113 years ago: Foreign Legion’s company decimated by a severe snowstorm

In early February 1908, an unexpected severe snowstorm surprised a Foreign Legion company on the edge of the Sahara, during their march to a remote military post at the Algeria-Morocco border. Within hours, the unmerciful element decimated the unit. Many legionnaires died, others had to undergo amputation of their frozen extremities.

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Five years ago: Six legionnaires killed by an avalanche in the French Alps

On January 18, 2016, fifty members from the Foreign Legion’s 3rd Company, 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) were going through a mountain warfare basic training in the French Alps while an avalanche caught them. Five legionnaires had been killed immediatelly; the sixth legionnaire died a week later.

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4e RE: 2020 Christmas at the school of the French Foreign Legion in Castelnaudary

See 2020 Christmas nativity scenes made by enlisted volunteers and legionnaires during their basic training or advanced instruction within the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE), the Legion’s training school based in Castelnaudary, southern France. As every year, for all enlisted volunteers and fresh legionnaires from the three basic training companies, it was their very first Christmas in the Foreign Legion.

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