3rd Army Group (France)

Army Group 3 (Groupe d'Armées 3 [GA 3]) was a French Army formation during the Second World War, stationed along the river Rhine manning the Maginot line.

3e Groupe d'Armées (GA 3)
Active	Mobilized 1939 – Dissolved June 1940
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Army Group
Role	Defense of the Maginot Line (Rhine Sector)
Size	3 Armies and 4 Army Corps in May 1940
Part of	Directly subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief North-East Theatre (General Georges)
Mottos	Rhin et Danube (English: Rhine and Danube)
Engagements	Battle of France (1940)
Commanders
Notable commanders	Général d'Armée Antoine-Marie-Benoit Besson (Sept 1939 – May 1940)

It was responsible for manning the southern end of the Maginot Line, along the River Rhine and controlled one army. The army group's Commander-in-Chief was Général d'Armée Antoine-Marie-Benoit Besson.

Fortified sectors

Until 16 March 1940, the Altkirch sector was part of the Fortified Region of Belfort. Afterwards, the Altkirch sector was under the command of the 44th Army Fortress Corps under General Tence,^[1] which was in turn under the command of the French 8th Army, General Garchery at the Fort de Giromagny, part of Army Group 3.^[2] The 44th Corps' headquarters was at Dannemarie. The 67th Infantry Division, commanded by General Boutignon, provided infantry support. The 67th DI was a series B reserve division, not suitable for heavy or sustained combat Following to its reorganization, the sector was called the Defensive Sector of Altkirch.^[1]

The SF/SD Altkirch was commanded by General Salvan. Fortress troops were provided by the 12th and 171st Fortress Infantry Regiments. Artillery support was provided by the third and fourth battalions of the 159th Position Artillery Regiment.^[1] At the midpoint of the Battle of France on 1 June 1940, the fortress troops of the SF Altkirch amounted to two fortress infantry regiments in five battalions, comprising 165 officers and 3,300 men.^[3]

Order of battle (10 May 1940)

The following major formations were subordinate to the French 3rd Army Group at the start of the Battle of France. The composition was primarily based on reserve and fortress units.^[4][5]

• French 8th Army (8e Armée) - General Marcel Garchery
  • XIII Army Corps (13e CA) (General Misserey)
    • 104th Infantry Division (104e DIF)
    • 105th Infantry Division (105e DIF)
    • 19th Infantry Division (19e DI)
    • 54th Infantry Division (54e DI)
  • 44th Fortress Army Corps (44e CAF) (General Tence)
    • 67th Infantry Division (67e DI)
    • Fortified Sector of Altkirch (SF Altkirch)
    • Fortified Sector of Montbéliard (SF Montbéliard)
    • Belfort Defences (Défense de Belfort)
  • VII Army Corps (7e CA) (General Doyen)
    • 71st Infantry Division (71e DI)
    • 2nd Brigade de Spahis (2e BS)
    • 13th Infantry Division (13e DI)
• French 6th Army (6e Armée) - General Robert Touchon
  • 45th Fortress Army Corps (45e CAF) (HQ Ornans)
    • 57th Infantry Division (57e DI)
    • 63rd Infantry Division (63e DI)
    • Jura Central Fortified Sector (SF Jura Central)

Army Group Reserves

These units were directly controlled by GA 3 for operational flexibility, often consisting of lower-priority divisions or fortress troops.

• Army Group Command Reserves
  • 5th Army
  • XLIV Corps d'Armée de Forteresse (XLIVe CAF)
• Corps Reserves
  • VI Army Corps (VIe CA)
  • VIII Army Corps (VIIIe CA)
  • XX Army Corps (XXe CA)