13e DBLE: 84th Anniversary of Bir Hakeim | French Foreign Legion Information

In mid-June 2026, the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE), a regiment-sized infantry unit of the French Foreign Legion, held three days of celebrations at Camp Larzac in southern France to mark the 84th anniversary of the 1942 Battle of Bir Hakeim.

The central ceremony took place on the evening of Friday, June 12, on the Monclar parade ground at Camp Larzac. General Youchtchenko, commander of the Foreign Legion, presided over the event. The ceremony was attended by local civilian and military officials, including General Carleton of the 6th Light Armored Brigade (6e BLB), to which the demi-brigade is assigned.

This year’s commemoration carried added weight, as it also marked ten years since the 13e DBLE relocated to France from the United Arab Emirates. In his address, General Youchtchenko, who himself commanded the 13th Demi-Brigade from 2010 to 2011, called on today’s legionnaires to remain worthy of their predecessors at Bir Hakeim, urging them to uphold “the same determination, the same cohesion, and the same selflessness.”

The Battle of Bir Hakeim, fought in Libya from May 26 to June 11, 1942, during the North Africa campaign, was the first major engagement of the Free French Forces in the Second World War. The 13e DBLE, then serving under British command, was part of the 3,700-strong French garrison that held its position against at least 32,000 Germans and Italians under General Rommel. Although the Axis later captured Tobruk, Bir Hakeim became famous because it bought time for Allied forces and proved that Free French troops could play a serious role in the campaign.

Alongside the ceremony, the regiment opened its gates to the public for three days. Saturday’s program featured the election of Miss Képi Blanc — named after the Legion’s iconic white kepi — a tradition that other Legion regiments typically hold during Camerone Day celebrations in late April. The days leading up to the anniversary also saw a grueling 12-mile (19 km) regimental trail run through the Grands Causses regional natural park, with nearly 2,000 feet (600 m) of elevation gain in scorching heat.

Over the past decade, the arrival of more than a thousand legionnaires and their families in La Cavalerie, the small town adjacent to the camp, has left a clear mark on the surrounding area in the Aveyron departement, boosting local businesses, housing, and services. The 13e DBLE has since become an established part of daily life in the region.

Foreign Legion - 2026 - Camp Larzac - 13e DBLE - 13th DBLE - Commemoration - Battle of Bir Hakeim

Foreign Legion - 2026 - Camp Larzac - 13e DBLE - 13th DBLE - Commemoration - Battle of Bir Hakeim - trail

Foreign Legion - 2026 - Camp Larzac - 13e DBLE - 13th DBLE - Commemoration - Battle of Bir Hakeim - Miss Képi Blanc

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