French Foreign Legion information. An online project dedicated to the famous Foreign Legion.
This day marks the birthday of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) of the Foreign Legion. 63 years ago, on December 1, 1955, the well-known unit was established in North Africa. The regiment would take part in the Algerian War, until 1962. After having left Africa for Corsica in 1967, its men would deploy to Chad, Zaire, Iraq, ex-Yugoslavia, Ivory Coast, Afghanistan, Mali or Niger.
Read more2e REP: The new history page of the last airborne unit of the Foreign Legion
Between November 8-11, 2018, the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) commemorated the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I. In French Guiana, the 3e REI legionnaires remembered their ancestors of the RMLE (Foreign Legion Marching Regiment, now 3e REI) who were fighting between 1915-18 on the Western Front in France. The RMLE helped to end the war and became the most decorated unit of the then French Army.
In November 2018, the French Foreign Legion’s paratroopers from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) carried out a military exercise in Corsica, the island situated south-east of France.
On November 11, 2018, Foreign Legion units commemorated the 100th Armistice Day marking the end of hostilities of World War I. They also remembered the 36,000 legionnaires and foreign volunteers being killed or wounded during the war. It’s not so surprising that in France between 1914-18, the RMLE (Foreign Legion Marching Regiment, now 3e REI) became the most decorated unit of the then French Army.
Between October 8-12, the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE) conducted its annual military exercise called Vaillant (Valiant). This year, Exercise Vaillant took place at Camp des Garrigues, a military camp near Nimes in southeastern France.
The coming 11th November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the end of the tragic World War I, in which millions of brave soldiers died. Between them, several thousands of legionnaires. In France during WWI, their unit became the most decorated unit of the French Army. No other comment is needed. This is a small contribution to remember their fallen brothers-in-arms (and also the fallen legionnaires of all conflicts and campaigns from 1831 until the present): since now, you can browse the most complete database of French Foreign Legion historical events ever created. Well-ordered data collected together from almost 30 books + tens of magazines + the internet. The gathered data are presented as On This Day. Each day is supplemented with an image.
Read moreMost complete database of French Foreign Legion historical events
Last weekend, a platoon of the French Foreign Legion’s enlisted volunteers had finished their four-week initial training at an isolated farm in southern France. Led by a Staff Sergeant (a long-serving legionnaire), the platoon subsequently did a 40 mile-long march (60 km), known as the Marche de Kepi Blanc (White Kepi March) to have the right to make a military oath, obtain the sacred White Kepi and become the Legionnaire.
Read more4e RE: Remise de Kepi blanc at Armentières in October 2018
During October 6-7, 2018, the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte (DLEM) opened to the public the doors of Quartier Cabaribère, their military base in Dzaoudzi, Mayotte.
In September 2018, legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion’s 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) passed an Infantry Vehicle Commander-Gunner (CTVI) course in southern France to become commanders of the VBCI infantry vehicles the regiment uses now.
On October 6, 2018, the 41st Foreign Legion Half Marathon took place in Castelnaudary, southern France. The event has been organized by the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE), the training regiment of the Foreign Legion, in their garrison town since 1977.
In 2018, the French Foreign Legion’s paratroopers commemorate the 70th anniversary of their service. In 1948, the first Legion paratroopers celebrated Saint Michael, their patron adopted by all French airborne units in Hanoi, the capital of then French Indochina in June 1948. 70 years later, the legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) celebrated Saint Michael Day (September 29th), their regimental holiday, by Lake Nino in Corsica. See some nice images.