Foreign Legion: 2024 Camerone Day | French Foreign Legion Information

On April 30, 2024, the French Foreign Legion celebrated the 161st anniversary of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, an epic moment in its history. The celebrations were held across the regiments in France and abroad. See images.

The famous Battle of Camerone, in which 65 men of the Foreign Regiment faced some 2,000 Mexican adversaries, is portrayed as a pure example of bravery and the determination to fight to the finish. It gave the Legion much of its actual character and esprit de corps. Because of that, Camerone Day became the most important holiday for all of the current or former members of this exceptional military force.

Camerone 2024: 1er RE in Aubagne

Almost six thousand of spectators attended the annual commemoration of the Battle of Camerone in the Quartier Vienot, home of both the 1er RE and the COMLE, in Aubagne, Southern France. The theme for this year was the commemoration of the Foreign Legion in French Indochina, from the Son Tay campaign in 1883 to the decisive Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

This year, Colonel Grué was honored to carry the wooden hand of Captain Danjou (commander of men at Camerone) during the main ceremony. As a young lieutenant, Grué served in Indochina with the 3e REI and took part in the bloody battles on Colonial Road No. 4 (RC4) in 1950. He was imprisoned and spent four years in Viet Minh POW camps. Born in December 1924, he is now 99 years old.

The colonel was accompanied by Sergeant Major Helferstorfer and Legionnaire 1st Class Bosy. The first of them, Sergeant Major Helferstorfer, was designated to represent the Legion NCOs serving in Indochina. There, he fought in the ranks of the 2e REI and the 5e REI. Legionnaire 1st Class Bosy represented in Aubagne on April 30 all the simple legionnaires who fought in Indochina, where he served with Legion Engineer units.

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Camerone 2024: 2e REI in Nimes

2024 Camerone Day in the Quartier Colonel de Chabrières in Nimes, home to the 2e REI.

Camerone 2024: 3e REI in French Guiana

2024 Camerone Day in the Quartier General Rollet in Kourou, French Guiana, garrison town of the 3e REI.

Camerone 2024: 4e RE in Castelnaudary

2024 Camerone Day in the Quartier Danjou in Castelnaudary, home of the 4e RE, the school of the Legion.

Camerone 2024: 1er REC near Marseille

2024 Camerone Day for the 1er REC in Aubagne, Cassis (both towns are near Marseille), and even Ivory Coast in West Africa.

Camerone 2024: 2e REP in Corsica

2024 Camerone Day at Camp Raffalli near Calvi, Corsica, home of the famous 2e REP. During the ceremonies, the regimental flag was decorated by General Thierry Burkhard, the incumbent head of the French Armed Forces.

Camerone 2024: 1er REG in Laudun

2024 Camerone Day in the Quartier General Rollet in Laudun, garrison town of the 1er REG.

Camerone 2024: 2e REG at Saint Christol

Images from the Quartier Maréchal Koenig near Saint Christol, the HQ of the 2e REG, the “Mountain Regiment.” The celebrations were attended by Minister of the Armed Forces Sébastien Lecornu.

Camerone 2024: GRLE in Paris

2024 Camerone Day commemorated by the GRLE recruiting group in Paris.

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