The 101st Infantry Division was a formation of the French Army that served in both World War I and World War II, albeit with different designations and roles in each conflict.
During World War I, it existed as the 101st Territorial Infantry Division (French: 101e Division d'Infanterie Territoriale, 101e DIT). It was formed on 25 May 1914 and dissolved on 26 November 1916. Its component units included the 223rd, 259th, 268th, and 279th Territorial Infantry Regiments. The division served as part of the French 3rd, 8th, 31st, and 33rd Corps, which were in turn assigned to the French 1st and 2nd Armies.
During World War II, the division was reestablished as the 101st Fortress Infantry Division (French: 101e Division d'Infanterie de Forteresse, 101e DIF). It was activated on 16 March 1940 and existed until May 1940. It was a Series B reserve division composed of older reservists, tasked with defending the French border with Belgium. The division comprised:
- 84th Fortress Infantry Regiment
- 87th Fortress Infantry Regiment
- 161st Artillery Regiment
At the onset of the German offensive on 10 May 1940, the 101st was assigned to the 5th Army Corps (motorized), part of the 1st Army, 1st Army Group. It held a section of the Maginot Line near Clairfayts. On 16 May 1940, the German 7th Panzer Division broke through the sector held by the 84th Regiment in a night assault, overcoming what sources describe as "considerable resistance."
