French Foreign Legion information. An online project dedicated to the famous Foreign Legion.
Chad, Djibouti, Mayotte and the Gulf War… See the interesting slideshows created by Ch. R., a former legionnaire and NCO of the French Foreign Legion, who served in the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) during the 1980s and 1990s. Hundreds of rare, cool photos from places known by almost all legionnaires and from the Gulf War 1990-91.
Read moreRare Foreign Legion’s photos from the 1980s & Gulf War
Legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion have kept the long tradition of their Pioneers-Sappers history. The bearded Legion Pioneers are well known, an inseparable part of every larger parade of legionnaires. In the 1970s, the modern Legion Pioneers from the very little-known 61st Engineer Legion Mixed Battalion (61e BMGL) participated in the construction of the largest military camp in Western Europe: Camp Canjuers. See the 61e BMGL’s rare images & history.
Read moreThe legionnaires, who built up the largest military camp in Western Europe
See the history and images of the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment (4e REI), the last Foreign Legion regiment that served in Morocco. Constituted in late 1920 and nicknamed as the Regiment of Morocco, the 4e REI participated in the pacification of that country, as well as in the campaigns in Syria and Lebanon, in Madagascar, in Indochina, and eventually in the Algerian War. It was disbanded in 1964. The current training regiment of the Legion took over the title, history and traditions of the 4e REI.
See history of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), the last airborne unit of the French Foreign Legion, including more than 70 pictures. Established in Algeria in 1948 as a battalion, it participated in the First Indochina War. Reorganized to a regiment, the 2e REP took part in the Algerian War, Battle of Kolwezi and other military operations. The unit has been based on the island of Corsica since 1967.
Read more2e REP: History of the Foreign Legion’s last airborne unit
An interesting Brazilian documentary on the French Foreign Legion, showing, besides other things, the very rare images of advanced training courses of this legendary unit. It was released 36 years ago, in January 1978 by Globo, the second-largest commercial TV network in the world.
Starting in June 1962, training units of the French Foreign Legion were based in Corsica, where they had arrived from Algeria. In October 1976, they left the island and moved to mainland France to be stationed in the town of Castelnaudary, in the southern part of the country.
Read more1976: Transfer of Basic Training Units from Corsica to Castelnaudary
Aged 91, Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc, the main Foreign Legion figure participating in the Generals’ Putsch against French president Charles de Gaulle in Algeria in 1961, has died on August 26, 2013.
Three videoclips, created and shared on YouTube by a former legionnaire of French nationality, with a large number of nice photos from the French Foreign Legion, made approximately 35 years ago (late 1970s, early 1980s).
Read moreUnique photos: 13e DBLE, 4e RE and 2e REI about 35 years ago
There is the only cavalry regiment within the today’s French Foreign Legion. But it was not always so. During the years of 1939-40 and 1946-62, the Foreign Legion used also the second cavalry regiment, 2e REC. Nicknamed “Dauphin Étranger”, the 2e REC was the last Foreign Legion unit based in Morocco, which it left in 1956 for participating in the Algerian War. In Algeria, the regiment was serving and fighting for more than five years, till the end of the war in 1962. See history and pictures of the 2e REC.
There has not been such a controversial regiment neither within the French Foreign Legion nor within the whole of French Army for decades. The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1er REP). Two times completely destroyed during the heavy fights of the First Indochina War, the 1er REP became the well-respected and feared legendary elite unit. But, it also participated in the Generals’ putsch in Algiers in 1961 and played a lead role of it….
Read more1st Foreign Parachute Regiment – a rebel of the Foreign Legion
In October 1952, the Foreign Legion made a decision to create an independent heavy mortar unit. In 1954, there were three mortar units within the French Foreign Legion fighting in the First Indochina War. A parachute mortar company and the two infantry mortar companies composed of mixed elements: legionnaires and local anti-communist soldiers. These units used the 120mm heavy mortars. See history and a few images of the units.
Read moreHeavy mortar units of the Foreign Legion in the First Indochina War