Another year is coming to an end, and it went by incredibly fast. This is the thirteenth year in a row since 2012, when this online project started. So it is the right time for a new annual summary.

What was done in 2025?

In last year’s summary, I wrote down a list of topics I wanted to cover in 2025: Colonel Vienot (done) – an officer killed in the Crimean War; two major battles in Syria and Lebanon in 1925, where the Legion cavalry made a name for itself (Battle of Messifré in September and Battle of Rachaya in November); and a couple of lesser-known units – GRD 97, which fought in the 1940 Battle of France, and the forgotten BFC 5, the first Legion unit to officially serve after World War II in French Indochina. I also promised to share a very rare set of images in our PHOTOS series, and that happened too: Foreign Legion Saharan Battery from 1939 to 1942.

Besides these planned tasks, several additional works – either brand new or fully rewritten – were also published, including the 12e REI, 3e REP, IILE, and the Battle of Bou Leggou. The biggest time investment was a complete revision of the 1915-1919 Balkans Campaign, which is still the longest text ever published on this website. On top of that, a full overview of the Foreign Legion during World War II was put together.

Unfortunately, some planned work did not fit into the schedule and had to be moved to next year: mainly the 1895 Madagascar Campaign and the history of the Training Group (GILE). I also had to postpone the planned article dedicated to the Legion Battalion fighting in northern Russia from 1918 to 1919. Even though I already own, without exaggeration, more source material than has ever been published anywhere, I am still missing part of the available archival sources. I hope to get them as soon as possible.

Tasks for 2026

For 2026, I am planning fewer tasks, because I will have less time than before. One of my main goals is to rewrite the histories of two very important units, the 2e REI and 3e REI. These texts are now clearly outdated and far below the current level of similar articles on this website.

I would also like to cover the sad and overlooked campaign in Syria in 1941, where the French (with the 6e REI) faced the British, including the Free French (among them also the 13e DBLE).

Another goal is to bring back a way for European readers to support this website, after the sudden and undeserved shutdown of the European store at the end of 2024.

Finally, I will focus on long-term improvements that make publishing new content more efficient. My archive keeps growing with fascinating information and rare materials, and too many of them are still waiting for their turn.

Support – Thanks

I’m grateful to everyone who comes back here, reads the articles, and shares the site with others. And if you support the project through the Foreign Legion Info U.S.-based Store, please know it really matters and I appreciate it. This support helps cover the running costs and makes it possible for me to keep working on new content. Thank you so much.

As usual, I also want to thank my friends, including Joe (Voltigeur), Andi, Frans from NLLegioen, and others, for their great support and help with research into the history of the Legion.

And special thanks go to Krzysztof, who shares with all of us many rare Legion items from his large private archive. I am truly grateful to him for helping make this site interesting.

My dear readers, thank you for staying with the FOREIGNLEGION INFO website throughout the year. I wish you a Merry Christmas – Joyeux Noël – and happy, relaxing holidays, ideally with something good in your glass. May the new year bring you courage, hope, and faith to face any challenges ahead. I look forward to welcoming you back in 2026.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2026.

Joyeux Noël et Bonne Année 2026.

Peter
ForeignLegion.Info