See nice pictures from an exhibition dedicated to the French Foreign Legion that was open in Poland this March. The exhibition is under the patronage of the Foreign Legion Veteran & Friend Association in Poland (AAALEP).
2e REG: French Guiana 2020-2021
Between September 2020 and January 2021, legionnaires from the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) were being deployed to French Guiana in South America to reinforce French troops there. See a few pictures from their four-month mission.
13e DBLE: First VBMR Griffons arrived
Between March 10 and 12, 2021, the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE) received its first Multi-Role Armored Vehicles (VBMR), known as the Griffon. As part of the French Army’s 2019–2025 modernization program, these armored personnel carriers are intended to replace the aging VAB armored vanguard vehicles, which have been in service since 1976.
4e RE: 2021 Visit from President Macron
Today, Friday of 12 March 2021, President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron came to visit the legionnaires and enlisted volunteers from the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) at one of the unit’s four training farm in southern France. He was accompanied by Florence Parly, the current Minister of the Armed Forces.
1er REG: Operation Sentinelle in Nice
After a series of terrorist attacks in France in late 2020, a platoon of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) was put on alert. Not long afterwards, the unit reinforced French troops in Nice (southern France) to guard the city.
13e DBLE: 2021 Exercise at Lozere
This week, between 22 and 25 February 2021, an important exercise to maintain operational readiness of the 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade (13e DBLE) in open terrain took place in Lozère, a department in the Occitanie region in southern France.
3e REI: 2021 Eryx anti-tank missile course
In French Guiana in early February 2021, six legionnaires of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) had successfully finished their Eryx course and became Eryx gunners.
AAALEP: Zygmunt Jatczak has passed away
It is with deep sadness that the Foreign Legion Veteran association in Poland (A.A.A.L.E.P.) announces the death of their comrade and honorary member Zygmunt Jatczak. He served in the Foreign Legion in 1947-1952 and was one of the last few survivors of the First Indochina War (1946-1954). Zygmunt Jatczak died last week, on 9 February 2021, in Olsztynek, Poland. He was 97 years old. R.I.P.
2e REI: 2021 Mission CORYMBE
In early February 2021, a new Mission CORYMBE began for legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI). The legionnaires will cruise along the coastline of West Africa, between Senegal and Gabon. The mission will last about two to three months.
39th Anniversary: A Foreign Legion airborne platoon perished in Djibouti in February 1982
39 years ago, in early February 1982, a common French military exercise had to take place in Djibouti, a country in the Horn of Africa. A French Foreign Legion airborne platoon was to participate. The Legion paratroopers were ordered to carry out a routine training jump over a drop zone located nord-west of the capital. They boarded their aircraft and took off…
Read more39th Anniversary: A Foreign Legion airborne platoon perished in Djibouti in February 1982
113 years ago: Foreign Legion’s company decimated by a severe snowstorm
In early February 1908, an unexpected severe snowstorm surprised a Foreign Legion company on the edge of the Sahara, during their march to a remote military post at the Algeria-Morocco border. Within hours, the unmerciful element decimated the unit. Many legionnaires died, others had to undergo amputation of their frozen extremities.
Read more113 years ago: Foreign Legion’s company decimated by a severe snowstorm