2e REI: 2023 El Moungar Day | French Foreign Legion Information

On September 2, 2023, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) commemorated the 120th anniversary of the 1903 Battle of El Moungar, a crucial moment in their history. See the images.

El Moungar Day (September 2) marks the anniversary of the almost eight-hour battle that occurred at El Moungar, a waterhole located north of the town of Taghit, Western Algeria. A two-platoon half-company (peloton) of the 22nd Mounted Company, 2nd Foreign Regiment — comprising 113 men under Captain Vauchez — were ambushed on an open plain by about 250-300 Moroccan Berbers when the unit was protecting a camel train moving to the Sahara. Captain Vauchez and his deputy Lieutenant Selchauhansen (a Danish officer) were killed, as well as 34 legionnaires. Another 47 legionnaires were seriously wounded. A detailed article describing the battle will be published on this website later this month.

The battle is nicknamed the “Camerone of the sands”, referring to the famous battle in Mexico where a company of the Legion also didn’t give up and fought to the finish. The 2e REI adopted the date of the battle as their regimental holiday.

The weekend festivities in the Caserne Colonel de Chabrières in Nîmes (Southern France) were presided by General Youchtchenko, the new commander-in-chief of the Legion. Apart from the official ceremony and the military parade, a new garden was inaugurated by the general, and eight legionnaires were naturalized.

PHOTOS: 2023 El Moungar Day in Nimes
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