April 30, 2025, marked the 162nd anniversary of the Battle of Camerone, the defining event in the French Foreign Legion’s history, when 62 legionnaires under the command of Captain Jean Danjou faced a force of 2,000 Mexican troops. Refusing to surrender, they fought to the very end, with only three able-bodied legionnaires left standing. Commemorations of this anniversary were held across all Legion units and garrisons, both in France and abroad. The following post includes images from several of these ceremonies.
4e RE: 2025 Remise de Kepi blanc in Spain
On March 6, 2025, a historic ceremony took place in Andalusia, the southernmost region of Spain, strengthening the bond between the French Foreign Legion and the Spanish Legion. For the first time, a platoon of enlisted volunteers of the French Foreign Legion’s 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) took the military oath and received the White képi outside mainland France, and alongside the Spanish legionnaires.
4e RE: 2025 Remise de Kepi blanc in Avignonet-Lauragais
In early February 2025, a platoon of enlisted volunteers from the French Foreign Legion’s 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) completed their initial four-week instruction on a remote farm and were entitled to take the oath, earn the White kepi (Képi blanc), and be called legionnaires.
Read more4e RE: 2025 Remise de Kepi blanc in Avignonet-Lauragais
Foreign Legion: 2024 Christmas Challenges
Christmas Eve marks the second most important holiday in the French Foreign Legion. Before the actual celebrations, each Foreign Legion regiment organizes Christmas challenges. The challenges help to maintain cohesion within the units and provide a bit of fun for their hard-working men. See several images taken in different Foreign Legion regiments during the Christmas challenges that took place in late 2024.
4e RE: 2024 Foreign Legion Half Marathon
The 46th edition of the Foreign Legion Half Marathon (13 miles / 21 km) was held in Castelnaudary (Southern France) on Saturday, October 5, 2024. As usual, the sporting event was organized by the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE), training school of the Legion.
4e RE: La Solidaire 2024
Each year, the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) organizes an exceptional long-distance cycling event that brings together passionate riders and supporters from across various Foreign Legion regiments. United by solidarity, they ride with a single goal: to support the Legion’s wounded and retired veterans.
80 years ago: Foreign Legion’s last artillery batteries were disbanded
With the conflict in Ukraine, a long-neglected component of Western armies, artillery, has once again stepped to the fore. It might come as a surprise to many Foreign Legion enthusiasts that a 1920 law allowed the Foreign Legion to establish, along with a cavalry regiment, also a separate artillery regiment. Equally surprising might be the fact that, in 1941, the legionnaires probably served in as many as 11 artillery batteries at the same time. The last of these units were disbanded 80 years ago, in 1944.
Read more80 years ago: Foreign Legion’s last artillery batteries were disbanded
4e RE: 2024 Exercise Fierbois
See some images from the military exercise which was organized by the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) in southern France in late May 2024.
60 years ago: Foreign Legion’s Regiment of Morocco was disbanded
60 years ago, deep in the Algerian Sahara in late April 1964, an entire Foreign Legion regiment was disbanded, victim of the reorganization of the French army after the end of the Algerian War (1956-62). Activated in French North Africa in late 1920 and given the nickname the “Regiment of Morocco,” its units fought in Morocco, Tunisia, Madagascar, Indochina, Mauritania, Spanish Sahara, and Algeria. In 1980, its number, history, and traditions were taken over by the training regiment of the Legion in Castelnaudary.
Read more60 years ago: Foreign Legion’s Regiment of Morocco was disbanded
Foreign Legion: 2024 Camerone Day
On April 30, 2024, the French Foreign Legion celebrated the 161st anniversary of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, an epic moment in its history. The celebrations were held across the regiments in France and abroad. See images.
4e RE: 2024 Remise de Kepi blanc in Monaco
In early April 2024, a platoon of enlisted volunteers from the French Foreign Legion’s 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) completed the initial four-week instruction and were allowed to take the oath. The ceremony took place exceptionally on April 4 in Monaco, a sovereign city-state and constitutional monarchy located on the French Riviera. It was presided over by Prince Albert II, head of state, and General Youchtchenko, head of the Foreign Legion.