French Foreign Legion information. An online project dedicated to the famous Foreign Legion.
Today, we present another part of the DOCUMENTS series. It’s a rare military service certificate, issued more than a hundred years earlier than the previous certificate, in mid-1856, shortly after the end of the Crimean War.
Read moreDOCUMENTS: 1856 1er RLE 1st Foreign Legion Military service certificate
Today is exactly ten years and ten days since the first post was published on this website. This is the reason to share a slightly rarer picture in the PHOTOS series. Thus, here comes one of the rarest ones found in my archive.
90 years ago, on September 14, 1932, a disaster occurred in North Africa’s Algeria, home to the French Foreign Legion at the time. A train carrying a detachment of the 1st Foreign Regiment derailed and crashed into a ravine. Dozens of legionnaires were killed in the accident, more than two hundred legionnaires were wounded. Yet, the sad event has almost been forgotten.
Read more90 years ago: The deadliest accident ever experienced by the Foreign Legion
See images from Marseille, Southern France, from July 14, 2022, when a Foreign Legion detachment paraded there. It consisted of elements provided by the same two regiments that also took part in the 2022 Bastille Day Military Parade in Paris on the same day: the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) and the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG).
Read more1er RE, 2e REG: 2022 Bastille Day Military Parade in Marseille
The 14th of July marks the French national day, Bastille Day. As usual, a large military parade took place in Paris to celebrate that most important holiday. As every year, the French Foreign Legion participated. See images.
No time to exercise? Major Gérald has the 10 Minute solution for you! According to him, everyone can find at least ten minutes in their day. Thus, the head of the Sports Office of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) presents you a workout called “Flash” that is adapted for legionnaires in combat conditions when they have no time to waste. Compact and ultra-efficient, the 10 minute workout fits into even the busiest of schedules.
On April 30, 2022, the French Foreign Legion commemorated the 159th anniversary of the Battle of Camerone, a crucial moment in their history. The battle is portrayed as a pure example of bravery and the determination to fight to the finish. Camerone Day is therefore the most important day of the year for all current or former legionnaires. After two years of involuntary banning, the French Foreign Legion was once again allowed to commemorate the event publicly. See 2022 Camerone Day images from several Legion regiments.
The 10th of March 2022 marked the 191st anniversary of the creation of the French Foreign Legion. To commemorate this event, the Foreign Legion Music Band (MLE) performed a concert in Aubagne, the Legion’s Mother-house, a day earlier. During this performance, a Ukrainian folk song – Shabelina – was played in support of the Ukrainian families of the victims of the ongoing war.
Read moreForeign Legion Music Band: A song performed in support of Ukrainian families
The 11th of November marks Armistice Day in France. That day the entire nation commemorate the end of hostilities of World War I. Thus last Thursday, on November 11, the French Foreign Legion – as well as the rest of the French Armed Forces – commemorated the 103rd Armistice Day, and remembered the 36,000 legionnaires and foreign volunteers being killed or wounded during the war. See the photos.