After the recent attacks in Paris, the French government decided to deploy another hundreds of soldiers to the capital to boost security. In Paris, there had already been around 1,000 military personnel since the end of December as part of Vigipirate, France’s national security alert system. Since January 11, around 1,350 French soldiers have been patrolling in the streets. The members of the Foreign Legion are among these troops: legionnaires and even the reservists (non-legionnaires) serving within the Legion.
Video: Exercise Iberian Star with the Spanish Legion
As previously mentioned, Exrcise Iberian Star 2014 took part in Spain in November 2014. Spanish legionnaires from Spanish Legion’s VIII Bandera (8th Battalion) and French legionnaires from the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) were involved in this exercise, together with Welsh and Irish soldiers from the British Army. See video.
Read moreVideo: Exercise Iberian Star with the Spanish Legion
French Foreign Legion Operations – December 2014
French Foreign Legion units participate in operations outside of France, throughout the world. See the list of their deployment in December 2014.
IBERIAN STAR 2014: French and Spanish legionnaires trained together
In the second half of last month, November 2014, Exercise IBERIAN STAR 2014 took place on the Chinchilla Training Area in the province of Albacete, southern Spain. Legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion and the Spanish Legion (former Spanish Foreign Legion), together with British soldiers were involved in the exercise.
Read moreIBERIAN STAR 2014: French and Spanish legionnaires trained together
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015
The FOREIGNLEGION.INFO website wishes you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015, and all the best the holiday and a new year have to offer…
From CRTRLE and 6e REG to 1er REG: History of the Legion’s first engineer regiment
See the history and images of the French Foreign Legion’s first engineering regiment, 1er REG. Being established in 1984, the regiment has continued in the Legion’s long history of military engineering.
Read moreFrom CRTRLE and 6e REG to 1er REG: History of the Legion’s first engineer regiment
2e REG: Sainte Barbe 2014
As stated before, the French Foreign Legion’s engineering units celebrated Sainte Barbe (Saint Barbara), the patron of military engineers, on 3 and 5 December 2014. While her feast day is on December 4, the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG) conducted a parade in honor of Sainte Barbe on December 3.
1er REG: Sainte Barbe 2014
On 3 and 5 December 2014, the French Foreign Legion’s engineering units celebrated Sainte Barbe (Saint Barbara), the patron of military engineers. While her feast day is on December 4, the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) conducted a parade in honor of Sainte Barbe on December 5.
4e RE: Exercise at Caylus 2014
In the second half of November 2014, legionnaires from the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE) of the French Foreign Legion were involved in a regimental exercise at the military camp of Caylus, located in the Midi-Pyrénées region of southern France.
1er REC: History of the Legion’s first cavalry regiment
See the history and pictures of the current French Foreign Legion’s only cavalry unit, 1er REC. Established officially in Tunisia in 1922, it remains the only active cavalry unit within the Legion and also its only unit (constituted before 1999) that has never changed its title.
Read more1er REC: History of the Legion’s first cavalry regiment
Slideshow: 5 years in the Foreign Legion 1987 – 1992
A very nice photo slideshow made by an Italian ex-legionnaire who served in the French Foreign Legion between August 1987 and August 1992, in the majority in the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP).
Read moreSlideshow: 5 years in the Foreign Legion 1987 – 1992