The 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment (12e REI) was a provisional unit of the Foreign Legion tasked with defending mainland France against Nazi Germany during the first stage of the Second World War. The regiment was constituted in late February 1940. During the Battle of France, it lost 90% of its men. The 12e REI was disbanded in June 1940.
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L'article en français : 12e Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie
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Introduction
In early September 1939, Hitler’s German forces invaded Poland. In response, France and Great Britain declared war on Germany. As part of the general mobilization that had followed, thousands of foreign volunteers reported to French recruiting centers. Given the long tradition of foreign volunteers being willing to defend France, no one was surprised. Instead, orders were issued to form units composed of these volunteers who enlisted for the duration of the war. For administrative reasons, the volunteer units were assigned to the Foreign Legion.
To take charge of these war volunteers (so-called EVDG), a Legion depot was organized at Sathonay, north of Lyon in eastern France. The Sathonay Depot was responsible for recruiting, equipping, training, and administering the future soldiers who would be assigned to one of the provisional units. An instruction center was established nearby, at Camp La Valbonne. There, the first provisional regiment comprising the EVDG war volunteers – the 11e REI – was constituted in late 1939. Another regiment would follow in early 1940.
Creation of the 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment (12e Régiment Etranger d’Infanterie, 12e REI) was activated at Camp La Valbonne on February 25, 1940. The regiment consisted of an HQ, an HQ company, a logistics company, a gun company, and three battalions. Each battalion was composed of three infantry companies and a support company (machine guns). Lieutenant Colonel Jean Besson took command. A mobilized reservist officer and a veteran of World War I, he had served with France’s Army of Africa before retiring in 1937. Although he had never served in the Legion before, he knew the legionnaires and their peculiarities well thanks to his service in North Africa.
Some might wonder why there are such unusually high numbers in the regimental titles. The answer is simple. To distinguish the provisional units from the regular Legion regiments during the war, “10” was added to their designation. The 11e REI was thus created by adding “10 + 1,” while the 12e REI was the sum of “10 + 2.” Other provisional units with foreign war volunteers were also created, and “20” was added to them this time.
Regarding the personnel, it was a mixture of various groups of elements. There were mobilized reserve officers and NCOs, including those who had previously served with the Foreign Legion. There were also mobilized former legionnaires who had settled in France. Other groups of officers, NCOs, corporals, and men came from North Africa, from both the Foreign Legion regiments and non-Legion regiments. A certain number of reserve or active officers had never served in Africa before. In addition to active and former legionnaires and EVDG war volunteers, the new regiment comprised mobilized foreigners living in France, including (mainly Jewish) refugees escaping Hitler.
A special and very separate group comprised former Spanish Republicans, participants in the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), who represented about one-third of the regiment. They were part of the hundreds of thousands of Spaniards who had fled to refugee camps in southern France in early 1939.
Because the regiment existed only on paper so far, its full formation took several weeks. This – including intensive basic training – took place right in the camp. The basic training was supervised by the active and retired legionnaires. As for the training equipment, it was simple and insufficient in number. It consisted of only a few models of weapons: very old Lebel Mle 1886-M93 rifles, Berthier Mle 1907-15 rifles, FM 24/29 machine guns, some Hotchkiss Mle 1914 machine guns, a Brandt 60 mm mortar and one of 81mm, and a 25mm APX SAL light anti-tank gun (Mle 1935 or 1937).
Like the 11e REI, the regiment itself also suffered from shortages of certain equipment and gear due to the ongoing general mobilization in France, which had disrupted the distribution of supplies. Nevertheless, morale remained high, and the men’s enthusiasm compensated for these shortcomings.
Concerning the weapons, the 11th and 12th Foreign Regiments were equipped with Lebel 1886-M35 carbines, Berthier Mle 92 carbines, and Berthier 1907-15 M16 rifles. The latter were widely used by the French Army in 1940; the new modern MAS 36 rifle was not yet available in large numbers.
The organization of the regiment and training of its men at Camp La Valbonne lasted until May 1940. Then, it was time for the much-anticipated dispatch to the front line.
At the time, the 12e REI was composed of 84 officers, 321 non-commissioned officers, and 2,685 troops (3,090 men in total). Among them were about 900 Spanish Republicans, some 600 Polish and German Jews who had fled to France, and many Italians and Poles. In addition, 198 NCOs and 407 corporals and legionnaires came from Foreign Legion regiments stationed in North Africa.
Composition of the 12e REI in May 1940
- Commander : Lieutenant Colonel Besson
- HQ Staff : Major Dury
- HQ Company : Captain Breuillard
- Logistics Company : Captain Tizon
- Gun Company : Captain Gavoille
- 1st Battalion : Major Roux
- 2nd Battalion : Major Franquet
- 3rd Battalion : Major André
Prelude to the Battle of France
From the declaration of war in early September, virtually no serious action occurred on the border line between France and Germany. This was the calm period of the so-called Phoney War. The French strategy on its border with Germany was strictly defensive, relying on the well-known Maginot Line, a long line of concrete fortifications, obstacles, and weapon installations built in northeastern France in the 1930s.
In the meantime, in early May 1940, fighting was raging in Norway between French and British troops on the one hand and German forces on the other. The Allies (including the 13e DBLE which played an important role in this campaign) sought to seize the strategically important port of Narvik, where vital supplies of Swedish iron ore flowed to Nazi Germany.
To reverse the Allied successful advance in Norway and force them to withdraw troops, Nazi Germany launched Fall Gelb (Case Yellow), a war plan for the invasion of Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. The invasion took place on May 10 via an offensive to the first three states (located between Germany and France). The Phoney War was over. Subsequently, from May 12, the German armed forces bypassed the Maginot Line by advancing through the Ardennes (a large forest in southern Belgium) and attacked the French defensive lines along the Meuse River in the northeastern part of the country. The Battle of France had begun.
Battle of Aisne
The 12e REI at La Valbonne was alerted on May 11 and sent to the Meuse Department. There, it was assigned to the 8th Infantry Division (8e DI) under General Dody. A recently recreated division, it was held in reserve in the Bar-le-Duc sector.
Meanwhile, German armored units equipped with Panzer tanks managed to cross the French border more to the north and entered the Aisne Department, named after the local river. The Battle of the Aisne started on May 17.
The 8th Division, including the 12e REI, was transferred from Bar-le-Duc to Château-Thierry in the Aisne that same day.
On May 25, the regiment was stationed 25 miles (40 km) north, in Soissons. Freshly evacuated by its inhabitants, this is one of the most ancient towns of France. It is located some 60 miles (100 km) northeast of Paris, the capital, in a meander of the Aisne River.
The legionnaires spread out over six miles (9 km) of the front and organized the defense of the seven bridges that stood in and around Soissons between the villages of Pommiers in the west and Venizel in the east. They also took responsibility for a large fuel depot in the latter village. Their mission was to prevent the enemy from accessing and crossing the Aisne River.
Battle of Ailette
On May 29, Major André’s 3rd Battalion was ordered to move almost 10 miles (15 km) northeast of Soissons, toward Vailly-sur-Aisne. It remained there for a week. On the way back to the town, on June 4, it was put at the disposal of the 28e DIA (Alpine Infantry Division) under General Lestien. The reason for this reinforcement was the rapid advance of two German Army Corps – those of Generals von Speck (18. AK) and Kuntze (42. AK) – toward the Alpine Division’s positions.
Therefore, under intense aircraft and artillery fire, the 3rd Battalion moved farther northeast, to the Chemin des Dames, a famous road that was the scene of several deadly battles in the First World War. The battalion installed itself north of the road, near La Malmaison Farm, and was ready to counter-attack the advancing enemy.
The counter-attack was launched at 3:30 a.m. on June 6 after an advance of French Renault R35 tanks. However, the counter-attack caused heavy aerial and artillery bombardment of French positions, followed by an offensive of the 42. AK, especially its 50. ID (Infantry Division) under General Sorsche. The battle took 10 long hours. Despite their inadequate equipment and lack of air support, the significantly outnumbered men of the 3rd Battalion 12e REI fought bravely until they ran out of ammunition and were sacrificed.
Two days later, on June 8, Lieutenant Ducret and several dozen combat-ready legionnaires presented themselves in Soissons. They were the only survivors of the approximately 800 men of the 3rd Battalion.
Battle of Soissons
The 12e REI, less the 3rd Battalion lost at the Chemin des Dames, remained installed at Soissons on the left bank of the Aisne River, ready to defend the town together with other units of the 8th Division. In the meantime, two German infantry divisions of the 18. AK were approaching their positions: General Dennerlein’s 290. ID to the west of the town and General Clößner’s 25. ID to the east.
On the evening of June 6, the 25. ID managed to cross the Aisne, near Missy-sur-Aisne, a village six miles (9 km) upstream from Soissons.
On the night of June 6-7, divisional combat engineers blew up the bridges of Pommiers, Pasly, Soissons, and Venizel. Unfortunately, some of the destruction was insufficient, and enemy infantry (290. ID) was able to cross the river and form a bridgehead. Supported by artillery, the Germans attempted to cross the river in other areas as well. A battle started.
The 12e REI was ordered to hold position and prevent any further advance by the adversary. The fighting was tough, and enemy aircraft fire decimated the troops. The 1st Battalion men fought to the northwest at Pasly and east of the town at Venizel. Units of the 2nd Battalion took up positions mainly east of the town, at Villeneuve-Saint-Germain. The defenders, exposed to constant shelling and machine-gun fire, showed indomitable bravery.
Meanwhile, the 3rd Company under Captain Thomas destroyed the Venizel fuel depot, containing 5,000 tons of gasoline/petrol, so that it would not fall into enemy hands. The officer was later injured in the battle but refused to be replaced and continued fighting.
The heroic defense lasted all day. The defenders put up fierce resistance. Yet by evening, there were significant penetrations into the regiment’s neighboring sub-sectors. To the west were units from the 290. ID. In the east, around Venizel, the legionnaires faced elements of the 25. ID who had also managed to cross the Aisne.
Surrounded on three sides by a superior force and almost out of ammunition, the 12e REI finally got the order to withdraw farther south. However, communication in areas infiltrated by the enemy was severely limited. Therefore, some elements of the regiment, such as Captain Boudet’s 2nd Company, did not withdraw and sacrificed themselves there. The 290. ID captured Soissons on the second day, June 8.
Retreat to the Seine
The 3rd, 6th, and 7th Companies covered the retreat of the regiment’s mobile elements, including cars, trucks, and the supply train. However, these columns were spotted by enemy aircraft and subjected to bombardment. The infantry suffered little. On the other hand, 130 horses in the supply train were killed. In addition, almost all the supply train wagons of the 12e REI, as well as 13 mobile field kitchens, were destroyed.
The regiment, which had already lost more than half its strength, was regrouped on the night of June 8. It became the rearguard of General Touchon’s newly-formed 6th Army (which included the regiment’s 8th Division). The 12e REI was immediately directed about 15 miles (25 km) south toward Neuilly-Saint-Front, a commune in the south of the Aisne Department near the Ourcq River.
Like the Aisne, this river and its valley form a natural barrier that provided a new defensive position for the regiment. The legionnaires occupied the site from June 9 to 10. They repelled two German attacks and took several prisoners.
Then the 12e REI continued the retreat to the south, this time toward Nanteuil-sur-Marne. There, its men held out for three days until June 13. They effectively protected the withdrawal of the 6th Army despite heavy enemy shelling and all encirclement attempts.
Nevertheless, the German offensive pushed the 6th Army, with the 12e REI as rearguard, 45 miles (70 km) farther south toward Montereau-Fault-Yonne, a town at the confluence of the Seine and Yonne Rivers. The regiment’s units took positions to the east of the town between the Seine to the north and the Yonne to the south. Placed around the communes of Balloy and Bazoches-lès-Bray, with the colonel’s HQ at Vinneuf, they resisted enemy attacks for two days, on June 14 and 15.
By June 15, the situation was critical. The day before, German troops had marched through the streets of Paris, which was only 45 miles (70 km) to the west. Thus, at around noon, Lieutenant Colonel Besson passed on the 6th Army’s order for a further withdrawal. His units were to cross the Yonne south of Vinneuf via the bridge at Champigny.
Unfortunately, as the legionnaires passed, machine-gunned by the Germans, the bridge was blown up. A large part of the regiment – the size of a battalion, with its commander and three captains – was trapped north of the Yonne, in the enemy area. After fighting until the evening, these men were taken prisoner.
By coincidence, on the same day, in the neighboring village on the left, General Hermann von Speck of the 18. AK became the first German general to be killed in the Second World War. He died while crossing a bridge (at Pont-sur-Yonne) that was blown up by the French at the time. General von Speck had participated, with his corps, in the battle near the Chemin des Dames between June 5 and 7. It was there where the 12e REI had lost its 3rd Battalion.
Retreat to Bessines-sur-Gartempe and the Armistice
On June 16, the 12e Etranger regrouped in Montargis, 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Champigny. Of the two decimated battalions, only about 180 ablebodied men remained: the strength of an infantry company. They were reinforced by legionnaires from the HQ Company, the regimental supply train, and isolated elements that had lost contact with their original units of the already largely depleted 6th Army.
Encircled and pressed by enemy armored forces, this small group headed southwest to execute a withdrawal of some 155 miles (250 km) from June 16 to 22 via Gien, Bonny-sur-Loire, Brinay, and Châteauroux. The retreat on foot or by truck was a nightmare because the roads were clogged with a large exodus of civilians and other French soldiers seeking to escape from the advancing Germans. Having suffered further losses, the men were subsequently transported by trucks to Bessines-sur-Gartempe, a village north of Limoges in the Gartempe valley. In this village, the survivors of the 12e REI learned of the Armistice signed between Hitler’s Third Reich and France on June 22. As a matter of interest, the Armistice was signed at Compiègne, a town not far from Soissons.
The Battle of France was over. A demarcation line divided the country into two parts: the area occupied by the German army and the so-called “Free Zone” (Zone libre) presided over by a new French government transferred from occupied Paris to the city of Vichy.
On June 23, the 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment ceased to exist. The 200 to 300 exhausted survivors of the regiment, including the wounded men, remained in Bessines-sur-Gartempe for three days. On June 25, they were transported 75 miles (120 km) northeast to Saint-Amand-Montrond. In this small town, built in the basin of the Cher River, the legionnaires camped until August.
On June 30, the 12e REI was cited (mentioned in dispatches) at the Division level by General Dody, commander of the 8e DI. The citation said that the legionnaires demonstrated everywhere “the example of Discipline and Valor” and that the regiment “has never surrendered, adding a heroic page to the Book of Glory of the immortal Foreign Legion.”
The regiment’s colonel and the 3rd Company were cited at an even higher level, that of the Army (the highest possible) and the Army Corps, respectively.
Officers of the 12e REI who were killed in 1940
Captain Pierre Ruillier
– commander of the 9th Company 12e REI
– killed on June 6, 1940 in Soissons
Lieutenant Raoul Dugau
– commander of the 1st Support Company 12e REI
– killed on June 14, 1940 at Bazoches-lès-Bray
Lieutenant Pierre Genet
– platoon leader with the 5th Company 12e REI
– killed on June 10, 1940 near the Ourcq
Lieutenant Jacques Merlet
– platoon leader with the 2nd Support Company 12e REI
– killed on June 8, 1940 at Villeneuve-Saint-Germain
Second Lieutenant Alma Wildt
– an officer of Italian origin
– platoon leader with the 11th Company 12e REI
– killed on June 6, 1940 at the Chemin des Dames
Aspirant (officer candidate) Arthur Dallin
– platoon leader with the 1st Company 12e REI
– seriously wounded on June 6, 1940
– he died on June 12, 1940
Aspirant Charles Garnier
– platoon leader with the 2nd Company 12e REI
– killed on June 7, 1940 at Pasly
Aspirant Léon Gigarel
– platoon leader with the 9th Company 12e REI
– killed on June 6, 1940 at the Chemin des Dames
Conclusion
During the Battle of France in 1940, legionnaires, reservists, mobilized foreigners, and foreign volunteers of the 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment faced a numerically superior enemy supported by heavy artillery, modern armored vehicles, and aircraft. Although they were members of a newly formed regiment and suffered from inadequate equipment and limited ammunition, the men ultimately demonstrated the same courage and fighting spirit as old warriors, despite their different origins.
Decimated on the Chemin des Dames, the Aisne, the Ourcq, the Marne, the Seine, the Yonne, the Loire, the Cher, the Creuse, and the Gartempe, they still never let the enemy scare them. Nine out of 10 men of the regiment were lost during the Battle of France, either killed, wounded, or imprisoned.
In August 1940, after a long southward journey of 190 miles (300 km) to Caussade (a town north of Toulouse), the survivors of the 12e REI boarded a train (40 men and five horses per wagon) to reach Marseille in southeastern France.
There, they were dispersed throughout the region among the camps of Trets, Aubagne (the main garrison of the current Legion), and Fuveau. In the latter commune, they joined their colleagues of the Legion’s Sathonay Depot and the deactivated 11e REI, who had been based in this town since July.
A few days later, the escaped active legionnaires from both disbanded regiments left Fuveau to return to North Africa.
The Legion Depot in Fuveau was disbanded on August 22. The war-period volunteers from both regiments and the Sathonay Depot were subsequently divided into four units of workers; most of these men were demobilized in early 1941.
In the 2000s, the Legion built an official war memorial, dedicated to the 11e and 12e REI, south of Trets, near the Route de la Légion (Legion Road, a road built by the legionnaires camping in Fuveau from July 1940). Each year, in early November, a ceremony takes place there to pay homage to the men of these two Foreign Legion regiments who fought bravely in France in 1940.
The 12e REI also remains probably the only Foreign Legion unit to give its name to two streets in France at once, in Soissons and Villeneuve-Saint-Germain. A local unpaved track known as Rue du 12e Etranger (12th Foreign Regiment Street) exists in Neuilly-Saint-Front.
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Main information sources:
Képi blanc magazines
Légion étrangère magazines
Vert et Rouge magazines
Robert Forczyk: Case Red: The Collapse of France (Osprey Publishing, 2017)
Douglas Porch: The French Foreign Legion: A Complete History (Skyhorse Publishing, 2010)
Pierre Montagnon: Histoire de la Légion (Éditions Pygmalion, 1999)
Armée de Terre Française 1940 (Fr)
Seconde Guerre (Fr)
Collections d’Insignes et Souvenirs Militaires (Fr)
11e et 12e REI, 13e DBLE, 1939-1940 (Fr)
Fanion Vert et Rouge (Fr)
Mémorial Gen Web (Fr)
Mémoires des hommes (Fr)
Google Maps
Wikipedia.org
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Learn about other Foreign Legion units:
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment
3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment
4th Foreign Infantry Regiment
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment
6th Foreign Engineer Regiment
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The page was updated on: February 11, 2025