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.
Exercise Baccarat 2021
Between October 15 and 21, a full-scale multinational Exercise Baccarat 2021 occurred in Southern France. Besides the Foreign Legion units, U.S. Marines and Spanish soldiers also participated.
2e REP: 5th Company men train in Australia
In mid-August 2021, a detachment from the French Armed Forces in New Caledonia (FANC) went to Australia to participate in Exercise Diamond Dagger. The detachment is composed of two officers and 26 legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion’s 5th Company, 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), the youngest combat company of the regiment, specialized in desert warfare. They have been to New Caledonia on the four-month Short-duration Mission (MCD).
1er REG: 2021 FTS Instruction Platoon
In July and August 2021, an initial regimental instruction was organized for fresh legionnaires who recently joined the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG), after their four-month basic training in Castelnaudary, school of the Foreign Legion.
Foreign Legion: 2021 Change of Command took place in six regiments
In July 2021, six Foreign Legion regiments have already had their new commanding officers. As usually, the commanders had spent two years in command. See images.
Read moreForeign Legion: 2021 Change of Command took place in six regiments
13e DBLE: Exercise Skrenvil 2021 alongside U.S. Marines, with new Griffon vehicles
Between late May and early June 2021, legionnaires with the 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade (13e DBLE) participated in an amphibious exercise, Skrenvil 2021, to strengthen enhanced interoperability between the French Army, the Navy, and U.S. Marines.
Read more13e DBLE: Exercise Skrenvil 2021 alongside U.S. Marines, with new Griffon vehicles
Foreign Legion: Exercise Arc-21 in Japan
Between May 11 and 16, 2021, the French Foreign Legionnaires participated in a joint exercise Jeanne D’Arc 21, alongside their allies from the Japan Self Defense Force, Australian Defence Force, and U.S. Armed Forces. The exercise took place at Camp Ainoura (Naval Base Sasebo), and at Kirishima Maneuver Area, both located on the island of Kyushu, in the south of Japan. It was for the very first time when French troops took part in such exercise in Japan.
2e REI: 2021 Ivory Coast and Djibouti
In April 2021, 180 years after its establishment, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) continues its missions in service of France. This month, the men of the longest-serving regiment of the Foreign Legion are back in Africa. See some nice images.
1er REG: Operation Sentinelle in Nice
After a series of terrorist attacks in France in late 2020, a platoon of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) was put on alert. Not long afterwards, the unit reinforced French troops in Nice (southern France) to guard the city.