French Foreign Legion Information

Suppression of the 1947 Malagasy Uprising: Another forgotten campaign of the Legion

November 7, 2020 · Posted in 4re, history, legion, Madagascar

In late March 1947, three months after the regular war started in French Indochina, a bloody rebellion erupted in Madagascar, then a French colony annexed by France (with the predominant help of legionnaires) in 1896. To stop the massacres of French settlers and to restore order on that large island in the Indian Ocean, a battalion of the Foreign Legion left North Africa. Follow the link and learn more about another already forgotten campaign of the Legion, accompanied by 40+ original, still unpublished photos from private archives…

2e REP: 2020 Saint Michael Day kickboxing

November 5, 2020 · Posted in 2rep

In late September 2020, a regimental challenge was organized as usual at Calvi in Corsica by the Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP). The challenge is a traditional part of the festivities in commemoration of Saint Michael the Archangel (the patron of all French paratroopers) whose feast falls on September 29. This day also marks the 2e REP’s holiday.

1er REC+1er REG: Visit from General Lardet

October 30, 2020 · Posted in 1rec, 1reg

In late October 2020, the French Foreign Legion’s commander-in-chief, General Alain Lardet, came to visit the cavalrymen from the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) at their Camp Carpiagne near Marseille and combat engineers from the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) at their base in Laudun.

13e DBLE: Commemoration of the 80th anniversary at Camp Larzac

October 25, 2020 · Posted in 13dble

In late September 2020, reunited again after having returned from different deployments, the officers and legionnaires of the 13th Foreign Legion Half Brigade (13e DBLE) commemorated together the 80th anniversary of their unit constituted in 1940 in North Africa. See photos.

2e REI: Combat Support Company training

October 20, 2020 · Posted in 2rei, saed

See some nice photos of the Combat Support Company (CA, ex-CEA) when participating in training exercises at Camp Caylus in southern France in October 2020. The company is part of the Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) and groups different specialty platoons (e.g. snipers, SAED commandos, anti-tank weapons…) in support of the regiment.

Foreign Legion: Meet Major Gérald

October 15, 2020 · Posted in Major Gerald, sports

Major Gérald Michiara, head of the Sports Office of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) – the Motherhouse of the French Foreign Legion – has become something of a YouTube personality. Here is a brief look at who he is, along with several well-known and lesser-known videos featuring him.

Andrew J. Mitchell: Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina, 1927-1945

October 9, 2020 · Posted in 5re, books, history, indochina

In late September 2020, a new book dedicated to the Foreign Legion and its history was released: Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina, 1927-1945. This pictorial book is another interesting work of Andrew J. Mitchell, an Irish author, amateur historian and a well-known Foreign Legion badge collector.

Lt Colonel Zlatko Sabljic has passed away

October 2, 2020 · Posted in 1re, 2rep, legion

On September 29, 2020, Lieutenant Colonel Zlatko Sabljic, director of the Home of Legionnaire (a veteran retirement home in Auriol, southern France) has passed away. A famous figure, he spent 38 years in the French Foreign Legion and 8 years with legionnaires-veterans.

2e REP: Airbus A400M assault landing

September 26, 2020 · Posted in 2rep

In mid-September 2020, for the very first time, the legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) conducted an experimental assault landing exercise with the new European modern four-engine military transport aircraft, Airbus A400M. See photos + video.

3e REI: 2020 Fourragere Day

September 21, 2020 · Posted in 3rei, french guiana

In French Guiana (South America) in mid-September 2020, the French Foreign Legion’s 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) celebrated the regimental holiday, called Fourragere Day. See the nice images of this important event.

1er REC: Complete again after 11 months

September 17, 2020 · Posted in 1rec

At Camp Carpiagne in early September 2020, the officers and legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), the French Foreign Legion’s only cavalry unit, attended a regimental gathering to celebrate their regained unity, after 11 months of deployments.