In northeastern France, in the regions of Champagne and Alsace, a large multinational ten-day exercise starts today: BACCARAT 2019. The exercise is aimed at adaptation to air assault and its perfection. It has been organized since 2017, by the 4th Air Assault Brigade (4e BAC). Apart from British, Spanish and French military helicopter units, the Foreign Legion’s 13th Half Brigade (13e DBLE) also participates in the exercise.
13e DBLE: Foreign Legion marksmen win US Army Europe sniper contest
In late July 2019, marksmen of the French Foreign Legion’s 13th Half Brigade (13e DBLE) won the U.S. Army’s 2019 European Best Sniper Team Competition that took place at Grafenwoehr, Germany. The legionnaires became the winners among 32 teams from 16 countries being involved in the contest.
Read more13e DBLE: Foreign Legion marksmen win US Army Europe sniper contest
Foreign Legion: 2019 Bastille Day
On the 14th July 2019, Foreign Legion regiments participated in ceremonies in their garrison towns to celebrate the French National Day (called Bastille Day in the English-speaking world). See some nice images.
13e DBLE: 4th Company in Indian Ocean
Legionnaires of the 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade (13e DBLE) are currently being deployed for four months to Réunion, an island and an overseas department of France in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar. They formed a rotational infantry company of the 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (2e RPIMa) there, to maintain order in the region.
Foreign Legion: 2019 Camerone Day
On April 30, 2019, the French Foreign Legion commemorated the 156th anniversary of the Battle of Camerone, the legendary and most important event in its history. Camerone Day is the most important day of the year for all current or former legionnaires of the Foreign Legion. See 2019 Camerone Day videos and images from several Legion regiments.
VIDEO: 1er REC + 1er REG at Canjeurs
See a nice French Foreign Legion official video showing legionnaires from the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) and 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) during their joint military exercise at Camp of Canjeurs.
1er REG: Egypt, Djibouti and Mozambique
In March 2019, legionnaires-sappers of the French Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) on board of the Tonnerre, the French amphibious assault helicopter carrier, left France’s Toulon to be shipped to Africa to carry out different missions.
13e DBLE: First exercise with helicopters
In March 2019, the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (13e DBLE) conducted an exercise with helicopters at Larzac. It was the very first such exercise taking place at their military camp located in southern France.