1st Armored Division (France)
| 1st Armored Division | |
|---|---|
| 1re Division Blindée | |
Emblem of the Division | |
| Active | May 1, 1943 – March 31, 1946 1948 – July 1, 1999 July 1, 2016 – present |
| Country | France |
| Branch | French Army |
| Type | Armored division |
| Role | Armoured warfare |
| Size | ~ 25,000 |
| Garrison/HQ | Besançon |
| Nickname(s) | division Saint-Louis |
| Motto(s) | Nomine et Virtute Prima (First by Name and Valor) |
| Anniversaries | May 1st |
| Engagements | World War II |
The 1st Armored Division (French: 1re Division Blindée, 1re DB) is a unit of the French Army formed during World War II that took part in the Liberation of France.
The division was dissolved for the first time in 1946, and was recommissioned in 1948. It was dissolved again in 1999 as a consequence of the professionalization of the French military.
The 1st Mechanised Brigade (1re BM), created on July 1, 1999, inherited the division's traditions. The 1st Mechanised Brigade was again dissolved on July 21, 2015. The 1st Division (1re DIV) was recreated in 2016.