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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 10h

Group photos of the 158e Régiment d'Infanterie in Strasbourg during the 1930s. The object in the center of #4 is a 55cm searchlight. #MilitaryHistory #France #Interwar #1930s

Group photo with two Hotchkiss mle 1914 MGs.

Brandt 81mm mortars and a 55cm searchlight.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 10h

October 1939: BEF troops of Saar Force, incl. 51st "Highland" Division, at their new garrisons: 1. Troops at Saint-François (Moselle) 2. French and British troops 3. A Bren Carrier on the move 4. In Waldweistroff (Lorraine) #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #BEF #PhoneyWar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

Barracks of the 1er Régiment de Zouaves in Casablanca, Morocco, 1938. #MilitaryHistory #History #France #Morocco

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 12/10/2026

October 1944: An M3 Scout Car of the 3e Régiment de Spahis Marocains on patrol near Villargent, Haute-Saône department. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

11 November 1946: A Coventry armored car "La Ricaneuse" (🇫🇷 IC 90 160) on parade in Saigon, Vietnam. #MilitaryHistory #France #Vietnam #Saigon #Indochina #ColdWar #Armor #Tank

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

Observant followers may have noticed that after becoming briefly obsessed I stopped posting my insane excel sheet of French vehicle immatriculation numbers. That is because I'm working on something with the help of a more technically-oriented friend, sneak peak here:

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 10/10/2026

8 July 1945: A column of Valentine Mark Vs on parade in Algiers, led by "Lorraine" (🇫🇷434 023). #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Algeria #Tank #Armor

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

A pair of portraits of soldiers from the 8e Bataillon de Parachutistes Coloniaux during Opération Camélia, 12 May 1953, Tonkin Province, Vietnam. #MilitaryHistory #France #Vietnam #Indochina #ColdWar #History #Military #Photography

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Cavalrymen of the 5e Régiment de Cuirassiers photographed at Pointoise near Paris in 1931. A shielded 37mm mle 1916 TRP infantry gun occupies the center of the photo, flanked by a pair of Hotchkiss mle 1914 machine guns. #MilitaryHistory #France #1930s #Interwar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 09/10/2026

Officers and men of the 59e Goum Marocain with civilians on Corsica. October 1943 to June 1944. Album of Capt. Guy Boula de Mareüil (wearing glasses in #3). The goumier pictured is identified elsewhere as Moulay Saïd, probably an NCO. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Morocco #Corsica #History

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

Wonderful photos of a Citroën Rosalie 10A "Toroedo" near Deir Ezzor, Syria, 14 June 1939. #MilitaryHistory #France #Syria #1930s #Interwar #Citroën #History #Vintage #ClassicCar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

October 1943: M5A1 Stuarts of the 4e Régiment de Spahis Marocains on the Col de Teghime, Corsica. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Corsica #Tank #Armor

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

October 1943: Liberation of Bastia, Corsica. Col. Pierre Boyer de La Tour du Moulin (center) commander of the 2nd Group of Moroccan Tabors, briefs Brig. Gen. Charles Louchet (right, facing away) 4th Moroccan Mountain Division. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Corsica

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

1939: The battleship Dunkerque. 1 & 2: Honor guard. 3 & 4: Forward main battery, 350mm quadruple turrets. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #navy #NavalHistory #Battleship

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

October 1944: Vehicles cross a bridge over the Moselotte at Zainvilliers (Vosges), France, sabotaged (not fully-successfully) by the Germans. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

White-Laffly AM 50s of the 5e Régiment de Chasseurs d'Afrique during maneuvers near Ksar El Boukhari, Algeria in 1935. #MilitaryHistory #France #Algeria #Interwar #1930s #Armor #History

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

October 1943: Commandos from the Bataillon du Choc (Shock Battalion) on the march towards the Col de Teghime, Corsica. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Corsica

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

No true-born Marylander can say their heart doesn't swell with pride at the mention of the Glenn L. Martin Company. The Middle River plant was a sprawling monument to industrial prowess. So many qualified workers were needed that they poached high school students directly from Baltimore Polytechnic

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

January-February 1951: A Viet Minh prisoner captured in Xiangkhouang Province, Laos, during Operation Frimaire, a sweep targeting communist bases and supply lines - the foundations of the Ho Chi Minh Trail were already being laid. #MilitaryHistory #France #Laos #Indochina #ColdWar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

October 1943: Residents of Patrimonio, Corsica, greet Spahis and Goumiers from the 2nd Group of Moroccan Tabors (2e GTM) and 4th Moroccan Spahi Regiment (4e RSM), both part of the 4th Moroccan Mountain Division (4e DMM). #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Corsica #Corse #Morocco

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Briére-de-l'Isle barracks was the home of the 1st Colonial Infantry Regiment. Completed in 1848, it burned down on 18 June 1940 when British and French troops destroyed the Cherbourg Arsenal during Operation Aerial, the less-known round of evacuations after Dunkirk. #MilitaryHistory

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

1956: Helciborne operations of the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes with the Sikorsky S-55 (H-19 Chickasaw). #MilitaryHistory #France #Algeria #ColdWar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

1934: FTs and crews of the 506e Régiment de Chars de Combat during exercises at the Camp de Valdahon. Machine gun and cannon-armed tanks, as well as TSF command vehicles (in #2). #MilitaryHistory #France #Interwar #1930s #Tank #Armor #History #Vintage #Renault

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

September/October 1944: An FFI member mans a coastal position, armed with a captured MG 08-15. No location but must be in the vicinity of one of the German coastal fortresses still holding out (Dunkirk, la Rochelle, l'Orient, St. Nazaire, Royan). #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Supposed to be authentic though hard to judge imo

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Exciting news from Saumur this week as the tank museum has their Tiger "Bretagne" in working order! "Bretagne" (later renamed "Colmar") was recovered by the French resistance in Normandy and returned to service as part of the Escadron Autonome de Chars Besnier. #WWII #WW2 #Tank #Panzer #France

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

1-2 October 1943: M5A1 Stuarts of the 4e Régiment de Spahis Marocains in Patrimonio, Corsica. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Corsica #Corse #Tank #Armor #OnThisDay #OTD

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Jeffery and Nash Quads remained in service with the French artillerie portée as late as 1939. Initial models were found to be underpowered for 105mm guns, but were employed with 75mm batteries. Hopelessly outdated by WWII, they soldiered on with some units until newer Berliet models became available

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

1-2 October 1943: Moroccan stretcher bearers, in the company of an Italian soldier, carry a wounded goumier from the 2e Groupe de Tabors Marocains. Saint Florent-Murato area, northern Corsica. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Morocco #Italy #Corsica #OnThisDay #OTD

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A White-Saurer-CAT armored car in #Morocco, 1930s. The Compagnie Africaine de Transport (CAT) had an arrangement with the army, and built armored convoy escorts based on Saurer trucks. After 1932, armor from worn-out White TBCs were fitted to Saurer 5AD chassis. #MilitaryHistory #France #Interwar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Autumn 1939: General Édouard Réquin, commander of the 4th Army, inspects an R 35 tank unit in the Moselle. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #PhoneyWar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

October 1941: Sailors on parade in Casablanca, Morocco, during an inspection by Gen. Maxime Weygand, Vichy Generalissimo in North Africa. He was soon replaced under Axis pressure, though a political reactionary he was perceived as too anti-German. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Morocco #Vichy

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Throwback to my write-up on the 1er GRDI: A few photos I stumbled across of Préaud, then a Brigadier General, while commander of Saint-Cyr (exiled to Aix-en-Provence) under Vichy, Sept. 1941.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Visible behind De Gaulle in this photo, with his arm in a sling, is George Dukson, a rather enigmatic figure of the Paris Uprising. "The Lion of the 17e" - Tirailleur, escaped POW, resistance fighter, black marketeer (?) His death umder strange circumstances leaves few clues.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

I wouldn't claim its a necessarily great film, but "The Four Days of Naples" (1962) is interesting for the subject matter if nothing else

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

September 1944: Louis Jacquinot, Navy Minister of the French Provisional Government, visits the ruined city of Brest, one of France's principal ports and naval arsenals. #WWII #WW2 #France #MilitaryHistory #Brittany #Bretagne #Brest

Left to right: Pierre Lucas the Maritime Prefect of Brest, Corvette Captain Mariani, Navy Minister Louis Jacquinot, Contre-Amiral Georges Thierry d'Argenlieu

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Sadly, it seems that the Goumiers are mostly invoked in the context of a sordid legend not unlike the Nazi "Black Horror on the Rhine" legend to which Senegalese tirailleurs were subject. But among military historians of France, their tenacity and contributions to the allied cause are not forgotten.

Goumiers on parade following the Liberation of Marseille, 29 August 1944.

Gen. Charles de Gaulle decorates a Goumier in Italy, June 1944.

Goumiers of the C.E.F. in Italy, April 1944.

A Goumier guards German prisoners as they are searched, Gémenos, France, August 1944.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

During the Tunisia Campaign, the Tabors were combined into Groupes de Tabors - Regiments, commanded by a Colonel or Lt. Colonel. Three Tabors as described, plus an 81mm mortar group, three anti-tank guns, pioneer/security platoon, transmissions, mounted messengers, and both mule and auto trains.

Goumiers during the Battle of Garigliano, Italy, 20 April 1944.

Goumier and vehicles of the 2e GTM in the Vosges, November 1944.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The Groupement de Goums was replaced by the Tabor - still roughly battalion sized. The mounted recon element was moved to this level, along with an 81mm mortar team and a radio section. Transportation came from 70 horses, 40 mules, 4 jeeps and four 2.5 ton trucks.

59e Goum, Corsica, November 1943. Original caption: "Dubus, Bara, Moulay Saïd, Ernest [Bonacoscia]."

Train of the 17e Tabor near Acquafondata, Italy, 21 January 1944.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

After the Tunisia Campaign the Goums were rearmed and reorganized in summer of 1943. Platoon structure remained similar: Two FM groups and an assault group, but the number of FMs was doubled, and the assault group had up to 7 submachine guns. The goum gained a 60mm mortar and four bazookas.

Goumier with a Thompson submachine gun near Ousseltia, Tunisia, April 1943.

Goumiers training with an M1919 medium machine gun in Algeria, September 1943.

Goumier mortar team on the move during exercises in Algeria, summer 1943.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

A Goum was commanded by a Lieutenant or Captain, a Groupement by a Commandant. 2/3 of platoon leaders were French NCOs, otherss were Morocan: Moqaddem (Sergeant) and Maoun (Corporal). Frenchmen were expected to live with their men and learn their language - generally, this seems to have worked well.

Goumiers on 11 November 1943 in Algiers.

French officers of Goumier units in discussion near Saint-Florent, Corsica, October 1943.

Captain Guy Boula de Mareüil of the 59e Goum on Corsica with a civilian woman identified as Yvonne Médori and an unidentified Moroccan Goumier.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

The Goums were combined into battalion-sized Groupements de Goums: Four Goums, plus a weapons section with 2 mortars and a 37mm mle 1916 infantry gun. The command section had a mule train, and a transmissions group with an ER 17 radio set (54 kg weight, range 4-15 km).

37 mm mle 1916 TRP, for illustration purposes

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

In 1939 there were 57 Goums - 51 were dissolved to create 64 Goums de Marche. This Goum had 3 infantry platoons of 3 groups, 2 with an FM LMG and 1 with 3x VB rifle grenadiers. An MG platoon had 2x 8 mm MGs. There was a mounted squad for recon, and a mule train. (Images 1943 - for illustration).

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

First recruited in 1908, Goumiers were theoretically in the service of the Sultan, though under French command. Soon dozens of Goums - roughly company-sized - were formed. Typical 1930s organization was 3 infantry platoons, a cavalry platoon, MG group and mule train: 161 Goumiers and 10 Frenchmen.

Mounted Goumiers at Guelmim, Morocco, 1936.

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

New #Orbat breakdown: The evolution of the Moroccan Goumiers during WWII - These irregulars became a key part of the Fighting French Forces in Tunisia, Sicily, Corsica, Italy, France and Germany - and then in Indochina. #WWII #WW2 #MilitaryHistory #France #Morocco #ORBATboys

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

This summer, a group of reenactors from Les Loups de la Moselle, in uniforms of the 169th Fortress Infantry Rgt. (169e RIF) braved the heat for an 8 km march between two Maginot forts - heat at least as tough as June 1940! Link to their page: www.instagram.com/reel/DcvZZbP... #WWII #WW2 #France

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

Algeria, 1956-1958 period, soldiers from the 2e Régiment de Zouaves pose with a captured National Liberation Army (ALN) flag. The armed wing of the FLN, the ALN largely operated from exile camps in Morocco and Tunisia, infiltrating across the borders. #MilitaryHistory #France #Algeria #ColdWar

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Sammy Flex the Unproblematic King @sammyflex.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

August 1950: A wounded soldier is evacuated on the back of an M8 Greyhound of the 1er Régiment de Chasseurs (immat IC🇫🇷91 985). Tonkin province, Vietnam. #MilitaryHistory #France #Vietnam #Indochina #ColdWar #Tank #Armor

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