80 years ago: In Syria, a Foreign Legion regiment was born

See a freshly reworked article dedicated to history of an exeptional Foreign Legion unit. This unit became the only Foreign Legion regiment to be ever established in the Middle East. To be more precise, in the Levant, which means current Syria and Lebanon. Nicknamed Regiment of the Levant, the unit was born in early October 1939, not long after the Second World War had started. In 1941, its legionnaires took part in the little-known and sad Syria–Lebanon campaign. They faced an invasion of British troops, their former Allies, supported by a small number of French elements fighting within the British Army, including former legionnaires. Because of this campaign, the regiment would be seen as a controversial unit representing the old French Empire of the 19th century, which came to an end in November 1942.

See history of the Regiment of the Levant:
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment

La version française pour les visiteurs et lecteurs français:
6e Régiment Étranger d’Infanterie

 

6th Foreign Infantry Regiment - History - 6 REI