In mid-August 2021, a detachment from the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia (FANC) went to Australia to participate in Exercise Diamond Dagger. The detachment is composed of two officers and 26 legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion’s 5th Company, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), the youngest combat company of the regiment, specialized in desert warfare. They have been to New Caledonia on the four-month Short-duration Mission (MCD).
Following their mandatory two weeks of quarantine because of the pandemic restrictions, the legionnaires moved to the northwestern Brisbane suburb of Enoggera in Australia’s Queensland, to Gallipoli Barracks (named after the WWI Campaign in the Gallipoli peninsula, where Australian troops fought side by side with legionnaires). The barracks is home to the 7th Brigade. There, the 2e REP men started familiarization training with the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, to be ready for Exercise Diamond Dagger. After the training, they integrated with the 6 RAR’s Alpha Company and the rest of Brisbane’s 7th Brigade.
2e REP’s Captain “Paul” (note that French military names have been published without surnames for a few years now, due to security regulations) said he was eager for his men to train in the Australian bush, an environment completely foreign to them.
“The aim is to work together with 6 RAR’s Alpha Company to see how they work, show them our procedures, and work together to improve,” Captain Paul said.
Lieutenant Colonel Richard Niessl, commanding officer of the 6 RAR, said the French detachment were eager to take advantage of their time in the Australian bush.
“They’re young, they’re energetic, they’re motivated, they’re keen to be here, they’ve got the same level of enthusiasm for being in Australia as we would have if we had the opportunity to go to France or New Caledonia,” Lt. Col. Niessl said. He added that the 2e REP men have been excellent and fit in perfectly.
The first week, the legionnaires did their integration with Alpha Company, including training on the vehicles, weapons training, and some physical training sessions, to be prepared for Exercise Diamond Dagger that commenced this Monday, August 30. It will continue for another three weeks, until September 19.
Lt. Colonel Niessl also said that he and his soldiers are happy to strengthen their relationship with the French Armed Forces, build stronger connections between the two nations, develop their interoperability, and learn from each other.
The French Army is present in the Pacific region by the New Caledonia Pacific Marine Infantry Regiment (RIMaP-NC). The regiment is formed mainly with companies coming from France and rotating usually every four months. The 2e REP men form the unit’s Parachute Company (COMPARA), which is based at Plum, in the South Province of New Caledonia. This island is a collectivity of overseas France in the southwest Pacific Ocean, and lies about 750 miles (1,210 km) east of Australia.
The 5th Company, 2e REP replaced in New Caledonia their comrades from 1st Company, 2e REP that served with the RIMaP-NC in the first half of this year.
By the way, also a platoon of legionnaires from the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) are currently deployed to New Caledonia.
Photo credit: CPL N. Dorrit, Department of Defence
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