The Free French had 7,000 combat troops at maximum strength,
define exactly what you mean and at what date and we can discuss.
excluding navy personnel and a handful of airmen and sedentary garrisons of the few colonies that defected to De Gaulle. This information is readily available in books on the French in WWII (for example the Oxford Dictionary of WWII).
Other information are also readily available in other books. Especially when taken out of context.
So define exactly what you mean.
And 50,000 men in armed forces; out of which 7,000 are currently fighting is not the few deserters you were talking about.
BTW, most of the troops in the colonies were raised there and training for combat, not sedentary garrisons.
There were only 2 major ground combat units in the FF; the 13th DBLE which had been deployed in Norway and found itself marooned in England after the withdrawal.
The 13th DBLE was only a part of the 1st free french brigade.
The order of battle of the first free french brigade was
1st free french brigade
* 1er régiment de fusiliers marins [1]
* 1re Cie de chars de combat (puis 501e RCC dans la 2eDB) [1]
* 1er régiment de marche de spahis marocains [1]
* 11e régiment de cuirassiers
* 1er régiment d'artillerie [1]
* 21e groupe antillais de DCA
* 1re bataillon du Génie
* 13e demi-brigade de Légion étrangère [1]
* 22e bataillon nord-africain
* Bataillon de marche 1
* Bataillon de marche 2 [1]
* Bataillon de marche 3
* Bataillon de marche 4
* Bataillon de marche 5
* Bataillon de marche 11
* Bataillon d'infanterie de marine et du Pacifique [1]
* Bataillon de marche 21
* Bataillon de marche 24
* 4e compagnie anti-chars
in 1942, the free french fighting troops in the 8th army ( ie discounting Leclerc ), the western desert french forces, were composed of the 1st and 2nd free french brigades and the free french flying column.
The other major force was Leclerc’s rag-tag command in the Fezan which eventually became the 2nd Armoured Division.
And was the 2nd free french division before becoming armored.
Do not mix the forces Leclerc had to attack Kouffra in february 41 ( 400 men, coming from Tibesti troops only ) and the ones he had when joining Mounty, which came from the whole AEF.
If you compare the strength of the Free French with the Vichy forces (which were restricted in size by the Germans), the Free French were always an insignificant military force.
about half the numbers by end 1941 doesn't seem insignificant to me.
In fact, when offered the chance of either joining the FF or being repatriated, the vast majority of French troops consequently would opt for repatriation.
Due to various reasons and until the south of france was occupied, yes for the majority ( but not the whole ).
What has that to do with the discussion?
The bulk of those 50,000 men you list were local garrison troops of dubious worth, not trained and equipped to face a Western power
Snort. Sure. They proved that at Kouffra, Bir-Hakeim and Ksar-Rhilane, among others.
The Free French only became a viable military force (instead of a political entity included with various British colony grabs to give it a thin layer
LOL
I suggest you look at AEF, instead of Syria or Madagascar.
of legitimacy) after the Vichy forces switched sides and added valuable forces to the allied order of battle.
No. The Vichy troops added to the already existing free french, but even before, the allies had recognised the importance of the role of the french troops on several occasions. Look at Ksar Rhilane and Mounty's comment then, for one exemple.