Goums

Goums were originally gendarmerie, small groups of irregular volunteers recruited from the indigenous population of French Morocco. However, like the Spahis, they later gave their name to regular units which became part of France's Armée d'Afrique (see France, 6(b)). They evolved into specialized units (part-mounted, part-infantry, each about 200 strong), trained as mountain troops to police their own territory. In September 1939 there were 126 Goums of which 57 were regulars. Four were used against the Italians on the Tunisian–Libyan border before the fall of France. After the armistice, the French resident-general of Morocco, General Noguès, contravened its terms by expanding them and keeping them secretly trained and properly armed. Following the North African campaign landings in November 1942 four regiments of goumiers (Groupements de Tabors Marocains, or GTM) were formed. Two fought with the Allies in Tunisia, one fought with Patton in the Sicilian campaign, and one helped liberate Corsica. Then, as the 2nd and 4th Moroccan Infantry Divisions numbering some 10,000 men, they formed part of the French Expeditionary Corps in the Italian campaign, distinguishing themselves during the final battle for Monte Cassino. From August 1944 they fought in de Lattre's First French Army which, took part in the French Riviera landings (as Armée B) and then in the battle for Germany. They were very highly regarded as savage fighters, but they also inflicted their savagery on the civilian populations they encountered in Sicily and Italy.

Bibliography

Clayton, A. , France, Soldiers and Africa (London, 1988).