13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade is a mechanized infantry
demi-brigade
in the French Foreign Legion
. It is the only permanent demi-brigade in the French Army
, and is a unit of particular notoriety and reputation within the Legion. And is also the highest paid of all the Foreign Legion regiments.
in Algeria
, with its cadre drawn from 1e REI
. The 13e DBLE fought during World War II
for the Free French Forces
including service at the Battle of Narvik
and the Battle of Bir Hakeim
. The unit fought in the French Indochina War and suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
.
In January 1940, the British and French high commands had decided to dispatch an expedition to Finland, to support Finnish independence against the Soviet Union in the Winter War
. The French decided to allocate a demi-brigade of legionnaires to the expedition - and 13e DBLE was born.
In March 1940, the 13e DBLE comprised 55 officers, 210 non-commissioned officer
s (sous-officiers), and 1,984 legionnaires. The average age of the legionnaires was between 26 and 28 years old, and most counted 4 to 5 years service. Many of its veteran NCOs
had served in the Legion for 10 or more years. Its commander was Raoul Magrin-Vernerey
, a hero of World War I
, wounded 17 times in battle, who had served with the Legion since 1924.
Finland reached an armistice agreement with the Soviet Union on 12 March, and the British and French high commands decided to dispatch their expedition instead to Norway - to deny the Germans access to the Norwegian ports. The 13e DBLE was transported to the Norwegian coast in the troopship
Monarch of Britain, before transferring to Royal Navy
motor torpedo boats, whalers
, and Landing Craft Assault
on the morning of 13 May for the landing beaches at Bjerkvik
, 8 miles (13 km) above Narvik. Once ashore, the 13e DBLE's companies deployed and moved to seize the high ground to the north and south of the town. The legionnaires overran the German camp at Elvegårdsmoen and forced the German rearguard out of Bjerkvik.
On 28 May, the 13e DBLE moved on Narvik
. The legionnaires crossed Rombaksfjorden and landed squarely in the middle of the German positions. German air attacks forced the supporting British ships to withdraw, leaving the 13e DBLE ashore without fire support. The legionnaires engaged in the difficult task of clearing-out German machine gun nests located in railway tunnels and concealed terrain. Lieutenant-Colonel Magrin-Vernerey commanded from the front, patrolling his front-lines to point out German positions to his troops with his walking stick.
During the next 10 days, the Allied troops pushed the Germans to within 10 miles (20 km) of the Swedish frontier. Then, with the collapse of the French and British armies in France it was decided to cancel the Narvik operation and withdraw
. The 13e DBLE evacutated Narvik on 7 June and was withdrawn to England. The unit had lost 7 officers, 5 NCOs, and 55 legionnaires during the campaign.
In June 1940, the 13e DBLE moved to a camp at Trentham Park near Stoke-on-Trent
in England
where the legionnaires joined other French troops who had been evacuated from Dunkirk
. The 13e DBLE comprised 1,619 of the 4,500 French soldiers present in England.
In France, Prime Minister Paul Reynaud
resigned on 16 June and Marshal Pétain
took control of the French government. Pétain announced his intention to capitulate
to the Germans and sign an armistice
. On 18 June, General Charles de Gaulle
, under-secretary of defence in the Reynaud government, broadcast an appeal to the French people to continue resistance.
On 1 July, the French troops at Trentham Park were given the choice of repatriation
to Vichy-controlled
North Africa, or joining the Free French Forces
under De Gaulle. The decision split the 13e DBLE between pro-Vichy and pro-De Gaulle clique
s. The split was particularly felt amongst the officer corps, with 31 of the regiment's 59 officers choosing repatriation. Amongst the legionnaires, which included many refugee
s from Nazi and Fascist countries, around 900 volunteered to continue the fight.
The 13th included a number of junior officers who would later rise to general
rank, such as Captain Marie-Pierre Koenig, Captain Jacques Pâris de Bollardière
, and Lieutenant Bernard Saint-Hillier
. Other officers, such as Captain Dimitri Amilakvari
and Captain Gabriel Brunet de Sairigné
would also achieve fame on the battlefield. Second Lieutenant Pierre Messmer
would later serve as De Gaulle's defence minister.
On 30 August the "Free French" 13th Demi-Brigade sailed from Liverpool
for operations against Vichy forces that would include the abortive Battle of Dakar
and the storming
of Libreville
.
The 13e DBLE was reorganized in two battalion
s following its participation in the successful Allied
invasion of Syria (Operation Exporter
). A disputed number of Legionnaires
from the pro-Vichy
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment
volunteered for service with the Free French 13e DBLE – the remainder of the pro-Vichy Legionnaires were repatriated to France in August 1941.
In 1942, the two battalions of 13e DBLE – designated 2nd battalion (II/13e DBLE) and 3rd battalion (III/13e DBLE) - were assigned to the 1st Free French Brigade commanded by General Koenig
and joined the brigade
at Bir Hakeim in Libya, approximately 90 miles (140 km) south of Tobruk
. The French position sat astride the Afrika Korps
' line of advance and represented a fortified "pocket"
of resistance that had to be eliminated by General Erwin Rommel
.
The Battle of Bir Hakeim
commenced on 26 May 1942. The 2/13e DBLE held positions along the east facade of the French line. The 3/13e DBLE formed mobile reserve groups to reinforce French positions at any threatened point. In bitter irony, the Legionnaires of 13e DBLE faced Afrika Korps troops that included the German 361st "Afrika" Infantry Regiment which contained former fellow-Legionnaires of German extraction who had been repriated from Vichy Legion units in North Africa.
from 14 November 1951 to 24 February 1952. Hoa Binh (the name means "peace" in Vietnamese
) was the capital of the Muong
ethnic minority. By road, Hoa Binh lay a mere 67 kilometers of map distance from Hanoi via Colonial Route 6 (Fr: Route Coloniale 6). The Viet Minh
had controlled Hoa Binh since October 1950 and used the district as a logistics staging area for operations in north central Vietnam. The French commander in Indochina, General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
, ordered the retaking of Hoa Binh in late 1951.
The 2nd Battalion of 13e DBLE fought in a key engagement at Xon-Pheó from 8–9 January 1952. The legionnaires held a vital hill at Xon-Pheó astride Colonial Route 6, and they fortified their positions with trenches, bunkers, barbed wire
, and minefields. On the night of 8 January, troops from the Viet Minh 88th Infantry Regiment infiltrated through the minefields and attacked the 2/13e DBLE positions. The Viet Minh forces overran the 5th Company position and destroyed bunkers with TNT satchel charges and Bangalore torpedo
es. With many of their officers and NCOs killed or wounded, and half of their position overrun, the legionnaires counterattacked with fixed bayonets and hand grenade
s.
The legionnaires later counted 700 Viet Minh dead around the position at Xon-Pheó.
1st battalion (1/13e DBLE) and 3rd battalion (3/13e DBLE) fought at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
during the French Indochina War. At the commencement of the campaign, the demi-brigade was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Jules Gaucher
. During the early stages of the battle, 1/13e DBLE occupied positions at the “Claudine” fortifications and 3/13e DBLE occupied positions at the “Beatrice” fortifications.
Lieutenant-Colonel Gaucher was killed on 13 March when his command post suffered a direct hit from Viet Minh
artillery. Suffering from serious wounds – the loss of both arms, severe injuries to both legs, and an open chest wound – he died at the hospital. Gaucher was replaced as 13e DBLE commander on 23 March by Lieutenant-Colonel Lemeunier who was helicoptered into the fortress. Until the end of the battle, Lemeunier would be the senior Foreign Legion officer present at Dien Bien Phu.
The unit suffered heavy casualties during fighting in March and April. On 14 April the Dien Bien Phu garrison reported that 1/13e DBLE was reduced to 354 effectives and 3/13e DBLE was reduced to 80 effectives.
On 30 April, the Legionnaires at Dien Bien Phu celebrated the anniversary of the Legion’s historic Battle of Camerone
. The celebration took place at the 13e DBLE command post where Lieutenant-Colonel Lemeunier read the traditional Camerone proclamation over a radio hook-up that could be heard throughout Dien Bien Phu.
The 13e DBLE was the only French unit present at Dien Bien Phu that saved one of its battle flags from destruction or capture. The guidon
of 4th Company, 1/13e DBLE was initially captured by the Viet Minh during the assault on “Beatrice” on 13 March. On 19 May, while the Viet Minh were celebrating Ho Chi Minh
’s birthday, Sergeant Beres, a Hungarian Legionnaire serving with 1 REP
, crawled into a Viet Minh command post and rescued the flag. The seriously wounded Beres was evacuated by helicopter from Dien Bien Phu on 24 May with the guidon hidden under his clothes.
During its 9-year service in Indochina (1946–1955), the 13e DBLE suffered 2,721 killed in action (2334 légionaries, 307 warrant officers, 80 officers). This included two commanding officers - Lieutenant-Colonel de Sairigne and Lieutenant-Colonel Gaucher.
The 13e DBLE was reconstituted in May 1954 using the 2nd battalion (2/13e DBLE) as a cadre. In June 1955, the unit left Indochina and redeployed to French North Africa
. During the Algerian War, the 13e DBLE served in Algiers
, Constantine
, and the Aurès Mountains
. In 1958, the unit was assigned to duty as "un régiment d'intervention"
for operations throughout Algeria.
From 1962 to June 2011, the 13 DBLE duty station
had been within Djibouti
in the Horn of Africa
. The unit is a battlegroup
and comprises 800 men, of whom 320 are permanent party.
On June 2011 the 13 DBLE was withdrawn from Djibouti to be redeployed permanently in the United Arab Emirates
as a result of a defense cooperation agreement with France.
The current organisation of the battlegroup is the following:
and Operation UNOSOM II
in Somalia
(1992–1993) Operation ISKOUTIR (1993–1995), Operation TURQUOISE
in Rwanda
(1994), and Operation UNICORN in the Ivory Coast (2002)
" (the song of the French Foreign Legion), their regimental marching song is the "Sous le soleil brûlant d'Afrique " (Under the blazing sun of Africa).
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
demi-brigade
Demi-brigade
Not to be confused with 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign LegionThe Demi-brigade was a military formation first used by the French Army during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Demi-brigade amalgamated the various infantry organizations of the French Revolutionary infantry into a single unit...
in the French Foreign Legion
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
. It is the only permanent demi-brigade in the French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
, and is a unit of particular notoriety and reputation within the Legion. And is also the highest paid of all the Foreign Legion regiments.
History
The 13e DBLE was raised in February 1939 at Sidi Bel AbbesSidi Bel Abbes
Sidi Bel-Abbes is capital of the Sidi Bel Abbès wilaya , Algeria. It is named after a Muslim holy man who is buried there. It is the commercial center of an important area of vineyards, market gardens, orchards, and grain fields. It is surrounded by a wall with four gates and there is a...
in Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, with its cadre drawn from 1e REI
1st Foreign Regiment
The 1st Foreign Regiment is the senior regiment in the French Foreign Legion. Today the regiment is mainly administrative, and provides staff for the Command of the Foreign Legion....
. The 13e DBLE fought during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
for the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
including service at the Battle of Narvik
Norwegian Campaign
The Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
and the Battle of Bir Hakeim
Battle of Bir Hakeim
Bir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
. The unit fought in the French Indochina War and suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
.
Narvik 1940
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
. The French decided to allocate a demi-brigade of legionnaires to the expedition - and 13e DBLE was born.
In March 1940, the 13e DBLE comprised 55 officers, 210 non-commissioned officer
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
s (sous-officiers), and 1,984 legionnaires. The average age of the legionnaires was between 26 and 28 years old, and most counted 4 to 5 years service. Many of its veteran NCOs
Non-commissioned officer
A non-commissioned officer , called a sub-officer in some countries, is a military officer who has not been given a commission...
had served in the Legion for 10 or more years. Its commander was Raoul Magrin-Vernerey
Raoul Magrin-Vernerey
Raoul Charles Magrin-Vernerey , also known as Ralph Monclar, was a French Army and French Foreign Legion general who fought in World War I, World War II and commanded the French Battalion in the Korean War.-World War I:...
, a hero of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, wounded 17 times in battle, who had served with the Legion since 1924.
Finland reached an armistice agreement with the Soviet Union on 12 March, and the British and French high commands decided to dispatch their expedition instead to Norway - to deny the Germans access to the Norwegian ports. The 13e DBLE was transported to the Norwegian coast in the troopship
Troopship
A troopship is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime...
Monarch of Britain, before transferring to Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
motor torpedo boats, whalers
Whaleboat
A whaleboat is a type of open boat that is relatively narrow and pointed at both ends, enabling it to move either forwards or backwards equally well. It was originally developed for whaling, and later became popular for work along beaches, since it does not need to be turned around for beaching or...
, and Landing Craft Assault
Landing Craft Assault
The Landing Craft Assault was a British landing craft used extensively in World War II. Its primary purpose was to ferry troops from transport ships to attack enemy-held shores. The craft derived from a prototype designed by John I. Thornycroft Ltd. During the war it was manufactured throughout...
on the morning of 13 May for the landing beaches at Bjerkvik
Bjerkvik
Bjerkvik is a village in the municipality of Narvik, Norway. Its population is 1,220. Bjerkvik is located at the head of Herjangsfjorden, an arm of Ofotfjord in the northeastern corner of Nordland county. There is less than 20 km to the border with Troms...
, 8 miles (13 km) above Narvik. Once ashore, the 13e DBLE's companies deployed and moved to seize the high ground to the north and south of the town. The legionnaires overran the German camp at Elvegårdsmoen and forced the German rearguard out of Bjerkvik.
On 28 May, the 13e DBLE moved on Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
. The legionnaires crossed Rombaksfjorden and landed squarely in the middle of the German positions. German air attacks forced the supporting British ships to withdraw, leaving the 13e DBLE ashore without fire support. The legionnaires engaged in the difficult task of clearing-out German machine gun nests located in railway tunnels and concealed terrain. Lieutenant-Colonel Magrin-Vernerey commanded from the front, patrolling his front-lines to point out German positions to his troops with his walking stick.
During the next 10 days, the Allied troops pushed the Germans to within 10 miles (20 km) of the Swedish frontier. Then, with the collapse of the French and British armies in France it was decided to cancel the Narvik operation and withdraw
Operation Alphabet
Operation Alphabet was an evacuation, authorized on May 24, 1940, of Allied troops from the harbour of Narvik in northern Norway marking the success of Nazi Germany's Operation Weserübung of April 9 and the end of the Allied campaign in Norway during World War II...
. The 13e DBLE evacutated Narvik on 7 June and was withdrawn to England. The unit had lost 7 officers, 5 NCOs, and 55 legionnaires during the campaign.
Free French Forces
Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where the legionnaires joined other French troops who had been evacuated from Dunkirk
Battle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
. The 13e DBLE comprised 1,619 of the 4,500 French soldiers present in England.
In France, Prime Minister Paul Reynaud
Paul Reynaud
Paul Reynaud was a French politician and lawyer prominent in the interwar period, noted for his stances on economic liberalism and militant opposition to Germany. He was the penultimate Prime Minister of the Third Republic and vice-president of the Democratic Republican Alliance center-right...
resigned on 16 June and Marshal Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
took control of the French government. Pétain announced his intention to capitulate
Capitulation (surrender)
Capitulation , an agreement in time of war for the surrender to a hostile armed force of a particular body of troops, a town or a territory....
to the Germans and sign an armistice
Armistice
An armistice is a situation in a war where the warring parties agree to stop fighting. It is not necessarily the end of a war, but may be just a cessation of hostilities while an attempt is made to negotiate a lasting peace...
. On 18 June, General Charles de Gaulle
Charles de Gaulle
Charles André Joseph Marie de Gaulle was a French general and statesman who led the Free French Forces during World War II. He later founded the French Fifth Republic in 1958 and served as its first President from 1959 to 1969....
, under-secretary of defence in the Reynaud government, broadcast an appeal to the French people to continue resistance.
On 1 July, the French troops at Trentham Park were given the choice of repatriation
Repatriation
Repatriation is the process of returning a person back to one's place of origin or citizenship. This includes the process of returning refugees or soldiers to their place of origin following a war...
to Vichy-controlled
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
North Africa, or joining the Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
under De Gaulle. The decision split the 13e DBLE between pro-Vichy and pro-De Gaulle clique
Clique
A clique is an exclusive group of people who share common interests, views, purposes, patterns of behavior, or ethnicity. A clique as a reference group can be either normative or comparative. Membership in a clique is typically exclusive, and qualifications for membership may be social or...
s. The split was particularly felt amongst the officer corps, with 31 of the regiment's 59 officers choosing repatriation. Amongst the legionnaires, which included many refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s from Nazi and Fascist countries, around 900 volunteered to continue the fight.
The 13th included a number of junior officers who would later rise to general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
rank, such as Captain Marie-Pierre Koenig, Captain Jacques Pâris de Bollardière
Jacques Pâris de Bollardière
Jacques Pâris de Bollardière was a French Army general, famous for his non-violent positions during the 60s.-Early life:...
, and Lieutenant Bernard Saint-Hillier
Bernard Saint-Hillier
Bernard Saint-Hillier was a French general.Saint-Hillier graduated from Saint-Cyr in 1933 and was affected to the 11th Chasseurs alpins Battalion. In 1938, he joined the French Foreign Legion with the rank of captain...
. Other officers, such as Captain Dimitri Amilakvari
Dimitri Amilakhvari
Prince Dimitri Zedguinidze-Amilakhvari, more commonly known as Dimitri Amilakhvari was a French military officer and Lieutenant Colonel of the French Foreign Legion, of Georgian origin who played an influential role in the French Resistance against Nazi occupation in World War II, and became an...
and Captain Gabriel Brunet de Sairigné
Gabriel Brunet de Sairigné
Gabriel Brunet de Sairigné was an French Army officer of the French Foreign Legion. He was born on in Paris, and was killed in the line of duty close to Lagnia Bien Hoa .-Education:...
would also achieve fame on the battlefield. Second Lieutenant Pierre Messmer
Pierre Messmer
Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer was a French Gaullist politician. He served as Minister of Armies under Charles de Gaulle from 1960 to 1969 – the longest serving since Étienne François, duc de Choiseul under Louis XV – and then as Prime Minister under Georges Pompidou from 1972 to 1974...
would later serve as De Gaulle's defence minister.
On 30 August the "Free French" 13th Demi-Brigade sailed from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
for operations against Vichy forces that would include the abortive Battle of Dakar
Battle of Dakar
The Battle of Dakar, also known as Operation Menace, was an unsuccessful attempt in September 1940 by the Allies to capture the strategic port of Dakar in French West Africa , which was under Vichy French control, and to install the Free French under General Charles de Gaulle there.-Background:At...
and the storming
Battle of Gabon
The Battle of Gabon or the Battle of Libreville was part of the West African Campaign of World War II fought in November 1940. The battle resulted in the Free French forces under General Charles de Gaulle taking Libreville, Gabon, and taking all of French Equatorial Africa from Vichy French...
of Libreville
Libreville
Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon, in west central Africa. The city is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea, and a trade center for a timber region. As of 2005, it has a population of 578,156.- History :...
.
Bir Hakeim 1942
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s following its participation in the successful Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
invasion of Syria (Operation Exporter
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
). A disputed number of Legionnaires
Legionnaires
Legionnaires may refer to:*Spanish Legion*French Foreign Legion*Legionnaires' Movement in Romania, see: Iron Guard*Legionnaires' disease*Legion of Christ*Charlemagne's Legionnaires*Legion of Super-Heroes*Legionnaire...
from the pro-Vichy
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment , or 6e Régiment Étrangère d'Infanterie, was an infantry regiment in the French Foreign Legion from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1955.-History:...
volunteered for service with the Free French 13e DBLE – the remainder of the pro-Vichy Legionnaires were repatriated to France in August 1941.
In 1942, the two battalions of 13e DBLE – designated 2nd battalion (II/13e DBLE) and 3rd battalion (III/13e DBLE) - were assigned to the 1st Free French Brigade commanded by General Koenig
Marie Pierre Koenig
Marie Pierre Kœnig was a French army officer and politician. He commanded a Free French Brigade at the Battle of Bir Hakeim in North Africa in 1942....
and joined the brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
at Bir Hakeim in Libya, approximately 90 miles (140 km) south of Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
. The French position sat astride the Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
' line of advance and represented a fortified "pocket"
Salients, re-entrants and pockets
A salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. The salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant...
of resistance that had to be eliminated by General Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
.
The Battle of Bir Hakeim
Battle of Bir Hakeim
Bir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
commenced on 26 May 1942. The 2/13e DBLE held positions along the east facade of the French line. The 3/13e DBLE formed mobile reserve groups to reinforce French positions at any threatened point. In bitter irony, the Legionnaires of 13e DBLE faced Afrika Korps troops that included the German 361st "Afrika" Infantry Regiment which contained former fellow-Legionnaires of German extraction who had been repriated from Vichy Legion units in North Africa.
Hoa Binh 1952
The 13e DBLE participated in the Battle of Hoa BinhBattle of Hoa Binh
The Battle of Hòa Bình was fought during the First Indochina War. It occurred from 10 November 1951 to 25 February 1952, when French Union forces attempted to lure the Việt Minh out in the open and to fight on French terms.-Prelude:...
from 14 November 1951 to 24 February 1952. Hoa Binh (the name means "peace" in Vietnamese
Vietnamese language
Vietnamese is the national and official language of Vietnam. It is the mother tongue of 86% of Vietnam's population, and of about three million overseas Vietnamese. It is also spoken as a second language by many ethnic minorities of Vietnam...
) was the capital of the Muong
Muong
Muong may refer to:*Muong people, third largest of Vietnam’s 53 minority groups**Muong language, spoken by the Mường people of Vietnam*No Muong, king of the southern Laotian Kingdom of Champasak in 1811...
ethnic minority. By road, Hoa Binh lay a mere 67 kilometers of map distance from Hanoi via Colonial Route 6 (Fr: Route Coloniale 6). The Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
had controlled Hoa Binh since October 1950 and used the district as a logistics staging area for operations in north central Vietnam. The French commander in Indochina, General Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny, GCB, MC was a French military hero of World War II and commander in the First Indochina War.-Early life:...
, ordered the retaking of Hoa Binh in late 1951.
The 2nd Battalion of 13e DBLE fought in a key engagement at Xon-Pheó from 8–9 January 1952. The legionnaires held a vital hill at Xon-Pheó astride Colonial Route 6, and they fortified their positions with trenches, bunkers, barbed wire
Barbed wire
Barbed wire, also known as barb wire , is a type of fencing wire constructed with sharp edges or points arranged at intervals along the strand. It is used to construct inexpensive fences and is used atop walls surrounding secured property...
, and minefields. On the night of 8 January, troops from the Viet Minh 88th Infantry Regiment infiltrated through the minefields and attacked the 2/13e DBLE positions. The Viet Minh forces overran the 5th Company position and destroyed bunkers with TNT satchel charges and Bangalore torpedo
Bangalore torpedo
A Bangalore torpedo is an explosive charge placed on the end of a long, extendible tube. It is used by combat engineers to clear obstacles that would otherwise require them to approach directly, possibly under fire...
es. With many of their officers and NCOs killed or wounded, and half of their position overrun, the legionnaires counterattacked with fixed bayonets and hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
s.
The legionnaires later counted 700 Viet Minh dead around the position at Xon-Pheó.
Dien Bien Phu 1953-1954
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
during the French Indochina War. At the commencement of the campaign, the demi-brigade was commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Jules Gaucher
Jules Gaucher
Jules Gaucher was a French Army officer noted for his command of Foreign Legion troops in Indochina. Described as a "burly, hard-drinking veteran of years of jungle fighting, with a nose like an axe-blade and a mouth like its cut", Gaucher was a popular commander among the Legion, known as 'the...
. During the early stages of the battle, 1/13e DBLE occupied positions at the “Claudine” fortifications and 3/13e DBLE occupied positions at the “Beatrice” fortifications.
Lieutenant-Colonel Gaucher was killed on 13 March when his command post suffered a direct hit from Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
artillery. Suffering from serious wounds – the loss of both arms, severe injuries to both legs, and an open chest wound – he died at the hospital. Gaucher was replaced as 13e DBLE commander on 23 March by Lieutenant-Colonel Lemeunier who was helicoptered into the fortress. Until the end of the battle, Lemeunier would be the senior Foreign Legion officer present at Dien Bien Phu.
The unit suffered heavy casualties during fighting in March and April. On 14 April the Dien Bien Phu garrison reported that 1/13e DBLE was reduced to 354 effectives and 3/13e DBLE was reduced to 80 effectives.
On 30 April, the Legionnaires at Dien Bien Phu celebrated the anniversary of the Legion’s historic Battle of Camerone
Battle of Camarón
The Battle of Camarón, which occurred 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army, is regarded by the Legion as a defining moment in its history...
. The celebration took place at the 13e DBLE command post where Lieutenant-Colonel Lemeunier read the traditional Camerone proclamation over a radio hook-up that could be heard throughout Dien Bien Phu.
The 13e DBLE was the only French unit present at Dien Bien Phu that saved one of its battle flags from destruction or capture. The guidon
Guidon
Guidon may refer to:*Guidon , a type of heraldic flag*Guidon , a swallow tailed flag for the colours of a light cavalry regiment...
of 4th Company, 1/13e DBLE was initially captured by the Viet Minh during the assault on “Beatrice” on 13 March. On 19 May, while the Viet Minh were celebrating Ho Chi Minh
Ho Chi Minh
Hồ Chí Minh , born Nguyễn Sinh Cung and also known as Nguyễn Ái Quốc, was a Vietnamese Marxist-Leninist revolutionary leader who was prime minister and president of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam...
’s birthday, Sergeant Beres, a Hungarian Legionnaire serving with 1 REP
1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment was an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion. It fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961....
, crawled into a Viet Minh command post and rescued the flag. The seriously wounded Beres was evacuated by helicopter from Dien Bien Phu on 24 May with the guidon hidden under his clothes.
During its 9-year service in Indochina (1946–1955), the 13e DBLE suffered 2,721 killed in action (2334 légionaries, 307 warrant officers, 80 officers). This included two commanding officers - Lieutenant-Colonel de Sairigne and Lieutenant-Colonel Gaucher.
Algeria 1955-1962
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. During the Algerian War, the 13e DBLE served in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, Constantine
Constantine, Algeria
Constantine is the capital of Constantine Province in north-eastern Algeria. It was the capital of the same-named French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about 80 kilometres from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of Rhumel river...
, and the Aurès Mountains
Aurès Mountains
The Aurès , or Aurea, refers to an Amazigh language-speaking region in East Algeria, as well as an extension of the Atlas mountain range that lies to the east of the Saharan Atlas in eastern Algeria and northwestern Tunisia...
. In 1958, the unit was assigned to duty as "un régiment d'intervention"
Quick reaction force
Quick Reaction Force or is a military unit, generally platoon-sized in the United States Marine Corps, that is capable of rapid response to developing situations. They are to have equipment ready, to respond to any type of emergency, typically within ten minutes or less, although this is based on...
for operations throughout Algeria.
Commanding officers
- Lt. Col.Lieutenant colonelLieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Raoul Magrin-VernereyRaoul Magrin-VernereyRaoul Charles Magrin-Vernerey , also known as Ralph Monclar, was a French Army and French Foreign Legion general who fought in World War I, World War II and commanded the French Battalion in the Korean War.-World War I:...
(1940) - Lt. Col. Alfred Cazoud (1940–1941)
- Lt. Col. Dimitri AmilakhvariDimitri AmilakhvariPrince Dimitri Zedguinidze-Amilakhvari, more commonly known as Dimitri Amilakhvari was a French military officer and Lieutenant Colonel of the French Foreign Legion, of Georgian origin who played an influential role in the French Resistance against Nazi occupation in World War II, and became an...
(1941–1942) - MajorMajorMajor is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Gabriel Bablon (1942–1944) - Major Paul Arnault (1944–1945)
- Lt. Col. Bernard Saint-HillierBernard Saint-HillierBernard Saint-Hillier was a French general.Saint-Hillier graduated from Saint-Cyr in 1933 and was affected to the 11th Chasseurs alpins Battalion. In 1938, he joined the French Foreign Legion with the rank of captain...
(1945) - Lt. Col. Gabriel Bablon (1946)
- Lt. Col. Gabriel Brunet de SairignéGabriel Brunet de SairignéGabriel Brunet de Sairigné was an French Army officer of the French Foreign Legion. He was born on in Paris, and was killed in the line of duty close to Lagnia Bien Hoa .-Education:...
(1946–1948) - Lt. Col. Paul Arnaud (1948–1949)
- Lt. Col. René Morel (1949–1951)
- Lt. Col. Pierre Clément (1951–1953
- Lt. Col. Guigard (1952–1953)
- Lt. Col. Jules GaucherJules GaucherJules Gaucher was a French Army officer noted for his command of Foreign Legion troops in Indochina. Described as a "burly, hard-drinking veteran of years of jungle fighting, with a nose like an axe-blade and a mouth like its cut", Gaucher was a popular commander among the Legion, known as 'the...
(1953–1954) - Lt. Col. Lemeunier (1954)
- Lt. Col. Rossi (1954–1956)
- Lt. Col. Marguet (1956–1957)
- Lt. Col. Sanges (1957–1958)
- Lt. Col. Roux (1958–1961)
- Lt. Col. Vaillant (1961)
- Lt. Col. Dupuy de Querezieux (1961–1962)
- Lt. Col. Lacôte (1962–1965)
- Lt. Col. Geoffrey (1965–1968)
- Lt. Col. Foureau (1968–1970)
- Lt. Col. Buonfils (1970–1972)
- Lt. Col. Pêtre (1972–1974)
- Lt. Col. Lardry (1974–1976)
- Lt. Col. Jean-Claude Coullon
- Lt. Col. Gillet (1978–1980)
- Lt. Col. Loridon (1980–1982)
- Lt. Col. Vialle (1982–1984)
- Lt. Col. Rideau (1984–1986)
- Lt. Col. Champeau (1986–1988)
- Lt. Col. Le Flem (1988–1990)
- ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Ibanez (1990–1992) - Colonel J.P. Perez (1992–1994)
- Lt. Col. Emmanuel Beth (1996–1998)
- Lt. Col. Debleds (1998–2000)
- Colonel Jean Maurin (2000–2002)
- Colonel Chavancy (2002-2004)
- Lt. Col. Henri Billaudel (2004–2006)
- Colonel Marchand (2006-2008)
- Colonel Thierry Burkhard (2008-2010)
- Colonel Cyrille Youchtchenko (2010- )
Officers and legionnaires
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Pierre Messmer Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer was a French Gaullist politician. He served as Minister of Armies under Charles de Gaulle from 1960 to 1969 – the longest serving since Étienne François, duc de Choiseul under Louis XV – and then as Prime Minister under Georges Pompidou from 1972 to 1974... Radomir Pavitchevitch Radomir Pavitchevitch is a French legionnaire, veteran of World War II.He enlisted for five years on 9 December 1931, and was assigned to the 2nd Foreign Legion Regiment at Oujda, Algeria. Even though released from the service, he rejoined the Legion at Beyrouth, in the 6th Foreign Legion Regiment... Frédéric Rossif Frédéric Rossif was a French film and television director who specialized primarily on documentaries, frequently using archive footage. Rossif's common themes included wildlife, 20th century history and contemporary artists... |
Current organization & deployment
From 1962 to June 2011, the 13 DBLE duty station
Military base
A military base is a facility directly owned and operated by or for the military or one of its branches that shelters military equipment and personnel, and facilitates training and operations. In general, a military base provides accommodations for one or more units, but it may also be used as a...
had been within Djibouti
Djibouti
Djibouti , officially the Republic of Djibouti , is a country in the Horn of Africa. It is bordered by Eritrea in the north, Ethiopia in the west and south, and Somalia in the southeast. The remainder of the border is formed by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden at the east...
in the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
. The unit is a battlegroup
Battlegroup (army)
A battlegroup , or task force in modern military theory, is the basic building block of an army's fighting force. A battlegroup is formed around an infantry battalion or armoured regiment, which is usually commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel...
and comprises 800 men, of whom 320 are permanent party.
On June 2011 the 13 DBLE was withdrawn from Djibouti to be redeployed permanently in the United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
as a result of a defense cooperation agreement with France.
The current organisation of the battlegroup is the following:
- Compagnie de Commandement et de Soutien (CCS) - commandC4ISTARIn military usage, a number of abbreviations in the format C followed by additional letters are used, based on expanded versions of the abbreviation C2 - command and control.C2I stands for command, control, and intelligence....
and supportMilitary logisticsMilitary logistics is the discipline of planning and carrying out the movement and maintenance of military forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it is those aspects or military operations that deal with:...
companyCompany (military unit)A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
, permanent party. - Compagnie de Maintenance (CM) - maintenanceMaintenance, Repair and OperationsMaintenance, repair, and operations or maintenance, repair, and overhaul involves fixing any sort of mechanical or electrical device should it become out of order or broken...
company, permanent party. - Escadron de Reconnaissance (ER) - reconnaissanceReconnaissanceReconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
squadron equipped with ERC-90 light tankTankA tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
and P4Peugeot P4The P4 is an unarmoured off-road vehicle used by the military of France. It was manufactured by Peugeot but is now manufactured by Panhard. It is to be replaced with the PVP by Panhard. The P4 is a militarised Mercedes Geländewagen marketed by Peugeot for the French military...
4x4 tactical vehicles, permanent party. - Compagnie d'Infanterie - a roulementRoulementRoulement is a term used by the British Army to signify major combat units that are deployed on short tours of duty, normally for 6-months duration....
infantryInfantryInfantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
company drawn from either 2 REI2nd Foreign Infantry RegimentThe 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the French Foreign Legion created in 1841 and is situated in the south of France at Nimes. The 2REI has participated in several conflicts, more notably in the Gulf war, in Bosnia, Chad and in different parts of Africa...
or 2 REP2nd Foreign Parachute RegimentThe 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force.-Indochina:...
, equipped with VABVéhicule de l'Avant BlindéThe Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé or VAB is an armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed by the Euro Mobilité Division of GIAT Industries of France. It entered service in 1976; around 5,000 were produced.- Design :The VAB was designed as a wheeled troop transporter, complementing the...
armoured personnel carriers and VLRA 4X4 tactical vehicles. - Compagnie de Génie - a roulement engineerMilitary engineerIn military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...
company drawn from either 1 REG1st Foreign Engineer RegimentThe 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment is a Military engineer regiment in the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. The regiment is stationed at Quartier General Rollet in Laudun.-World War II:...
or 2 REG2nd Foreign Engineer RegimentThe 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment is one of two Combat engineering regiment in the French Foreign Legion. The regiment is the combat engineering component of 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade.-History:...
.
Current operations
In addition to its security responsibilities in Djibouti, the 13 DBLE has participated in military operations that include Operation ORYXSomali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
and Operation UNOSOM II
Somali Civil War
The Somali Civil War is an ongoing civil war taking place in Somalia. The conflict, which began in 1991, has caused destabilisation throughout the country, with the current phase of the conflict seeing the Somali government losing substantial control of the state to rebel forces...
in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
(1992–1993) Operation ISKOUTIR (1993–1995), Operation TURQUOISE
Rwandan Civil War
The Rwandan Civil War was a conflict within the Central African nation of Rwanda between the government of President Juvénal Habyarimana and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front...
in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
(1994), and Operation UNICORN in the Ivory Coast (2002)
Battle Honours
- Camerone 1863Battle of CamarónThe Battle of Camarón, which occurred 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army, is regarded by the Legion as a defining moment in its history...
- Bjerkvik-Narvik 1940Norwegian CampaignThe Norwegian Campaign was a military campaign that was fought in Norway during the Second World War between the Allies and Germany, after the latter's invasion of the country. In April 1940, the United Kingdom and France came to Norway's aid with an expeditionary force...
- Keren-Massouah 1941East African Campaign (World War II)The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
- Bir-Hakeim 1942Battle of Bir HakeimBir Hakeim is a remote oasis in the Libyan desert, and the former site of a Turkish fort. During the Battle of Gazala, the 1st Free French Division of General Marie Pierre Kœnig defended the site from 26 May-11 June 1942 against attacking German and Italian forces directed by Lieutenant-General ...
- El Alamein 1942Second Battle of El AlameinThe Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
- Rome 1944Italian Campaign (World War II)The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
- Colmar 1945Colmar PocketThe Colmar Pocket ; in Alsace, France, was the site of an operation during the Second World War, between 20 January and 9 February 1945, where the French First Army and the U.S...
- Authion 1945
- Indochine 1946-1954First Indochina WarThe First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
Traditions
Except from "Le BoudinLe Boudin
Le Boudin is the official march of the French Foreign Legion. Le Boudin is a reference to boudin, a type of blood sausage or black pudding. Le boudin colloquially meant the gear that used to top the backpacks of Legionnaires...
" (the song of the French Foreign Legion), their regimental marching song is the "Sous le soleil brûlant d'Afrique " (Under the blazing sun of Africa).