On August 6, 2019, another commercial flight into orbit was launched from the space center based at Kourou, French Guiana (South America). As always, the important launch was protected by legionnaires from the Foreign Legion’s 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI).
Andrew J. Mitchell: The Tigers of Tonkin
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.
1er REG: Exercise with British soldiers in Estonia
Legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) are currently being deployed for four months to Estonia, a Baltic state in Northern Europe. They participate in Mission Lynx, part of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Baltic Enhanced Forward Presence (EFP) to protect NATO’s member state. In the country, the legionnaires made part of an international composite task force under the British leadership. In late July 2019, besides other military training and exercises, the British prepared for their colleagues from the 1er REG a joint engineering exercise, called Phoenix Tutor.
Foreign Legion Music: Presentation of Drummers in Paris 2019
See a cool video showing a very nice performance of French Foreign Legion drummers from the famous Foreign Legion Music Band (MLE) when they were captured drumming for the public on the Champs-Elysées in Paris this July, before the 2019 Bastille Day Parade.
Read moreForeign Legion Music: Presentation of Drummers in Paris 2019
13e DBLE: Foreign Legion marksmen win US Army Europe sniper contest
In late July 2019, marksmen of the French Foreign Legion’s 13th Half Brigade (13e DBLE) won the U.S. Army’s 2019 European Best Sniper Team Competition that took place at Grafenwoehr, Germany. The legionnaires became the winners among 32 teams from 16 countries being involved in the contest.
Read more13e DBLE: Foreign Legion marksmen win US Army Europe sniper contest
2e REI: Le Tour de France 2019
On July 23, 2019, the 16th stage of the famous Tour de France, an annual three-week bicycle race held in France, started and also finished in Nimes. A city in the Occitanie region of southern France with many Roman Empire monuments. And the garrison town of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), the longest-serving regiment of the Foreign Legion.
Foreign Legion: 2019 Bastille Day
On the 14th July 2019, Foreign Legion regiments participated in ceremonies in their garrison towns to celebrate the French National Day (called Bastille Day in the English-speaking world). See some nice images.
Bastille Day Military Parade 2019
Since 1880, a large military parade occurs in Paris each 14 July, the French national day, called Bastille Day in English-speaking countries. Traditionally, the Bastille Day military parade takes place on the Champs-Elysées, a well-known avenue in the 8th arrondissement. The Foreign Legion participated in the parade for the very first time with their white kepis in 1939. Even last Sunday, the legionnaires showed up in the ceremony.