find 7 Arab dead, and 4 rifles. It appears the Arabs escaped during the night, along a narrow corniche invisible from the opposite side. The Legion has 17 dead, 46 wounded.
Source: Legionnaire, pgs. 130-133.
On the Tunisian side is Ben Bella and "a substantial armed force," waiting to lead the Algerian forces (in exile in Tunisia) to Algiers when independence is declared. The Arabs also attempt to break across the frontier (blasting the wire with explosives), to sneak forces back within Algeria.
The Arabs are known to have moved into no man's land, establishing a base on one of the hills (making it easier for them to smuggle men across the frontier). The French know their artillery cannot drive out entrenched men. Therefore, the legionnaires are sent in to drive the Arabs back.
The French begin with a day-long bombardment of the hill. During the night, an entire regiment of the Foreign Legion takes position at the base of the hill. At dawn, nine B26's drop their load on the hill crest, followed by two hours of artillery shelling.
At last, the legionnaires move forward. Immediately, the Arabs fire their mortars against the men in the open. The legionnaires are hard hit, but the fellagha mortars have revealed their positions, and are taken out by artillery fire. The Legion takes the hill, and pursues the Arabs beyond the frontier into Tunisia.
Source: Legionnaire, pgs. 164-166. Also a repeat operation in December to clear the same hill, pg. 167.
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| 24 May 1996 | reformatted |
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