As the 40th anniversary of the activation of the French Foreign Legion’s first engineer regiment approaches in early July, the Legion has recently released a new official video clip to introduce viewers to its combat engineers of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) and the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG).
1er REG, 2e REG: 2023 Saint Barbara Day
In early December 2023, French Foreign Legion combat engineers with the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) and the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) commemorated once again their patron, Saint Barbara (Sainte Barbe in French).
1er REC, 2e REI, 1er REG: Exercise BIA 23
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).
1er REG: Exercise MILEX 23 in Spain
In late October 2023, the first-ever joint European Union military exercise took place. Held in Spain, and carried completely outside NATO structures, the exercise involved units of the European Union’s member states. Among them were also combat engineers from the Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG). See images.
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 REG: New Caledonia in 2023
Since June 2023, three regiments of the French Foreign Legion had some of their legionnaires deployed to New Caledonia, a special overseas collectivity of France in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia. Among them were men of the 1st Company, 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG). Before their departure back to France, they managed to improve their camp.
1er REG: 2023 EFG Patrol Boats
After a year of testing, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) is now equipped with new patrol boats called EFG (Embarcation Fluviale du Génie), or River Engineering Boat. See the video.
Legion: New Caledonia in August 2023
As we informed earlier, three regiments of the French Foreign Legion have deployed their men to New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia, since June 2023. The legionnaires should stay in this special overseas collectivity of France for four months, as is common practice for the so-called short duration mission (MCD). See some new images from taken during their deployment in August.
1er REG: 2023 Training in Estonia
In July 2023, new French rotations arrived in Estonia in Northeastern Europe to replace the previous French contingent, which made part of NATO’s “enhanced Forward Presence” (eFP), a multinational battlegroup led by the British. Legionnaires from the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) are part of the new contingent.
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.
1er REG, 13e DBLE: 2023 Training in Mexico
From June 5 to 9, 2023, legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) and the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE) were carrying out joint military activities in Acapulco, Mexico.