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How does the 2 REP (FFL) compare to the British Paras?
- Thread starter The Badgers' Hole
- Start date
L.P.C.
LE
The 2 REI have a contingent there at the moment and are due back in Nîmes round about now... will check this out, if i can
D
Deleted 4482
Guest
The gully Gully man is also a magic man who boards ships passing through Suez Canal and performs a magic show.
Colonel Chauvet's decorations denoting service during WW2, Indochina and Algeria; he was WIA 7 times !
RIP mon colonel
Not his absolute best album, but a musical accompaniment to this reference, if you wish.
For some reason (maybe from @Condottiere or someone else posting here), though the battle honour may have been awarded during WW1, I recall mention that Camerone as an annual focus and special day for the whole legion didn't start until the 1930s sometime and was part of creating an esprit de Corps for a much enlarged Foreign Legion that had many different unit in it then.
Condottiere
LE
Wasnae me. But that sounds quite plausible for post WW1. IIRC (rough and ready without looking things up, so there may be some errors):
Before WW1 there were only a maximum of two (often multi-batallion) regiments of the Foreign Legion under various nomenclatures that at one stage included 1 RE (Regiment Etranger) and 2 RE with the I for infantry being added at some stage. In WW1 the RMLE was formed which went on to become 3 REI post war. Then along came 1 REC and 4, 5 and 6 REI's between the WW1 and WW2. Various units were formed in WW2, the most famous (and surviving to this day) was 13 DBLE. After the 1940 French armistice, the Legion divided into Vichy and Free French allegiances and the RMLE was formed again which reverted once more to 3 REI post war. Post WW2 along came 2 REC and 1 and 2 REP's.
Currently we have 1 RE (Depot Regt), 2 REI, 3 REI, 4 RE (Trg Regt), 1 REG (formed from 6 REG, which was created to continue 6 REI's traditions when 5 RE was still extant in French Polynesia as mainly an engineer unit), 2 REG (which was created after 5 RE disbanded and maintains it's traditions), 13 DBLE, 1 REC, 2 REP and DLEM (which maintains the traditions of 2 REC), as well as the GRLE (Recruiting Group which also maintains the traditions of 11 REI, one of the temporary WW2 Legion Units).
Looks like I might have seen it in either a Windrow or Porch book - sounds like it might have been linked to Mordacq's post WW1 consolidation/growth of the legion
E2A: yes in FBTS, MW mentions that it wasn't "specifically celebrated even at unit level before 30 April 1906 (when a historically minded lieutenant in North Vietnam paraded his platoon and told them the story)" and "the great annual ceremony of which [Danjou's Hand] forms the centrepiece today was choreographed only in 1931"
(Sh1t - I've hit old age. I can remember bits from a book I last read 5 years ago, but can't find where i put my wallet today...FFS)
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Didn't 5 REI garrison Indo China for a long while - from 1930 until they had to fight their way to the Chinese border in an epic 1500k, 93 day affair, when the Japanese Army turned on the French garrison in March 1945.
Condottiere
LE
Yes. Formed from already present bataillons of other Legion units (the Legion had been involved in Indochina since the 1880’s). In WW2 after the 1940 Armistice, it remained under Vichy control which led to the unfortunate experience of essentially being ordered to stay put and not resist Japanese occupation when that occurred. Until the Japs turned on them late in the war.
That's the slight challenge with Our Friends Beneath The Sand, after an absolutely cracking opening it zips off to Tonkin for quite a bit when you've lulled yourself in to a full Beau Geste desert fort mindset.
engr172
War hero
With the expected expansion of the legion, is it likely any new units will be formed/reformed, or will the existing units be enlarged? I believe that they have no issues with recruitment. Will be interesting to see what happens.
Condottiere
LE
An expansion of the Foreign Legion has already occurred in the past few years with the existing combat units all being enlarged. There is some speculation about a further possible enlargement, but there are political and budgetary difficulties (not to mention internal rivalries within the French Army). However, as has been recently demonstrated, the capacity is there to do so relatively rapidly, should the decison be taken.
I have previously hazarded a guess that a new overseas based Legion Regiment may be established, probably with the resurrection of a previously disbanded one. This train of thought is based on General Mistral (GOC the Foreign Legion), relatively recently, officially stating that the potential for more Legionnaires obtaining long-term overseas postings will be increased.
I cannot see how this can be done other than by increasing the number of Legion Units permanently stationed overseas or significantly increasing their established manpower. There are currently only two Legion Units permanently based overseas: 3 REI in French Guyana and DLEM in Mayotte, both relatively small in permanent established manpower rather than companies/squadrons rotating through on a temporary basis from mainland based regiments. In my time (1980's) there were four, both the above plus 13 DBLE in Djibouti and 5 RE (originally called 5 RMP due to the inclusion of Regular French Engineer sub-units) in French Polynesia.
I have speculated that perhaps New Caledonia may be the location for a new permanent Legion garrison, given the following indicators:
1. French participation in the strategic western pivot towards the Indo-Pacific region in order to maintain balance against an expansionist China, improve power projection capability in the area and improve potential for mutual cooperation and training with the forces of allied and friendly Indo-Pacific States.
2. Already increased Foreign Legion temporary presence in New Caledonia with sub-units rotating through from mainland Regiments.
3, Increasing Foreign Legion recruitment from Cental, East and South-East Asia and the Pacific.
Now, I would probably hazard another guess, that if another regiment were to be re-established in the Far East,, for historic reasons it would probably be a resurrection of 5 REI. Although 2 REG currently maintains some of the Legion's Far East traditions (noted by the Indochinese pagoda on its regimental badge), it is not the custodian of 5 REI's Colours. 2 REG is well on its way to establishing its own reputation as a Legion Engineer and Mountain Warfare regiment (it is the only Legion regiment assigned to the French 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade). Its Mountain Commando Group is particularly appreciated.
A more fanciful speculation is that if the Legion were to ever be based in South-West Asia/ the Middle East again and a new Legion unit were to be established, then 6 REI would be the obvious choice as this was the original Foreign Legion Regiment based in the French protectorate of Syria prior to WW2. Although 1 REG was originally established as 6 REG and carried on the traditions of 6 REI (as evinced by the shape and composition of its regimental badge); now as 1 REG it is a totally separate regiment in its own right and since its participation in the 1990 liberation of Kuwait (Op Daguet in French parlance) has established its own reputation as a Legion Light Armoured Engineer regiment. Its Combat Diver Group is particularly appreciated.
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Condottiere
LE
Thanks for your added edit. After the Legion's considerable success in WW1, there was a massive push between the wars both in expansion in size and in consolidation of ethos, traditions and esprit de corps. General Rollet is credited with much of this and is acknowledged as the "Father of the Legion".
Paul-Frédéric Rollet - Wikipedia
As the Commander of the RMLE With the Regimental Colours on the Western Front in WW2.
As the Inspector General of the Legion
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