French Expeditionary Corps (1943–44)

The French Expeditionary Corps (French: Corps Expéditionnaire Français, CEF), also known as the French Expeditionary Corps in Italy (French: Corps Expéditionaire Français en Italie, CEFI), was an expeditionary force composed of Free French soldiers that fought in the Italian Campaign during World War II under the command of General Alphonse Juin.

The French Expeditionary Corps, composed of 112,000 soldiers by April 1944, including 60% Maghrebis (mostly Moroccans) and 40% French (mostly Pieds-Noirs), was put under the command of Lieutenant General Mark W. Clark and his U.S. Fifth Army. Its commander was Alphonse Juin, a great tactician, assisted by General Carpentier. The other leaders were mainly General Joseph de Goislard de Monsabert (3rd DIA), General François Sevez, General Guillaume, General Dody and General Brosset.

During the first battle of Monte Cassino in January 1944, the FEC, on the U.S. Fifth Army's right flank, took Monte Belvedere and Colle Abate but largely because of lack of reserves being made available, failed to take Monte Cifalco and were forced to halt. In the next two battles, much smaller affairs on a narrow front around Cassino town, the corps was not involved. For the fourth and final battle the Fifth Army's front had been compressed towards the coast to allow the British Eighth Army's XIII Corps and II Polish Corps to join the line. During this battle, which took place in May 1944, the Corps attacked into the inhospitable Aurunci Mountains which the Germans had considered impassable by modern infantry. The progress made by the corps and in particular the lightly loaded goumiers, capturing Monte Maio and pushing deep into the Aurunci, threatened the flanks of the German forces on their right in the Liri valley fighting against XIII Corps. The Germans were consequently forced to withdraw allowing XIII Corps to advance up the Liri valley and the Polish Corps on the right to occupy the hotly contested heights of Monte Cassino and the abbey on top of it.

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