Not too much in my collection of books and magazines about the French in WW2 even though I an interested in their roles with the LRDG, Eritrea/Abyssinia, Lebanon/Syria, and the Western Desert in general.
The following two Newsweek magazines I have carry little information about the French units depicted on the covers sadly. Both units however have good stories behind them, both deciding Vichy France was not for them and crossing to British lines.
On the left, troops of Captain Paul Jourdier's 1st Moroccan Spahis squadron who arrived from Lebanon/Syria via Palestine On the right, troops of Captain Raphael Folliot and Captain Charles Jean Lorotte de Banes 24e Regiment d'Infanterie Coloniale (24th Colonial Infantry Regiment. Renamed 1st Marine Infantry Battalion aka 1st BIM, and then later merging to form the Marine and Pacific Battalion, BIMP).
350 men of the 24th based in Cyrpus under Captain de Banes joined 150 men of the 24th in Lebanon/Syria under Captain Folliot in Egypt. About 40 men followed Captain Jourdier from Lebanon/Syria. The two units were based at Moascar Camp, Ishmalia in Egypt in October 1940 when the photos on the magazine covers were taken.
The voice on this film clip is irritating but the film shows the two units depicted above.
British Pathe : Free French Forces In Middle East (1940)
No sound on this longer clip hosted by the Imperial War Museum
IWM AYY 59-1 Free French Troops in the Middle East 1940
The film contains a Vickers Wellington fitted with a Directional Wireless Installation for anti-mine work flying overhead. Interesting but not sure how it fits in with the Free French story.
The 24th had been inspected and awarded a banner in August 1940, with some of the Spahis providing an escort for the visiting dignataries.
Ambassador Review 26th August 1940
Imperial War Museum hosted film clip WPN-4 shows the British Ambassador in Egypt, Sir Miles Lampson, inspecting the 24th. The troops appear to have French rifles and machine guns.
IWM WPN-4 film re Inspection by British Ambassador August 1940
The IWM also hosts a set of photos relating to the inspection :
E-489 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542163
E-490 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542164
E-491 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542165
E-492 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542166
E-493 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542167
E-494 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542168
E-495 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542169
E-496 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542170
E-497 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542171
E-498 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542172
E-499 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542173 Spahis
E-500 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542174 Spahis
A few months later the 24th and the 1st Moroccan Spahis were photographed and filmed by Captain Geoffrey John Keating, 17th October 1940. War Office Assignment No 56, with two of his photographs (E-765 and E-775) being used on the magazine covers above.
E-753 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542421 French rifles and bayonets
E-754 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542422
E-755 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542423
E-756 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542424
E-757 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542425
E-758 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542426
E-759 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542427 Unit officers
E-760 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542428
E-761 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542429
E-762 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542430
E-763 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542431
E-764 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542432
E-765 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205234061 Magazine cover
E-766 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542433
E-767 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542434
E-768 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542435 Bugler and flag
E-769 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542436
E-770 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542437 Soldier eating on a sand dune
E-771 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542438
E-772 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542439 Spahis
E-773 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542440 Spahis
E-774 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542441 Spahis
E-775 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542442 Spahis (magazine cover)
E-776 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542443 Spahis
E-777 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542444 Spahis
E-778 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542445 Spahis on dune slope
E-779 Nothing found
E-780 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542447 Spahis
E-781 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542448 Spahis
E-782 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542449 Spahis
E-783 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542450 Spahi
E-784 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542451 Spahi
E-785 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205542452 Spahi
Both units would evolve from their small beginnings and become Companions of the Liberation after much hard fighting.
The Marine and Infantry Battalion (BIMP) would form after the fighting at Bir Hakkim/Hakeim in May/June 1942, both battalions having suffered large casualties. The newly formed BIMP would serve in Tunisia, Italy and Southern France.
The 1st Moroccan Spahi Marching Regiment would become an armoured reconnaissance unit after fighting Italian troops in Eritrea/Abyssinia and Vichy French in Syria. They would later serve in Tunisia and Normandy. The Moroccan symbol can be seen on the side door of this armoured car and the text "Spahis" appears on the engine cover in this IWM hosted film in Egypt dated 15th to 17th September 1942 :
Some of the Men
Captain Raphael Folliot. Companion of the Liberation. Commanded the 1st Company at Moascar.
Captain Charles Lorotte de Banes
Captain Girod (?not sure of the spelling and if real name) commanded the 2nd Company at Moascar.
Paul Jourdier. Companion of the Liberation
Captain Jacques Savey, posthumous Companion of the Liberation, commanded the 3rd Company at Moascar. Fought in the Eritrean/Abyssinian Campaign and later killed at Bir Hakkim/Hakeim.
Amongst the original members of the 24th who travelled to Moascar was Polish born Sigismond Blednicki. He appears to have transferred to the Moroccan Spahis and to have served in Eritrea with them.
Other Resources
Forgotten Fights: The Free French at Bir Hacheim, May 1942
Cédric Mas speaking on WW2TV, YouTube : The Battle of Bir Hakeim 1942
Bir Hakeim: Seventy-Five Years Later
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