‘Division Daguet’

French 6th Light Armoured Division – 6e Division Légère Blindée Français

During The Gulf War of 1990-91 – Operation ‘Daguet’ (‘Dagger’)
BATTLEGROUP DD-01
6e Division Légère Blindée (6e DLB) (+)
Général de Brigade Mouscardes
Command
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
Transport
x1 VAB PC Command Vehicle use CWFR-12

INITIAL DEPLOYMENT FORCES

BG DD-05
1er Régiment de Spahis (1erRS)
(from 6e DLB)

BG DD-05
1er Régiment Etranger de Cavallerie (1erREC)
(from 6e DLB)

BG DD-07
2e Régiment Etranger d’Infanterie (2eREI)
(from 6e DLB)

BG DD-07
2e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (2eRIMa)
(from 9e Division de Marine (9e DM))

BG DD-07
3e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (3eRIMa)
(from 9e DM)

FSE DD-01
11e Régiment d’Artillerie de Marine (11eRAMa)
(from 9e DM)

ME DD-07
Air Defence Battery, 35e Régiment d’Artillerie Parachutiste (35eRAP)
(from 11e Division de Parachutiste (11e DP))

6e Régiment Etranger du Génie (6eREG))

(from 6e DLB)

BG DD-09
1er Régiment d’Hélicopteres de Combat (1erRHC)
(from 4e Division Aeromobile (4e DAM))

BG DD-09
3e Régiment d’Hélicopteres de Combat (3eRHC)
(from 4e Division Aeromobile (4e DAM))

Squadron, 13e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes (13eRDP)

(Army Special Forces – SAS equivalent)

1e Régiment Parachutiste d’Infanterie de Marine (1erRPIMa)

(special ops regiment from 11e DP)

REINFORCEMENTS RECEIVED DECEMBER 1990

(ON NEXT PAGE)
 REINFORCEMENTS RECEIVED DECEMBER 1990
ME DD-02
x2 Squadrons, 1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes (1eRHP)
(from 11e DP)

ME DD-03
x2 Squadrons, Régiment de Infanterie-Chars de Marine (RICM)
(from 9e DM)

ME DD-06
x2 Companies, 1er Régiment d’Infanterie (1erRI)
(from 4e DAM)

ME DD-04
x2 Companies, 21e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (21eRIMa) (a)
(from 6e DLB)

ME DD-04
x2 Companies, 1er Régiment Etranger d’Infanterie (1erREI) (a)
(from 6e DLB)

BG DD-08
4e Régiment de Dragons (-)
(from 10e Division Blindée (10e DB))

ME DD-01
x1 Squadron, 503e Régiment Chars de Combat (503eRCC)
(from 10e DB)

17e Régiment de Génie Parachutiste (17eRGP)

Commandos de Recherche et d’Action dans le Profondeur (CRAP)

(Special Forces – SAS equivalent)
 6e DLB Reorganised For Operation ‘Desert Sabre’ 1991
BATTLEGROUP DD-02
6e Division Légère Blindée (6e DLB) (+)
Général de Brigade Mouscardes
Command
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
Transport
x1 VAB PC Command Vehicle use CWFR-12

BATTLEGROUPS
BATTLEGROUP DD-03
PC Vert (Command Post Green – Eastern Task Force) (ab)

BATTLEGROUP DD-04
PC Rouge (Command Post Red – Western Task Force) (ab)

DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS SUPPORT

6e Régiment Etranger du Génie (6eREG))

(from 6e DLB)

ME DD-07
Air Defence Battery, 35e Régiment d’Artillerie Parachutiste (35eRAP)
(from 11e DP)

DIVISION RESERVE
BG DD-07
2e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (2eRIMa)
(from 9e DM)

(a) There was no formal Brigade or multi-battalion Regiment organisation in the French Army following the 1976 reforms (though the French
changed again in 2002 to using Brigades as the basic formation, while abolishing Divisions and Corps). These Task Forces were therefore ad hoc
command structures, made necessary by the rapid expansion of 6e DLB from a six-regiment formation to the equivalent of sixteen regiments! I
don’t have any information on who commanded these Task Forces, nor how the HQs were formed and organised. My best guess is that additional
HQ & Staff elements were sent to 6e DLB from other formations in Force d’Action Rapide – France’s rapid-reaction corps, of which 6e DLB was a
part.

(b) 6e DLB was placed under the command of US XVIII (Airborne) Corps for Operation Desert Sabre, and operated alongside US 82nd Airborne
Division on the extreme left flank of the operation. The division penetrated 100 miles into Iraq and secured Al-Salman airbase. Various units from
82nd Airborne Division and XVIII (Airborne) Corps were placed under the division’s command at various times – the first time that US units had
been under French command for over half a century.
 BATTLEGROUP DD-03
PC Vert (Command Post Green – Eastern Task Force) (a)

BG DD-08 BG DD-06
4e Régiment de Dragons (+) 3e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (3eRIMa) (+)

Command
Command HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
x1 AMX-30 B2 105mm MBT CWFR-04
Transport
x1 AMX-30 B2 105mm MBT CWFR-04 x1 VAB PC Command Vehicle use CWFR-12

x1 AMX-13 AVLB CWFR-18 MANOEUVRE ELEMENTS

ME DD-04
MANOEUVRE ELEMENTS
x3 Infantry Company
ME DD-01
ME DD-04
x3 Armoured Squadrons
x1 Company, 21e Régiment d’Infanterie
ME DD-01 De Marine (21eRIMa)
x1 Squadron, 503e Régiment ME DD-03
Chars de Combat (503eRCC) x1 Squadron, Régiment de
Infanterie-Chars de Marine (RICM)
ME DD-02
1er Escadron, 1er Régiment de ATTACHMENTS
Hussards Parachutistes (1eRHP) Recon
x4 Infantry (b) CWFR-26
BG DD-09 Transport/Recon
1er Régiment d’Hélicopteres x4 Peugeot P4 Jeep (with MG) CWFR-23
de Combat (1erRHC) Organic Fire Support
x6 MO-120-RT-61 120mm Mortar CWFR-31
x7 Gazelle 20 OH/AH CWFR-35
Transport
x6 VAB VTM Mortar Tractor CWFR-13
x15 Gazelle/HOT AH CWFR-34
x8 Milan ATGM Team CWFR-29
x8 Super Puma UH CWFR-36
Transport/Recon
x8 Peugeot P4 Jeep (no MG) CWFR-23
Composite Infantry Company Group

ME DD-04
x1 Company, 1er Régiment Etranger
d’Infanterie (1erREI) (a)
ME DD-06
x1 Company, 1er Régiment
d’Infanterie (1erRI)

(a) PC Vert was supported by 1st Brigade, US 82nd Airborne Division and two battalions of the US 18th Field Artillery Brigade (Airborne) to its initial
objectives. The US artillery battalions each had three batteries, each with x3 M198 Towed 155mm Guns.
BATTLEGROUP DD-04
PC Rouge (Command Post Red – Western Task Force)

BG DD-06
BG DD-05
2e Régiment Etranger d’Infanterie (2eREI) (+)
1er Régiment de Spahis (1erRS)
Command
Command HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
Transport
Transport
x1 VAB PC Command Vehicle use CWFR-12
x1 VAB PC Command Vehicle use CWFR-12
MANOEUVRE ELEMENTS
MANOEUVRE ELEMENTS

ME DD-04
ME DD-03
x3 Infantry Company
x3 Reconnaissance Squadron

ME DD-05 ME DD-04
x1 Antitank Squadron x1 Company, 21e Régiment d’Infanterie
De Marine (21eRIMa)
BG DD-05 ME DD-03
1er Régiment Etranger de Cavallerie (1erREC) x1 Squadron, Régiment de
(organised as 1erRS above) Infanterie-Chars de Marine (RICM)
ME DD-02
ATTACHMENTS
3e Escadron, 1er Régiment de
Hussards Parachutistes (1eRHP) Recon
x4 Infantry (b) CWFR-26
BG DD-09 Transport/Recon
x4 Peugeot P4 Jeep (with MG) CWFR-23
3e Régiment d’Hélicopteres
de Combat (3eRHC) Organic Fire Support
x6 MO-120-RT-61 120mm Mortar CWFR-31
x7 Gazelle 20 OH/AH CWFR-35 Transport
x6 VAB VTM Mortar Tractor CWFR-13
x15 Gazelle/HOT AH CWFR-34
x8 Milan ATGM Team CWFR-29

x8 Super Puma UH CWFR-36 Transport/Recon

x8 Peugeot P4 Jeep (no MG) CWFR-23

Composite Infantry Company Group

(a) PC Rouge was supported by one battalion of the US 18th Field
ME DD-04 Artillery Brigade (Airborne), with three batteries, each with x3
M198 Towed 155mm Guns.
x1 Company, 1er Régiment Etranger
d’Infanterie (1erREI) (a) (b) It seems that 11e RAMa mothballed its third battery in order to
provide the 1st & 2nd Batteries with sufficient personnel during
ME DD-06 Operation Desert Sabre.
x1 Company, 1er Régiment
d’Infanterie (1erRI)

FSE DD-01
11e Régiment d’Artillerie de Marine (11eRAMa)
(from 9e DM)

FSE DD-02
x2 Batteries (b)
On-Table Attachment
x1 Forward Observer CWFR-32
Transport/Recon
x1 VAB OBS Artillery OP Vehicle use CWFR-12

x3 Towed 155mm Gun

Division Reserve During Operation Desert Sabre
BG DD-07
2e Régiment d’Infanterie de Marine (2eRIMa)

Command
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
Transport
x1 VAB PC Command Vehicle use CWFR-12

MANOEUVRE ELEMENTS

ME DD-04
x3 Infantry Company

ATTACHMENTS
Recon
x4 Infantry (b) CWFR-26
Transport/Recon
x4 Peugeot P4 Jeep (with MG) CWFR-23
Organic Fire Support
x6 MO-120-RT-61 120mm Mortar CWFR-31
Transport
x6 VAB VTM Mortar Tractor CWFR-13

x8 Milan ATGM Team CWFR-29

Transport/Recon
x8 Peugeot P4 Jeep (no MG) CWFR-23
 Division ‘Daguet’ Manoeuvre Elements
MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-01 MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-05
Armoured Squadron Antitank Squadron
Command Command
x1 AMX-30 B2 105mm MBT CWFR-04 x1 VAB Armoured Personnel Carrier CWFR-12

x4 AMX-30 B2 105mm MBT CWFR-04 x4 VAB VCAC/HOT ATGM Vehicle CWFR-14

MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-02 MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-07

Reconnaissance Squadron Airmobile Recce/Antitank Company
(1erRHP)
Command/Recon
Command/Recon HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
Transport/Recon
Transport/Recon x1 Peugeot P4 Jeep (no MG) CWFR-23
x1 VAB Armoured Personnel Carrier CWFR-12
Recon
Recon x8 Milan ATGM Team CWFR-29
x4 ERC-90 Sagaie 90mm Armoured Car CWFR-07
Transport/Recon
x2 Milan ATGM Team CWFR-29 x8 Peugeot P4 Jeep (with MG) CWFR-23

Transport/Recon
x2 Peugeot P4 Jeep (no MG) CWFR-23
MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-08
Airmobile Air Defence Battery
MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-03
Reconnaissance Squadron Command
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25
(1erRS, 1erREC & RICM)
Transport
Command/Recon x1 Peugeot P4 Jeep (no MG) CWFR-23
x1 VAB Armoured Personnel Carrier CWFR-12
Recon
Recon x8 Mistral SAM Team CWFR-40
x4 AMX-10 RC 105mm Armoured Car CWFR-09
Transport/Recon
x8 VLRA Light Truck use CWFR-23
MANOEUVRE ELEMENT DD-04
Infantry Company
Command
HQ x1 Commander CWFR-25

x1 89mm LARC F1 MAW Team CWFR-28

Transport
x1 VAB Armoured Personnel Carrier CWFR-12

x9 Infantry (3 with 89mm LARC F1) CWFR-26

Transport
x3 VAB Armoured Personnel Carrier CWFR-12

x1 Milan ATGM Team CWFR-29

Transport
x1 VAB VCAC/Milan CWFR-15

x1 53T2 20mm Antiaircraft Gun CWFR-22

Transport
x1 VAB Armoured Personnel Carrier CWFR-12
Organic Fire Support
x1 MO-81-61C 81mm Mortar CWFR-30
Transport
x1 VAB VTM Mortar Carrier CWFR-13