1st Moroccan Division – Zouaves and Foreign Legion
The 1st Moroccan Division Memorial is located near the entrance to the Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial.
It faces a preserved section of the battlefield and overlooks a landscape still marked by the ravages of war.
Despite efforts to mitigate erosion by planting trees in old craters, the wooded area still bears the scars of the fierce battles that took place there.
Composed of French Zouave and Legionnaire regiments, the 1st Moroccan Division played a decisive role in the conflict, demonstrating courage and resilience in the chaos of war.
The attack on Vimy
May 9, 1915, marked a decisive turning point for the men of the 1st Moroccan Division, who launched a courageous assault on Vimy Ridge.
They wore white squares pinned to their backs to avoid French artillery fire as they advanced through the Bois Folie, marking the start of the attack.
However, their exposed position made them vulnerable not only to French observers but also to German forces on their flank. Despite their bravery and determination, the 1st Moroccan Division encountered fierce resistance. To make matters worse, they were running low on ammunition and reinforcements.
As the day progressed, the situation became untenable, leading to the order to retreat and the loss of this hard-won position.
Foreign Legion and Zouaves
The French Foreign Legion, renowned for its elite status, was founded in 1831 for foreign nationals wishing to serve in the French army.
The Zouaves, meanwhile, were light infantry regiments recruited from the former North African French colonies and protectorates (1831 to 1962). Recognisable by their distinctive uniform, consisting of baggy trousers and a red fez, they made their mark on military history. A testament to their legacy stands in Paris: the iconic statue of the Zouave du Pont de l’Alma, erected on the bridge’s only pillar.
During the First World War, 449,000 men from French colonies and protectorates, Algeria, sub-Saharan Africa, Indochina, Tunisia and Morocco, were thus mobilised and sent to France. While some served as soldiers, many others contributed to the war effort as unskilled workers. Tragically, of those who fought on the front lines, approximately 70,000 died defending France.
1st Moroccan Division Memorial
The memorial to the 1st Moroccan Division pays solemn tribute to foreign nationals who died for their country.
Its understated design features the Islamic crescent and an inscription in French:
“Aux Morts de la Division Marocaine
Sans Peur sans Pitié (translated into Arabic)
A la Mémoire du Colonel Pein, commandant la 1er Brigade, du Colonel Cros commandant la 2nde Brigade, des Officiers, sous-officiers de la Division Marocaine tombés ici glorieusement les 9.10.11 Mai 1915.
Le 9 Mai 1915 les régiments de la Division Marocaine s’élancant à 10 heures des tranchées de Berthonval et brisant de haute lutte la résistance des Allemands atteignirent d’un bond la cote 140 leur objectif, rompant pour la première fois le front ennemi.”
“To the Dead of the Moroccan Division
Fearless and Merciless
In memory of Colonel Pein, commanding the 1st Brigade, of Colonel Cros commanding the 2nd Brigade, of the Officers, non commissioned Officers of the Moroccan Division who in glory fell here on 09/10/11 May 1915.
On May 9, 1915 the regiments of the Moroccan Division, rushed from the Berthonval trenches at 10am, fiercely overcame the Germans’ resistance and reached Hill 140, their goal, breaking for the first time the enemy’s front.”
Department of Pas-de-Calais – Hauts de France region
Coordinates Moroccan Division Memorial: Lat 50.379203 – Long 2.769767
Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Photo French Colonial Forces early WWI Public domain
