III Corps (France)
| 3e Corps d'Armée | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1871–1940 1979–1998 |
| Country |
 France
|
| Branch |
French Army
|
| Type | Corps |
| Part of | First Army (Cold War) |
| Engagements |
World War I World War II |
The 3rd Army Corps (French: 3e Corps d'Armée) was a corps-sized military formation of the French Army that fought during both World War I and World War II, and was active after World War II until finally being disbanded on 1 July 1998.
Reformed at Ste Germain-en-Laye on 1 July 1979 under the orders of Général de Barry, with its HQ fused with HQ 1st Military Region. Its major units were 2nd Armored Division and 8th Infantry Division (8 DI). On 1 July 1979 the Corps was transferred to Lille and its HQ fused with HQ 2nd Military Region. In 1991 the functions were separated, and Generals Arnold, Vaujour, Billot, and Heinrich held command as commanders of 3rd Corps solely. With its transfer to Lille, the corps took control of a force of 50,000 personnel including reservists, with 380 AMX-30, 1,300 armoured vehicles, 106 artillery pieces, and 56 Roland anti-aircraft missiles.
In 1984 the 6th Engineers Regiment joined the corps. At the end of the 1980s, the Corps comprised three major formations, the 2nd Armored Division and 10th Armoured Divisions and the 8th DI. There was also a logistics brigade stationed at Beauvais. On 1 July 1990, with the promulgation of the ‘Armées 2000’ plan, the 3rd Army Corps became the only army corps in the metropolitan territory, and the 7th Armored Division joined it, with the grouping rising to 44,000 men with 15,000 vehicles.
In 1993, after the disbandment of the 8th DI, the Corps was regrouped to comprise three armoured divisions, the 2nd, 7th, and 10th, the 12th Light Armoured Division with its command post at Saumur, the 15th Infantry Division at Limoges, and the 3rd Logistics Brigade, all reporting to Corps HQ at Lille. On 1 July 1993 three specialist brigades, engineer, artillery, and signals, were created at Lille. In 1994, the 27th DIA left the FAR to rejoin the 3rd Corps as the 27th DIM.
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