13th half-brigade of Foreign legion

General information

The 13th Half-brigade of Foreign legion (13th DBLE) is the only unit interarmes of the Foreign legion. Created in 1940, it was one of the first units made up to rejoin the free French Forces (FFL). Coasts of Norway to sands of Bir Hakeim, Erythrée in Alsace, while passing by the Syria and Italy, it was of all the campaigns of the Second world war.

It is stationed since 1962 at the General headquarter Monclar with Djibouti under the terms of the agreements of defense which link France with the Republic of Djibouti, independent since 1977.

Like all the units overseas, the 13th DBLE is partly made up the permanent ones and partly of units on mission of short duration (4 months MCD). The characteristic of the Splendid Phalange , is that its personnel in MCD is almost all resulting from the Foreign legion. Desert big spaces and the facilities of the co-operation interarmées on the spot allow a drive of quality the units. It can be thus aguerrir with the combat in arid zone.

History of the engagements, battles and garrisons

The unit is Compagnon of the Release and its men carry the Fourragère to the colors of the order like that to the colors of the Military decoration.

Second world war

It fights in Norway where it seizes Bjervik then of Narvik. In England, the moist one of its men join with De Gaulle, the other moist one returns to France.

It fights in Africa and with the close East within the 1 {{Re}} division of Free France (1st DFL).

In 1942, part of the unit covers glory with the battle of Bir-Hakeim. It will be the occasion for Pierre Messmer, Capitaine commander of company to write a book: lost patrol.

It fights then in Italy then unloads in Provence in August 1944 to take share with the release of the France.

April 6th, 1945, the unit is seen allotting the Croix of the Release.

War of Indo-China

It loses its chief there the Lieutenant-colonel of Sairigné.

It is illustrated at the time of the Bataille of Điện Biên Phủ where it loses another chief of police in the person of the Lieutenant-colonel Gaucher

1962-2006

It took part in several maintenance missions of peace. It is currently based with Djibouti according to the agreements of defense concluded between the France and this country.

Traditions

Badge

Currency

More Majorum ( According to the memory of Old the )

Song

" Under the sun burning of Afrique"

Feat of arms and inscriptions on the standard

Decorations

fodder Military decoration

Cross of the Release
Military Cross 1939-1945
Military Cross of the Theaters of external operations

The personnel of the unit is authorized to carry the Fourragère to the colors of the Military decoration in reward of the quotations obtained on the Military Cross as well as the fodder one to the colors of the Cross of the Release since February 23rd 1996.

Chiefs of police

13th half-brigade of Foreign legion

Organization

The 13th Half-brigade of Foreign legion, unit with vocation interarmes is composed of approximately 800 men including 320 permanent.

the CCS or Company of Command and Support, is mixed, made up legionaries in MCD and the permanent ones. It gathers all the projectable services, necessary to the command of regiment (transmissions, office operation, male nurses, section transport, etc). It arms also the CECAP (Center of Drive to the Combat of Arta Plage) which organizes the training courses of inurement to the desert medium and sign tactical know-how specific to the combat in arid zone. It forms the units of the FFDJ (French Forces Stationed in Djibouti), but also the officers of the École of Application of the Infantry as well as foreign units.

the CM or Company of Maintenance. This company is doubly mixed since it counts in its center at the same time legionaries and soldiers of the weapon of the material, in MCD or permanent station. It ensures the maintenance of all the units of the Army present on the territory.
the ER or Squadron of Recognition (permanent basic unit). The squadron, trained primarily of legionaries coming from the 1 {{er}} REC is stationed in isolated station with Oueah, to 40 km of Djibouti. He is equipped with light armoured tanks with wheels of the type ERC-90 Sagaie and cross-country light vehicles P4.
the Company of Infantry. Army alternatively by a company of the 2 {{E}} REI or 2 {{E}} REFERENCE MARK, it is equipped with VAB (Vehicles of Before Blindé) and with VLRA (Light vehicles of Recognition and Support). It consists of a section command, of a section of support (a group of Mortier of 81 mm and a group of Milan missiles) and of three sections of combat.
the Company of Genius. Coming from the 1 {{er}} or 2 {{E}} REG. it is made up of a section of command, of three sections of genius fights, a section support and a section work. The latter is in general in charge of the repairing of the roads or tracks of aerodromes on the territory. It happens that one of these sections passes all its MCD in the desert, under tent, to trace a track, in the purest tradition of the legionaries builders.

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