In early February 2021, a new Mission CORYMBE began for legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI). The legionnaires will cruise along the coastline of West Africa, between Senegal and Gabon. The mission will last about two to three months.
2e REI: Visited by COMLE
On November 10, 2020, General Alain Lardet, the commander-in-chief of the French Foreign Legion (COMLE), officially visited the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), the longest-serving regiment of the Legion at its military base in Nimes.
Foreign Legion: 2020 Armistice Day
As every year since 1918, even on this 11 November the different regiments of the French Foreign Legion were commemorating the end of World War I and paying honor to the veterans and the dead. Known as Remembrance Day (or Veterans Day) in mostly English-speaking countries, the Armistice Day is highly regarded in France.
2e REI: Combat Support Company training
See some nice photos of the Combat Support Company (CA, ex-CEA) when participating in training exercises at Camp Caylus in southern France in October 2020. The company is part of the Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) and groups different specialty platoons (e.g. snipers, SAED commandos, anti-tank weapons…) in support of the regiment.
2e REI: 2020 Change of Command
At the Caserne colonel Chabrières, the military headquarters of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) in southern France’s Nîmes, a Change of Command ceremony occurred in early August 2020.
Foreign Legion: Old documentaries – 1er RE, 13e DBLE, 1er REC, 2e REI
If you are interested in the French Foreign Legion, you can watch some rare and interesting French documentaries from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, recently posted on YT, showing the then Legion and legionnaires.
Read moreForeign Legion: Old documentaries – 1er RE, 13e DBLE, 1er REC, 2e REI
2e REI: Task Force Dragon in June 2020
The legionnaires from the Desert Task Force “Dragon”, armed mostly by the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), continued in the desert of West Africa their effort against local terrorist groups even in June 2020, within France’s Operation Barkhane.
Operation Barkhane: Immersion in the three-border region
See the French Army’s nice report on Foreign Legion military activities in the important three-border region of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, situated in the Sahel area of West Africa, around April-May 2020, aimed at local armed terrorist groups (GAT).
Read moreOperation Barkhane: Immersion in the three-border region
44 years ago: Deadly accident in Africa
In late May 1976, an air accident occurred during a military exercise in the then French Territory of the Afars and the Issas (TFAI, today’s Djibouti), a country located in the Horn of Africa. A French Army helicopter crashed. Eight men on board were killed, including six legionnaires from GOLE (Foreign Legion Task Force). Another two legionnaires died later. At the time, the incident became the deadliest accident for the Legion since the end of the Algerian War (1962). And it still remains the second deadliest accident for the Legion since 1962. Nevertheless, for unknown reasons, the fatal crash has been completely forgotten in France. Here is the article dedicated to this sad event and to pay homage to the victims.