French Foreign Volunteers on the Advance to Moscow

Soldiers of the 'Legion des volontaires francais' (LVF) passing through a destroyed town on their advance towards Moscow, autumn 1941. The LVF was deployed to Smolensk and sent as reinforcements to the fighting near Moscow in November and December 1941 where it became the only foreign unit to fight alongside the Germans. By the time of its arrival at the front, the unit "was on its last legs". Many collaborators had feared that the unit might arrive too late at the front to see action, and its training had been cut short for this reason. The LVF was first deployed in combat near the village of Vygliadovka and participated in a successful frontal assault against Soviet positions on 1 December, but was hit by a large Soviet counterattack several days later, suffering extremely high casualties. Within months, the LVF had lost around half its manpower in action or through frostbite; there was also a serious outbreak of dysentery. Some individual soldiers deserted to the Red Army or committed suicide. After two weeks, they were withdrawn from the front line in Djukovo (40 kilometres (25 mi) from Moscow) and returned to Smolensk. Afterwards, the LVF was used only behind the front-line. Photographer: Artur Grimm.

Source :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legion_of_French_Volunteers_Against_Bolshevism
https://humus.livejournal.com/6575779.html