The Operational Company, 1st Foreign Regiment was the last French Foreign Legion unit to remain stationed in Algeria, North Africa. Its task was to guard the French air base at Bou Sfer near the city of Oran. The company was disbanded on August 17, 1968.

The Foreign Legion began leaving Algeria – its homeland since 1831 – after the end of the Algerian War in 1962. In late 1967, France’s only remaining presence in Algeria – an integral part of the nation between 1848 and 1962 – was the reduced joint air and naval base of Mers El Kebir, once an important and famous center of the French Navy. At the time, the base was guarded by the 2e REI, the last Foreign Legion regiment to serve in Algeria. In early 1968, France relinquished control of the Mers El Kebir naval base to Algerian authorities. Only the neighboring airfield at Bou Sfer with a small air detachment was retained. It made no sense to keep the whole regiment there to guard it. Therefore, even the 2e REI departed Algeria for France, leaving only its 1st Company in place.

Thus, in Algeria’s Bou Sfer in early January 1968, the 1st Company 2e REI was transformed and redesignated as Operational Company, 1st Foreign Regiment (Compagnie de Marche du 1er Etranger; CM/1er RE). It was a temporary, company-sized task force composed of light infantry and armored elements (equipped with old-fashioned M3 half-tracks). The company was tasked with protecting the French air base at Bou Sfer by manning various guard posts and checkpoints.

Commanded by Captain Monteil, the company was composed of three platoons stationed at the former camp of the 1er REC (the latter left it in late 1967). As a matter of interest, the 2e REP was also stationed at Bou Sfer, between 1962 and 1967, but at another camp.

The CM/1er RE inherited the fanion of the little-known Intervention Company, 1er RE (1962-1963). In addition, it traced its lineage back to the 2e CSPL and, thus, to the old 22nd Mounted Company, 2nd Foreign Regiment, which bravely fought at El Moungar in 1903.

In late April 1968, the company celebrated the last Camerone Day (the Legion’s main holiday commemorating the historic 1863 battle in Mexico), which was organized by a Legion unit in Algeria.

Finally, in mid-August, due to a French Army decision, the Operational Company 1st Foreign Regiment left Algeria for France. The Legion left its homeland after exactly 137 years. (The first battalions of the Legion arrived there in late August 1831.) The company was disbanded in Aubagne, the regiment’s HQ, on August 17, 1968.

Following the CM/1er RE’s dissolution, operational units of the French Army conducted four-month deployments to the Bou Sfer air base until late 1970. They were protecting the few French elements carrying out the final evacuation process. Among the deployed units were the 3rd Company 2e REP (from December 1968 through mid-April 1969) and the 4th Squadron 1er REC (in December 1970).

 
 
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Main information sources:
Képi blanc magazines

 
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More from the history of the Foreign Legion:
History of the 1st Foreign Regiment
Foreign Legion Pioneer Company 1968-1970
GOLE: Foreign Legion Operational Group
Foreign Legion Algerian Motorized Group

 
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The page was updated on: August 17, 2024