Posted on Apr 30, 2017
What you should know about the French Foreign Legion
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The Battle of Camarón (French: Bataille de Camerone) which occurred over ten hours :21 on 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army, is regarded as a defining moment in the Foreign Legion's history. A small infantry patrol, led by Captain Jean Danjou and Lieutenants Clément Maudet and Jean Vilain, numbering just 65 men :5 was attacked and besieged by a force that may have eventually reached 3,000 Mexican infantry and cavalry, and was forced to make a defensive stand at the nearby Hacienda Camarón, in Camarón de Tejeda, Veracruz, Mexico. The conduct of the Legion, who refused to surrender, led to a certain mystique — and the battle of Camarón became synonymous with bravery and a fight-to-the-death attitude.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camar%C3%B3n
CAMERONE, APRIL 30
Between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. today, as your legionnaires made campfires to cook breakfast, a force of 800 Mexican cavalrymen suddenly appeared several hundred yards to the north. With your company caught on the road in open terrain, you immediately ordered the men to “form square,” the standard tactical formation for infantry to defend against a cavalry attack. The highly disciplined legionnaires obeyed instantly, fixing bayonets and forming ranks in the shape of a hollow square in plenty of time to meet a mounted charge initiated by about 50 Mexicans. As the enemy cavalrymen rode to within 70 yards with their lances leveled, you ordered your men to fire a volley that brought down several horses and riders and sent the rest galloping back north to the main Mexican force.
Although some of your legionnaires had burst into spontaneous cheering at defeating the cavalry charge, you realized that the Mexican commander was only testing your defenses and measuring the strength of your firepower. You had no doubt that the charge was only the beginning of what would be a desperate fight for survival by your heavily outnumbered men. Moreover, you assumed that the enemy commander was quickly gathering reinforcements – regular infantry and cavalry as well as guerrillas – which would soon make his force several times larger than it already was. Now, while still standing at your command position in the center of the square, you summon Lieutenants Vilain and Maudet to your side. “Do not be fooled by the ease with which we turned back the Mexican cavalry charge,” you warn them. “Our enemy was only feeling us out. No doubt the Mexicans are preparing to attack again, and they will come in much greater numbers – too many for our small hollow square to withstand. We must prepare to defend against the next onslaught. I am considering three possible courses of action. Listen closely as I explain each one, and then give me your candid assessment.”
Course of Action One: Defend at Camerone
“The first plan,” you begin, “is to march our men back to Camerone as quickly as possible and occupy the village by dispersing them in squads inside the houses and buildings. This will force the Mexicans to engage in closequarters urban combat in Camerone’s narrow streets and alleys, significantly limiting their mobility and freedom of maneuver. Fighting within these restricted confines also prevents them from using their soldiers in a mass attack, thereby helping our legionnaires overcome the enemy’s greater numbers.”
Lieutenant Vilain nods in agreement. “Yes, Captain,” he replies, “the enemy commander will be unable to use sheer numbers to overwhelm our legionnaires since he must fragment his force to attack our dispersed squads. And our men’s firepower will turn Camerone’s maze of confined streets and alleys into death traps as the Mexicans crowd through them to attack us.”
“My main concern with this plan,” Lieutenant Maudet interjects, “is that by scattering the squads throughout the village, we make exercising command and control very difficult, if not impossible. Although this option does fragment the attacking force, it also fragments our company, putting it at risk of being defeated in detail since the enemy could overwhelm the squads one by one. We also risk losing the vital cohesion, psychological boost and moral support that soldiers gain from fighting side by side as a single unit. I fear our legionnaires will feel isolated and vulnerable, and their morale – the legion’s greatest strength – will plummet.”
Course of Action Two: Defend at the Hacienda
“The second option,” you continue, “is to move the company as a single unit to Hacienda de la Trinidad. The farmstead’s thick, 9-foothigh walls and limited number of heavy-gated entrances make it a perfect fortress. It is completely surrounded by flat, open terrain and thus offers good fields of fire for shooting down any approaching enemy force.”
Lieutenant Maudet supports this course of action, saying, “Captain, this plan keeps the company together and provides for effective and continuous command and control. Importantly, the open fields of fire on all sides will ensure our legionnaires can wreak the greatest slaughter with their rifle-muskets, which are much longer-ranged than the Mexican cavalrymen’s carbines.”
“What Clement has said may be true,” says Vilain, “but unlike the first plan that spreads out our men, this one gives the Mexicans a single bastion to target. All of our eggs, so to speak, are in one basket, too easily crushed by a single powerful blow.”
Course of Action Three: Break Out Cross-Country
“The third plan,” you explain, “is to avoid a battle against such great odds by breaking out cross-country to the south. Unlike the open ground here near the road, the land there is rugged, rock-strewn and choked with cactus and brush. A massed cavalry charge would prove impossible, as even large formations would have to dismount and walk the horses over the broken ground. This would reduce the enemy cavalrymen to nothing more than marching infantrymen – and no soldier in the world can outmarch a legionnaire!
“Rotating our squads, we will use one at a time as a rear guard to further delay the Mexicans if they come close. After we have eluded the enemy by marching south for several miles, I will decide whether we will turn east to Soledad or west to Chiquihuite to rejoin the French forces at those locations.”
“Captain,” Vilain responds, “our most important task is to ensure the security of the convoy, yet this plan abandons our section of the supply road to the enemy’s control. While our men may escape danger, the Mexicans will be free to seize the wagons and all that they carry. The honor of the legion demands that we stand and fight, whatever the outcome!”
With a quick glance to the north, you realize the Mexican force is forming ranks for another attack. Worse, you also see telltale dust clouds to the northeast and northwest, indicating even more enemy soldiers are approaching. The time to act is now!
What is your decision, Captain Danjou?
http://www.historynet.com/take-command-french-foreign-legion-in-mexico-1863.htm
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp4 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ sp5 robert SP5 Robert Ruck @ po1 chip PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 Robert M. Alan K. Cynthia Croft
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Camar%C3%B3n
CAMERONE, APRIL 30
Between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. today, as your legionnaires made campfires to cook breakfast, a force of 800 Mexican cavalrymen suddenly appeared several hundred yards to the north. With your company caught on the road in open terrain, you immediately ordered the men to “form square,” the standard tactical formation for infantry to defend against a cavalry attack. The highly disciplined legionnaires obeyed instantly, fixing bayonets and forming ranks in the shape of a hollow square in plenty of time to meet a mounted charge initiated by about 50 Mexicans. As the enemy cavalrymen rode to within 70 yards with their lances leveled, you ordered your men to fire a volley that brought down several horses and riders and sent the rest galloping back north to the main Mexican force.
Although some of your legionnaires had burst into spontaneous cheering at defeating the cavalry charge, you realized that the Mexican commander was only testing your defenses and measuring the strength of your firepower. You had no doubt that the charge was only the beginning of what would be a desperate fight for survival by your heavily outnumbered men. Moreover, you assumed that the enemy commander was quickly gathering reinforcements – regular infantry and cavalry as well as guerrillas – which would soon make his force several times larger than it already was. Now, while still standing at your command position in the center of the square, you summon Lieutenants Vilain and Maudet to your side. “Do not be fooled by the ease with which we turned back the Mexican cavalry charge,” you warn them. “Our enemy was only feeling us out. No doubt the Mexicans are preparing to attack again, and they will come in much greater numbers – too many for our small hollow square to withstand. We must prepare to defend against the next onslaught. I am considering three possible courses of action. Listen closely as I explain each one, and then give me your candid assessment.”
Course of Action One: Defend at Camerone
“The first plan,” you begin, “is to march our men back to Camerone as quickly as possible and occupy the village by dispersing them in squads inside the houses and buildings. This will force the Mexicans to engage in closequarters urban combat in Camerone’s narrow streets and alleys, significantly limiting their mobility and freedom of maneuver. Fighting within these restricted confines also prevents them from using their soldiers in a mass attack, thereby helping our legionnaires overcome the enemy’s greater numbers.”
Lieutenant Vilain nods in agreement. “Yes, Captain,” he replies, “the enemy commander will be unable to use sheer numbers to overwhelm our legionnaires since he must fragment his force to attack our dispersed squads. And our men’s firepower will turn Camerone’s maze of confined streets and alleys into death traps as the Mexicans crowd through them to attack us.”
“My main concern with this plan,” Lieutenant Maudet interjects, “is that by scattering the squads throughout the village, we make exercising command and control very difficult, if not impossible. Although this option does fragment the attacking force, it also fragments our company, putting it at risk of being defeated in detail since the enemy could overwhelm the squads one by one. We also risk losing the vital cohesion, psychological boost and moral support that soldiers gain from fighting side by side as a single unit. I fear our legionnaires will feel isolated and vulnerable, and their morale – the legion’s greatest strength – will plummet.”
Course of Action Two: Defend at the Hacienda
“The second option,” you continue, “is to move the company as a single unit to Hacienda de la Trinidad. The farmstead’s thick, 9-foothigh walls and limited number of heavy-gated entrances make it a perfect fortress. It is completely surrounded by flat, open terrain and thus offers good fields of fire for shooting down any approaching enemy force.”
Lieutenant Maudet supports this course of action, saying, “Captain, this plan keeps the company together and provides for effective and continuous command and control. Importantly, the open fields of fire on all sides will ensure our legionnaires can wreak the greatest slaughter with their rifle-muskets, which are much longer-ranged than the Mexican cavalrymen’s carbines.”
“What Clement has said may be true,” says Vilain, “but unlike the first plan that spreads out our men, this one gives the Mexicans a single bastion to target. All of our eggs, so to speak, are in one basket, too easily crushed by a single powerful blow.”
Course of Action Three: Break Out Cross-Country
“The third plan,” you explain, “is to avoid a battle against such great odds by breaking out cross-country to the south. Unlike the open ground here near the road, the land there is rugged, rock-strewn and choked with cactus and brush. A massed cavalry charge would prove impossible, as even large formations would have to dismount and walk the horses over the broken ground. This would reduce the enemy cavalrymen to nothing more than marching infantrymen – and no soldier in the world can outmarch a legionnaire!
“Rotating our squads, we will use one at a time as a rear guard to further delay the Mexicans if they come close. After we have eluded the enemy by marching south for several miles, I will decide whether we will turn east to Soledad or west to Chiquihuite to rejoin the French forces at those locations.”
“Captain,” Vilain responds, “our most important task is to ensure the security of the convoy, yet this plan abandons our section of the supply road to the enemy’s control. While our men may escape danger, the Mexicans will be free to seize the wagons and all that they carry. The honor of the legion demands that we stand and fight, whatever the outcome!”
With a quick glance to the north, you realize the Mexican force is forming ranks for another attack. Worse, you also see telltale dust clouds to the northeast and northwest, indicating even more enemy soldiers are approaching. The time to act is now!
What is your decision, Captain Danjou?
http://www.historynet.com/take-command-french-foreign-legion-in-mexico-1863.htm
@ col mikel COL Mikel J. Burroughs @ ltc frank LTC (Join to see) @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen C. @ ltc stephen LTC Stephen F. @ capt marty Maj Marty Hogan @ smsgt doc SMSgt Minister Gerald A. "Doc" Thomas @ tsgt joe TSgt Joe C. @ sra christopher SrA Christopher Wright @ msg andrew MSG Andrew White @ sgt david SGT David A. 'Cowboy' Groth @ sp4 mark SP5 Mark Kuzinski @ sp5 robert SP5 Robert Ruck @ po1 chip PO1 William "Chip" Nagel PO2 Robert M. Alan K. Cynthia Croft
French Foreign Legion
France
Mexico
Military History
World History
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The French Foreign Legion has fought bravely at many engagements from well before the Battle of Camarón SGT John " Mac " McConnell. They were used in many regional war fights and every major war from the Crimean War, Mexico, Africa, WWI, WWII, 1st Indochina War [1946-1954] the Algerian War [1954- 1962], through present operations in the Sahel region of Africa fighting GWOT.
The French Foreign Legion has fought honorably in more engagements since its creation than any other military force in the world.
Kudos to the French Foreign Legion and those USA born members who served with it.
Images: French Foreign Legion Commando Parachute Group GCP uniform; Enlistment into the French Foreign Legion - training; 1916 Americans in the Foreign Legion WWI; Mexican Adventure Uniforms - French Foreign Legion
First Foreign Legion 1831-1835
March 10, 1831:
– Foreign Legion (Légion Étrangère, LE)
– King Louis Philippe signed an ordinance
– the ordinance authorized an establishment of a new unit composed of foreigners
– the unit was named as the Foreign Legion
– the ordinance allowed foreigners to serve under a declared identity
– this condition of service is valid to this day
– the first French Foreign Legion was organized into a single regiment
– it would consist of seven battalions, devided into eight companies
– each company would consist of around 110 men
– each battalion would consist of men of specific nationality
1831 – 1833:
– Foreign Legion battalions:
1st Battalion – consisting of Swiss and German veterans from the Swiss regiments and Hohenlohe Regiment
2nd + 3rd Battalions consisting of the Swiss and German-speaking volunteers
4th Battalion consisting of Spanish-speaking volunteers
5th Battalion consisting of Italian-speaking volunteers
6th Battalion consisting of French, Belgian and Dutch volunteers
7th Battalion consisting of Polish volunteers
1834:
– 4th Battalion of Spaniards was disbanded
– its men were sent back to Spain, to join the Spanish Civil War (or First Carlist War)
1835 – 1838:
– First Carlist War
– in June 1835, King Louis Philippe decided to send the whole Foreign Legion to Spain
– its around 4,100 legionnaires had to help the Queen Maria Christina, Regent of Spain
– in August 1835, the Foreign Legion left Algeria and joined the Spanish Army
– in August 1836, one another battalion was sent to Spain to reinforce the legionnaires
– in 1839, only around 220 men of the original Legion returned to France
New French Foreign Legion 1835-1855
1835 – 1840:
– new Foreign Legion establishment
– on 16 December 1835, King Louis Philippe decided to create the new Foreign Legion
– in 1836, a battalion was formed
– however, it was disbanded and its men moved also to Spain
– in November 1836, a new battalion was formed
– in September 1837, the second battalion of the new Foreign Legion was formed
– until December 1840, three other battalions were established
– the battalions served in Algeria
October 1837:
– Siege of Constantine
– a Foreign Legion task force participated in
May 1839:
– Djidjelli campaign
– 1st Battalion participated in fierce fights
April 1841:
– Foreign Legion Regiments
– on 30 December 1840, a decision to create two Foreign Legion regiments was made
– on 1 April 1841, the two foreign regiments were established
– 1st Foreign Legion Regiment (1er Régiment de la Légion Étrangère, 1er RLE) was organized in Algiers, the capital of Algeria
– Colonel Ch.J. de Mollenbeck took the leadership
– Colonel de Mollenbeck was a German officer
– he was a former member of the Hohenlohe Regiment
– 2nd Foreign Legion Regiment (2e Régiment de la Légion Étrangère, 2e RLE) was organized in Bône, Algeria
– Colonel J. F. Caries de Senilhes took the leadership
1841 – 1854:
– Pacification of Algeria
– Siege of Kolea in 1841
– Conquest of Zibans in 1844
– Siege of Zaatcha in 1849
– Siege of Moulouya in 1852
1843:
– Foreign Legion moved to Sidi Bel Abbes
– in 1843, the first Legion elements moved to Sidi Bel Abbes
– Sidi Bel Abbes was the garrison made up by legionnaires
– Foreign Legion headquarters had been based in Sidi Bel Abbes up to 1962
French Foreign Legion: Crimean War 1854-1855
1854 – 1855:
– Crimean War
– in 1854, the Legion was attached to the Orient Army of France
– both regiments deployed to Turkey to be based at Gallipoli
– Battle of Alma in September 1854
– Siege of Sevastopol in September 1855
– during the Crimean War, the Foreign Legion lost 1,625 men
1855 – 1856:
– First Foreign Legion + Second Foreign Legion
– on 17 January 1855, a decree to create two Foreign Legions was issued
– the original Legion became the First Foreign Legion (1re LE)
– it consisted of the two original regiments fighting in Crimea
– Second Foreign Legion (2e Légion Étrangère, 2e LE)
– Second Foreign Legion (2e LE) was established in 1855
– it was commanded by General Ochsenbein
– the new Legion was nicknamed Swiss Legion (Légion Suisse)
– it was composed of Swiss volunteers in the vast majority
– 2e LE would also fight in the Crimean War
– its first regiment was formed in 1855
– the second Swiss regiment existed only on paper
– finally, 2e LE didn’t join the war in Crimea
French Foreign Legion Reorganisation 1856
1856:
– Foreign Legion reorganisation
– on April 16, a decree to reorganize Foreign Legions was issued
– the decree ordered to form two Foreign Regiments
– 1st Foreign Regiment (1er Régiment Etrangèr, 1er RE)
– in June 1856, the Swiss Legion (2e LE) was disbanded
– Swiss legionnaires formed a new Foreign Regiment
– 1st Foreign Regiment was established
– 2nd Foreign Regiment (2e Régiment Etrangèr, 2e RE)
– in July 1856, the original Legion’s regiments landed in Algeria
– in August 1856, they were disbanded and its legionnaires formed a new unit
– 2nd Foreign Regiment was established
Foreign Legion: Italian campaign 1859
April-July 1859:
– Second Italian War of Independence
– in April 1859, both Foreign Regiments deployed to Italy
– Battle of Magenta on 4 June 1859
– during the battle was killed Colonel de Chabrières, the 2e RE commander
– Battle of Solferino on 24 June 1859
August 1859:
– Military parade in Paris
– on 14 August 1859, the 2e RE legionnaires paraded in Paris
– for legionnaires, it was the first military parade in Paris
French Foreign Legion: North Africa 1859-1863
1859 – 1860:
– 1st Foreign Regiment in Corsica
– during the war in Italy, 1er RE suffered heavy casualties
– the regiment left the war to be based in Corsica in June 1859
– 1er RE left Corsica for Algeria in February 1860
September 1859:
– operations in Morocco
– legionnaires participated in operations against Beni Snassen rebels
January 1862:
– Foreign Regiment (Régiment Etrangèr, RE)
– in January 1862, the 2e RE was redesignated
– it became simply the Foreign Regiment (RE)
– in February 1862, 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) was disbanded
– its legionnaires consolidated with the RE
Foreign Legion: Mexican Campaign 1863-1867
March 1863:
– French intervention in Mexico
– legionnaires landed in Mexico
– they took part in the French intervention (1861-1867)
April 30, 1863:
– Battle of Camerone in Mexico
– 3rd Company led by Captain Danjou was involved in
– 3 officers + 62 legionnaires
– they fought against 2,000 Mexican soldiers, rebels and cavalrymen
– when the battle finished, only 3 legionnaires were combat-ready
– 40 of them were killed during the battle, including 2 officers
– today, the Legion commemorates this battle on Camerone Day
– Camerone Day became the most important day for the legionnaires
1864 – 1865:
– in June 1864, 2nd Battalion was involved in fights near Puchingo
– in December 1864, fights near Coutela
– in February 1865, legionnaires siezed the town of Oajacca
1866:
– Battle of Santa Isabel
– on March 1, a battle at a hacienda located near Parras, northern Mexico
– two Legion companies (180 men) led by Major De Brian
– they were annihilated by 1,900 Mexicans, attacking the hacienda
– it is seen as the “second Camerone”
– also in March, 44 legionnaires resisted near Parras against 500 Mexicans for 3 days
– in July, 125 legionnaires defended the Hacienda De La Encarnacion against 600 Mexicans
– in December, 50 cavalry legionnaires fought off around 500 Mexicans in Parral
– in November 1866, the Mexican Campaign ended for the French
February 1867:
– Foreign Regiment left Mexico for Africa
– Foreign Regiment lost over 1,500 men in Mexico
French Foreign Legion 1867-1883
1867:
– in March 1867, Foreign Regiment landed in Algeria
1868:
– in February, operations in the Figuig region, Algeria
1870 – 1871:
– Franco-Prussian War
– three foreign battalions (1st + 2nd + 5th) participated in
– they were mainly involved in fights in Orleans, France
1871:
– Paris Commune
– in May, legionnaires fought against radical socialists occupying Paris
– legionnaires reseized Paris together with the regular French Army
– in June, the battalions left France for Africa
– in August 1871, the regiment received a provisional flag
1875:
– Foreign Legion
– on 13 March 1875, Foreign Regiment changed its designation
– it became the Foreign Legion again
1881:
– operations in the South Oran region of Algeria
– first Mounted Companies (Compagnie Montée) were established
– they will become the elite units of the Legion
Foreign Legion: Tonkin Campaign 1883-1886
– in December 1883, General François de Négrier:
“You, Legionnaires, you are soldiers in order to die, and I’m sending you to where one dies!”
– these famous words were addressed to legionnaires leaving Algeria for Asia
1883 – 1886:
– Tonkin Campaign
– the Legion will meet the Indochina (a peninsula in Southeast Asia)
– in November 1883, first legionnaires landed in Indochina
– operations in Tonkin, the northernmost part of today’s Vietnam
– the operations in Tonkin were often part of Sino-French War
– in Tonkin, legionnaires were involved in several campaigns and battles:
– Son Tay Campaign (December 1883)
– Bac Ninh Campaign (March 1884)
– Siege of Tuyen Quang (December 1884 – February 1885)
– Lang Son Campaign (February 1885)
December 1884:
– Foreign Legion reorganization
– Foreign Legion was devided into two regiments again
– 1er RE and 2e RE were re-established
French Foreign Legion 1886-1914
1892 – 1893:
– Campaign of French Sudan
– Sudan is a former title for today’s Mali (West Africa)
– a Legion company took part in
1892 – 1894:
– Second Franco-Dahomean War
– the expedition was part of the Second Franco-Dahomean War
– it took place near the Gulf of Guinea, in today’s Benin (West Africa)
– a Legion battalion was involved in (August-November)
1894 – 1895:
– Second Campaign of French Sudan
– in February 1894, a 2e RE company left Algeria
– with a 1er RE company, they moved to French Sudan
– 2e RE company was sent to French Guinea
– in January 1895, the companies returned to Algeria
– Battle of Bosse
– on July 1, a fierce battle in French Sudan
– it took place in the village of Bosse
– it was aimed at Alikari, the local king of Bosse
– a platoon of 1er RE took part in
1895:
– Second Madagascar Expedition
– legionnaires took part in the French military intervention
– the Legion returned back to Madagascar in 1896
– legionnaires left the island in 1905
1903:
– on September 2, Battle of El-Moungar
– the battle took place in the South Oran region, Algeria
– 113 legionnaires of the 22nd Mounted Company/2e RE were attacked by 3,000 Berbers
– legionnaires fought off the Berbers for more than 8 hours
– with coming French reinforcements, the Berbers retreated
– 2e RE company suffered 34 dead and almost 50 severely wounded
– 2e REI commemorates the battle on El Moungar Day
1907 – 1934:
– Pacification of Morocco
– since 1907, the Legion took part in the Pacification of Morocco
– in 1912, the French Protectorate in Morocco was established
– the Legion had 3 of its 4 infantry regiments of Africa based there in 1920-1940
– in 1934, the Pacification successfully ended
Foreign Legion: First World War 1914-1918
July 1914:
– World War I (First World War) started on July 28, 1914
September-November 1914:
– four regimental combat teams were established
– these teams were provisional units
2nd Regimental Combat Team of 1er RE (2e Régiment de Marche du 1er Regiment Étranger, 2e RM/1er RE)
3e RM/1er RE
4e RM/1er RE (consisted of Italian volunteers; called as the Légion Garibaldienne)
2e RM/2e RE (2e RM du 2e Regiment Étranger)
– their purpose had been to fight on the Western Front of Europe
December 1914 – January 1915:
– the regimental combat teams fought on the Western Front
– they participated in battles near Argonne, Somme, Craonne…
1915:
– in March, 4e RM/1er RE (Legion Garibaldienne) was disbanded
– in May-June, the teams took part in the Battle of Artois on the Western Front
– in July, 3e RM/1er RE was disbanded
– in September, the Battle of Champagne on the Western Front
March 1915:
– Foreign Legion Battalion (Bataillon de Légion Étrangère, BLE) was formed
– the battalion was formed in Algeria
– it helped to complete the African Regimental Combat Team (RMA)
– RMA was composed of 3 battalions
– the Legion one + 2 Zouave battalions (a force mainly composed of conscripts from the French settlers in Algeria and Tunisia)
– a few weeks later, the RMA was re-designated as the 1er RMA
– later, the Legion Battalion became the 3rd Battalion of 1er RMA
– in 1915-1917, the 3rd Battalion/1er RMA fought in the Balkans Campaign
– in 1915, it was involved in the Gallipoli Campaign (or Dardanelles Campaign)
– in April 1917, it took part in the Battle of Monastir (in today’s Macedonia)
November 11, 1915:
– Foreign Legion Regimental Combat Team (Régiment de Marche de la Légion Étrangère, RMLE) was established
– RMLE was formed by consolidating the remaining regimental combat teams (2e RM/1er RE, 2e RM/2e RE)
– RMLE participated in many fights and several fierce battles
– in July 1916, RMLE was involved in the Somme Campaign
– in August 1917, RMLE took part in the Battle of Verdun
– RMLE in 1916, as the first Legion unit, received a fourragère
October 1917:
– 3rd Battalion/1er RMA dissolution
– the Legion battalion of 1er RMA was disbanded
– part of legionnaires joined the RMLE
– in September 1917, the battalion was awarded the fourragère
– it was only the second Legion unit being awarded the fourragère
– the remaining legionnaires formed the Legion Company
– Legion Company served with 1er RMA until December 1918
– it was dissolved back in Africa in April 1919
1918:
– RMLE fought in several battles:
– near Hangard
– near Soissons
– Second Battle of the Marne
– Battle of St. Quentin Canal (Hindenburg Line)
November 11, 1918:
– World War I ended
– RMLE became one of the two most awarded unit of the French Army
– the regiment received 9 unit citations, mentioned in the name of the Army
– because of that, its legionnaires have been allowed to wear a double fourragère
– in 1919, RMLE left Europe for Africa
October 1918:
– in Russia, Foreign Legion Battalion of Northern Russia (Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère de Russie du Nord) was established
– the unit was administratively assigned to the Foreign Legion
– the battalion was composed of local volunteers, non-legionnaires
– its purpose had been to fight in Russia
– the battalion was disbanded a year later
French Foreign Legion 1918-1939
November 1920:
– RMLE became the 3rd Foreign Regiment (3e Régiment étranger, 3e RE)
– 4th Foreign Regiment was establisheded
– they were stationed in Morocco to participate in operations there
June 1922:
– 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er Régiment étranger de cavalerie, 1e REC) was established
– 1e RE, 2e RE, 3e RE and 4e RE were designated as the infantry regiments
1er RE became the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1er Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie, 1e REI)
2e RE became the 2e REI
3e RE became the 3e REI
4e RE became the 4e REI
1925 – 1926:
– Rif War (or Second Moroccan War)
– 2e REI, 3e REI were involved in
– Great Syrian Revolt in today’s Syria and Lebanon
– 1er REC, 4e REI participated in the conflict
September 17, 1925:
– Battle of al-Musayfirah (Messifré in French) in Syria
– a 10-hour-long battle in the early stage of the Great Syrian Revolt
– 5th Battalion of 4e REI + 4th Squadron of 1er REC fought against 3,000 Druze rebels
– legionnaires fought off the attackers
March 1928:
– Foum Zabel Tunnel
– the road tunnel in Morocco was finished
– it took six months to dig the tunnel through the solid rock
– the tunnel has become the famous example of Legion pioneer’s skills
September 1930:
– 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (5e Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie, 5e REI) was created
– it was organized in Indochina, in the Tonkin region
– 5e REI was nicknamed as the Tonkin regiment
April 30, 1931:
– the first public celebration of Camerone Day
– the first parade of the bearded Legion sappers at the head of a military parade
February 1933:
– Battle of Bou Gafer
– the battle was part of operations in the Djebel Sagho valley, Morocco
– 1er REI, 2e REI, 3e REI participated in
– many legionnaires were killed
1934:
– Pacification of Morocco ended
July 1939:
– 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment (2e Régiment Étranger de Cavalerie, 2e REC) was established
– it was based in Morocco
Foreign Legion: Second World War 1939-1945
September 1939:
– World War II (Second World War) started
– 1st Foreign Volunteers Provisional Regiment (1er Régiment de Marche des Volontaires Étrangers, 1er RMVE) was established
– 1er RMVE consisted of foreigners, non-legionnaires
– it was administratively attached to the Legion
– in October, 2e RMVE was established in France
October 1939:
– 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (6e REI) was established
– the regiment was stationed in Syria
November 1939:
– 11e REI was established in France
– 11e REI, 1er RMVE, 2e RMVE were formed to defend continental France
February 1940:
– 97th Infantry Division Reconnaissance Group (97e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d’Infanterie, 97e GRDI) was formed
– it was composed of elements from the 1er REC and 2e REC
– the group was involved in the Battle of France
– in September 1940, the 97e GRDI was disbanded
– 12e REI was established in France
– 97e GRDI and 12e REI were also formed to defend continental France
– 1er RMVE and 2e RMVE became the 21e RMVE and 22e RMVE
March 1940:
– 13th Foreign Legion Provisional Demi-Brigade (13e Demi-brigade de Marche de la Légion Étrangère, 13e DBMLE) was established
– it was organized in Algeria as a mountain warfare unit
– its purpose had been to fight in Scandinavia
April-June 1940:
– Norwegian Campaign
– 13e DMBLE participated in, to fight against German forces
– two well-known battles were part of the campaign:
– Battle of Bjervik
– Battles of Narvik
May 1940:
– 23e RMVE was established in France
May-June 1940:
– Battle of France
June 22, 1940:
– Armistice was signed between France and Germany
– it ended the Battle of France
June-July 1940:
– 13e DBMLE, 11e REI, 12e REI, 21e RMVE, 22e RMVE, 23e RMVE were disbanded
– in England, Free French Forces of General de Gaulle were established
– 14e DBMLE became its first unit
– 14e DBMLE was formed by a half of legionnaires from the original 13e DBMLE
September 1940:
– Battle of Dakar
– 14e DBMLE was involved in
October 1940 – May 1941:
– Franco-Thai War
– in Indochina, 5e REI fought in the regional war
November 1940:
– 4e REI and 2e REC were disbanded
– Battle of Gabon
– 14e DBMLE was involved in
January 1941:
– 14e DBLE became the 13e DBLE
February-April 1941:
– Battle of Keren
– the battle took place in the Italian colony of Eritrea
– 13e DBLE took part in
June-July 1941:
– Syria-Lebanon Campaign
– 6e REI of Vichy France faced the 13e DBLE of Free French Forces
– legionnaires did not fight each other in reality
August 1941:
– in Morocco, 4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (4e Demi-brigade de Légion Étrangère, 4e DBLE) was created
– 4e DBLE was sent to Senegal
December 1941:
– 6e REI was disbanded
May-June 1942:
– Battle of Bir Hakeim in Libya
– 13e DBLE participated in
October-November 1942:
– Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt
– the first major offensive of the Allies against the German and Italian forces since 1939
– 13e DBLE participated in
November 1942:
– British-American invasion of French North Africa (Operation Torch)
– landings in Morocco and Algeria on November 8, 1942
– all French forces in North Africa received an order to cease resistance
– on November 10, the French in North Africa joined the Allies
December 1942:
– 3rd Foreign Infantry Regimental Combat Team (3e REI de Marche, 3e REIM) was activated
– its task had been to fight against the Africa Corps of Marshal Rommel
– 3e REIM deployed to Tunisia
January-May 1943:
– Tunisia Campaign
– 1er REIM (ex-4e DBLE), 3e REIM, 1er REC, 13e DBLE took part in
– in Tunisia, legionnaires were involved in several fierce battles:
– Capture of Foum Es Gouafel (January)
– Battle of Djebel Mansour (January)
– Battle of Djebel Zaghouan (May)
June 1943:
– 1er REI, 3e REI, 1er REIM, 3e REIM were disbanded
– 2e REI was officially disbanded earlier, in March
July 1943:
– Foreign Legion Regimental Combat Team (RMLE) was established again
– RMLE consisted of legionnaires from the disbanded units
– its main purpose had been to fight in France next year
April-June 1944:
– Italian Campaign
– 13e DBLE participated in
June 1944:
– Mounted and Motorized Company Group (Groupement des Compagnies Montées et Portées, GCMP) was activated in Morocco
– it consisted of the mounted and motorized companies of 3e REI
– these units were active and still attached administratively to the 3e REI
August-September 1944:
– Operation Dragoon
– the invasion of Provence, France
– 13e DBLE, RMLE and 1er REC participated in
October 1944 – May 1945:
– Liberation of France and fights on the Western Front
– in France and on the Western Front, legionnaires were involved in several battles:
– Battle of the Vosges in France (October-November)
– Colmar Pocket in France (January-February)
– in January 1945, RMLE fought at Strasbourg, France (together with 13e DBLE)
– in February-May 1945, fights in Germany and Austria
May 8, 1945:
– in Europe, World War II ended
May-June 1945:
– 5e REI fought against the Japonese in Indochina
– in July, 5e REI was disbanded because of large losses
– the remaining legionnaires formed the Provisional Battalion of 5e REI (BM5)
– BM5 was disbanded in November 1946
– its legionnaires returned to Algeria
– RMLE was redesignated as 3e REI again
– Far East RMLE (RMLE d’Extrême Orient, RMLE/EO) was established
– the unit was organized in Africa to be deployed to Indochina
Foreign Legion: First Indochina War 1946-1954
1945 – 1946:
– First Indochina War started
– in Indochina, a conflict started between the French and Ho Chi Minh
– Ho Chi Minh led the Viet-Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam)
– Viet-Minh was a nationalist and (later) pro-Soviet Union movement
– on 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France for Vietnam
January-April 1946:
– 2e REI (ex-RMLE/EO), 13e DBLE, 3e REI landed in Indochina
March 1946:
– Saharan companies were established
– 1st Legion Saharan Motorized Company (1re Compagnie Saharienne Portée de Légion, 1re CSPL)
– 2nd Legion Saharan Motorized Company (2e CSPL)
– both CSPLs were stationed in Algeria
May-June 1946:
– 4e DBLE (4e REI in 1948) and 2e REC were re-established in Morocco
September 1946:
– GCMP became the Foreign Legion Moroccan Motorized Companies Group (GCPLEM)
– in 1947, it will become Foreign Legion Moroccan Motorized Group (GPLEM)
January 1947:
– 1er REC landed in Indochina
July 1947 – January 1952:
– Foreign Legion units were placed in Madagascar
– legionnaires from 4e DBLE, 2e REC and a sapper company
– they calmed down a local rebellion and maintained order
October-November 1947:
– Operation Lea
– 3e REI was involved in
April 1, 1948:
– Parachute Company of 3e REI (Compagnie Parachutiste du 3e REI, CP/3REI) was created
– it was the first airborne unit established within the Foreign Legion
– the unit conducted operations in Indochina
July 1948:
– 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1er Bataillon Étranger de Parachutistes, 1er BEP) was established
– it was organized in Algeria
– in November 1948, the 1er BEP landed in Indochina
July 25, 1948:
– Battle of Phu Tong Hoa
– Phu Tong Hoa was an outpost occupied by a company of 3e REI
– the company consisted of 103 men
– the outpost was attacked by three Viet Minh battalions
– legionnaires defended the outpost
October 1948:
– 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2e BEP) was established
– it was organized in Algeria
– in February 1949, the 2e BEP landed in Indochina
February 1949:
– 3rd Legion Saharan Motorized Company (3e CSPL) was established
– the company was organized in Algeria
– its main purpose had been to serve in Libya
– it was the only Legion unit stationed in this country
April 1949:
– 6e REI was re-created to serve in Tunisia
June 1949:
– Parachute Company of 3e REI consolidated with 1er BEP
November 1949:
– 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion (3e BEP) was established
– it was an airborne training and reserve battalion
– 3e BEP was stationed in Algeria
– 5e REI was re-created in Indochina
October 1950:
– Battle of Route Coloniale 4 (RC4)
– the French units based along RC4 were attacked by six Viet-Minh regiments
– 3rd Battalion/3e REI and 1er BEP participated in
– they were devastated and ceased to exist
– the French lost about 5,000 men in the battle
– 1er BEP became the first French parachute battalion lost in combat
– only 29 men of 1er BEP survived the battle
March 1951:
– 1er BEP was re-created
November 1951 – February 1952:
– Battle of Hoa Binh
– 1er BEP, 2e BEP and 13e DBLE participated in
March 1952:
– operations in Tunisia against regional rebels
– 6e REI, 3e BEP were involved in
April 1952:
– Operation Mercure
– 1er BEP, 13e DBLE, 1er REC took part in
November 1952:
– Operation Lorraine
– 1er BEP, 2e BEP and 2e REI participated in
November-December 1952:
– Battle of Na San
– Na San stronghold was attacked by three Viet-Minh divisions (9 regiments)
– after two weeks of heavy fighting, Viet-Minh lost around 3,000 soldiers
– the French win the battle, Viet-Minh was defeated
– 3rd Battalion/3e REI, 1er BEP, 2e BEP and 5e REI were involved in
June 1953:
– 2nd Foreign Legion Mortar Mixed Company (2e Compagnie Mixte de Mortiers de la Légion Etrangère, 2e CMMLE) is created
– the unit will conduct operations in Indochina
August-October 1953:
– Operation Brochet
– 1er BEP and 2e BEP participated in
September 1953:
– 1st Heavy Mortar Foreign Parachute Company (1re Compagnie Étrangère Parachutiste de Mortiers Lourds, 1re CEPML) was established
– it will participate in operations in Indochina
– 1st Foreign Legion Mortar Mixed Company (1re Compagnie Mixte de Mortiers de la Légion Étrangère, 1re CMMLE) was also established in Indochina
November 1953:
– Operation Castor
– the largest airborne operation of the First Indochina War
– 1er BEP + 1re CEPML participated in
– they jumped over Dien Bien Phu
– the units helped to establish the main French stronghold there
April-May 1954:
– Battle of Dien Bien Phu
– 1er BEP + 1re CEPML, 2e BEP, I/2e REI, III/3e REI, I + III/13e DBLE, 1re CMMLE and 2e CMMLE + volunteers of other Foreign Legion regiments and units were involved in
– the units were completly destroyed
May-June 1954:
1er BEP + 2e BEP were reactivated
August 1954:
– First Indochina War ended
– Foreign Legion lost more than 10,000 men in the First Indochina War
French Foreign Legion: Algerian War 1954-1962
1954 – 1955:
– Algerian War started
– in North Africa, the local rebels started its military operations
– these operations took part in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria since the late 1940s
– they were aimed at French forces presented in these regions
– the main rebel force fighting the French was the National Liberation Front (FLN)
– in 1955, those operations escalated to the Algerian War
1954 – 1956:
– Foreign Legion left Indochina
– since December 1954 until March 1956, the units landed in Africa
– they were stationed in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco
– their main purpose had been to maintain order there
August-October 1954:
– Operation Kepi Blanc (August)
– 4e REI participated in this operation conducted in Fez, Morocco
– 6e REI participated in operations in Tunisia
June 30, 1955:
– 6e REI was disbanded
– its men consolidated with 2e REI
August-November 1955:
– operations in Morocco against local rebels
– 4e REI was involved in
August-September 1955:
– 1er BEP became the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1er REP) back in Algeria
– 3e BEP became the 3e REP
– 3e REP will become the shortest-lived regiment of the Legion
December 1955
– 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP)
– 2e BEP landed in Algeria in November 1956
– the battalion, together with 3e REP were disbanded
– in December, their legionnaires formed a new regiment – 2e REP
– a large operation in the Tebessa region, Algeria
– 1er REP + 21e CPLE participated in
– more than 200 rebels were killed
January 1956:
– 4th Legion Saharan Motorized Company (4e CSPL) was established
– it was based in Ain Sefra, Algeria
February 1956:
– Foreign Legion Algerian Motorized Group (GPLEA) was created
– it grouped together 21e CPLE, 22e CPLE and 23e CPLE
– these were autonomous motorized companies serving in Algeria since late 1954
– in October 1956, GPLEA was disbanded
– 21e CPLE, 22e CPLE, 23e CPLE consolidated with 2e REI
March 1956:
– Morocco and Tunisia gained its independence
– in March 1956, the French protectorates became independent
– in Tunisia, the last Legion unit (1er REC) left this country in December 1956
– in Morocco, the last Legion unit (4e REI) left this country in March 1957
– all units joined the Algerian war
November 1956:
– GPLEM was disbanded
– its units consolidated with 4e REI
– 3e CSPL left Libya for Algeria
November-December 1956:
– Suez Crisis in Egypt
– an operation to regain Western control of the Suez Canal
– 1er REP + 2e REC tank squadron participated in the operation
– in December, the units returned to Algeria
– the tank squadron of 2e REC consolidated with 1er REP
January-October 1957:
– Battle of Algiers
– 1er REP participated in the famous operation in the capital of Algeria
– it ended by the apprehension of Saadi Yacef in September
– he was one of the leaders of Algeria’s FLN front
– the second most wanted rebel leader, Ali La Pointe, was also eliminated by 1er REP
– the house in which he was hiding was bombed on October 8
May 1957:
– Foreign Legion Madagascar Battalion (BLEM) was created
– BLEM was stationed in Diego Suarez, Madagascar
June-July 1957:
– operations in the Messade and Zaccar regions, Algeria
– 1er REC, 1re CSPL, 2e CSPL, 3e CSPL and 2e REC took part in
October 1957 – March 1958:
– Operation Ouragan
– the operation was part of the Ifni War in Mauritania and Spanish Sahara
– 2e GCP (ex-GPLEM) of 4e REI, along with the Spanish Legion participated in
– the operation was aimed against regional Saharan rebels
November-December 1957:
– Battle of Timimoun
– a large operation launched near Timimoun, Algeria
– it took place at the 150,000 km2 (58,000 square miles) of a desert area
– 4e CSPL + 3e RPC (French paratrooper regular unit) participated in
– its main purpose had been to find and eliminate about 60 Méhariste deserters
– these deserters killed their French cadres and, later, also 6 members from 4e CSPL
– Méhariste units were a camel cavalry recruited by the French from local tribes
– at the end of the operation, more than 40 deserters were killed
– the rest fled to Morocco
1957 – 1962:
– most of Legion units guarded the Algerian border with Tunisia
May 1958:
– Operation Taureau 3
– 1er REP participated in
– on May 29, the 1er REP’s famous commander Lt-col Jeanpierre was killed
– he died during the operation in a helicopter hit by rebels
– military operations in the Ksar El Hirane region
– 2e CSPL, 3e CSPL took part in
July 1958:
– rescue of Bambi
– a lonely starving small donkey was rescued by Harka of 13e DBLE
– a photo of a 13e DBLE member carrying the small donkey on his back became world-wide known
– the small donkey was given a name, Bambi
– it became the mascot of 13e DBLE
1959:
– legionnaires took part in several important operations:
– Operation Etincelle (July)
– Operation Edredon (August-September)
– Operation Jumelles (September)
– Operation Emeraude (November)
– Operation Turquoise (November)
1960:
– restoring order in Algiers (January-March)
– 1e REP, 2e REP, 13e DBLE took part in
– Boulevard du Bechar (April-December)
– road construction in the Colomb Bechar region
– 4e CSPL built up a 45km (30 miles) long strategic road through the local mountains
– operation in the Bou Kahil and Bou Saada regions (September-November)
– Operation Trident (October 1960 – April 1961)
– Djebel Beni Smir (December 3)
– several units of 2e REI took part in operations in the valley
– Sergeant Sanchez-Iglésias + five legionnaires were attacked by a large group of rebels
– legionnaires didn’t surrender and resisted for more than 12 hours
– rebels were fought off with new reinforcement
1961:
– heavy fights in the Bou Kahil region (February)
– 2e CSPL and 2e REC were involved in
– Operation Dordogne (February-March)
– in March, 2nd Company of BLEM landed in French Somaliland (today’s Djibouti)
– 2nd Company of BLEM became the first Legion unit ever stationed in this country
– the mission of 2nd Company had been to maintain order in the region
– Generals’ putsch in Algiers (April 1961)
– the putsch was aimed at French President Charles de Gaulle
– de Gaulle was seen by putschists as a betrayal of France
– 1er REP + several French regular units actively participated in
– the putsch failed
– 1er REP was disbanded on April 30
1962:
– heavy fights in the Bou Kahil region (January)
– 1er ESPL, 2e CSPL and 3e CSPL participated in
– in March, Algerian War officially ended
– Évian Accords treaty, signed on 18 March 1962, ended the Algerian War
– however, military operations were conducted until September 1962
French Foreign Legion: Reorganisation 1962-1968
May 1962:
– reorganization of BLEM
– in Madagascar, the battalion was retitled as the Provisional Battalion of 3e REI
– in August, reinforced with 3e REI companies, it became the new 3e REI
– 3e REI was based in Madagascar until 1973
July 1962:
– 2e REC was disbanded in July
– its legionnaires consolidated with 1er REC
August 1962:
– last French soldiers killed during the Algerian War
– on August 9, members of 1er ESPL (ex-1re CSPL) were attacked by local rebels
– Lieutenant Gélas + 3 legionnaires (Pepelko, Roncin, Locca) were killed
– 3rd Foreign Legion Task Force (3e BMLE) was established
– it consisted of 3 companies of the original 3e REI
– 3e BMLE was sent to France and Corsica to carry out construction tasks
– the task force was disbanded in 1964
September-October 1962:
– Foreign Legion left Sidi Bel Abbes
– 1er RE (ex-1er REI), Legion’s HQ, left Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria
– Foreign Legion spent almost 120 years in Sidi Bel Abbes
– 1er RE was stationed at Quartier Viénot in Aubagne, France
– 13e DBLE was fully stationed in French Somaliland (today’s Djibouti)
March 1963:
– Saharan Companies dissolution
– 1er ESPL, 2e CSPL, 3e CSPL and 4e CSPL were deactivated
– 1er ESPL + 4e CSPL consolidated with 2e REI
– 2e CSPL + 3e CSPL consolidated with 4e REI
May-October 1963:
– 5e REI legionnaires left Africa for Tahiti, French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean)
– 5th Mixed Pacific Regiment (5e Régiment Mixte du Pacifique, 5e RMP) was created
– 5e RMP consisted of legionnaires, marines, military engineers
– in November, the original 5e REI was deactivated
1964:
– 2e REP companies started to specialize themselves
– in February, 2e REP’s Parachute Training Center was established near Calvi, Corsica
– in April, 4e REI was disbanded
1967:
– in June, 2e REP left Algeria and was stationed near Calvi, Corsica
– in October, 1er REC left Algeria and was stationed in Orange, France
January 1968:
– 2e REI, as the last Legion regiment, left Algeria for France
– 2e REI was disbanded after its arrival in France
French Foreign Legion: 1968 – present
1969 – 1970:
– Operation Limousin
– an operation in Chad to calm down local rebellion
– 2e REP + Foreign Legion Motorized Company (CMLE) participated in
January 1971:
61st Engineer-Legion Mixed Battalion (61e BMGL) was established
– it was composed of Legion sappers and French regular sappers
– the main task of 61e BMGL was to build the largest military camp in Western Europe
– the camp became Camp de Canjuers
– the battalion left Canjeurs in 1978
– 61e BMGL was disbanded in 1982
September 1972:
– 2e RE (2e REI in 1980) was re-created
– it was based in Bonifacio, Corsica
August 1973:
– Foreign Legion Detachment in Comoros (DLEC) was activated
– it was formed by retitling the 2nd Company of 3e REI
– DLEC was stationed on the Comoros, the islands located near Madagascar
– 3e REI left Madagascar for Guiana
September 1973:
– 3e REI was stationed in Kourou, French Guiana (South America)
1976:
– in January, 5e RMP is regrouped at Mururoa
– the regiment will protect a French nuclear test site
– on February 4, 1976 Loyada Hostage Rescue Mission
– 2e REP and 13e DBLE participated in a counter-terrorist hostage rescue mission
– the mission took place in Loyada (Djibouti-Somalia border town)
– legionnaires rescued French children hijacked by Somalian rebels
– in early 1976, DLEC moved to Mayotte (part of the Comoros under the French rule)
– on April 1, DLEC changed its title
– it became the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte (DLEM)
– Djibouti helicopter crash
– on May 24, six legionnaires of GOLE (part of 2e REI) died in Djibouti
– in October, GILE (Legion’s training group) left Corsica
– in November, GILE was based in Castelnaudary, France
– in 1977, GILE was retitled as RILE (training regiment)
– in 1980, RILE became the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE)
1978 – 1980:
– Battle of Kolwezi
– in May 1978, 2e REP participated in the operation conducted in Zaire
– Opération Tacaud in Chad
– 1er REC + 2e REP were involved in
1982 – 1983:
– Multinational Force in Lebanon
– an international peacekeeping operation in Lebanon
– 2e REP, 2e REI, 1er REC, 1er RE took part in
1982:
– Mont Garbi accident
– on February 3, an aviation accident in Djibouti
– 27 men from 2e REP + 3 members of 13e DBLE were killed
1982 – 1983:
– Operation Manta in Chad
– 1er REC + 2e REP participated in
1983:
– 2e REI left Corsica in November
– it was stationed in Nîmes, France
1984:
– in July, the first engineer regiment was established
– 6st Foreign Engineer Regiment (6e Régiment Étranger de Génie, 6e REG) was created
– it was stationed in Laudun-l’Ardoise, France
– in July, 5e RMP became 5e RE in Polynesia
1986 – 1987:
– operations in Chad
1990 – 1991:
– Gulf War
– 6e REG, 1er REC, 2e REI, 2e REP (commandos) were involved in
– operations in Rwanda
– in 1991, operations in Gabon and Zaire
1992:
– Rwanda, Cambodia and Somalia
1993:
– Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (ex-Yugoslavia)
1994:
– operations in Yemen and Rwanda
1995:
– Rwanda and Sarajevo
– Operation Azalée
– in October, DLEM participated in the operation on the Comoros
1996:
– Central African Republic
1997:
– Congo-Brazzaville
– in French Polynesia, the French nuclear tests are terminated
1999 – 2010s:
– Kosovo and Macedonia (ex-Yugoslavia)
1999:
– in July, reorganization of engineer units
– 6e REG became the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) was created
– 2e REG was stationed in Saint-Christol, France
2000:
– in July, 5e RE in French Polynesia was disbanded
2000 – 2001:
– Chad
2002 – 2012:
– War in Afghanistan
2002 – 2003:
– Operation Licorne in Ivory Coast
2004:
– Operation Carbet in Haiti
– 3e REI participated in
2005:
– Ivory Coast and Indonesia
2006:
– Ivory Coast and Central African Republic
2008:
– Chad
2011:
– in June, 13e DBLE left Djibouti
– in September, 13e DBLE was stationed near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
2012:
– Chad and Central African Republic
2013 – 2014:
– Operation Epervier in Mali
– the operation started in 1986
– in 2014, it was replaced by Operation Berkhane
2013 – 2016:
– Operation Sangaris in the Central African Republic
2014 – present:
– Operation Berkhane in the Sahel region of Africa
– that means operations in Mauretania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina-Faso"
http://foreignlegion.info/history/
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 Charlie Poulton SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Maj Marty Hogan PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SP5 Robert Ruck SCPO Morris RamseyCPL Eric Escasio
The French Foreign Legion has fought honorably in more engagements since its creation than any other military force in the world.
Kudos to the French Foreign Legion and those USA born members who served with it.
Images: French Foreign Legion Commando Parachute Group GCP uniform; Enlistment into the French Foreign Legion - training; 1916 Americans in the Foreign Legion WWI; Mexican Adventure Uniforms - French Foreign Legion
First Foreign Legion 1831-1835
March 10, 1831:
– Foreign Legion (Légion Étrangère, LE)
– King Louis Philippe signed an ordinance
– the ordinance authorized an establishment of a new unit composed of foreigners
– the unit was named as the Foreign Legion
– the ordinance allowed foreigners to serve under a declared identity
– this condition of service is valid to this day
– the first French Foreign Legion was organized into a single regiment
– it would consist of seven battalions, devided into eight companies
– each company would consist of around 110 men
– each battalion would consist of men of specific nationality
1831 – 1833:
– Foreign Legion battalions:
1st Battalion – consisting of Swiss and German veterans from the Swiss regiments and Hohenlohe Regiment
2nd + 3rd Battalions consisting of the Swiss and German-speaking volunteers
4th Battalion consisting of Spanish-speaking volunteers
5th Battalion consisting of Italian-speaking volunteers
6th Battalion consisting of French, Belgian and Dutch volunteers
7th Battalion consisting of Polish volunteers
1834:
– 4th Battalion of Spaniards was disbanded
– its men were sent back to Spain, to join the Spanish Civil War (or First Carlist War)
1835 – 1838:
– First Carlist War
– in June 1835, King Louis Philippe decided to send the whole Foreign Legion to Spain
– its around 4,100 legionnaires had to help the Queen Maria Christina, Regent of Spain
– in August 1835, the Foreign Legion left Algeria and joined the Spanish Army
– in August 1836, one another battalion was sent to Spain to reinforce the legionnaires
– in 1839, only around 220 men of the original Legion returned to France
New French Foreign Legion 1835-1855
1835 – 1840:
– new Foreign Legion establishment
– on 16 December 1835, King Louis Philippe decided to create the new Foreign Legion
– in 1836, a battalion was formed
– however, it was disbanded and its men moved also to Spain
– in November 1836, a new battalion was formed
– in September 1837, the second battalion of the new Foreign Legion was formed
– until December 1840, three other battalions were established
– the battalions served in Algeria
October 1837:
– Siege of Constantine
– a Foreign Legion task force participated in
May 1839:
– Djidjelli campaign
– 1st Battalion participated in fierce fights
April 1841:
– Foreign Legion Regiments
– on 30 December 1840, a decision to create two Foreign Legion regiments was made
– on 1 April 1841, the two foreign regiments were established
– 1st Foreign Legion Regiment (1er Régiment de la Légion Étrangère, 1er RLE) was organized in Algiers, the capital of Algeria
– Colonel Ch.J. de Mollenbeck took the leadership
– Colonel de Mollenbeck was a German officer
– he was a former member of the Hohenlohe Regiment
– 2nd Foreign Legion Regiment (2e Régiment de la Légion Étrangère, 2e RLE) was organized in Bône, Algeria
– Colonel J. F. Caries de Senilhes took the leadership
1841 – 1854:
– Pacification of Algeria
– Siege of Kolea in 1841
– Conquest of Zibans in 1844
– Siege of Zaatcha in 1849
– Siege of Moulouya in 1852
1843:
– Foreign Legion moved to Sidi Bel Abbes
– in 1843, the first Legion elements moved to Sidi Bel Abbes
– Sidi Bel Abbes was the garrison made up by legionnaires
– Foreign Legion headquarters had been based in Sidi Bel Abbes up to 1962
French Foreign Legion: Crimean War 1854-1855
1854 – 1855:
– Crimean War
– in 1854, the Legion was attached to the Orient Army of France
– both regiments deployed to Turkey to be based at Gallipoli
– Battle of Alma in September 1854
– Siege of Sevastopol in September 1855
– during the Crimean War, the Foreign Legion lost 1,625 men
1855 – 1856:
– First Foreign Legion + Second Foreign Legion
– on 17 January 1855, a decree to create two Foreign Legions was issued
– the original Legion became the First Foreign Legion (1re LE)
– it consisted of the two original regiments fighting in Crimea
– Second Foreign Legion (2e Légion Étrangère, 2e LE)
– Second Foreign Legion (2e LE) was established in 1855
– it was commanded by General Ochsenbein
– the new Legion was nicknamed Swiss Legion (Légion Suisse)
– it was composed of Swiss volunteers in the vast majority
– 2e LE would also fight in the Crimean War
– its first regiment was formed in 1855
– the second Swiss regiment existed only on paper
– finally, 2e LE didn’t join the war in Crimea
French Foreign Legion Reorganisation 1856
1856:
– Foreign Legion reorganisation
– on April 16, a decree to reorganize Foreign Legions was issued
– the decree ordered to form two Foreign Regiments
– 1st Foreign Regiment (1er Régiment Etrangèr, 1er RE)
– in June 1856, the Swiss Legion (2e LE) was disbanded
– Swiss legionnaires formed a new Foreign Regiment
– 1st Foreign Regiment was established
– 2nd Foreign Regiment (2e Régiment Etrangèr, 2e RE)
– in July 1856, the original Legion’s regiments landed in Algeria
– in August 1856, they were disbanded and its legionnaires formed a new unit
– 2nd Foreign Regiment was established
Foreign Legion: Italian campaign 1859
April-July 1859:
– Second Italian War of Independence
– in April 1859, both Foreign Regiments deployed to Italy
– Battle of Magenta on 4 June 1859
– during the battle was killed Colonel de Chabrières, the 2e RE commander
– Battle of Solferino on 24 June 1859
August 1859:
– Military parade in Paris
– on 14 August 1859, the 2e RE legionnaires paraded in Paris
– for legionnaires, it was the first military parade in Paris
French Foreign Legion: North Africa 1859-1863
1859 – 1860:
– 1st Foreign Regiment in Corsica
– during the war in Italy, 1er RE suffered heavy casualties
– the regiment left the war to be based in Corsica in June 1859
– 1er RE left Corsica for Algeria in February 1860
September 1859:
– operations in Morocco
– legionnaires participated in operations against Beni Snassen rebels
January 1862:
– Foreign Regiment (Régiment Etrangèr, RE)
– in January 1862, the 2e RE was redesignated
– it became simply the Foreign Regiment (RE)
– in February 1862, 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) was disbanded
– its legionnaires consolidated with the RE
Foreign Legion: Mexican Campaign 1863-1867
March 1863:
– French intervention in Mexico
– legionnaires landed in Mexico
– they took part in the French intervention (1861-1867)
April 30, 1863:
– Battle of Camerone in Mexico
– 3rd Company led by Captain Danjou was involved in
– 3 officers + 62 legionnaires
– they fought against 2,000 Mexican soldiers, rebels and cavalrymen
– when the battle finished, only 3 legionnaires were combat-ready
– 40 of them were killed during the battle, including 2 officers
– today, the Legion commemorates this battle on Camerone Day
– Camerone Day became the most important day for the legionnaires
1864 – 1865:
– in June 1864, 2nd Battalion was involved in fights near Puchingo
– in December 1864, fights near Coutela
– in February 1865, legionnaires siezed the town of Oajacca
1866:
– Battle of Santa Isabel
– on March 1, a battle at a hacienda located near Parras, northern Mexico
– two Legion companies (180 men) led by Major De Brian
– they were annihilated by 1,900 Mexicans, attacking the hacienda
– it is seen as the “second Camerone”
– also in March, 44 legionnaires resisted near Parras against 500 Mexicans for 3 days
– in July, 125 legionnaires defended the Hacienda De La Encarnacion against 600 Mexicans
– in December, 50 cavalry legionnaires fought off around 500 Mexicans in Parral
– in November 1866, the Mexican Campaign ended for the French
February 1867:
– Foreign Regiment left Mexico for Africa
– Foreign Regiment lost over 1,500 men in Mexico
French Foreign Legion 1867-1883
1867:
– in March 1867, Foreign Regiment landed in Algeria
1868:
– in February, operations in the Figuig region, Algeria
1870 – 1871:
– Franco-Prussian War
– three foreign battalions (1st + 2nd + 5th) participated in
– they were mainly involved in fights in Orleans, France
1871:
– Paris Commune
– in May, legionnaires fought against radical socialists occupying Paris
– legionnaires reseized Paris together with the regular French Army
– in June, the battalions left France for Africa
– in August 1871, the regiment received a provisional flag
1875:
– Foreign Legion
– on 13 March 1875, Foreign Regiment changed its designation
– it became the Foreign Legion again
1881:
– operations in the South Oran region of Algeria
– first Mounted Companies (Compagnie Montée) were established
– they will become the elite units of the Legion
Foreign Legion: Tonkin Campaign 1883-1886
– in December 1883, General François de Négrier:
“You, Legionnaires, you are soldiers in order to die, and I’m sending you to where one dies!”
– these famous words were addressed to legionnaires leaving Algeria for Asia
1883 – 1886:
– Tonkin Campaign
– the Legion will meet the Indochina (a peninsula in Southeast Asia)
– in November 1883, first legionnaires landed in Indochina
– operations in Tonkin, the northernmost part of today’s Vietnam
– the operations in Tonkin were often part of Sino-French War
– in Tonkin, legionnaires were involved in several campaigns and battles:
– Son Tay Campaign (December 1883)
– Bac Ninh Campaign (March 1884)
– Siege of Tuyen Quang (December 1884 – February 1885)
– Lang Son Campaign (February 1885)
December 1884:
– Foreign Legion reorganization
– Foreign Legion was devided into two regiments again
– 1er RE and 2e RE were re-established
French Foreign Legion 1886-1914
1892 – 1893:
– Campaign of French Sudan
– Sudan is a former title for today’s Mali (West Africa)
– a Legion company took part in
1892 – 1894:
– Second Franco-Dahomean War
– the expedition was part of the Second Franco-Dahomean War
– it took place near the Gulf of Guinea, in today’s Benin (West Africa)
– a Legion battalion was involved in (August-November)
1894 – 1895:
– Second Campaign of French Sudan
– in February 1894, a 2e RE company left Algeria
– with a 1er RE company, they moved to French Sudan
– 2e RE company was sent to French Guinea
– in January 1895, the companies returned to Algeria
– Battle of Bosse
– on July 1, a fierce battle in French Sudan
– it took place in the village of Bosse
– it was aimed at Alikari, the local king of Bosse
– a platoon of 1er RE took part in
1895:
– Second Madagascar Expedition
– legionnaires took part in the French military intervention
– the Legion returned back to Madagascar in 1896
– legionnaires left the island in 1905
1903:
– on September 2, Battle of El-Moungar
– the battle took place in the South Oran region, Algeria
– 113 legionnaires of the 22nd Mounted Company/2e RE were attacked by 3,000 Berbers
– legionnaires fought off the Berbers for more than 8 hours
– with coming French reinforcements, the Berbers retreated
– 2e RE company suffered 34 dead and almost 50 severely wounded
– 2e REI commemorates the battle on El Moungar Day
1907 – 1934:
– Pacification of Morocco
– since 1907, the Legion took part in the Pacification of Morocco
– in 1912, the French Protectorate in Morocco was established
– the Legion had 3 of its 4 infantry regiments of Africa based there in 1920-1940
– in 1934, the Pacification successfully ended
Foreign Legion: First World War 1914-1918
July 1914:
– World War I (First World War) started on July 28, 1914
September-November 1914:
– four regimental combat teams were established
– these teams were provisional units
2nd Regimental Combat Team of 1er RE (2e Régiment de Marche du 1er Regiment Étranger, 2e RM/1er RE)
3e RM/1er RE
4e RM/1er RE (consisted of Italian volunteers; called as the Légion Garibaldienne)
2e RM/2e RE (2e RM du 2e Regiment Étranger)
– their purpose had been to fight on the Western Front of Europe
December 1914 – January 1915:
– the regimental combat teams fought on the Western Front
– they participated in battles near Argonne, Somme, Craonne…
1915:
– in March, 4e RM/1er RE (Legion Garibaldienne) was disbanded
– in May-June, the teams took part in the Battle of Artois on the Western Front
– in July, 3e RM/1er RE was disbanded
– in September, the Battle of Champagne on the Western Front
March 1915:
– Foreign Legion Battalion (Bataillon de Légion Étrangère, BLE) was formed
– the battalion was formed in Algeria
– it helped to complete the African Regimental Combat Team (RMA)
– RMA was composed of 3 battalions
– the Legion one + 2 Zouave battalions (a force mainly composed of conscripts from the French settlers in Algeria and Tunisia)
– a few weeks later, the RMA was re-designated as the 1er RMA
– later, the Legion Battalion became the 3rd Battalion of 1er RMA
– in 1915-1917, the 3rd Battalion/1er RMA fought in the Balkans Campaign
– in 1915, it was involved in the Gallipoli Campaign (or Dardanelles Campaign)
– in April 1917, it took part in the Battle of Monastir (in today’s Macedonia)
November 11, 1915:
– Foreign Legion Regimental Combat Team (Régiment de Marche de la Légion Étrangère, RMLE) was established
– RMLE was formed by consolidating the remaining regimental combat teams (2e RM/1er RE, 2e RM/2e RE)
– RMLE participated in many fights and several fierce battles
– in July 1916, RMLE was involved in the Somme Campaign
– in August 1917, RMLE took part in the Battle of Verdun
– RMLE in 1916, as the first Legion unit, received a fourragère
October 1917:
– 3rd Battalion/1er RMA dissolution
– the Legion battalion of 1er RMA was disbanded
– part of legionnaires joined the RMLE
– in September 1917, the battalion was awarded the fourragère
– it was only the second Legion unit being awarded the fourragère
– the remaining legionnaires formed the Legion Company
– Legion Company served with 1er RMA until December 1918
– it was dissolved back in Africa in April 1919
1918:
– RMLE fought in several battles:
– near Hangard
– near Soissons
– Second Battle of the Marne
– Battle of St. Quentin Canal (Hindenburg Line)
November 11, 1918:
– World War I ended
– RMLE became one of the two most awarded unit of the French Army
– the regiment received 9 unit citations, mentioned in the name of the Army
– because of that, its legionnaires have been allowed to wear a double fourragère
– in 1919, RMLE left Europe for Africa
October 1918:
– in Russia, Foreign Legion Battalion of Northern Russia (Bataillon de la Légion Etrangère de Russie du Nord) was established
– the unit was administratively assigned to the Foreign Legion
– the battalion was composed of local volunteers, non-legionnaires
– its purpose had been to fight in Russia
– the battalion was disbanded a year later
French Foreign Legion 1918-1939
November 1920:
– RMLE became the 3rd Foreign Regiment (3e Régiment étranger, 3e RE)
– 4th Foreign Regiment was establisheded
– they were stationed in Morocco to participate in operations there
June 1922:
– 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er Régiment étranger de cavalerie, 1e REC) was established
– 1e RE, 2e RE, 3e RE and 4e RE were designated as the infantry regiments
1er RE became the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1er Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie, 1e REI)
2e RE became the 2e REI
3e RE became the 3e REI
4e RE became the 4e REI
1925 – 1926:
– Rif War (or Second Moroccan War)
– 2e REI, 3e REI were involved in
– Great Syrian Revolt in today’s Syria and Lebanon
– 1er REC, 4e REI participated in the conflict
September 17, 1925:
– Battle of al-Musayfirah (Messifré in French) in Syria
– a 10-hour-long battle in the early stage of the Great Syrian Revolt
– 5th Battalion of 4e REI + 4th Squadron of 1er REC fought against 3,000 Druze rebels
– legionnaires fought off the attackers
March 1928:
– Foum Zabel Tunnel
– the road tunnel in Morocco was finished
– it took six months to dig the tunnel through the solid rock
– the tunnel has become the famous example of Legion pioneer’s skills
September 1930:
– 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (5e Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie, 5e REI) was created
– it was organized in Indochina, in the Tonkin region
– 5e REI was nicknamed as the Tonkin regiment
April 30, 1931:
– the first public celebration of Camerone Day
– the first parade of the bearded Legion sappers at the head of a military parade
February 1933:
– Battle of Bou Gafer
– the battle was part of operations in the Djebel Sagho valley, Morocco
– 1er REI, 2e REI, 3e REI participated in
– many legionnaires were killed
1934:
– Pacification of Morocco ended
July 1939:
– 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment (2e Régiment Étranger de Cavalerie, 2e REC) was established
– it was based in Morocco
Foreign Legion: Second World War 1939-1945
September 1939:
– World War II (Second World War) started
– 1st Foreign Volunteers Provisional Regiment (1er Régiment de Marche des Volontaires Étrangers, 1er RMVE) was established
– 1er RMVE consisted of foreigners, non-legionnaires
– it was administratively attached to the Legion
– in October, 2e RMVE was established in France
October 1939:
– 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (6e REI) was established
– the regiment was stationed in Syria
November 1939:
– 11e REI was established in France
– 11e REI, 1er RMVE, 2e RMVE were formed to defend continental France
February 1940:
– 97th Infantry Division Reconnaissance Group (97e Groupe de Reconnaissance de Division d’Infanterie, 97e GRDI) was formed
– it was composed of elements from the 1er REC and 2e REC
– the group was involved in the Battle of France
– in September 1940, the 97e GRDI was disbanded
– 12e REI was established in France
– 97e GRDI and 12e REI were also formed to defend continental France
– 1er RMVE and 2e RMVE became the 21e RMVE and 22e RMVE
March 1940:
– 13th Foreign Legion Provisional Demi-Brigade (13e Demi-brigade de Marche de la Légion Étrangère, 13e DBMLE) was established
– it was organized in Algeria as a mountain warfare unit
– its purpose had been to fight in Scandinavia
April-June 1940:
– Norwegian Campaign
– 13e DMBLE participated in, to fight against German forces
– two well-known battles were part of the campaign:
– Battle of Bjervik
– Battles of Narvik
May 1940:
– 23e RMVE was established in France
May-June 1940:
– Battle of France
June 22, 1940:
– Armistice was signed between France and Germany
– it ended the Battle of France
June-July 1940:
– 13e DBMLE, 11e REI, 12e REI, 21e RMVE, 22e RMVE, 23e RMVE were disbanded
– in England, Free French Forces of General de Gaulle were established
– 14e DBMLE became its first unit
– 14e DBMLE was formed by a half of legionnaires from the original 13e DBMLE
September 1940:
– Battle of Dakar
– 14e DBMLE was involved in
October 1940 – May 1941:
– Franco-Thai War
– in Indochina, 5e REI fought in the regional war
November 1940:
– 4e REI and 2e REC were disbanded
– Battle of Gabon
– 14e DBMLE was involved in
January 1941:
– 14e DBLE became the 13e DBLE
February-April 1941:
– Battle of Keren
– the battle took place in the Italian colony of Eritrea
– 13e DBLE took part in
June-July 1941:
– Syria-Lebanon Campaign
– 6e REI of Vichy France faced the 13e DBLE of Free French Forces
– legionnaires did not fight each other in reality
August 1941:
– in Morocco, 4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (4e Demi-brigade de Légion Étrangère, 4e DBLE) was created
– 4e DBLE was sent to Senegal
December 1941:
– 6e REI was disbanded
May-June 1942:
– Battle of Bir Hakeim in Libya
– 13e DBLE participated in
October-November 1942:
– Second Battle of El Alamein in Egypt
– the first major offensive of the Allies against the German and Italian forces since 1939
– 13e DBLE participated in
November 1942:
– British-American invasion of French North Africa (Operation Torch)
– landings in Morocco and Algeria on November 8, 1942
– all French forces in North Africa received an order to cease resistance
– on November 10, the French in North Africa joined the Allies
December 1942:
– 3rd Foreign Infantry Regimental Combat Team (3e REI de Marche, 3e REIM) was activated
– its task had been to fight against the Africa Corps of Marshal Rommel
– 3e REIM deployed to Tunisia
January-May 1943:
– Tunisia Campaign
– 1er REIM (ex-4e DBLE), 3e REIM, 1er REC, 13e DBLE took part in
– in Tunisia, legionnaires were involved in several fierce battles:
– Capture of Foum Es Gouafel (January)
– Battle of Djebel Mansour (January)
– Battle of Djebel Zaghouan (May)
June 1943:
– 1er REI, 3e REI, 1er REIM, 3e REIM were disbanded
– 2e REI was officially disbanded earlier, in March
July 1943:
– Foreign Legion Regimental Combat Team (RMLE) was established again
– RMLE consisted of legionnaires from the disbanded units
– its main purpose had been to fight in France next year
April-June 1944:
– Italian Campaign
– 13e DBLE participated in
June 1944:
– Mounted and Motorized Company Group (Groupement des Compagnies Montées et Portées, GCMP) was activated in Morocco
– it consisted of the mounted and motorized companies of 3e REI
– these units were active and still attached administratively to the 3e REI
August-September 1944:
– Operation Dragoon
– the invasion of Provence, France
– 13e DBLE, RMLE and 1er REC participated in
October 1944 – May 1945:
– Liberation of France and fights on the Western Front
– in France and on the Western Front, legionnaires were involved in several battles:
– Battle of the Vosges in France (October-November)
– Colmar Pocket in France (January-February)
– in January 1945, RMLE fought at Strasbourg, France (together with 13e DBLE)
– in February-May 1945, fights in Germany and Austria
May 8, 1945:
– in Europe, World War II ended
May-June 1945:
– 5e REI fought against the Japonese in Indochina
– in July, 5e REI was disbanded because of large losses
– the remaining legionnaires formed the Provisional Battalion of 5e REI (BM5)
– BM5 was disbanded in November 1946
– its legionnaires returned to Algeria
– RMLE was redesignated as 3e REI again
– Far East RMLE (RMLE d’Extrême Orient, RMLE/EO) was established
– the unit was organized in Africa to be deployed to Indochina
Foreign Legion: First Indochina War 1946-1954
1945 – 1946:
– First Indochina War started
– in Indochina, a conflict started between the French and Ho Chi Minh
– Ho Chi Minh led the Viet-Minh (League for the Independence of Vietnam)
– Viet-Minh was a nationalist and (later) pro-Soviet Union movement
– on 2 September 1945, Ho Chi Minh declared independence from France for Vietnam
January-April 1946:
– 2e REI (ex-RMLE/EO), 13e DBLE, 3e REI landed in Indochina
March 1946:
– Saharan companies were established
– 1st Legion Saharan Motorized Company (1re Compagnie Saharienne Portée de Légion, 1re CSPL)
– 2nd Legion Saharan Motorized Company (2e CSPL)
– both CSPLs were stationed in Algeria
May-June 1946:
– 4e DBLE (4e REI in 1948) and 2e REC were re-established in Morocco
September 1946:
– GCMP became the Foreign Legion Moroccan Motorized Companies Group (GCPLEM)
– in 1947, it will become Foreign Legion Moroccan Motorized Group (GPLEM)
January 1947:
– 1er REC landed in Indochina
July 1947 – January 1952:
– Foreign Legion units were placed in Madagascar
– legionnaires from 4e DBLE, 2e REC and a sapper company
– they calmed down a local rebellion and maintained order
October-November 1947:
– Operation Lea
– 3e REI was involved in
April 1, 1948:
– Parachute Company of 3e REI (Compagnie Parachutiste du 3e REI, CP/3REI) was created
– it was the first airborne unit established within the Foreign Legion
– the unit conducted operations in Indochina
July 1948:
– 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1er Bataillon Étranger de Parachutistes, 1er BEP) was established
– it was organized in Algeria
– in November 1948, the 1er BEP landed in Indochina
July 25, 1948:
– Battle of Phu Tong Hoa
– Phu Tong Hoa was an outpost occupied by a company of 3e REI
– the company consisted of 103 men
– the outpost was attacked by three Viet Minh battalions
– legionnaires defended the outpost
October 1948:
– 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2e BEP) was established
– it was organized in Algeria
– in February 1949, the 2e BEP landed in Indochina
February 1949:
– 3rd Legion Saharan Motorized Company (3e CSPL) was established
– the company was organized in Algeria
– its main purpose had been to serve in Libya
– it was the only Legion unit stationed in this country
April 1949:
– 6e REI was re-created to serve in Tunisia
June 1949:
– Parachute Company of 3e REI consolidated with 1er BEP
November 1949:
– 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion (3e BEP) was established
– it was an airborne training and reserve battalion
– 3e BEP was stationed in Algeria
– 5e REI was re-created in Indochina
October 1950:
– Battle of Route Coloniale 4 (RC4)
– the French units based along RC4 were attacked by six Viet-Minh regiments
– 3rd Battalion/3e REI and 1er BEP participated in
– they were devastated and ceased to exist
– the French lost about 5,000 men in the battle
– 1er BEP became the first French parachute battalion lost in combat
– only 29 men of 1er BEP survived the battle
March 1951:
– 1er BEP was re-created
November 1951 – February 1952:
– Battle of Hoa Binh
– 1er BEP, 2e BEP and 13e DBLE participated in
March 1952:
– operations in Tunisia against regional rebels
– 6e REI, 3e BEP were involved in
April 1952:
– Operation Mercure
– 1er BEP, 13e DBLE, 1er REC took part in
November 1952:
– Operation Lorraine
– 1er BEP, 2e BEP and 2e REI participated in
November-December 1952:
– Battle of Na San
– Na San stronghold was attacked by three Viet-Minh divisions (9 regiments)
– after two weeks of heavy fighting, Viet-Minh lost around 3,000 soldiers
– the French win the battle, Viet-Minh was defeated
– 3rd Battalion/3e REI, 1er BEP, 2e BEP and 5e REI were involved in
June 1953:
– 2nd Foreign Legion Mortar Mixed Company (2e Compagnie Mixte de Mortiers de la Légion Etrangère, 2e CMMLE) is created
– the unit will conduct operations in Indochina
August-October 1953:
– Operation Brochet
– 1er BEP and 2e BEP participated in
September 1953:
– 1st Heavy Mortar Foreign Parachute Company (1re Compagnie Étrangère Parachutiste de Mortiers Lourds, 1re CEPML) was established
– it will participate in operations in Indochina
– 1st Foreign Legion Mortar Mixed Company (1re Compagnie Mixte de Mortiers de la Légion Étrangère, 1re CMMLE) was also established in Indochina
November 1953:
– Operation Castor
– the largest airborne operation of the First Indochina War
– 1er BEP + 1re CEPML participated in
– they jumped over Dien Bien Phu
– the units helped to establish the main French stronghold there
April-May 1954:
– Battle of Dien Bien Phu
– 1er BEP + 1re CEPML, 2e BEP, I/2e REI, III/3e REI, I + III/13e DBLE, 1re CMMLE and 2e CMMLE + volunteers of other Foreign Legion regiments and units were involved in
– the units were completly destroyed
May-June 1954:
1er BEP + 2e BEP were reactivated
August 1954:
– First Indochina War ended
– Foreign Legion lost more than 10,000 men in the First Indochina War
French Foreign Legion: Algerian War 1954-1962
1954 – 1955:
– Algerian War started
– in North Africa, the local rebels started its military operations
– these operations took part in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria since the late 1940s
– they were aimed at French forces presented in these regions
– the main rebel force fighting the French was the National Liberation Front (FLN)
– in 1955, those operations escalated to the Algerian War
1954 – 1956:
– Foreign Legion left Indochina
– since December 1954 until March 1956, the units landed in Africa
– they were stationed in Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco
– their main purpose had been to maintain order there
August-October 1954:
– Operation Kepi Blanc (August)
– 4e REI participated in this operation conducted in Fez, Morocco
– 6e REI participated in operations in Tunisia
June 30, 1955:
– 6e REI was disbanded
– its men consolidated with 2e REI
August-November 1955:
– operations in Morocco against local rebels
– 4e REI was involved in
August-September 1955:
– 1er BEP became the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1er REP) back in Algeria
– 3e BEP became the 3e REP
– 3e REP will become the shortest-lived regiment of the Legion
December 1955
– 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP)
– 2e BEP landed in Algeria in November 1956
– the battalion, together with 3e REP were disbanded
– in December, their legionnaires formed a new regiment – 2e REP
– a large operation in the Tebessa region, Algeria
– 1er REP + 21e CPLE participated in
– more than 200 rebels were killed
January 1956:
– 4th Legion Saharan Motorized Company (4e CSPL) was established
– it was based in Ain Sefra, Algeria
February 1956:
– Foreign Legion Algerian Motorized Group (GPLEA) was created
– it grouped together 21e CPLE, 22e CPLE and 23e CPLE
– these were autonomous motorized companies serving in Algeria since late 1954
– in October 1956, GPLEA was disbanded
– 21e CPLE, 22e CPLE, 23e CPLE consolidated with 2e REI
March 1956:
– Morocco and Tunisia gained its independence
– in March 1956, the French protectorates became independent
– in Tunisia, the last Legion unit (1er REC) left this country in December 1956
– in Morocco, the last Legion unit (4e REI) left this country in March 1957
– all units joined the Algerian war
November 1956:
– GPLEM was disbanded
– its units consolidated with 4e REI
– 3e CSPL left Libya for Algeria
November-December 1956:
– Suez Crisis in Egypt
– an operation to regain Western control of the Suez Canal
– 1er REP + 2e REC tank squadron participated in the operation
– in December, the units returned to Algeria
– the tank squadron of 2e REC consolidated with 1er REP
January-October 1957:
– Battle of Algiers
– 1er REP participated in the famous operation in the capital of Algeria
– it ended by the apprehension of Saadi Yacef in September
– he was one of the leaders of Algeria’s FLN front
– the second most wanted rebel leader, Ali La Pointe, was also eliminated by 1er REP
– the house in which he was hiding was bombed on October 8
May 1957:
– Foreign Legion Madagascar Battalion (BLEM) was created
– BLEM was stationed in Diego Suarez, Madagascar
June-July 1957:
– operations in the Messade and Zaccar regions, Algeria
– 1er REC, 1re CSPL, 2e CSPL, 3e CSPL and 2e REC took part in
October 1957 – March 1958:
– Operation Ouragan
– the operation was part of the Ifni War in Mauritania and Spanish Sahara
– 2e GCP (ex-GPLEM) of 4e REI, along with the Spanish Legion participated in
– the operation was aimed against regional Saharan rebels
November-December 1957:
– Battle of Timimoun
– a large operation launched near Timimoun, Algeria
– it took place at the 150,000 km2 (58,000 square miles) of a desert area
– 4e CSPL + 3e RPC (French paratrooper regular unit) participated in
– its main purpose had been to find and eliminate about 60 Méhariste deserters
– these deserters killed their French cadres and, later, also 6 members from 4e CSPL
– Méhariste units were a camel cavalry recruited by the French from local tribes
– at the end of the operation, more than 40 deserters were killed
– the rest fled to Morocco
1957 – 1962:
– most of Legion units guarded the Algerian border with Tunisia
May 1958:
– Operation Taureau 3
– 1er REP participated in
– on May 29, the 1er REP’s famous commander Lt-col Jeanpierre was killed
– he died during the operation in a helicopter hit by rebels
– military operations in the Ksar El Hirane region
– 2e CSPL, 3e CSPL took part in
July 1958:
– rescue of Bambi
– a lonely starving small donkey was rescued by Harka of 13e DBLE
– a photo of a 13e DBLE member carrying the small donkey on his back became world-wide known
– the small donkey was given a name, Bambi
– it became the mascot of 13e DBLE
1959:
– legionnaires took part in several important operations:
– Operation Etincelle (July)
– Operation Edredon (August-September)
– Operation Jumelles (September)
– Operation Emeraude (November)
– Operation Turquoise (November)
1960:
– restoring order in Algiers (January-March)
– 1e REP, 2e REP, 13e DBLE took part in
– Boulevard du Bechar (April-December)
– road construction in the Colomb Bechar region
– 4e CSPL built up a 45km (30 miles) long strategic road through the local mountains
– operation in the Bou Kahil and Bou Saada regions (September-November)
– Operation Trident (October 1960 – April 1961)
– Djebel Beni Smir (December 3)
– several units of 2e REI took part in operations in the valley
– Sergeant Sanchez-Iglésias + five legionnaires were attacked by a large group of rebels
– legionnaires didn’t surrender and resisted for more than 12 hours
– rebels were fought off with new reinforcement
1961:
– heavy fights in the Bou Kahil region (February)
– 2e CSPL and 2e REC were involved in
– Operation Dordogne (February-March)
– in March, 2nd Company of BLEM landed in French Somaliland (today’s Djibouti)
– 2nd Company of BLEM became the first Legion unit ever stationed in this country
– the mission of 2nd Company had been to maintain order in the region
– Generals’ putsch in Algiers (April 1961)
– the putsch was aimed at French President Charles de Gaulle
– de Gaulle was seen by putschists as a betrayal of France
– 1er REP + several French regular units actively participated in
– the putsch failed
– 1er REP was disbanded on April 30
1962:
– heavy fights in the Bou Kahil region (January)
– 1er ESPL, 2e CSPL and 3e CSPL participated in
– in March, Algerian War officially ended
– Évian Accords treaty, signed on 18 March 1962, ended the Algerian War
– however, military operations were conducted until September 1962
French Foreign Legion: Reorganisation 1962-1968
May 1962:
– reorganization of BLEM
– in Madagascar, the battalion was retitled as the Provisional Battalion of 3e REI
– in August, reinforced with 3e REI companies, it became the new 3e REI
– 3e REI was based in Madagascar until 1973
July 1962:
– 2e REC was disbanded in July
– its legionnaires consolidated with 1er REC
August 1962:
– last French soldiers killed during the Algerian War
– on August 9, members of 1er ESPL (ex-1re CSPL) were attacked by local rebels
– Lieutenant Gélas + 3 legionnaires (Pepelko, Roncin, Locca) were killed
– 3rd Foreign Legion Task Force (3e BMLE) was established
– it consisted of 3 companies of the original 3e REI
– 3e BMLE was sent to France and Corsica to carry out construction tasks
– the task force was disbanded in 1964
September-October 1962:
– Foreign Legion left Sidi Bel Abbes
– 1er RE (ex-1er REI), Legion’s HQ, left Sidi Bel Abbes, Algeria
– Foreign Legion spent almost 120 years in Sidi Bel Abbes
– 1er RE was stationed at Quartier Viénot in Aubagne, France
– 13e DBLE was fully stationed in French Somaliland (today’s Djibouti)
March 1963:
– Saharan Companies dissolution
– 1er ESPL, 2e CSPL, 3e CSPL and 4e CSPL were deactivated
– 1er ESPL + 4e CSPL consolidated with 2e REI
– 2e CSPL + 3e CSPL consolidated with 4e REI
May-October 1963:
– 5e REI legionnaires left Africa for Tahiti, French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean)
– 5th Mixed Pacific Regiment (5e Régiment Mixte du Pacifique, 5e RMP) was created
– 5e RMP consisted of legionnaires, marines, military engineers
– in November, the original 5e REI was deactivated
1964:
– 2e REP companies started to specialize themselves
– in February, 2e REP’s Parachute Training Center was established near Calvi, Corsica
– in April, 4e REI was disbanded
1967:
– in June, 2e REP left Algeria and was stationed near Calvi, Corsica
– in October, 1er REC left Algeria and was stationed in Orange, France
January 1968:
– 2e REI, as the last Legion regiment, left Algeria for France
– 2e REI was disbanded after its arrival in France
French Foreign Legion: 1968 – present
1969 – 1970:
– Operation Limousin
– an operation in Chad to calm down local rebellion
– 2e REP + Foreign Legion Motorized Company (CMLE) participated in
January 1971:
61st Engineer-Legion Mixed Battalion (61e BMGL) was established
– it was composed of Legion sappers and French regular sappers
– the main task of 61e BMGL was to build the largest military camp in Western Europe
– the camp became Camp de Canjuers
– the battalion left Canjeurs in 1978
– 61e BMGL was disbanded in 1982
September 1972:
– 2e RE (2e REI in 1980) was re-created
– it was based in Bonifacio, Corsica
August 1973:
– Foreign Legion Detachment in Comoros (DLEC) was activated
– it was formed by retitling the 2nd Company of 3e REI
– DLEC was stationed on the Comoros, the islands located near Madagascar
– 3e REI left Madagascar for Guiana
September 1973:
– 3e REI was stationed in Kourou, French Guiana (South America)
1976:
– in January, 5e RMP is regrouped at Mururoa
– the regiment will protect a French nuclear test site
– on February 4, 1976 Loyada Hostage Rescue Mission
– 2e REP and 13e DBLE participated in a counter-terrorist hostage rescue mission
– the mission took place in Loyada (Djibouti-Somalia border town)
– legionnaires rescued French children hijacked by Somalian rebels
– in early 1976, DLEC moved to Mayotte (part of the Comoros under the French rule)
– on April 1, DLEC changed its title
– it became the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte (DLEM)
– Djibouti helicopter crash
– on May 24, six legionnaires of GOLE (part of 2e REI) died in Djibouti
– in October, GILE (Legion’s training group) left Corsica
– in November, GILE was based in Castelnaudary, France
– in 1977, GILE was retitled as RILE (training regiment)
– in 1980, RILE became the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE)
1978 – 1980:
– Battle of Kolwezi
– in May 1978, 2e REP participated in the operation conducted in Zaire
– Opération Tacaud in Chad
– 1er REC + 2e REP were involved in
1982 – 1983:
– Multinational Force in Lebanon
– an international peacekeeping operation in Lebanon
– 2e REP, 2e REI, 1er REC, 1er RE took part in
1982:
– Mont Garbi accident
– on February 3, an aviation accident in Djibouti
– 27 men from 2e REP + 3 members of 13e DBLE were killed
1982 – 1983:
– Operation Manta in Chad
– 1er REC + 2e REP participated in
1983:
– 2e REI left Corsica in November
– it was stationed in Nîmes, France
1984:
– in July, the first engineer regiment was established
– 6st Foreign Engineer Regiment (6e Régiment Étranger de Génie, 6e REG) was created
– it was stationed in Laudun-l’Ardoise, France
– in July, 5e RMP became 5e RE in Polynesia
1986 – 1987:
– operations in Chad
1990 – 1991:
– Gulf War
– 6e REG, 1er REC, 2e REI, 2e REP (commandos) were involved in
– operations in Rwanda
– in 1991, operations in Gabon and Zaire
1992:
– Rwanda, Cambodia and Somalia
1993:
– Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina (ex-Yugoslavia)
1994:
– operations in Yemen and Rwanda
1995:
– Rwanda and Sarajevo
– Operation Azalée
– in October, DLEM participated in the operation on the Comoros
1996:
– Central African Republic
1997:
– Congo-Brazzaville
– in French Polynesia, the French nuclear tests are terminated
1999 – 2010s:
– Kosovo and Macedonia (ex-Yugoslavia)
1999:
– in July, reorganization of engineer units
– 6e REG became the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG)
– 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) was created
– 2e REG was stationed in Saint-Christol, France
2000:
– in July, 5e RE in French Polynesia was disbanded
2000 – 2001:
– Chad
2002 – 2012:
– War in Afghanistan
2002 – 2003:
– Operation Licorne in Ivory Coast
2004:
– Operation Carbet in Haiti
– 3e REI participated in
2005:
– Ivory Coast and Indonesia
2006:
– Ivory Coast and Central African Republic
2008:
– Chad
2011:
– in June, 13e DBLE left Djibouti
– in September, 13e DBLE was stationed near Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
2012:
– Chad and Central African Republic
2013 – 2014:
– Operation Epervier in Mali
– the operation started in 1986
– in 2014, it was replaced by Operation Berkhane
2013 – 2016:
– Operation Sangaris in the Central African Republic
2014 – present:
– Operation Berkhane in the Sahel region of Africa
– that means operations in Mauretania, Mali, Niger, Chad and Burkina-Faso"
http://foreignlegion.info/history/
COL Mikel J. Burroughs LTC Stephen C. Capt Seid Waddell Capt Tom Brown CW5 Charlie Poulton SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC William Farrell SSgt Robert Marx SSG James J. Palmer IV aka "JP4" SSgt (Join to see) TSgt Joe C. SP5 Mark Kuzinski SPC (Join to see) SrA Christopher Wright Maj Marty Hogan PO1 William "Chip" Nagel SP5 Robert Ruck SCPO Morris RamseyCPL Eric Escasio
History | French Foreign Legion Information French Foreign Legion History – French Foreign...
History of the French Foreign Legion. Since 1831 to the present day. Conflicts of 1831-1918, World wars, Indochina, Algeria etc. Well-structured data.
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SP5 Robert Ruck
Great history lesson. Difficult decisions. Personally I like the first option. In a unit such as the one described I don't think the morale would be affected. Secondly breaking up the massive Mexican Army would benefit the separate squads and enable them to inflict more damage. Lastly the intent of the Mexican Army is to defeat the French forces in total. Defending a fort with so few men would be nearly impossible against a massive attack. Kind of like the Alamo.
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell thanks for the historical share:
The Battle of Camarón (French: Bataille de Camerone) which occurred over ten hours :21 on 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army.
The Battle of Camarón (French: Bataille de Camerone) which occurred over ten hours :21 on 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army.
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The Battle of Chipyong-ni [Korean War] should have put an end to the view of the French as "cheese-eating surrender monkeys". A French Foreign Legion battalion attached to an American Regiment defeated an overwhelming Chicom force (est 15-1 odds) and halted the Chicom advance into the Korean Peninsula. Later referred to the Gettysburg of the Korean War, this battle led to the armistice that ended the fighting. Early in the battle, as the Chicom human wave attack advanced on the defenders, the French Foreign Legion, though vastly outnumbered, rose from the trenches and charged. The confused Chimcom soldiers turned and fled before them.
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SGT John " Mac " McConnell
I just read about the Battle of Chipyong-ni. Very interesting indeed CPT Jack Durish . Thanks for sharing..
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Capt Seid Waddell
CPT Jack Durish "...should have put an end to the view of the French as 'cheese-eating surrender monkeys'."
I never heard of the FFL referred to in that way. The French military, yes, but the FFL is made up of foreign bitter-enders.
I never heard of the FFL referred to in that way. The French military, yes, but the FFL is made up of foreign bitter-enders.
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CPT Jack Durish
Capt Seid Waddell - The FFL was tarred with the same brush and were bitter after being ordered to submit to the Germans. They had something to prove and Korea gave them the opportunity. Ironically, it was the FFL that was defeated in Vietnam
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