On March 3, 2025, the 5th Foreign Regiment (5e RE), known as the “Regiment of Tonkin,” held its inaugural commemoration of the Siege of Tuyen Quang, marking 140 years since the Foreign Legion’s historic victory. This event, celebrated as the 5e RE’s new regimental day, highlights the enduring legacy of the 1885 battle during the Sino-French War.
The Siege of Tuyen Quang (November 24, 1884 – March 3, 1885) took place in what was known as Tonkin (the former title for present-day Northern Vietnam), Indochina. It saw a French garrison of 630 men, including two companies of the Foreign Legion (380 men) under Captains Moulinay and Emmanuel de Borelli, withstand a 37-day assault by Chinese regular forces and pro-Chinese Black Flag irregulars. The defenders suffered 50 deaths – including 32 legionnaires – and 224 wounded before a relief column secured victory at Hoa Moc on March 2, 1885. Captain Borelli, commanding the 2nd Company, immortalized the Legion’s ethos of sacrifice and camaraderie in his poem “À mes hommes qui sont morts,” (To my men who are dead) honoring legionnaires like Tiebald Streibler, who died protecting him on the siege’s final day. The battle’s name remains inscribed on the 5e RE’s flag.
The 5e RE, established in Indochina in 1930, inherited its lineage from earlier Legion units in Tonkin. Dissolved in 2000, it was reactivated in 2024 in Mayotte, Indian Ocean, replacing the DLEM. On March 3, 2025, the regiment, now comprising nearly 300 personnel, adopted the Siege of Tuyen Quang as its regimental feast day, honoring its roots, fostering esprit de corps among his men, and reinforcing the Legion’s emphasis on history and tradition.
PHOTOS: 5e RE is commemorating the Siege of Tuyen Quang, March 3, 2025
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