The Foreign Legion has always some of its units deployed outside of France. See a list of operations of the French Foreign Legion in June 2013.
A few images from the Legion’s basic training 2013
A few images from the French Foreign Legion basic training of 2013. If you are interested in the Legion or you are thinking about joining, you appreciate it.
History of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment
There is the only cavalry regiment within the today’s French Foreign Legion. But it was not always so. During the years of 1939-40 and 1946-62, the Foreign Legion used also the second cavalry regiment, 2e REC. Nicknamed “Dauphin Étranger”, the 2e REC was the last Foreign Legion unit based in Morocco, which it left in 1956 for participating in the Algerian War. In Algeria, the regiment was serving and fighting for more than five years, till the end of the war in 1962. See history and pictures of the 2e REC.
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment – a rebel of the Foreign Legion
There has not been such a controversial regiment neither within the French Foreign Legion nor within the whole of French Army for decades. The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1er REP). Two times completely destroyed during the heavy fights of the First Indochina War, the 1er REP became the well-respected and feared legendary elite unit. But, it also participated in the Generals’ putsch in Algiers in 1961 and played a lead role of it….
Read more1st Foreign Parachute Regiment – a rebel of the Foreign Legion
3e REI and its Operation Morpho in French Guiana
At the end of May, the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI) of the French Foreign Legion was participating in Operation Morpho in French Guiana, an overseas region of France on the north Atlantic coast of South America. where the 3e REI is based.
Saint Georges 2013 of the 1er REC
Yesterday, the French Foreign Legion media center published a video of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) commemorating Saint Georges Day, regimental holiday.
Heavy mortar units of the Foreign Legion in the First Indochina War
In October 1952, the Foreign Legion made a decision to create an independent heavy mortar unit. In 1954, there were three mortar units within the French Foreign Legion fighting in the First Indochina War. A parachute mortar company and the two infantry mortar companies composed of mixed elements: legionnaires and local anti-communist soldiers. These units used the 120mm heavy mortars. See history and a few images of the units.
Read moreHeavy mortar units of the Foreign Legion in the First Indochina War
2e REI is in Mali now
As the AALE (Fellowship of Foreign Legion veterans) of Nimes has informed, roughly 300 legionnaires of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI) of the Foreign Legion left its base and has been engaged in Operation Serval in Mali last week.
35th anniversary of the Battle of Kolwezi
On May 19, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) of the French Foreign Legion will remind the 35th anniversary of the Battle of Kolwezi. On May 19, 1978, the 2e REP was dropped on Kolwezi, a city in Katanga Province in the south of Zaire (today’s the Democratic Republic of the Congo) to rescuing more than 2,000 European hostages held by rebels.
Music band of the Foreign Legion 2013 official video
A nice, modern presentation of the Music band of the French Foreign Legion (partly in english) released just a few weeks ago. The band is a traditional part and a symbol of the Foreign Legion, based in Aubagne in the 1er RE. It has already been established in 1832, comprised exclusively of legionnaires. They have to go through the basic traing in Castelnaudary as the other legionnaires before being approved to the band. Today, the band is travelling and representing the Legion around the world.
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French Foreign Legion 1949 documentary
A short French documentary about the Foreign Legion released in 1949. Very nice images of the Foreign Legion main base in Sidi Bel Abbes (Algeria) while celebrating Camerone Day. A lot of legionnaires caught in the film will die during next five years in the First Indochina War. We can also see historical images of a typical legionnaires job of that time: hard-working with “la pioche“, a pickaxe.