Russian Expeditionary Force in France
| Russian Expeditionary Force in France Corps Expéditionnaire Russe en France |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 1916–1918 |
| Country |
 Russian Empire Russian republic
|
| Branch |
Imperial Russian Army Русская императорская армия |
| Type | Expeditionary Combat Force |
| Role | Infantry |
| Mascot(s) |  |
| Engagements |
Macedonia
Légion d’Honneur Russe |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |
Corps Expéditionnaire Russe en France |
| Identification symbol |
Légion d’Honneur Russe |
Macedonia
Légion d’Honneur Russe
The Russian Expeditionary Force (French: Corps Expéditionnaire Russe en France) was a World War I military force sent to France by the Russian Empire. In 1915 the French requested that Russian troops be sent to fight alongside their own army on the Western Front. Initially they asked for 300,000 men, an unrealistically high figure, probably based on assumptions about Russia's 'unlimited' reserves. General Mikhail Alekseev, the Imperial Chief of Staff, was opposed to sending any Russian troops, although Nicholas II finally agreed to send a unit of brigade strength. The First Russian Special Brigade finally landed at Marseille in April 1916. A Second Special Brigade was also sent to serve alongside other Allied formations on the Salonika Front in northern Greece. In France, the First Brigade participated in the Nivelle Offensive, however with news of the Russian Revolution of 1917 impacting on the demoralisation within the French Army following the failure of that offensive, the 1st and 3rd Brigades participated in the wave of mutinies spreading across France. The First Brigade was finally disbanded before the end of the year. However, some elements formed the Légion Russe (French for Russian Legion), and continued to maintain a Russian presence in the west and, indeed in the First World War itself, until the Armistice of 11 November 1918.
In December 1915 the French politician, Paul Doumer while on a visit to Russia, proposed that 300,000 Russian troops be sent to fight in France in exchange for French munitions. While the Russian High Command showed little enthusiasm for this proposal, Tsar Nicholas II supported it. General Alexeyev, the Russian chief of staff from August 1915, made an offer to send Russian troops to France, as long as they remained under Russian officers (while operating under the French High Command). Another requirement was that the French Navy transport them.
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Wikipedia