In late November and early December 2021, a large French-led joint maritime exercise Polaris 21 took place in the Mediterranean Sea. This multi-national, combined and inter-theatre exercise involved around 6,000 French troops from the French Army, Navy and Air Force, including legionnaires from the 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade (13e DBLE), the only infantry elements taking part in the exercise.
65 years ago: Two little-known motorized groups of the Foreign Legion were disbanded
In North Africa in late 1956, two little-known motorized groups of the Foreign Legion were disbanded, and their five companies helped to double the ranks of the two freshly established “motorized regiments”, first among Foreign Legion units. Learn more about these units that patrolled not only Algeria or Morocco, but also Northern Mauritania.
Read more65 years ago: Two little-known motorized groups of the Foreign Legion were disbanded
2e REG: Exercise Cerces 2021
In late November 2021, legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) of the French Foreign Legion participated in Cerces 2021, an annual mountain warfare exercise held in the French Alps in Savoie, a department in southeastern France.
3e REI: 2021 Bugler Course
A traditional bugler course for its future regimental buglers was organized by the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) in French Guiana in recent weeks. See the photos.
2e REI: A legionnaire died during training
On the afternoon of November 18, 2021, a corporal with the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) accidentally drowned in Southern France, during a scheduled and supervised military training activity. Despite the intervention of the medical team present on the spot and the rescue services, he was in cardiac arrest and could not be resuscitated.
Foreign Legion: 2021 Armistice Day
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.
13e DBLE: Physical training with Major Gérald
In his new video published by the official French Foreign Legion channel on YouTube, Major Gérald visited the famous 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade (13e DBLE) at their Camp Larzac. His task was to help increase the physical fitness and agility of the legionnaires, for developing their operational readiness.
Andrew J. Mitchell: Collecting French Foreign Legion Insignia – 1st Foreign Regiment
In late 2021, a new English-written book dedicated to the French Foreign Legion was released: Collecting French Foreign Legion Insignia, Volume 1, 1st Foreign Regiment. Another original work of Andrew J. Mitchell, an Irish amateur historian and a Foreign Legion insignia collector.
Read moreAndrew J. Mitchell: Collecting French Foreign Legion Insignia – 1st Foreign Regiment
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.
Second World War: A little-known story about the very first para-legionnaires
Officially, the very first Foreign Legion airborne unit appeared during the First Indochina War in 1948. However, the history of the legionnaires paratroopers started much earlier: in North Africa during the Second World War.
Read moreSecond World War: A little-known story about the very first para-legionnaires
Honor and Fidelity motto: 100th Anniversary
On this Saturday, October 16, in memory of Hubert Germain, a former officer of the 13e DBLE and the last “companion of the Liberation” (people awarded the Ordre de la Libération of the Free French during WWII) who has just passed away, the Foreign Legion celebrated the centenary of its motto Honneur et Fidélité.