jun 23, 1927 - Companie de Milice

Description:

ca. 1927-28
From 1924, France had a mercenary and police force in Togo, the "Garde Indigène", trained and led by French officers and non-commissioned officers. The territorial defence of AOF was carried out by the "tirailleurs sénegalaise". But in 1925, the Mandate Commission insisted on the withdrawal of all [probably Senegalese] troops, since no soldiers were to be recruited and no troops set up in mandate areas. Togo's mandate status prohibited the creation of compulsory military service or a military force from the metropolis' financial resources. France then split off a so-called 'Companie de milice' from the 'Garde indigène' and stationed it [1927-28] in various parts of the country (the indigenous guards were financed from the metropolis' own resources, the tirailleurs from its own resources). This 'Companie de milice' could be strengthened at any time by the conscription of reservists. It was subordinated to the West African General Command. The "companie de milice" thus became a kind of "substitute army" and "elite troop" of the indigenous guards.

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