The French 102nd Division was a Territorial division (French: 102e Division d'Infanterie Territoriale, 102e DIT) during World War I, and a Fortress division (French: 102e Division d'Infanterie de Forteresse, 102e DIF) during World War II.
During World War I, the division comprised:
- 286th Territorial Infantry Regiment
- 292nd Territorial Infantry Regiment
- 326th Territorial Infantry Regiment
- 342nd Territorial Infantry Regiment
The division was formed on 25 May 1915, and was dissolved on 1 May 1916. During this time, it was part of the French 13th Corps (Corps d'Armée (CA)) (part of the French Sixth Army).
During the Battle of France in May 1940, the division was made up of the following units:
- 148 Fortress Infantry Regiment
- 42 Colonial Machine Half Brigade
- 52 Colonial Machine Gun Half Brigade
- 3 Machine Gun Battalion
- 160 Artillery Regiment
- 218 Artillery Regiment
It was a Series A reserve division which contained younger reservists. It was a Fortress Division defending the French Border with Belgium.
Famous quotes containing the words fortress and/or division:
“Man is exceedingly well defended against himself, against being scouted out and besieged by himself, and he is usually able to make out no more of himself than his outer fortifications. The actual fortress is inaccessible to him, even invisible, unless his friends and enemies turn traitor to him and lead him there by secret paths.”
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
“God and the Devil are an effort after specialization and the division of labor.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)