On this day. Discover the Legion’s interesting historical events which occurred between April 11 and April 20. Learn about famous operations, campaigns, battles, activations or dissolutions of units and other important Foreign Legion historical events which happened from 1831 to these days. Every day is supplemented with a picture.
To see all historical events, go back to: French Foreign Legion – Historical Events
French Foreign Legion: April 11
– 1948, in then French Indochina, a skirmish with the Viet Minh
– at Deo Giang Hill, in the Cao Bang region of Northern Vietnam
– legionnaires from 3rd Company, 3e REI were involved
– 3 legionnaires were killed
—
– 1954, in then French Indochina, clashes with the Viet Minh
– the clashes were part of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu (March-May 1954)
– they occurred in Northern Vietnam, in the Dien Bien Phu valley
– near Huguette 6, then the most outlying French strongpoint there
– held by legionnaires from 2e REI and 13e DBLE (Half-Brigade)
– less than 250 men
– 13e DBLE legionnaires were involved in the clashes
– Lieutenant Henri Legros was killed
– several legionnaires were also killed
—
– 1956, in northwestern Algeria, a battle with local rebels ended
– a fierce two-day battle
– near Fellaoucene, in the Tlemcen region
– 1st Battalion, 5e REI participated
– 71 rebels were killed
—
– 2011, in Ivory Coast, an operation to maintain order
– that day, 3rd Company, 2e REI was sent to Abidjan, the capital
– part of an ongoing operation to arrest Laurent Gbagbo (ex-president)
– the legionnaires would maintain order in the streets
—
– in the image, 2e REI legionnaires parading at Abidjan, Ivory Coast in April 2011
French Foreign Legion: April 12
– 1916, in Morocco, clashes with local rebels
– they took place in the Khenifra region
– 2nd Battalion, 1er RE were involved
– 2 legionnaires were killed
– 3 legionnaires were wounded
—
– 1947, in then French Indochina, a Viet Minh attack
– that day, a Legion outpost was attacked by the Viet Minh
– occupied by men from 2nd Battalion, 13e DBLE (Half-Brigade)
– in the Quang Nam region of Central Vietnam
– the fierce attack took several hours
– the enemy was successfully fought off
– 67 Viet Minh attackers were killed
– 10 attackers were captured
– 5 legionnaires were also killed
—
– 1952, in then French Indochina, a week-long operation ended
– in the Tonkin-Delta of Northern Vietnam
– legionnaires from 1st Battalion, 5e REI participated
– about 200 Viet Minh rebels were killed
—
– in the photo, 13e DBLE legionnaires with a wounded comrade in French Indochina, in the late 1940s
French Foreign Legion: April 13
– 1948, in then French Indochina, a fierce battle with the Viet Minh
– in the Quang Ngai region of Central Vietnam
– 2nd Battalion, 13e DBLE (Half-Brigade) were involved
– 80 Viet Minh rebels were killed
– 20 rebels were captured
—
– 1957, in northwestern Algeria, a battle with local rebels started
– a fierce two-day battle
– at Djebel Bes Sebaa, between Ain Sefra and Geryville
– 1st Motorized Company, 2e REI were involved
– led by Lieutenant Corbel
– 24 rebels were killed
– 6 rebels were imprisoned
—
– 2015, in Niger, a week-long military operation ended
– a reconnaissance-in-force operation
– part of Operation Barkhane
– it took place in the Salvador Pass of northern Niger
– a deserted, remote Saharan region
– located on the Niger’s border with Libya and Algeria
– the operation was aimed at radical islamist groups
– also aimed at local rebel/criminal gangs
– carrying out drug and arms trafficking, to support terrorist groups
– legionnaires were involved in the operation
– 1st Company, 2e REP (Parachute Regiment)
– the operation started by a night combat jump over the Salvador Pass
– during the operation, several rebels were killed
– 1,5 tons of drugs was seized
—
– in the picture, one of the platoon leaders of the 1st Company, 2e REP is reviewed before the night combat jump over the Salvador Pass, April 7, 2015
French Foreign Legion: April 14
– 1947, U.S. Distinguished Unit Citation for 3e REI
– in then French Indochina, 3e REI was awarded
– the regiment obtained the U.S. Distinguished Unit Citation (Presidential Unit Citation today)
– Citation with a blue streamer embroidered Rhine-Bavarian Alps
– 3e REI obtained the Citation for its actions during WWII
– in 1944-45 in France, under the title of RMLE (Foreign Legion Regimental Combat Team)
—
– 1954, CRPJ Aircraft Accident
– in then French Indochina, an aircraft accident
– it took place at the CRPJ airbase of Tran Ninh, Laos
– CRPJ – Plain of Jars Resistance Center (a French base)
– a military aircraft crashed during its takeoff
– on board, a platoon of the 7th Company, 2nd Battalion, 2e REI
– 11 legionnaires were killed
– 3 legionnaires were wounded
– 2nd Battalion, 2e REI would be transported to Muong Sai, Laos
– to take part in Operation Condor
– to support the French troops at Dien Bien Phu
– during the well-known battle
—
– 1956, in northeastern Algeria, a fierce battle with local rebels
– it took place near the Col de Tizougarine, in the Batna region
– 1st Battalion, 3e REI were involved
– 22 rebels were killed
—
– 1959, in northern Algeria, clashes with rebels
– the clashes took place near Zenzach, in the Djelfa region
– legionnaires from 2e REC (Cavalry Regiment) were involved
– several rebels were killed
– 6 rebels were imprisoned
—
– in the photo, the color of 3e REI, one of the two most decorated flags within the French Army
– on the left, the blue streamer of the Distinguished Unit Citation embroidered Rhine-Bavarian Alps
French Foreign Legion: April 15
– 1922, Battle of Bab Hoceine
– a battle with local rebels in northern Morocco
– at Djebel Issoual, in the Ouazzane region
– Post d’Issoual of the Legion was attacked
– occupied by a 3e REI platoon
– led by Lieutenant Gelas
– the attackers were finally fought off
– however, Lieutenant Gustave Gelas was badly wounded
– he died a month later
– a long-serving Brazilian legionnaire
– he joined the Foreign Legion in late 1915
– he fought on the Western Front of WWI
– Corporal in 1917, promoted to officer rank in mid-1918
—
– 1954, Operation Condor started
– a three-week operation in northern Laos, then French Indochina
– carried out by Mobile Group North (GM Nord)
– a French composite regiment-sized task force
– led by Colonel Crèvecoeur
– to support the French troops in northwestern Vietnam
– encircled in the valley of Dien Bien Phu
– the task force was composed of four battalions
– over 3,000 men (local auxiliaries in the majority), devided into two groups
– 2nd Battalion, 2e REI made part of
– the men had to march about 85 miles (140 km) through the jungle
– before they can fulfil their task, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu ended
– the task force had to return back (another 85 miles)
– during the march, several legionnaires died from exhaustion
—
– 1957, in northeastern Algeria, a fierce battle with rebels
– it took place at Djebel Tamaser in the El Milia region
– two platoons from 2nd Company, 3e REI were involved
– led by Lieutenant Anzanel, they faced around 250 local rebels
– the fierce battle took six hours
– with coming reinforcement, the enemy was finally fought off
– Lt Colonel Maurice Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was killed
– a deputy commander of the 3e REI
– Lt Colonel Brochet de Vaugrigneuse served with the Legion since 1933
– he started as Lieutenant with the 3e REI in Morocco
– then, he took part in the 1940 Battle of France with 11e REI
– also in the 1943 Tunisia Campaign with 1er REIM
– in the Liberation of France in 1944-45 with RMLE (future 3e REI)
– Lt Colonel Brochet de Vaugrigneuse was fatally shot in a helicopter
– when he was providing a reconnaissance of rebel positions
– during the battle, 11 legionnaires were also killed
– between them, a long-serving Staff Sergeant Holzendorf
—
– 1969, Operation Limousin started for 2e REP
– a military operation in Chad (Central Africa)
– April 1969 – December 1970
– to calm down a local rebellion
– led by FROLINAT (a local liberation front)
– 2e REP participated
– the first military action for a Legion unit since 1962
– April 15-16, over 350 para-legionnaires arrived in Chad
– 2e REP men would stay in Chad until December 1970
– hundreds of rebels would be killed
—
– in the image, 3e REI legionnaires during the funeral of Lt Colonel Brochet de Vaugrigneuse, April 1957
French Foreign Legion: April 16
– 1856, Foreign Legions’ dissolution
– that day, an imperial decree was issued
– it prescribed the dissolution of France’s two Foreign Legions
– 1st Foreign Legion (formed 1836, the original one)
– 2nd Foreign Legion (nicknamed Swiss Legion, formed 1855)
– both Legions had to be disbanded
– their legionnaires would form new regiments
– 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE)
– formed by the Swiss from ex-2nd Foreign Legion (Swiss Legion)
– 2nd Foreign Regiment (2e RE, now 2e REI)
– formed by legionnaires from ex-1st Foreign Legion
—
– 1908, 1908 Battle of Menabha
– a severe battle during early stage of the Pacification of Morocco (1907-1934)
– it took place near Menabha (also known as El Menabba)
– a village in the Bechar region, at the Algeria-Morocco border
– a French camp built there was attacked by hundreds of Moroccan rebels
– 24th Mounted Company, 1er RE participated in the battle
– led by Captain Maury
– the battle took several hours
– the enemy was successfully fought off
– over 100 rebels were killed
– Lieutenant Coste (2nd Platoon) was also killed
– Captain Maury and two officers were wounded
– 11 legionnaires were killed
– 26 legionnaires were wounded
—
– 1941, General Paul-Frédéric Rollet died
– a French Army general
– the famous figure of the Foreign Legion
– the very first Chief of the Foreign Legion
– called as the “Father of the Legion”
– he served 33 years with the Foreign Legion
– between 1899-1914 and 1917-1935
– during WWI, he commanded the RMLE
– Foreign Legion Regimental Combat Team (now 3e REI)
– in 1919, RMLE became one of the two most decorated units within the French Army
– in 1931, General Rollet joined the Foreign Legion Inspection
– today’s Foreign Legion Command (COMLE)
– he changed many things to the better within the Legion
– he launched several new traditions
– e.g. Camerone Day or the cult of Sappers-Pioneers
– General Rollet also ordered to build the well-known Foreign Legion War Memorial
– finished in 1931, now placed in Legion’s HQ of Aubagne
– he also established a home for Legion veterans
– General Paul Frédéric Rollet died in Paris on April 16, 1941
– his remains are buried at Puyloubier near Aubagne
– the cemetery of the Foreign Legion in southern France
—
– 1943, 1st Foreign Infantry Regimental Combat Team
– in Tunisia, 1er REIM was formed
– a regiment-sized Foreign Legion task force
– being composed of three battalions
– a battalion of 1er REI (1er RE now)
– two battalions of 4e DBLE (Half-Brigade, under the flag of 4e REI)
– 4e DBLE was created in 1941 to serve in Senegal, West Africa
– 1er REIM (in fact, a reinforced 4e DBLE) would take part in the 1943 Tunisian Campaign
– an Allied campaign of WWII in North Africa
– the unit would successfully fight against the German Africa Corps of Marshal Rommel
– for its actions, 1er REIM would be mentioned in dispatches
– today, the history and traditions of the 4e DBLE (and 1er REIM) are held by 4e RE
– the training regiment based in Castelnaudary
—
– 1949, First airborne operation for 1er BEP
– that day, the very first airborne operation for legionnaires from 1er BEP
– 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (future 1er REP)
– it occurred in then French Indochina, during the First Indochina War (1946-54)
– a combat jump over Cha Vai
– an outpost previously attacked by the Viet Minh
– the outpost was located close to Xuan Dai
– in the Phu Tho region, west of Hanoi, Northern Vietnam
– the jump was carried out by 1st Platoon, 3rd Company, 1er BEP
– led by Lieutenant Gilbert Roy
– in October 1950, Lieutenant Roy would survive the bloody Battle of RC4
– in which their battalion became the first French airborne battalion lost in combat
– he was among 23 (twenty-three) men of the entire 1er BEP who escaped the disaster
– in 1954, he would survive the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and the following captivity
—
– 1954, in then French Indochina, a fierce battle with the Viet Minh
– in the Nam Dinh region of Northern Vietnam
– 2nd + 3rd Battalion, 5e REI were involved
– over 150 Viet Minh rebels were killed
– 18 legionnaires were also killed
– over 70 men of 5e REI were wounded
—
– also in 1954, in then French Indochina, another fierce battle with the Viet Minh
– in the Pleiku region of Central Vietnam
– 4th Battalion, 2e REI were involved
– consisting of local auxiliaries in the majority, led by Legion leaders
– the unit was attacked by four Viet Minh battalions
– the battle took several hours
– tens of Viet Minh rebels were killed
– 14 men of 2e REI were killed
– 58 men were wounded or missed
—
– in the photo, General Paul-Frédéric Rollet, the Father of the Legion
French Foreign Legion: April 17
– 1871, in northwestern Algeria, a fierce rebel attack
– it occurred near Madourah, in the Mascara region
– conducted by a large group of local rebels
– aimed at a French mobile task force
– including a Foreign Legion unit
– the Legion unit successfully fought off the attackers
– 6th Company, 4th Battalion, Foreign Regiment
– a basic instruction unit
– consisting of over 210 enlisted volunteers
– led by Captain Kaufmann (a long-serving legionnaire)
—
– 1917, Battle of the Hills of Champagne started
– a severe battle on the Western Front of WWI
– the major part of the battle started near Auberive, eastern France
– the French attacked German positions
– legionnaires from RMLE participated
– Regimental Combat Team, future 3e REI
– led by Lieutenant Colonel Duriez
– the severe battle took four days
– by the end of the battle, the village of Auberive was successfully seized
– for this action, RMLE gained their fifth mention in dispatches
– in the order of the Army (the highest French mention)
– however, the regiment lost the commanding officer
– Lt Colonel Jean Duriez was fatally wounded the first day of the battle, on April 17
– a mortar shell exploded in front of him
—
– 1958, in northeastern Algeria, a military operation aimed at local rebels
– it took place at Beni Malleille, near Boudaroua, in the Guelma region
– legionnaires from 1er REP (Parachute Regiment) were involved
– 14 rebels were killed
—
– in the picture, Lt Colonel Duriez, the commander of RMLE, killed on April 17, 1917
French Foreign Legion: April 18
– 1916, Bou Denib Mixed Battalion
– in Algeria, Bou Denib Mixed Battalion was constituted
– to take part in the Pacification of Morocco (1907-34)
– a little-known independent unit
– probably a semi-penal unit
– composed of four companies
– two companies of legionnaires
– two companies of “Bat’ d’Af” soldiers
– “Bat’ d’Af” were members of African Battalions, French semi-penal units
– the mixed battalion would serve in Morocco
– in the Bou Denib region
– the unit was dissolved in 1919
—
– 1952, in then French Indochina, a severe battle with the Viet Minh
– during Operation Polo in Northern Vietnam
– the battle occurred at Dai Vi Thuong, close to Hanoi
– to seize the fortified village
– 1st Battalion, 5e REI participated
– the battle took several hours
– the village was successfully seized
– however, 5e REI suffered heavy casualties
– that day, three officers were killed
– Lieutenant Jacques Bouley + Lieutenant Pierre Rudloff + Lieutenant Louis Mie
– 36 legionnaires were also killed
– 105 legionnaires were wounded
– tens of rebels were killed or wounded
—
– 1954, Evacuation of Huguette 6
– an action in Northern Vietnam, then French Indochina
– part of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu (March-May 1954)
– Huguette 6 was a strongpoint of the French camp of Dien Bien Phu
– then the most outlying strongpoint north of the French HQ
– held by legionnaires from 1st Battalion, 2e REI
– led by Lieutenant Francois
– reinforced by a pro-French Vietnamese airborne company
– the Viet Minh isolated the strongpoint from support
– besieged since early April
– to supply the strogpoint, it’s necessary to fight fiercely
– over 100 men were killed at Huguette 6 since early April
– an order to evacuate the strongpoint
– during the evacuation, Lieutenant Jean Francois was killed
—
– 1956, in northwestern Algeria, clashes with local rebels
– they took place near Tient, in the Nedroma region
– legionnaires from 2nd + 4th Company, 5e REI were involved
– 43 rebels were killed or imprisoned
—
– 1960, in western Algeria, heavy fighting with local rebels
– it occurred at Djebel Chemarikh, in the Ain Sefra region
– legionnaires from 2e REI were involved
– the fighting took six hours
– 29 rebels were killed or imprisoned
– 6 legionnaires were also killed
—
– in the picture, 2e REI legionnaires with some of the rebels and their weapons captured on April 18, 1960, at Djebel Chemarikh, western Algeria
– note their Lieutenant (scarf + grenade) and a French non-Legion senior NCO (cap + sunglasses)
French Foreign Legion: April 19
– 1871, in France, four-day clashes ended
– during the Paris Commune (March-May 1871)
– a revolutionary government occupying the capital
– after the end of the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71)
– Provisional Foreign Regiment participated in the clashes
– a provisional Foreign Legion unit
– having been formed to participate in the previous war
– the clashes took place near the Neuilly brige (Pont du Neuilly)
– a five-arched structure built in 1774, situated west of Paris
– part of the Siege of Neuilly
– that day, 3 officers were killed (including Captain Girard)
– 4 officers were wounded
– 140 NCOs and legionnaires were killed or wounded
—
– 1913, in Morocco, fighting with local rebels
– it took place near Nekhila, in the Taza region
– 1st Battalion, 1er RE were involved
– 4 legionnaires were killed or wounded
—
– 1927, in Morocco, a rebel attack
– it occurred at Douar Beni Kaoulech, in the Ouazzane region
– aimed at a company of the 2nd Battalion, 3e REI
– Captain Jean Fontanel (company commander) was killed
– several legionnaires were also killed
—
– 1954, Battle of Huguette 1 started
– an action in Northern Vietnam, then French Indochina
– part of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu (March-May 1954)
– Huguette 1 was a strongpoint of the French camp of Dien Bien Phu
– located north of the HQ, near the main airstrip
– held by a 13e DBLE company
– some 80 men, led by Captain Chevallier
– 40 men had already been lost during the night and the morning
– to hold the strogpoint, it’s necessary to fight fiercely
– the strongpoint was surrounded by a web of Viet Minh trenches
– Captain Chevallier and his men decided to “make Camerone”
– they would fight to the last man, to the finish
– two days later, only 50 legionnaires remained to defend Huguette 1
– the Viet Minh were everywhere
– the next day, Captain Chevallier‘s radio went silent
– none of the defenders would be captured
– Huguette 1 would be overrun by the Viet Minh
—
– 1957, in northern Algeria, a week-long operation started
– carried out by legionnaires from 1er REP (Parachute Regiment)
– the operation took place in the Medea region
– 29 rebels would be killed
—
– in the photo, the 1er REP parade at the Champs-Elysées in Paris in 1957, led by Lt Col Pierre Jeanpierre, its famous commander (killed the next year)
French Foreign Legion: April 20
– 1863, in Mexico, a rebel group annihilated
– an action during the French intervention in Mexico (1862-67)
– it took place near the village of Jamapa
– legionnaires from 2nd Battalion, Foreign Regiment (then title for the Legion) were involved
– led by Major Munier, the battalion commander
– they faced a rebel group led by Antonio Diaz
– the group had been attacking the legionnaires during railroad works
– during the following battle, Antonio Diaz was killed
– his group was annihilated
—
– 1957, in northwestern Algeria, a battle with local rebels
– the fierce battle occurred near Fellaoucene, in the Tlemcen region
– legionnaires from 5e REI participated
– the fighting took several hours
– 73 rebels were killed
—
– 1960, in western Algeria, clashes with local rebels
– they took place in the Djidjelli region
– legionnaires from 3e REI were involved
– that day, 17 rebels were killed
—
– in the image, 5e REI legionnaires led by their platoon leader during an operation in Algeria, 1957
—
Related posts:
Foreign Legion events: April 01 – 10
Foreign Legion events: April 21 – 30
French Foreign Legion history