1er REG: Training with Spanish Legion 2019 | French Foreign Legion Information

In September and October 2019, for four weeks, the legionnaires from the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) of the French Foreign Legion were training in Spain, alongside their comrades-sappers from the Spanish Legion. Both well-known Legions meet together from time to time, to participate in joint exercises, as partners within the NATO alliance.

This time, the 2nd Company of the 1er REG spent four weeks at Alméria, a city in Andalusia, located in the southeast of Spain. They participated in the Desert Combat Warfare 2019 exercise, alongside combat engineers from the Spanish Legion’s 2nd Engineer Battalion (Batallón de Zapadores II).

The Spanish Legion (La Legión) was established in 1920, in the manner of the French La Légion, to take part in campaigns in Spanish North Africa. The Legion is well known thanks to its notable commander Francisco Franco (1923-1928), the leader of Spain in 1936-1975.

Both Legions fought two times side by side in Africa. In the Rif War (Morocco) in the 1920s and in the forgotten Infi War (Spanish Sahara + Morocco) in the late 1950s. However, even if open for foreign volunteers, the Spanish Legion didn’t gain such popularity among foreigners as did its French older sister. The recruiting of non-Spanish speaking foreigners was eventually stopped in 1987.

Since the 2000s, after the Spanish Army became professional, the foreigners have been allowed once again. However, they have to be less than 29 years old, speak Spanish and own a valid residence permit. Because of that, the vast majority of members of the current Spanish Legion is composed of Spaniards and citizens from former Spanish colonies, mainly from Central and South America.

Like the French Foreign Legion, even Spain’s La Legión keeps a tradition of a pro-Catholic force. Unlike the French Legion, the Spanish Legion allows women to join the unit today (since 1990) and they constitute about 10% of the strength.

See some images of combat engineers of both Legions during their co-operation in Spain in September-October 2019.

PHOTOS: 1er REG in Spain, 2019, part 1.
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PHOTOS: 1er REG in Spain, 2019, part 2.
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PHOTOS: 1er REG in Spain, 2019, final day.
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