Description France's colonial wars in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia were very largely fought by an organization completely separate from both the home-defense Metropolitan Army and the Arm e d'Afrique in Algeria.
The Naval Troops ( Troupes de la Marine ) were volunteers, and earned a reputation for greater toughness and hardiness than the conscripted Metropolitan Army.
Spread throughout the French Empire, Naval Troops in this period were characterize.
Osprey Publishing (uk) French naval & colonial troops 1872-1914, paperback/rene chartrand
