» indochina | French Foreign Legion Information

75 years ago: Second airborne unit of the Foreign Legion in North Africa was born

December 17, 2023 · Posted in 2bep, history, indochina

75 years ago, in late 1948, another airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was officially activated in France’s North Africa. Like its older sister unit, even the new one was to take part in the First Indochina War (1946-1954) in Southeast Asia. It would distinguish itself and become the most decorated French Army battalion to have fought there. Subsequently, back in North Africa, the unit transformed into a regiment, which would later be known as one of the best trained and action-ready operational formations in the world.

Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc (1922-2013)

August 27, 2023 · Posted in 1bep, 1rep, 2bep, Algeria, Helie de Saint Marc, history, indochina

Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc was a French Foreign Legion officer, mainly serving with airborne units. Best known for his active participation in the 1961 Generals’ Putsch, he died ten years ago, on August 26, 2013. The following article was written in his memory.

75 years ago: An elite airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was activated

July 1, 2023 · Posted in 1bep, history, indochina

75 years ago, in France’s North Africa in early July 1948, an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was officially constituted to take part in the First Indochina War (1946-1954) in Southeast Asia. There, the resolute unit would become a legend, as the very first French airborne battalion lost in combat.

70 years ago: A successful battle in an entrenched valley in French Indochina

December 4, 2022 · Posted in 1rep, 2rep, 3rei, 5re, history, indochina

In late 1952, an important confrontation between the French and the communist Viet Minh took place in then French Indochina, in a valley transformed into a well-fortified camp. A direct predecessor to the sad 1954 battle of Dien Bien Phu, the confrontation ended with a clear French victory, thanks to a significant role of the French Foreign Legion men.

PHOTOS: 2e CMRLE in Indochina in 1953

November 19, 2022 · Posted in cmrle, indochina, photos

Again the PHOTOS series. This time, a set of rare pictures of the 2nd Foreign Legion Medium Repair Company (2e CMRLE), one of the six maintenance & repair companies of the Legion that participated in the First Indochina War (1946-1954).

Zygmunt Jatczak & Krzysztof Schramm: I regret nothing (English version)

February 9, 2022 · Posted in 13dble, books, indochina

February 9, 2022 marks the first anniversary of the death of Zygmunt Jatczak, most likely the last-known Polish survivor of the First Indochina War (1946-54); he passed away at 97. To honor his memory, an English version of the book with his Legion story has been published.

75 years ago: A disciplinary unit was born

June 1, 2021 · Posted in history, indochina

75 years ago, on 1 June 1946, a new Foreign Legion disciplinary unit was born in French Indochina. Stationed on an island at Cam Ranh Bay in what is now called Vietnam, the unit’s mission was to reform badly behaving legionnaires who were being deployed to the Far East to participate in the First Indochina War (1946-1954), and who couldn’t undergo the usual punishment within their mother units. Although there is only little information, the new article dedicated to this disciplinary unit provides all currently available info, as well as very rare images that were never published before.

Andrew J. Mitchell: Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina, 1927-1945

October 9, 2020 · Posted in 5re, books, history, indochina

In late September 2020, a new book dedicated to the Foreign Legion and its history was released: Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina, 1927-1945. This pictorial book is another interesting work of Andrew J. Mitchell, an Irish author, amateur historian and a well-known Foreign Legion badge collector.

Zygmunt Jatczak & Krzysztof Schramm: Niczego nie żałuję (Je ne regrette rien)

July 30, 2020 · Posted in 13dble, books, history, indochina

In July 2020, Krzysztof Schramm, a Polish historian and an honorary member of Poland’s French Foreign Legion Veterans and Friends’ Association released a second edition of memories of Zygmunt Jatczak, most likely the last-known surviving Polish veteran of the First Indochina War (1946-54).

66 years ago: A major confrontation with the Viet Minh began

March 13, 2020 · Posted in dien bien phu, history, indochina

66 years ago, on 13 March 1954, a major confrontation between French troops and the Viet Minh movement began in then French Indochina. The confrontation transformed into a two-month bloody battle that occurred in a remote valley of Dien Bien Phu, situated in northeastern Vietnam. The battle started by a furious assault on a defensive position held by a Foreign Legion battalion. After several hours of severe fighting, the position is overrun… For those interested in this famous battle, see the well-ordered article supplemented with many images and additional information.

Andrew J. Mitchell: The Tigers of Tonkin

August 8, 2019 · Posted in books, history, indochina, legion

In July 2019, a new book dedicated to the French Foreign Legion and its history was released: The Tigers of Tonkin – The History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina 1883-1945. This great book is an original work of Andrew J. Mitchell, an Irish amateur historian and a well-known Foreign Legion insignia collector.