The 4th Legion Saharan Motorized Company (4e CSPL) was a Saharan motorized infantry unit of the French Foreign Legion, serving in Algeria between 1955-1963. This little-known unit was the youngest Saharan motorized company of the Legion. The self-governing, autonomous company was established in 1955 as one of the four Legion’s motorized companies (CPLE). It joined the Algerian War (1954-62). In 1956, the company was designated as a Saharan unit and received the traditional Saharan uniforms. The 4e CSPL was disbanded in 1963.
24th Foreign Legion Motorized Company: 1955
1954 – 1955:
– Algerian War started
– in North Africa, local rebels intensified military actions
– since late 1954
– these actions took part in Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria
– countries under French control for decades
– the attacks were aimed at French forces presented there
– also aimed at French people living and working there
– during next months, rebel actions would escalate into the Algerian War
– in November-December 1954, two motorized companies were established
– they were formed within the 1er RE
– 21st Motorized Company (21e Compagnie Portée, 21e CP)
– 22nd Motorized Company (22e CP)
– in January 1955, 23e CP was established
– their main purpose was to maintain order in Algeria
1955:
– July, the companies became self-governing, autonomous units
– they were redesignated as Foreign Legion Motorized Company (CPLE)
– 21e CPLE, 22e CPLE, 23e CPLE
– in February 1956, they were grouped
– Foreign Legion Algerian Motorized Group (GPLEA) was born
– 24th Foreign Legion Motorized Company
– 24e Compagnie Portée de Légion Etrangère (24e CPLE)
– 24e CPLE was established on August 01, 1955
– organized at Sidi Bel Abbes (then the Legion’s HQ), Algeria
– the reason was the deployment of 23e CPLE to eastern Algeria
– 24e CPLE had to replace it in western Algeria
– Lieutenant Jacques Thimel took command
– in 1950-51, he served with 1re CSPL
– in August, 24e CPLE made their four-week instruction
– the instruction took place at Quartier Prudon, Sidi Bel Abbes
– the main garrison town of the Legion
– 24e CPLE to be stationed in Ain Sefra
– in September, 24e CPLE left Sidi Bel Abbes
– the company moved to Ain Sefra
– a town in western Algeria, close to Morocco
– the unit was stationed at Quartier Ardassenoff
– the barracks freshly abandoned by 23e CPLE
– in October, Lieutenant Thimel was promoted Captain
– in November, 24e CPLE received their vehicles
– Jeeps, Dodge WC cars and AMM8 (Greyhound) armored cars
– in late December, the first military operation for 24e CPLE
– at the same time, the company was redesignated


4th Legion Saharan Motorized Company: 1956-1963
4e CSPL: 1956
– 4th Legion Saharan Motorized Company
– 4e Compagnie Saharienne Portée de la Légion (4e CSPL)
– 4e CSPL was established on January 01, 1956
– ex-23e CPLE company
– redesignated as a new Saharan unit of the Legion
– the company remained stationed in Ain Sefra
– Captain Jacques Thimel continued as the company commander
– 4e CSPL’s composition in January 1956:
- HQ Platoon
- 1st Platoon (Lieutenant O’Mahony, Lieutenant Planet since March)
- 2nd Platoon (Lieutenant Cailleux – killed in action later that year)
- 3rd Platoon (Adjudant Gniewek, a well-known Polish NCO)
- Machine Gun Platoon (would be established later that year)
– 4e CSPL served in western Algeria
– in the Ain Sefra and Geryville regions
– the unit maintained order there
– it conducted night patrols alongside the Moroccan border
– the unit also protected French convoys
January-September:
– January-July, construction works
– the men were (re)building their new installation
– in February, 4e CSPL’s two platoons deployed to Tindouf
– a town in the westernmost province of Algeria
– in the Sahara, close to the border with Mauritania
– an operation aimed at local rebel groups
– the operation there lasted until May
– the 4e CSPL men returned to Tindouf later that year
– to operate alongside 1er REP
– in August, operations in the Tindouf region ended
– May-September, 4e CSPL maintained order in the Ain Sefra region
September-December:
– in September, an operation near Beni Ounif
– at Djebel Bechar, in the Colomb-Béchar region
– the first fighting for 4e CSPL
– alongside men from Disciplinary Company (CDRE)
– 4e CSPL suffered first losses
– Lieutenant Jean Cailleux (25 years old) was killed
– the first (and last) 4e CSPL officer killed in action
– he served as a platoon leader with 2nd Platoon
– in early November, 4e CSPL left Ain Sefra
– the unit moved to the south, to Colomb Bechar
– the region known for decades as a place for Legion disciplinary units
– the company built a tent camp to be based there
– in December, a mission to the south
– 4e CSPL made some 1,250 miles (2,000 km) in ten days
– in the remote regions of the Sahara
– to patrol the regions and search rebel activity





4e CSPL: 1957
– 4e CSPL continued in their missions
– the men maintained order in the region of Colomb Bechar
– they patrolled the Algeria-Morocco border, often crossed by rebel groups
– they were at regional French military governor’s disposal
– to be ready to be alerted
– to participate in anti-rebel military operations
– the legionnaires also continued to build their new camp
– 4e CSPL often participated in the mountain campaigns too
– in January, patrols near Forthassa
– a village in the Ain Sefra region
– the site of the 1908 Forthassa disaster
– in July, the new camp was inaugurated
– Camp Lieutenant Cailleux in Colomb Bechar
– the camp was built up by legionnaires of 4e CSPL
October:
– in October, 4e CSPL moved to Timimoun
– an old village in the desert of south-central Algeria
– a site to oil and gas exploration
– 4e CSPL provided security to French oil engineers
– October 15, Méharistes deserted
– a pro-French auxiliary camel cavalry unit
– that day, over 60 Méharistes deserted to rebels
– they served with the Méhariste Company of Touat
– they killed 8 French officers and NCOs of their unit
– an operation to search the deserters started
– 4e CSPL and other French units based at Timimoun took part
November-December:
– November 6, a group of 4e CSPL legionnaires was attacked
– 5 legionnaires headed by Sergeant Gutflech
– attacked by Méhariste deserters and rebels
– when guarding 2 French oil engineers + 5 Algerian oil workers
– they provided oil exploration deep in the Sahara’s desert
– heavily outnumbered, the group was imprisoned
– the incident took place some 60 miles (100 km) of Timimoun
– Battle of Timimoun
– it occurred between November 8 – December 7
– a large four-week military operation
– aimed at the group of Méhariste deserters
– a reaction to the incident with engineers
– 4e CSPL took part in the operation
– alongside French paratroopers (3e RPC)
– over 40 Méhariste deserters were killed
– 6 deserters were captured
– in December, 4e CSPL returned to Colomb Bechar







4e CSPL: 1958
– 4e CSPL continued to maintain order in the region
– they still patrolled the electrified Algeria-Morocco border
– they continued to participate in anti-rebel military operations
January-February:
– 4e CSPL also conducted a new mission
– registration of nomad population moving in the Sahara
– the legionnaires registered + photographed every person
– in mid-July, Capitain Pierre Jacquerez took command
October-December:
– in October, military operations in the Saharan Atlas
– several rebels were killed
– in November, operations at Djebel Mizeb
– it took place at the Algerian-Moroccan border
– in December, Operation Bengalore
– an important rebel hideout was found by 4e CSPL
4e CSPL: 1959
– 4e CSPL continued to patrol the electrified Algeria-Morocco border
– it was their most important task at the time
– in early January, several rebel depot were destroyed
– alongside the border
– May 11, an operation aimed at a rebel group
– at Ouled Safsaf
– 5 rebels were imprisoned
– in late June, Captain Eugene Daumar took command
– August-October, operations nearby Oued Zouzfana and El Abiod sectors
– east of Colomb Bechar
4e CSPL: 1960
– 4e CSPL’s composition in early 1960:
- HQ Platoon
- 1st Platoon (Lieutenant Bourgal)
- 2nd Platoon (Lieutenant De Haldat du Lys)
- 3rd Platoon (Lieutenant Bezou)
- Machine Gun Platoon
– at the time, a group of harkis were assigned to the 4e CSPL
– pro-French muslim auxiliaries (mostly cavalrymen)
– they were often former rebels
– in mid-January, a military operation
– a legionnaire was killed by a land mine
– Captain Daumar was wounded and evacuated
– Lieutenant Henri Bourgal took command temporarily
– Colonel Lotfi killed
– May 20, a military operation
– in the mountains near Colomb Bechar, western Algeria
– aimed at a rebel group with snipers
– led by Colonel Lotfi
– an important Algerian rebel and a regional leader
– a heavy fighting occurred
– Colonel Lotfi was killed
– several rebels were also killed
– between them, Commandant Faradj, Lotfi’s deputy
– a sergeant + 3 legionnaires were also killed, however
– in April, a group of legionnaires was placed at the local military airport
– to be ready to be transported immediately by a helicopter
– all platoons took turns
– April 6, a military operation
– part of Operation Promethee
– it took place in the Geryville region
– two Legion units participated
– 2e REI + 4e CSPL
– 52 rebels were killed
– 11 rebels were imprisoned
– Boulevard du Bechar
– April-December, Boulevard du Bechar road construction
– 4e CSPL built up the 30 miles (45 km) long strategic road
– all platoons took turns
– the road went through the local mountains of the Bechar region









4e CSPL: 1961
– 4e CSPL continued in conducting operations in the region
– at the time, 4e CSPL was composed of 173 officers and legionnaires
– these men were still led by Lieutenant Bourgal
– nevertheless, Captain Daumar kept the command officially (until June 12)
– March 19, 4e CSPL (re)deployed to Tindouf
– a town in the westernmost province of Algeria
– in the Sahara, close to the border with Mauritania
– some 500 miles (800 km) south-west of Colomb Bechar
– the company already served there in 1956
– the platoons patrolled the region
– they returned to Colomb Bechar in late April
– in May, the company was reinforced
– by NCOs and legionnaires from the disbanded 1er REP
– in June, 2nd Platoon operated in the Tabelbala sector
– some 190 miles (300 km) south of Colomb Bechar
– in mid-June, Captain Pierre Jaluzot took command
– he became the last company commander of 4e CSPL
– he had served in the Legion since 1948
– wounded in Indochina, when serving with 3e REI
– July-August, a military instruction
– September 29, a military operation
– several rebels were killed
– 3 rebels were imprisoned
– a legionnaire was also killed
– in October, 4e CSPL guarded the Algerian-Moroccan border
– the mission lasted until April 1962
– in November, protectiong of important places in Colomb Bechar
– against local protesters during pro-independence demonstrations
4e CSPL: 1962
– in January, operations at Djebel Amour, in the El Abiod sector
– Algerian War officially ended
– March 19, Algerian War ended
– that day, an official ceasefire came into force
– a result of the Évian Accords treaty (signed on March 18)
– however, military operations in Algeria would be conducted until September
– the end of the war would result in Algerian independence
– also in France’s withdrawal from North Africa
– the Foreign Legion’ HQ had to leave its homeland
– it would move to France, after 130 years spent in Algeria
– April-June, patrolling the border
– by a designated platoon put on alert
– the rest of the company carried out other tasks
– mainly instruction and sports activities
– also guarding civil refugees leaving Algeria
– Independence of Algeria
– July 5, Algeria gained its independence
– since July, operations ended for the company
– replaced by protecting of ammunition depots
– also reconstruction of several military posts
– September 17, two legionnaires killed
– by a land mine hidden at the border
– November-December, a mission to the south
– two platoons (2nd + 3rd) participated
– they went separately to In Salah
– an unspecified mission
– in late December, the company was complete
4e CSPL: 1963
– January-March, maintenance of equipment
– also sports and istruction activities
– 4e CSPL dissolution
– March 31, 4e CSPL was disbanded
– its legionnaires merged with 2e REI
– they formed a new 2nd Motorized Company, 2e REI
– the new company remained based at Colomb Bechar










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Images & information main sources:
Képi blanc magazines
Foreign Legion bulletins
Jean Paul Mahuault: Legionnaires Sahariens (L’esprit du Livre, 2011)
Insignes Legion
Vert et Rouge
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Foreign Legion’s other disbanded motorized units:
1st Legion Saharan Motorized Company
2nd Legion Saharan Motorized Company
3rd Legion Saharan Motorized Company
Foreign Legion Moroccan Motorized Group
Foreign Legion Algerian Motorized Group
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The page was updated on: April 8, 2019
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