19th Army Corps (France)


The French 19th Army Corps was formed in 1873. Anthony Clayton writes that the title of the 19th Army Corps was given to the Army of Africa in 1873. Antoine Chanzy commanded the corps between 1873 and 1879, at which time the commander also held the post of Governor of Algeria.
The Army Corps was located in the 19th Military Region which included the departments of Algeria, Algeria, Oran and Constantine. The garrisons were principally in Algiers, Algeria, Algeria, Mascara, Tlemcen, and Ain. Elements were also in Tunisia, forming the Tunisian occupation division, located mainly in Tunis, Bizerte and Sousse.
The corps' Oran and Algiers divisions fought the Aït Khabbash, a fraction of the Aït Ounbgui khams of the Aït Atta confederation in the late 1890s. The conflict ended by the annexation of the Touat-Gourara-Tidikelt complex by France in 1901.
The corps joined the Allies in late 1942 when Vichy French forces in north-west Africa went over to the Allies after Operation Torch and the German and Italian occupation of Vichy France.
The Corps order of battle in 1942 during this time was:

Division de marche d'Alger

1er régiment de tirailleurs algériens

9e régiment de tirailleurs algériens

3e régiment de zouaves

2e régiment de chasseurs d'Afrique

1er régiment de spahis algériens

65e régiment d'artillerie d'Afrique

410e régiment d'artillerie de défense contre aéronef
Division de Marche d¹Oran

2e régiment de tirailleurs algériens

6e régiment de tirailleurs algériens

15e régiment de tirailleurs sénégalais

1er régiment étranger d'infanterie

Artillerie : 1e et 3e batteries 62e RAA, 2e 66e RAA, 1er 68e RAA.

Batteries A/C 47mm

411e régiment d'artillerie de défense contre aéronef
Division de Marche du Maroc :

Soit au 27 decembre 1942 :

7e régiment de tirailleurs marocains

3e régiment de tirailleurs marocains

4e régiment de tirailleurs tunisiens

3e régiment étranger d'infanterie

1er Groupe de tabors marocains

1er régiment étranger de cavalerie

2 groupes de 75

1 batterie de 47mm

1 escadron d'automitrailleuses

1 company of light tanks
NB sont mentionnés : Renforts d'artillerie de Montagne
The 19th Corps fought as an Allied formation within the British 1st Army until the surrender of Axis forces in Tunisia.