Détachement Français de Palestine et de Syrie


The Détachement Français de Palestine et de Syrie was the name given to French forces in the Middle East from 1917 onwards, within the Egyptian Expeditionary Force. Although they were commanded in the field by Colonel Gilles de Philpin de Piépape, they were overseen by General Maurice Bailloud who was the Inspector-General. The detachment arrived at Rafah on 25 May 1917.

Composition

Whilst its mounted troops served elsewhere in the 5th Light Horse Brigade, the rest of the organisation served alongside the 54th Infantry Division. It consisted of three labour companies, three artillery batteries and the following combat troops:
Capitaine Kerversau's squadron of Spahis embarked aboard the Hyperia in Bizerte on 22 July 1918, for transit to Alexandria, along with a machine gun platoon transported by mules commanded by Lieutenant Delahaye. On 28 July at 9.30pm, the ship was torpedoed at a location more than eighty miles northwest of Port Said. As well as a number of the ship's crew being killed, the horses were lost. One corporal and eighteen other ranks of the squadron perished. As a consequence, the Spahi squadron and machine gun platoon took part in the remainder of the campaign dismounted, alongside the infantry of the DFPS.
The men of the DFPS were to see combat at the Third Battle of Gaza, Battle of Hareira and Sheria, Battle of Megiddo, and a number of actions throughout the Battle of Sharon during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign.