Vichy France troops

I am interested on how dedicated were the Vichy French troops to fight against the Allies in Africa. In theory, they were allied with both Germany and Italy. Did they fight hard, did soldiers desert?

 

After the 1940 peace Vichy was not "allied" to the axis countries but something more like a neutral. AFAIK they never engaged in offensive operations against the Allies, despite numerous attacks on Vichy controlled territories and ships by British forces.
When attacked (Syria, Madagascar) they fought as well as could be expected from an isolated force cut off from outside help, resistance to the Torch landings was also determined if not fanatical.
I found no records of large French desertions unless you call joining De Gaule's forces a desertion.

 

Battle for Syria:

Allied losses were about 3,300 and the Free French lost 1,300.Vichy losses were about 6,000 of which 1,000 dead.

The Vichy French troops had a choice of returning to France , or becoming Free French. Out of 37,736 offered this choice, only 5,668 joined the Free French.

From " Rommel´s North-Africa campaign " by Jack Greene and Alessandro Massignani

 

Technically from a Vichy point of view they were considered deserters. Even De gaulle was sentenced to death by the Vichy Government. Of course from an allied point of view they were considered as freedom fighters and they were welcomed under their own colours , as part of Monty's army in North Africa or fighting with the Americans (1st Free French armored Division in Alsace for instance) .
The Syria figure was temporary. I don't know how many of those who chose not to join the Frre French immediately actually liked Vichy. Their aim was to go home first. Several changed their minds later when they realized they had made the wrong choice , others joined the maquis and returned to France via Algeria . very few actually remained faithful to Vichy troops and even less joined the Milice.

 

I think they fought harder against the British because of the sinking of the French fleet in Oran, but everyone joined together in the end to beat a common foe.

 

That's very useful to know, does this mean then that newsreels published by the Vichy government was more likely to report the facts of the German invasion of Europe as opposed to being supportive of the Germans?

 

They must have been brave attacking American Shermans and Stuarts with Renaults and Hotchkiss Tanks, the Germans roughly handled these AFVs along with the various other modern French tanks in 1940, and belive that the French forces based over seas had much older equipment then the regular French Army based at home.

 

I don't think there were tank combats between Vichy and allied forces, nor with Germans driving captured French tanks and figthing Shermans . The captured French tanks were mostly sent to Russia in 1941 and by 1943-1944 the surviving ones were either buried as turrets on the atlantic wall or sent to some satelite countries. I read on this forum that an Ft-18 tank that came from Syria was found, almost in mint condition, by U.S troops in Iraq three years ago

 

Thanks Skipper, I only ask because a series on the History Channel about General Patton mentioned about an engagment between French Tanks (either Renaults or Hotchkiss) and American Stuarts, and the French had to withdraw because on American Air Support.