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.
75 years ago: Second airborne unit of the Foreign Legion in North Africa was born
75 years ago, in late 1948, another airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was officially activated in France’s North Africa. Like its older sister unit, even the new one was to take part in the First Indochina War (1946-1954) in Southeast Asia. It would distinguish itself and become the most decorated French Army battalion to have fought there. Subsequently, back in North Africa, the unit transformed into a regiment, which would later be known as one of the best trained and action-ready operational formations in the world.
Read more75 years ago: Second airborne unit of the Foreign Legion in North Africa was born
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.
Lieutenant Colonel Jean Pierre Bissey
On August 5, 1933, Lieutenant Colonel Jean Pierre Bissey, a little-known officer of the French Foreign Legion, was killed in a battle with local rebels during the French pacification of Morocco. Almost forgotten today, he remains the highest-ranking Foreign Legion officer killed not only between the two world wars but also during the long Moroccan campaign. The following article has been written in his memory.
50 years ago: A new Foreign Legion unit in the Indian Ocean was born
50 years ago, on August 1, 1973, a small independent unit of the Foreign Legion was officially activated in the South Indian Ocean, near Madagascar. Its main mission was to control the strategically important Mozambique Channel, as well as keep French presence in the region.
Read more50 years ago: A new Foreign Legion unit in the Indian Ocean was born
75 years ago: An elite airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was activated
75 years ago, in France’s North Africa in early July 1948, an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was officially constituted to take part in the First Indochina War (1946-1954) in Southeast Asia. There, the resolute unit would become a legend, as the very first French airborne battalion lost in combat.
Read more75 years ago: An elite airborne unit of the Foreign Legion was activated
Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Jeanpierre
On May 29, 1958, during military operations in the Guelma region of Northeastern Algeria, a helicopter hit by rebel fire crashed to the ground. On board, along with the pilot and a mechanic, Lieutenant Colonel Pierre Jeanpierre, a legendary officer of the French Foreign Legion and the head of what was then one of the best units of the French Army. All the three were dead. To this day, Lt. Col. Jeanpierre remains the last high-ranking officer of the Foreign Legion to be killed in action. The following article was written in his memory.
45th Anniversary of the Battle of Kolwezi
45 years ago, on May 17, 1978, legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) in Corsica were alerted and the next day, they took off in direction of then Zaire in Central Africa. There, on May 19, they jumped over Kolwezi, a mining center in the south of the country. The legionnaires would rescue over 2,000 Europeans captured and held by local rebels…
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
Foum Zabel Tunnel – Tunnel of Legionnaire
Built by forty legionnaires over a few months in the late 1920s, the Foum Zabel Tunnel in Morocco remains the most spectacular demonstration of the know-how of Foreign Legion builders and the pure determination of a legionnaire to accomplish any given task.