The Reconnaissance Group (Groupe de Reconnaissance, GR) was a type of cavalry formation created by the French army during the Second World War from 1939 to 1940. Ranging in size from a reinforced battalion to a regiment, they were attached to infantry divisions as a divisional reconnaissance group (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d’Infanterie, GRDI) or to corps as an Army Corps Reconnaissance Group (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d’Armée, GRCA). Mounted on horse or motorcycle, and sometimes equipped with armored cars and tanks, the reconnaissance groups were highly mobile formations, and were often grouped together in ad-hoc cavalry formations to combat the fast-moving German panzer units during the Battle of France.

Mission During the interwar period, the French cavalry arm conceived of its mission as being composed of three principal elements: Discovery (découverte), security (sureté) and combat.

Découverte referred to long-range reconnaissance and information-gathering well in advance of the main body of the unit, requiring fast and autonomous mobile units which were expected to operate primarily using the road network. Vehicles intended for this role, the Automitrailleuses de Découverte, or AMD, were generally wheeled armored cars. In 1940 the Panhard AMD 35 was the preferred AMD of the French cavalry.

Sûreté referred to reconnaissance and security activities that were essential to the movement and deployment of the main body of the unit; these tasks included scouting directly in advance of the main body, flank protection, identification and occupation of key terrain, and initial contact with the enemy. Vehicles intended for this role, the Automitrailleuses de Reconnaissance, or AMR, were generally small, lightly-armed tracked vehicles, with an emphasis placed on low profile and all-terrain mobility. While the Renault AMR 33 and AMR 35 were intended for this role, they were not available in sufficient numbers to equip the Reconnaissance Groups, so older armored cars like the Schneider P 16 were typically employed.

Combat was the direct intervention of the cavalry unit in battle designed to produce a shock effect through the combination of firepower and mobility. The Automitrailleuses de Combat, or AMC, were meant to combine sufficient protection and mobility to engage and destroy enemy armored vehicles. Development of the AMC would culminate in the SOMUA S 35 cavalry tank. While the GR were not intended to fulfill the combat role, which was reserved for heavier cavalry units, a few GRDI nevertheless fielded Hotchkiss light tanks in the AMR role.

Employment French doctrine of the 1930s stated that the reconnaissance group was intended to provide reconnaissance and intelligence-gathering capability to its parent unit. Further, the GR was responsible for providing flank security during movement, and with securing key terrain ahead of the main formation, particularly with an eye to preventing incursions by enemy armor.

Manuals defined the role of the GR thusly: “Motorized Army Corps and Infantry Divisions are equipped with fully motorized reconnaissance groups, designed to carry out security missions on behalf of these larger units—missions normally assigned to cavalry. Among these missions, long-range security is of critical importance when facing an adversary that also possesses a high degree of mobility."

The reconnaissance group was assigned four major tasks:

Intelligence gathering Providing cover against incursions by armored vehicles Occupying key points within their areas of operation Reconnaissance of the road network, with a view to its use by motorized columns

Intelligence gathering was entrusted to the AMDs and motorcyclists, deployed along the road network. These mobile units were expected to provide reconnaissance over an area extending 80 to 100 km in advance of the main body of the unit. Motorcycle detachments, supported by machine guns and anti-tank weapons, were to provide advance warning and protection against enemy incursions. In the event of enemy attack, these advance guards were to concentrate their resistance at key road nodes and make use of obstacles and destruction (i.e. of bridges) to delay the enemy advance. The defensive action of the GR was intended to break the enemy's momentum and deny them the element of surprise.

The main body of the reconnaissance group, operating behind the advance guard but ahead of the parent formation, was entrusted with occupying key terrain and securing possible chokepoints, to facilitate the maneuver of the larger unit. For these tasks the GR was to be reinforced as required by motorized infantry and artillery elements from the division or corps. The reconnaissance group was also responsible for screening the flanks of the unit during maneuver.

Working in conjunction with engineer and transport units, the GR was to undertake reconnaissance of the road network to determine its suitability for movement and identify bridges and crossing points across waterways.

In defensive combat, the reconnaissance group was tasked with monitoring enemy movements, in order to thwart enemy flanking attempts or threaten the enemy's own flank. When attacked head-on, the GR was intended to conduct a delaying action.

Composition In order to carry out their mission, the reconnaissance groups combined armored cars, motorcycle-mounted troops, and horse-mounted cavalry. There were two basic types, the Army Corps Reconnaissance Group (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Corps d’Armée, GRCA), and the Divisional Reconnaissance Group (Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d’Infanterie, GRDI), which was attached to an infantry division.

The GRCA and GRDI were constructed from the same basic elements, with the number and type of squadron differing depending on the recon group structure and mission.

The horse-mounted Escadron à Cheval totaled 190 officers and men, divided into four platoons and a machine gun group, plus a 60mm mortar. Each platoon was subdivided into two combat groups, each consisting of a scout squad (five mounted riflemen, armed with either the 8mm Berthier mousqueton or 7.5mm MAS 36, one equipped with a rifle grenade discharger) and a fusilier squad (six men: five riflemen and one 7.5mm MAC FM 24/29 light machine gunner). An additional fusilier squad was at the direct disposition of the platoon leader. Each platoon totaled 34 officers and men. The machine gun group consisted of two Hotchkiss mle 1914 8mm machineguns and 25 men, with 9 men per gun team, and there was an additional Hotchkiss intended for air defense. Eight men were assigned to the 60mm Brandt mle 1935 light mortar.

The motorcycle-mounted Escadron de Fusiliers-Motocyclistes consisted of 150 men divided into four platoons plus a mortar team. Each platoon was split into two combat groups, each consisting of two four-man fusilier squads, with three riflemen and one FM 24/29 gunner each. Each platoon consisted of 26 men, intended to be transported by 13 motorcycles outfitted with sidecars. Four men manned the 60mm mortar.

The weapons squadron or Escadron de Mitrailleuses et Canons consisted of two machine gun platoons, each totaling 29 men and four Hotchkiss mle 1914s, divided into groups of two, and an anti-tank gun group, with two 25mm Hotchkiss SA 34 anti-tank guns, each manned by a team of 9 men. Each machine gun platoon also had an additional Hotchkiss intended for air defense. These heavy weapons were transported by light truck (camionette) with the rest of the personnel mounted on motorcycles.

The AMD (Automitrailleuse de Découverte) squadron was organized in four platoons of three armored cars each, the intended vehicle for this role was the Panhard 178 AMD 35. The squadron leader was also mounted in an armored car, and typically there would be a 14th vehicle assigned to the commander of the group of squadrons (GED).

The AMR (Automitrailleuse de Reconnaissance) squadron was intended to consist of four platoons of five AMR 33s or AMR 35s, however, a shortage of these vehicles meant that the Schneider P 16 had to be substituted. Under this arrangement, AMR squadrons typically had three platoons of four P 16s, with a 13th vehicle for the squadron leader and a 14th vehicle for the group commander.

In units where the AMR squadron was replaced by a Hotchkiss H 35 or H 39 light tank squadron, the squadron was organized into four platoons of three tanks each, with a 13th vehicle for the squadron leader and a 14th vehicle for the group commander.

The Escadron Hors-Rang (EHR) was the logistics/support squadron for the group, providing supply, transport, maintenance, and medical services to the unit. In units with armored vehicles, two additional vehicles of each type were held in reserve (au volant) with the repair and maintenance section of the EHR for use as replacements.

GRCA

The typical GRCA was under the command of a colonel or lieutenant-colonel and split into two groups of squadrons, a Groupe d’Escadrons a Cheval (GEC), composed of two squadrons on horseback, and a Groupe d’Escadrons Motorisés (GEM), combining a motorcycle-mounted squadron and a motorized heavy weapons group (Escadron de Mitrailleuses et Canons, EMC or Escadron de Mitrailleuses et Engins, EME) which provided additional firepower in the form of crew-served weapons, including Hotchkiss machineguns and 25mm anti-tank guns. The horse-mounted element had its own group of horse-drawn anti-tank guns (two 25mm guns). A logistics and sustainment squadron (Escadron Hors-Rang, EHR) provided logistical, medical, maintenance and veterinary services for the unit.

A GRCA could also be fully motorized; this was the case for the 1re GRCA, 2e GRCA and 3e GRCA, which were attached to the motorized and mechanized corps of the French army. In this case, the horse-mounted GEC was replaced by a Groupe d’Escadrons de Fusiliers Motocyclistes (GEFM) composed of two motorcycle squadrons, and a Groupe d’Escadrons de Fusiliers Motocyclistes et de Mitrailleuses et Canons Anti-Chars, composed of one motorcycle squadron and one heavy weapons group, reinforced with a second section of 25mm anti-tank guns, to replace the horse-drawn anti-tank group from the typical GRCA. The Escadron Hors-Rang was also fully motorized in this case, with additional resources for auto maintenance and fuel supply. The on-paper strength of a motorized GRCA was 823 officers and men.

GRDI A typical Divisional Reconnaissance Group or GRDI was slightly smaller than the GRCA. Commanded by a lieutenant-colonel or Chef d’Escadrons, it was composed of one motorcycle squadron (Escadron de Fusiliers Motocyclistes), one squadron on horseback (Escadron à Cheval), a heavy weapons squadron (Escadron de Mitrailleuses et Canons Anti-Chars, EMC) and an Escadron Hors-Rang (EHR) providing logistical services. A horse-drawn anti-tank group was at the disposal of the GRDI command element, and logically would work in tandem with the horse-mounted element. A typical GRDI had an on-paper strength of 678 officers and men.

Five GRDI, attached to the motorized infantry divisions, were motorized and equipped with armored vehicles. These units were organized into two groups of squadrons, with the heavy weapons squadron independent. The Groupe d’Escadrons de Découverte (GED) was composed of one AMD armored car squadron (Escadron d’Automitrailleuses de Découverte), equipped with Panhard AMD 35s, and a motorcycle squadron. The Groupe d’Escadrons de Reconnaissance (GER) was composed of an AMR squadron (Escadron d’Automitrailleuses de Reconnaissance) and a motorcycle squadron. The heavy weapons squadron included an armored anti-tank section equipped with two AMR 35 ZT 2 and two AMR 35 ZT 3 vehicles armed with 25mm cannon. These vehicles were delivered just days before the German invasion of France and the Low Countries. The EHR was fully motorized.