A new part of the DOCUMENTS series. Today we present four interesting documents issued by the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) in North Africa in the 1920s.
Read moreDOCUMENTS: 1921-1929 1st Foreign Regiment certificates
Operational Company, 1st Foreign Regiment in Algeria in 1968
The Operational Company, 1st Foreign Regiment was the last French Foreign Legion unit to remain stationed in Algeria, North Africa. Its task was to guard the French air base at Bou Sfer near the city of Oran. The company was disbanded on August 17, 1968.
Read moreOperational Company, 1st Foreign Regiment in Algeria in 1968
80 years ago: Foreign Legion’s last artillery batteries were disbanded
With the conflict in Ukraine, a long-neglected component of Western armies, artillery, has once again stepped to the fore. It might come as a surprise to many Foreign Legion enthusiasts that a 1920 law allowed the Foreign Legion to establish, along with a cavalry regiment, also a separate artillery regiment. Equally surprising might be the fact that, in 1941, the legionnaires probably served in as many as 11 artillery batteries at the same time. The last of these units were disbanded 80 years ago, in 1944.
Read more80 years ago: Foreign Legion’s last artillery batteries were disbanded
60 years ago: Foreign Legion’s Regiment of Morocco was disbanded
60 years ago, deep in the Algerian Sahara in late April 1964, an entire Foreign Legion regiment was disbanded, victim of the reorganization of the French army after the end of the Algerian War (1956-62). Activated in French North Africa in late 1920 and given the nickname the “Regiment of Morocco,” its units fought in Morocco, Tunisia, Madagascar, Indochina, Mauritania, Spanish Sahara, and Algeria. In 1980, its number, history, and traditions were taken over by the training regiment of the Legion in Castelnaudary.
Read more60 years ago: Foreign Legion’s Regiment of Morocco was disbanded
Major Raymond Cabaribère (1913 – 1954)
Major Raymond Cabaribère was an officer of the French Foreign Legion. He was killed in action on April 21, 1954, during the Indochina War, while commanding the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment. He was 41 years old.
2e CSPL: 1950s, 1960s Color Film Collection
Watch absolutely unique, very rare amateur footages depicting Foreign Legion ceremonies in Laghouat, Algeria in the 1950s and 1960s. At that time, the town was home to one of the Legion’s Saharan companies: 2nd Legion Saharan Motorized Company (2e CSPL). Two of the rare films are in color.
120 years ago: A violent battle in Algeria
In early September 1903, a violent battle was fought in Algeria between men of a Foreign Legion mounted company and a Moroccan war party. The battle that lasted more than seven hours resulted in heavy casualties on the Legion side.
Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc (1922-2013)
Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc was a French Foreign Legion officer who served mainly with airborne units. Best known for his active participation in the 1961 Generals’ Putsch, he died on August 26, 2013. The following article was written in his memory.
115 years ago: A fierce battle took place in the Algerian-Moroccan borderlands
In mid-April 1908, a fierce battle took place in the Algerian-Moroccan borderlands, during one of the first stages of France’s conquest of Morocco. Men from two Foreign Legion companies contributed significantly to the success of the battle.
Read more115 years ago: A fierce battle took place in the Algerian-Moroccan borderlands
PHOTOS: Lieutenant Mafteiu and Algerian Mounted Company in the early 1930s
PHOTOS series. See a set of rare pictures showing a peloton of the Algerian Mounted Company, the last mule-mounted company that served in France’s Algeria. The rare pictures belonged to Lieutenant Georges Mafteiu, the peloton leader, and were taken in the Algeria-Morocco borderlands in the early 1930s.
Read morePHOTOS: Lieutenant Mafteiu and Algerian Mounted Company in the early 1930s
PHOTOS: 2nd Foreign Regiment’s color guard in the early 1900s
Another part of the PHOTOS series. Today, the article is dedicated to the color guard of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) in Algeria, North Africa, in the early 1900s. Back then, the unit was still known as the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2e Etranger, 2e RE).
Read morePHOTOS: 2nd Foreign Regiment’s color guard in the early 1900s