Méhariste

A similar camel corps was subsequently raised to cover the southern Sahara, operating from French West Africa and falling within the separate Armée Coloniale.

During World War II méhariste companies, organised as "nomad groups", saw service against Axis forces in the Fezzan and southern Tunisia.

Operating in wide-ranging platoons of 50 to 60 men under French officers, they administered local laws, provided some basic medical assistance, inspected wells and reported on the state of pastures in the fertile oasis areas.

[2] The Sahara remained relatively quiet during the Algerian War of Independence (1954–62) but there was one instance, on 17 October 1957, where 60 méharistes of the Adrar camel company near Timimoun mutinied and killed their eight French officers and N.C.Os.

During the later stages of the Algerian War, méhariste detachments did patrol the southern (Saharan) ends of the fortified Morice Line along the Tunisian border.

The Compagnies Méharistes wore flowing coats (gandourah) of either white for Arab or blue for Tuareg troopers, with turbans, veils and wide black trousers (seroual).

Two red sashes were worn – one wound around the waist and the other crossed on the chest under red-brown leather equipment of traditional Saharean pattern.