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2^e Corps d'Armée
2e Corps d'Armée
Active	1914–1918; 23 August 1939 – 26 May 1940; 16 August 1943 – 30 April 1946 ; Cold War – 1990s
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Corps
Engagements	World War I; World War II
Commanders
Notable; commanders	Edgard de Larminat; Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert

The 2nd Army Corps (French: 2^e Corps d'Armée) was first formed before World War I. During World War II it fought in the Campaign for France in 1940 and during the 1944–45 campaigns in southern France, the Vosges Mountains, Alsace, and southwestern Germany. It was active under the First Army for many years after World War II.

World War I

2^e Corps was one of five corps of the Fifth Army and upon mobilization consisted of the 3rd and 4th Infantry Divisions.^[1] 2^e Corps headquarters in 1914 was in Amiens.^[2] Commanders were:^[3]

At mobilization: Gen. Gérard
24 Jul 1915: Gen. Herr
10 Aug 1915: Gen. Duchêne
29 Dec 1916: Gen. Buat
2 Jan 1917: Gen. Cadoudal
11 Jun 1918: Gen. Philipot

2^e Corps received credit for participation in these battles:^[4]

Aug 1914: Battle of the Ardennes
Aug 1914: Battle of the Meuse
Sep 1914: Battle of the Marne
Sep 1914: Battle of Vitry
Feb 1915: First battle of Champagne
Apr 1915: First battle of Woëvre
Feb 1916: Battle of Verdun
Jul 1916: Battle of the Somme
May 1918: Third battle of the Aisne
Jun 1918: Battle of Matz
Jul 1918: Second battle of the Marne
Sep 1918: Battle of Champagne and the Argonne

World War II

In 1940, the 2^e Corps d'Armée Motorisé was one of three corps of the Ninth Army and consisted of the 4th Light Cavalry Division and 5th Motorized Division. During the Battle of France, its commander general Jean Bouffet was killed and after the French capitulation, the Corps was dissolved on 26 May 1940.

After Operation Torch, the French troops in North Africa joined the allies, and a new 2nd Army Corps was created in Algeria on 16 August 1943. In November 1943, units of the 2nd Army Corps were used to create the French Expeditionary Corps (1943–44), which fought in Italy.
In September 1944, the 2nd Army Corps landed in the Provence and later liberated Lyon, Autun, Dijon and Chaumont. After having taken over the Vosges and Alsace, the 2nd Army Corps victoriously defended Strasbourg against the German counter-attack in January 1945. In April and May the Corps took part in the German campaign and captured Stuttgart.^[5]

In 1944–45, the 2nd Army Corps was subordinated to the First Army. During the campaigns in France and Germany, many divisions served with the corps but the 1st March Infantry Division, the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division, and the 9th Colonial Infantry Division spent several months under 2nd Army Corps command.

The 10th Infantry Division spent its last active months in the French occupation zone in Germany under the command of the 2nd Army Corps.

commanders

general Edgard de Larminat (16.08.1943 – 31.08.1944)
general Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert (31.08.1944 - 24.07.1945)

Cold War

2nd Army Corps major unit locations in 1985
Source: Isby and Kamps, p. 128

In 1984-5 and 1989, 2nd Army Corps was headquartered in Baden-Baden, Germany, and controlled the 3rd and 5th Armored Divisions, as well as the 15th Infantry Division.^[6]

Corps troops in 1985 included 32 and 74 Regiments de Artillerie, with the Pluton SSM; two regiments of 155mm self-propelled guns; a target acquisition regiment; 51 and 53 Regiments de Artillerie with Roland; two regiments of engineers; 3e Regiment de Hussards, a reconnaissance unit; and two helicopter units.^[7]

Major General Sengeisen (Jean, Pierre) was appointed Deputy General Commanding the 2nd Army Corps and Commander-in-Chief of the French forces in Germany as of October 1, 1991.^[8]

The corps was disestablished on 31 August 1993 at a ceremony at Puységur, Oos, Baden-Württemberg, a part of Baden-Baden.^[9] The last commander was General Michel Cavaillé.^[10]

With the end of the Cold War, the French Army underwent significant reorganization and no longer has any numbered corps headquarters.

References

^ French corps in 1914
^ Map of French corps in 1914
^ Les Armées Françaises dans la Grande Guerre, Army Corps, p. 621
^ Les Armées Françaises dans la Grande Guerre, Army Corps, pp. 624–629
^ 3e Dragons
^ David Isby and Charles Kamps, Armies of NATO's Central Front, Jane's Publishing Company, 1985, 127; NATO Order of Battle 1989 (p. 93)
^ Isby & Kamps 1985, p. 128.
^ "Décret du 31 juillet 1991 portant admission par anticipation dans la 2e section, élévation aux rang et appellation de général de corps d'armée, promotion et nomination dans la 1re section et affectation d'officiers généraux NOR : DEFM9100038D JORF no. 179 du 2 août 1991".
^ "Historique du 2e Corps d'Armée (1805-1993)". Source noted as "MERCURE n°12, septembre 1993."
^ "FFA et FAS Généraux CAVAILLE et MATHIEU". 20 November 1992.

Isby, David; Kamps, Charles (1985). Armies of NATO's Central Front. London: Jane's Publishing Company. ISBN 0-7106-0341-X.
Les Armées Françaises dans la Grande Guerre. Army Corps. Armée Service Historique. Paris: Imprimerie Nationale, 1922.