Created in 1914, the unit was designated as 8th Marching Zouaves Regiment.

The 8th Zouaves Regiment disembarked from Bordeaux and Sète between 7 and 15 August 1914, consisting of three battalions (1st, 2nd, and 4th), the 3rd battalion belonging to a marching tirailleur regiment at the corps of the Moroccan Division.

On 25 August, they crossed the border of Belgium, and that of Sugny, a small Belgian village, where they witnessed the burning of the villages of the Meuse and Semois.

They engaged in combat at the corps of the Moroccan Division alongside the 4e RTT, the 7e RTA, and the RMLE.

The regiment held garrison at Camp de Châlons in 1943.