2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 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
.
(1er BEP) in the First Indochina War
, the 2eme Battalion Étranger de Parachutistes or 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2ème BEP) was formed on 9 October 1948, at Legion's main cantonment at Sidi Bel Abbes
, Algeria
. The battalion was deployed to Indochina in January 1949, where they served as 'sector troops' from February to November.
In 1950, the battalion became a part of the General Reserve in Indochina. Following the French defeat on Route Coloniale 4
in October 1950, the battalion was transported by ship to North Vietnam. The battalion took part in several battles, including the first battle of Nghia Lo
(October 1951), the Black River (November–December 1951), and the fight for Route Coloniale 6 (January–February 1952) during the Battle of Hoa Binh
.
The battalion made a parachute drop on Dien Bien Phu
as reinforcement during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
(March–May 1954). Fighting without reinforcements, remnants of the 1er and 2e BEP were overwhelmed after a final assault by Viet Minh forces; fewer than 100 legionnaires of the 2e BEP were taken prisoner. On 1 December 1954, after the surviving members of the battalion had returned from captivity after the Armistice, the 2e BEP was later reconstituted with replacements, and returned by ship to French Algeria.
On 5 June 1956, the 2ème BEP was enlarged to a full regiment, and was redesignated the 2ème Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes (2ème REP), or 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment.
province of Zaire
from Angola
and occupied the mining town of Kolwezi
. They began to loot the town and kill government soldiers and civilians (including several Belgian and French employees of a mining company). At the request of the government of Zaire, 2 REP was airlifted to Kinshasa and dropped on Kolwezi. The operation was a success and the town was quickly recaptured with minor casualties in the ranks of the paratroopers. Some 120 civilian hostages died in the occupation.
as well as the French Rapid Reaction Force, and is based near the town of Calvi on the island of Corsica
, just south of mainland France
.
.
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
regiment of 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 a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste
11th Parachute Brigade
The 11th Parachute Brigade is an airborne unit. It contains most of the parachute units in the French army.The brigade numbers around 8,500 personnel and includes eight regiments. It is under command of a général de brigade...
and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force
Rapid reaction force
A rapid reaction force is a military or police unit designed to respond in very short time frames to emergencies. When used in reference to police forces such as SWAT teams, the time frame is minutes, while in military applications, such as with the use of paratroops or other commandos, the time...
.
Indochina
As a consequence of the successes of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion1st 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....
(1er BEP) in the First Indochina War
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, the 2eme Battalion Étranger de Parachutistes or 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2ème BEP) was formed on 9 October 1948, at Legion's main cantonment at Sidi Bel Abbes
Sidi 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...
, 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...
. The battalion was deployed to Indochina in January 1949, where they served as 'sector troops' from February to November.
In 1950, the battalion became a part of the General Reserve in Indochina. Following the French defeat on Route Coloniale 4
Battle of Route Coloniale 4
The Battle of Route Coloniale 4 was a battle of the First Indochina War. The battle lasted from 30 September to 18 October 1950...
in October 1950, the battalion was transported by ship to North Vietnam. The battalion took part in several battles, including the first battle of Nghia Lo
Nghia Lo
Nghia Lo is a town district of Yen Bai Province, in the northeastern region of Vietnam.In 1951, the Viet Minh 312 Division fought French forces in the area as part of the First Indochina War....
(October 1951), the Black River (November–December 1951), and the fight for Route Coloniale 6 (January–February 1952) during the Battle of Hoa Binh
Battle 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:...
.
The battalion made a parachute drop on Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu
Điện Biên Phủ is a city in northwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of Dien Bien province, and is known for the events there during the First Indochina War, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, during which the region was a breadbasket for the Việt Minh.-Population:...
as reinforcement during 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...
(March–May 1954). Fighting without reinforcements, remnants of the 1er and 2e BEP were overwhelmed after a final assault by Viet Minh forces; fewer than 100 legionnaires of the 2e BEP were taken prisoner. On 1 December 1954, after the surviving members of the battalion had returned from captivity after the Armistice, the 2e BEP was later reconstituted with replacements, and returned by ship to French Algeria.
On 5 June 1956, the 2ème BEP was enlarged to a full regiment, and was redesignated the 2ème Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes (2ème REP), or 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment.
Zaire
In May 1978, a force of gendarmes katangais entered the KatangaKatanga Province
Katanga Province is one of the provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Under the new constitution, the province was to be replaced by four smaller provinces by February 2009; this did not actually take place.Katanga's regional...
province of Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
from Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and occupied the mining town of Kolwezi
Kolwezi
Kolwezi is a city in Katanga Province in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, west of Likasi. It is home to an airport and a railway to Lubumbashi. The population is approximately 418,000....
. They began to loot the town and kill government soldiers and civilians (including several Belgian and French employees of a mining company). At the request of the government of Zaire, 2 REP was airlifted to Kinshasa and dropped on Kolwezi. The operation was a success and the town was quickly recaptured with minor casualties in the ranks of the paratroopers. Some 120 civilian hostages died in the occupation.
Afghanistan
2 REP deployed to Afghanistan from January to July 2010, as part of Task Force "Altor". Two Legionnaires from the regiment were killed in action.Today
The 2nd REP forms part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste11th Parachute Brigade
The 11th Parachute Brigade is an airborne unit. It contains most of the parachute units in the French army.The brigade numbers around 8,500 personnel and includes eight regiments. It is under command of a général de brigade...
as well as the French Rapid Reaction Force, and is based near the town of Calvi on the island of Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
, just south of mainland France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Selection
Selection for 2 REP takes 4 weeks. The first 2 weeks are physical tests across terrain. Parachute training takes place at Camp Raffalli and runs for 2 weeks with a total of 6 jumps.Composition
It consists of 1160 men divided into 9 companiesCompany (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...
.
- A command and logistics company
- A administrative and support company
- Four combat companies, each made up of one command section and four combat sections.
- 1st Company specialises in Urban warfareUrban warfareUrban warfare is combat conducted in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat is very different from combat in the open at both the operational and tactical level...
- 2nd Company specialises in Mountain warfareMountain warfareMountain warfare refers to warfare in the mountains or similarly rough terrain. This type of warfare is also called Alpine warfare, named after the Alps mountains...
- 3rd Company specialises in Amphibious warfareAmphibious warfareAmphibious warfare is the use of naval firepower, logistics and strategy to project military power ashore. In previous eras it stood as the primary method of delivering troops to non-contiguous enemy-held terrain...
- 4th Company specialises in snipingSniperA sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
and demolitionDemolitionDemolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
s
- 1st Company specialises in Urban warfare
- A reconnaissance and support company
- A Maintenance Company
- A reserve company
Commanders
|
Philippe Erulin Philippe Louis Edmé Marie François Erulin was a French Army officer. He gained notoriety in Algeria for taking part in the torture of Henri Alleg, and in Africa for leading the Battle of Kolwezi.- Biography :... (1976–1978) Alain Bouquin Alain Bouquin , was the General Commander of the French Foreign Legion from 1 July 2009 to 1 September 2011 succeeding to General Louis Pichot de Champfleury who commanded the Legion from 2006 to 2008.- Military career :... (2000–2002) |
Famous officers and legionnaires
|
Simon Murray Simon Murray CBE is a British businessman, adventurer, author, and former French Foreign Legionnaire. He was the oldest man to reach the South Pole unsupported, at the age of 63.- Early life :... |
See also
- The Parachute Regiment, the closest U.K. equivalent
- U.S. Army Rangers75th Ranger Regiment (United States)The 75th Ranger Regiment , also known as Rangers, is a Special Operations light infantry unit of the United States Army. The Regiment is headquartered in Fort Benning, Georgia with battalions in Fort Benning, Hunter Army Airfield and Joint Base Lewis-McChord...
, closest U.S. equivalent - The 35th "Tzanhanim" BrigadeParatroopers Brigade (IDF)The Paratroopers Brigade , also known as the 35th Brigade, is a unit of paratroopers within the Israel Defense Forces , and forms a major part of the Infantry Corps....
, closest Israeli equivalent - Rhodesian Light InfantryRhodesian Light InfantryThe 1st Battalion, The Rhodesian Light Infantry, commonly the Rhodesian Light Infantry , was a regiment formed in 1961 at Brady Barracks, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia as a light infantry unit within the army of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland...
, a Parachute/Commando regiment informally known as "Rhodesia's Foreign Legion."