posted 12-13-2025 07:18 AM               

Space Cover 836: 701e Groupement d'Artillerie Guidée (701st Guided Artillery Group)

The Special Weapons Testing Centre (C.E.E.S. = Centre d'Essais d'Engins Spéciaux) was created for the French Army in April 1947 in Colomb-Béchar, French Algeria. In 1948 it became the Joint Special Weapons Testing Centre (C.I.E.E.S. = Centre Interarmées d'Essais d'Engins Spéciaux) when it also encludes the French Air Force.

The C.I.E.E.S. comprises approximately 3.000 people, of whom nearly 2/3 belong to the Air Force and 1/3 to the Army, distributed across three main points: Colomb-Béchar, Hammaguir (contraction of Hammada du Guir) and Reggane.

From 1949 to 1961, the C.I.E.E.S. had three firing ranges set up around Colomb-Béchar; two in in Colomb-Béchar (called B0 and B1) and one in Hammaguir (called B2).

Firing range B0, just next to the oasis, for missile firings to the east with a range of less than 50 km and firing range B1, 12 km west of Colomb-Béchar, for launching rockets from December 1949. Here, was launched the first French rocket Véronique in May 1952 (see SCOTW nr 588) for additional information.

As both launch sites were insufficient to launch larger rockets in 1952, it was decided to create another complex or firing range named B2 in Hammaguir located around 120 kilometers south-. From Hammaguir were launched most known French satellites by rockets like Véronique or Diamant.

After Algeria's Independence in 1962, Colomb-Béchar two firing ranges were dismantled.

However, Hammaguir firing range B2 remained operational until 1967.

Space activities developed in French Algeria were supported by several military units. We only focus now in three of them: special weapons groups (620th, 621st) and guided artillery group (701st) which were assigned to the Colomb-Béchar, Hammaguir, and Reggane Test Centers.

After Algeria's independence, all these units returned to France (to be disbanded or redeployed), with the exception of a few units that remained active in the Saharan test centers of Reggane and Hammaguir, which were not evacuated until 1967 (620th, 621st, and 701st groups).

Top postcard is sent by a military from 701st Guided Artillery Group, also known as 701 GAG, in some date of 1956. Unfortunately, poor impression of machine cancel does not allow to see full date, day and month are missing. Postcard was mailed without stamps by free postage (FM stands for Franchise Militaire) and bears the cancel of 701st Guided Artillery Group, which can be seen clearly in the below image:

In Astrophilately class key element is always the postmark; exact date and nearest place for space events. This rule can be only broken for exceptional reasons and it is accepted that mail from WWII have not exact date when military units involved in the development of rockets is confirmed or in postwar period (also called Cold-War) when space tests were confidential and secrets.

It is widely known by astrophilatelists how many German military units were involved in V-2 rockets. Covers from these units, with its own designation number in the cancel, can see in the best astro exhibits and are perfectly accepted.

Now, we should think that other military units from other key countries, like France, also had their own military units which played an important role in its national space program.

If someone would like to expand this information or can support other covers/cards from French military units in French Algeria, it will be well received. Thanks.