1st Free French Division

1re Division Française Libre
Badge of the 1st Free French Division. The divisional badge features the Cross of Lorraine
Active	1 August 1940 – 15 August 1945
Country	France
Allegiance	French Army  Free French Forces
Type	Infantry Division
Equipment	French, British, American
Engagements	Dakar Gabon Eritrea Syria Bir Hakeim El Alamein Tunisia Italy Provence Vosges Alsace Authion
Commanders
Notable commanders	Raoul Magrin-Vernerey Paul Legentilhomme Marie Pierre Kœnig Edgard de Larminat Diego Brosset Pierre Garbay

The 1st Free French Division (French: 1^re Division Française Libre, 1^re DFL) was one of the principal units of the Free French Forces (FFL) during World War II.

A unit formed of Europeans and soldiers from the colonies, the division was cited four times at the orders of the armed forces between 1942 and 1945, making the unit with the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division 3^e DIA, the most decorated French division of the second world war.

The 1^re DFL officially formed on February 1, 1943 and was dissolved on August 15, 1945; however, for the veterans of this unit, the history of this division began in the summer of 1940.

In London, on June 30, 1940, amongst the troops that combatted in Norway, 900 men of the 13th Demi-Brigade of Foreign Legion, commanded by lieutenant-colonel Raoul Magrin-Vernerey, and 60 chasseurs alpins made the choice to resume combat. Elements of a tank company, sapeurs, artillerymen and navalmen chose the same; they would constitute the 1^er Régiment de Fusiliers Marins 1^er RFM. In the Middle East, 350 men of a battalion stationned in Cyprus, led by captain Jean Lorotte de Banes passed to British Egypt. With 120 men of captain Raphaël Folliot, who left French Lebanon on June 27, constituted the 1st Marine Infantry Battalion 1^er BIM. They were joined by legionnaires of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6^e REI, sailors of the French Naval Squadron (Force X) (French: ), a squadron of a Moroccan Saphis à cheval of the 1st Spahi Regiment, commanded by captain Paul Jourdier, which would later form the 1^er Régiment de marche de spahis marocains. In Africa, a part of the 31st battery of the 6th Marine Artillery Regiment (French: , 6^e RAMa), stationed at Bobo-Diouloasso, commanded by captain Jean-Claude Laurent-Champrosay, passed from Haute-Volta in Gold Coast, then Cameroun to form the 1st Colonial Artillery Regiment (French: ) 1^er RAC.