Goumier

Goumier Goum
The standard insignia of the "Mixed Moroccan Goumiers": a Janbiya (a curved Moorish knife), inscribed in red with the letters G.M.M (Goum Mixte Marocain) and featuring gold North African decorations
Active	1908-1956
Country	France
Type	Infantry and mounted detachments
Part of	French Army
Engagements	World War II

The Moroccan Goumiers (French: Les Goumiers Marocains) were indigenous soldiers who served in auxiliary units attached to the French Army of Africa, between 1908 and 1956. While nominally in the service of the Sultan of Morocco, they served under French officers.

Employed initially as tribal irregulars, then in regular contingents, the goumiers were employed extensively during the French occupation of Morocco from 1908 to the early 1930s. They then served in Italy and France during World War II between 1942 and 1945. During this period four Moroccan Tabors Groupments (GTM) were created, each comprising 3 Tabors (battalion) with 3 to 4 Goums (companies). Goumiers then served in Indochina from 1946 to 1954.

The term « Goum » which designated a company of Goumier, originates from the Arab Maghreb « gūm » and the Classical Arabic « qawm », designating « tribe or people » which also made reference to the armed cavalrymen contingents of Arab or North African tribes who would provide support to the chief of their country during sought expeditions.

The term « tabor » is originally a Turkish designation of « tabur » making reference to a « battalion » or by the intermediary Arab « ṭābūr » also originally a Turkish designation.

The word originated in the Maghrebi Arabic word Koum (قوم), which means "people". The non-specific designation "Goumi" (French version "Goumier") was used to circumvent tribal distinctions and enable volunteers from different regions to serve together in mixed units for a "common" cause.

In French military terminology, a goum was a unit of 200 auxiliaries. Three or four goums made up a tabor. An engine or groupe was composed of three tabors. A goum in this case was the equivalent of a company in regular military units and a tabor would thereby be equivalent to a battalion. A tabor was the largest permanent goumier unit.

Each goum was a mix of different berber tribes mainly from the Atlas mountains of Morocco. sd