In the French Army, in which they originated, "Bataillons de Marche" derived their name from the fact that they were initially temporary units that followed the main body of a parent infantry regiment, on foot, in a rapid march. Such battalions were usually formed at a barracks, regimental depot or mobilization center, to gather late-comers, raw recruits and/or personnel transferred from other regiments, after a regiment had left for the front. They sometimes included small units made up of irregulars/auxiliaries (such as "tabor"s from French colonies in North Africa).