1er Rgiment de Marche de Zouaves 1914-1915

Drill-
Drill in the French army was very simple. Below are the basics.
But to make this easy, forget that youre a reenactor that has done different periods of drill. Ignore how other groups
may do the drill; dont qualify it based on how your ACW group did drill, etc. Nothings more distracting- and
inauthentic- than a little voice from the ranks thats not how my XXXXX unit does the shoulder.

Vous sont les bleus- you are raw recruits learning this drill.

Were using the period French manual. This text combined with period photos or engravings from these manuals
are included to illustrate what was actually done. Plates attached.

1. Forming the section and numbering files.

Since we have limited numbers we will do all marching and drill in a single rank. NOTE- It is completely
ACCURATE to drill in a single rank when the weak numbers of men require it. LInfanterie en un Volume, 1914.
Art.132

--Rassemblement (Fall in; form up)

Always fall in or form ranks at la position de larme au pied (position of attention or order arms). See below.
Man- generally un caporal- stands where rank is to form. Men form ranks to the left of this man, by height. No
fussing, just sort it out quickly.

--Alignement droite, au center, gauche (Right dress, Center Dress, Left Dress) --
A Droite (right) will be our standard.

Preparatory command of alignement. At the command of execution droite, men turn heads slightly to right and
extend left elbow by placing left hand on waistbelt. (Plate. 1)

Dress right on stationary man; this man remains looking front. Men remain looking right, hand on waist with elbow
extended, until ordered:

FIXE- (Front)

Men smartly face front. This is the spacing you should strive to keep throughout drill and marching.
If in two ranks, ranks are measured 1 meter from back of front rank to chest of rear rank.
Ranks and files now properly aligned and dressed it is time to number the fractions for drill and marching.

--Par rang- Numbre (Count-Off)

Starting with right most man the men then number 1,2,3,4 by file (un, deux, trois, quatre). Then 1,2,3,4, again, etc,
etc. Continue until the entire section is counted-off into groups of 4 files or 8 men. These are called fractions.

These fractions will march and drill and stack arms as a group. They will never change positions. Sergents (or
caporals) will remain behind rear rank as serre-files- file closers.

2 Mouvements avec larme (handling the rifle, manual of arms)

Two very important points need to be remembered when executing the movements with the rifle:

Art. 24. The movements with the rifle should be done smartly, and near the body
Art.29. In the movements from the position de larme au pied, on the preparatory-command, raise the
rifle slightly with the right hand which is held against the thigh

--Position de larme au pied (Order Arms, attention)

Heels together, feet opened to an approximate 45 degree angle.

Butt of rifle touching right foot; beak of butt at same line as toes.
Rifle in right hand between extended fingers and thumb. Thumb of
right hand close to or touching the right thigh.

Left hand open and turned out slightly, pinky against left thigh.

--Repos- (Rest)--
Hold rifle against body by placing right hand flat on stock. Remain silent
and attentive but you can move but not leave ranks.

--Garde vous (attention)--

Resume position de larme au pied, shown above.

--Presentez-Arme (present arms from the order)--

 On preparatory-command presentez lift rifle slightly.

On the command of execution arme as follows:

1st Movement
Keep rifle close to body and raise rifle with right
hand. As its raised quickly grab with left hand
between receiver and sight, thumb in recess in
stock.

2nd Movement
Release right hand as you keep raising with left hand;
quickly place right hand under the butt of the rifle.
The beak of the butt between first and second
finger. Right arm extended fully, left hand near
shoulder.

Motion completed, right arm should be fully

extended. Left elbow low, left forearm tight against chest.

-Reposez-arme (Order Arms; reverse to last position)--

Reverse this movement and bring rifle back to previous position, position de larme au pied (order) in this case.

--Larme sur lepaule- droite (right shoulder arms)--

Note for larme sur lepaule. When marching and commanded to HALT, bring the rifle to larme au pied
without being ordered. Art. 30., noted in section for marching also.

On the preparatory-command larme sur lepaule lift rifle slightly. On the command of execution droite as
follows:

1st Movement (same as presentez-arm)

Keep rifle close to body and raise rifle with right hand. As its raised quickly grab with left hand between receiver
and sight, thumb in recess in stock. Release right hand as you keep raising with left; quickly place right hand under
the butt of the rifle. The beak of the butt between first and second finger. Right arm extended fully, left hand
at height of shoulder. Knuckles near shoulder.

2nd Movement
Continue to raise rifle
almost vertically with
right hand; while raising
rifle loosen grip of left
hand and keep
fingertips or palm
lightly against rifle
right. DO NOT loose
contact of rifle with left
hand. As you are
raising, the rifle needs
to be rotated so that the
bolt-lever is facing
forward and slightly to
the right. The left side
of the receiver against
body; sight and barrel
facing right.

While lifting, left hand

should hover near
shoulder as a guide and
support. Once raised to
proper position the left
hand should rest near or
below the small of the
stock; or just above
your right. Bolt-lever facing forwards and slightly to the right

Image at above-right lexercice du fusil shows illustrates the 2nd motion of lArme sur lpaule.

--Larme sur lepaule- droite (continued)--

3rd Movement (of larme sur lepaule)
Drop right hand.

Once completed, the position of the rifle should be twisted so the bolt-lever faces to the
front and right. Angle of rifle is back, and to the mans left. Beak of rifle between first
and second fingers.

These images illustrate what you need to do.

Below- Garde-Drapeau, 3e Zouaves about 1910.

Above- Zouaves of an unknown Zouave about 1915

doing marching drill.

Below- Zouave recruits training in Tunisia, 1915. Entire

company at larme sur lepaule with amazing amount of
precision.
 --Presentez-Arme (present arms from the right shoulder)
Same position as from larme au pied

One motion
Drop right arm and allow rifle to slide down your shoulder to become vertical- it is never raised or lifted off
shoulder. As soon as you begin dropping motion with right arm, smartly bring left hand over to grab rifle between
sight and receiver (as described for presentez-arme above). Have both hands on rifle as much as possible.

Motion completed, right arm should be fully extended. Left hand near shoulder, rifle tight to body. Left
elbow low, left forearm tight against chest.

--Reposez Arme (Return)--

Bring rifle back to previous position, larme sur lepaule (right shoulder) in this case.

--Reposez Arme (Return)--

Go to larme au pied- the order

--Formez les faisceaux (Stack arms)--

Stacking is an unceremonious process. It is done properly, but without time or count. Rather than attempt to
describe here well simply learn it as a group. However a few remarks would help:

Its done in fours. Two files or four men.

Nearly all work is done by the even-numbered file.

Stack formed men return to the position de lattention as their stack is formed.

--Rompez vos Rang (Break Ranks)--

Men disperse from la faisceaux without ceremony.

--Rassemblement (fall in)--

Men rassemble at the faisceaux in their original places. Make sure to place feet against stocks of rifles exactly as
they were when forment les faisceaux.

--Rompez la fascieux (break the stack, unstack-arms)

Break stacks. Reverse movements. Return to attention, rifles at position de larmee au pied. Now prepared to
march.
 3 Marching
Men could march in several formations. In line; in column of fours by the right or left. They can move from line to
column while marching. For simplicity we will always move from line to column and back while halted. We will
always march by fours to the right flank

One very important note needs to be remembered when marching with rifles.

Art. 30. On the command HALT, if the rifle is still on the shoulder, place the rifle at the foot after being
halted. Order arms in other words.

To marche en colume par quatre droite. (March by the right in column of fours)

--A Droite par quatre- DROITE. (To the right, by fours- face right)--
Each fraction of 4 files (8 men) wheel to the right, on the number "1" file (right file). He simply faces right; men of
his fraction wheel to right quickly and dress on him (number 1 file)

Sergents Serre-files (file closers sergents) remain in place behind company but face right and now on right of
column.

Now faced right, you're in column par quatre droite. Serre-files march on the right of the column.

--En avant- Marche-

Sections marches off par quatre, guide droite. By fours, guide right.

If for any reason the section is still at the order- larme au pied- when the command MARCHE is given DONT
panic. The drill manual is prepared for this. On the preparatory command en avant par quatre simply raise the
rifle slightly as described in other movements from the order.

On the command Marche step off and bring rifle to larme sur lepaule without being ordered.

4 To halt and form line

--HALT--
(Rifles returned to larme au pied automatically)

--Face Gauche (face left ; FRONT)--

The 4 files then wheel on the number 4 file (left file).

So when marching instruct men to NOT close up distance when marching. Room needs to be open for each group to
wheel back to position. Otherwise it will be left wheel and then shove left to make room!!!

Wheel into and from colume par quatre is not a parade movement and should be done well, but quickly.