This week, on November 27, began an important tactical combined arms maneuver BIA 23 that takes place in the Marne Department in northeastern France, north of Camp Mailly. Organized by the 6th Light Armored Brigade (6e BLB), it is to be the very first French exercise involving a combined arms brigade of the modern SCORPION generation ready for an operational deployment. Among the participating units are the Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), and the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG).
Foreign Legion: 2023 Armistice Day
In most English-speaking countries, November 11 is known as Veterans Day or Remembrance Day, honoring military veterans and those who have died in the line of duty. In France, this day is still known as Armistice Day, in memory of the 1918 armistice signed between the Allies and Germany that ended World War I. Since 2012, all those who died for France have also been commemorated during Armistice Day. The French Foreign Legion participates annually in those ceremonies. See images.
1er REC: 3rd Squadron in Djibouti in 2023
In early October 2023, the 3rd Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) arrived in Djibouti, Horn of Africa. The squadron would carry out its tasks there for the next four months.
1er REC: 5th Squadron in Southern France
See a short video showing the 4th Platoon, 5th Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) during their military exercise in Southern France. During the exercise, the legionnaires familiarize with their equipment.
1er REC: 2023 Protecting Air Legend
During the last weekend, the legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), the only cavalry unit within the current Foreign Legion, were protecting the Air Legend airshow near Paris, as part of the counter-terrorist Operation Sentinelle.
1er REC, 13e DBLE, 1er REG: 2023 CENTAC
On June 25, 2023, legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE), and 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) arrived at the CENTAC Combat Training Center at the Mailly Camp, in the Aube Department of Northeastern France. Their task was to train combined arms maneuvers.
2023 Bastille Day Military Parade
Annually, a large military parade takes place in Paris to commemorate the 14th of July, the French national day, known in English-speaking countries as Bastille Day. On that most important French holiday, also the French Foreign Legion units participate in the parade in the capital. Learn more and see images.
Foreign Legion: 2023 Victory in Europe Day
On May 8, 2023, the French Foreign Legion units commemorated the 78th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe, which came after the definitive overall surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies, signed in Berlin. During the final battles in Europe in May 1945, three Legion units participated: the RMLE (3e REI now), 1er REC, and the 13e DBLE. See some images from the 2023 Victory in Europe Day celebrations.
Foreign Legion: 2023 Camerone Day
The 30th of April 2023 marked the 160th anniversary of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, an epic moment in the history of the French Foreign Legion in which its 65 men faced some 2,000 Mexican adversaries. The famous battle is portrayed as a pure example of bravery and the determination to fight to the finish, and gave the Legion its character and esprit de corps. Therefore, Camerone Day became the most important holiday for all current or former members of this exceptional military unit. See 2023 Camerone Day pictures from several Legion regiments.
13e DBLE, 1er REC, 1er REG: 2023 Mission Lynx in Estonia
See some nice pictures from Estonia, a Baltic state located in Northeastern Europe, where are currently deployed legionnaires from three French Foreign Legion regiments: the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE), the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), and the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG). There, they serve alongside Great Britain’s The Queen’s Royal Hussars (QRH).
Read more13e DBLE, 1er REC, 1er REG: 2023 Mission Lynx in Estonia
1er REC, 2e REI, 1er REG: 2023 Training at the CENTAC Combat Training Center
In the second half of March 2023, legionnaires from three Foreign Legion regiments are deployed to the Combat Training Center (Centre d’Entraînement au Combat, CENTAC) at the Mailly Camp, in the Aube Department of Northeastern France.
Read more1er REC, 2e REI, 1er REG: 2023 Training at the CENTAC Combat Training Center