65 years ago: Two little-known motorized groups of the Foreign Legion were disbanded

In North Africa in late 1956, two little-known motorized groups of the Foreign Legion were disbanded, and their five companies helped to double the ranks of the two freshly established “motorized regiments”, first among Foreign Legion units. Learn more about these units that patrolled not only Algeria or Morocco, but also Northern Mauritania.

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110 years ago: A fierce battle in Morocco

110 years ago, on 15 May 1911, during a French campaign to liberate the besieged ruler of Morocco, two platoons of the French Foreign Legion were involved in a fierce battle with numerous Moroccan rebels. Determined never to surrender to the enemy, only an officer and six legionnaires left alive after six hours of fighting. Although this battle is considered as the second Camerone, it has been almost forgotten over the years.

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113 years ago: Foreign Legion’s company decimated by a severe snowstorm

In early February 1908, an unexpected severe snowstorm surprised a Foreign Legion company on the edge of the Sahara, during their march to a remote military post at the Algeria-Morocco border. Within hours, the unmerciful element decimated the unit. Many legionnaires died, others had to undergo amputation of their frozen extremities.

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100 years ago: A Foreign Legion regiment was constituted in Morocco

In the then French protectorate of Morocco in late 1920, four autonomous battalions of the French Foreign Legion that had spent the whole First World War there were grouped to form a new unit, nicknamed as the Regiment of Morocco. The new regiment had to go on with the pacification of the country while, at the same time, his men were the first legionnaires ever to operate in the Middle East…

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111th anniversary: Foreign Legion’s company overtook by a severe snowstorm

March or Die… In Algeria on February 1, 1908, a blinding snowstorm overtook a company of the Foreign Legion during their march to a remote military post at the Algeria-Morocco border. Beaten by the severe snowstorm in a semi-desert land, tens of legionnaires died. Many other suffered frostbite and had to be amputated. Though forgotten these days, the disaster has remained one of the most tragic events for the Legion.

Read more111th anniversary: Foreign Legion’s company overtook by a severe snowstorm