Belgian Army Order of Battle (1914) - Garde Civique

The standing army was supplemented by a militia called the Garde Civique (French: "Civic Guard"). There were two distinct elements of the Garde Civique, "active" and "non-active". The organisation was "active" in large towns and fortified places, where it was organised into units of infantry, with some cavalry and artillery. It was largely composed of middle class volunteers for whom service in the Garde was a means of social advancement. There were 36,000 serving members in 1913. The "non-active" element were men of between 20 and 40 years of age who were liable to be called to arms in an emergency. On 5 August 1914, about 100,000 men were called up by royal decree. The established units of the "active" Garde Civic were incorporated into Belgium's defence plans, whereas those mobilised at the moment of invasion were assigned to local static defence duties, provided that uniforms (often just an armband and a cockade) and weapons could be found for them.