Foreign legion

The Foreign legion is a crack corps of the Army French.

Creation

The Foreign legion is created by decree the March 10th 1831 by the king Louis-Philippe, king of the French, at the instigation of the marshal Soult, Minister for the War. It gathers, at this date, the various foreign bodies of the French Army, of which the Swiss guards, resulting from the perpetual Paix signed after the Bataille of Marignan, the Régiment Hohenlohe. This new troop is intended to fight in Algeria. The foreign legion can fight only moreover sea except if the metropolis is invaded.

The first quarterings of the Legion are established with Langres, Bar-le-Duc, Agen and Auxerre. The old ones of the Swiss guards and the Régiment Hohenlohe are placed in the 1st Bataillon. 2nd and 3rd receive the Swiss ones and the Germans, 4th is reserved to the Spaniards and to Portuguese, 5th with the Sardinians and Italians, 6th with the Belgians and Dutchmen and 7th with the Poles.

At the beginning, the Legion constitutes a very effective means to withdraw the “undesirable” elements more of the French company of the 19th century. Its rows are filled of murderers, of escaped prisoners, beggars, criminals of common right and immigrants nondesired.

The legionary is trained, little or is not very badly paid, and receives most summary as regards equipment, of clothing and food. The motivation of the men is then with low, because the reasons to join the Legion are generally the despair and the instinct of survival rather than patriotism. Certain legionaries most probably try to escape serious problems. The living and working conditions are terrible and the first campaigns cause heavy losses. Consequently, the Désertion S pose an important problem with the Legion. To forge an effective force of combat starting from a group of little motivated soldiers, represents a company of most difficult. To this end, the Legion develops from the start an incredibly strict discipline, exceeding by far that imposed on the regular French Army.

Traditions of the Foreign legion

See also: Traditions with the Foreign legion

The traditions within the Foreign legion result many and directly from its history: “green and red”, with the slow step of its units, while passing by the pioneers and Boudin (song of walk of the Legion).

But contrary to an generally accepted idea, these traditions are not irremovable and live with the Institution. They are officially gathered within a " Collection of the traditions of the Legion étrangère" published by the committee of the traditions of the Foreign legion.

Culture of the Foreign legion

See also: Culture of the Foreign legion

The Foreign legion, since many decades, inspired by works of all types: books, films, songs, etc They often present the Institution under its romantic aspect , but sometimes also under a more capable angle to maintain the myth the “legionary-hooligan”.

Campaigns

Algeria

Created to fight “out of the continental territory of the kingdom”, the Foreign legion is stationed in Algérie, where it takes part in the conquest and the development of the territory.

The 4th Bataillon is the first to receive the baptism of fire, on November 11th 1832, with the combat of Sidi-Chabal, close to Oran against the troops of Abd El-Kader.

In 1834, the Spaniards of the 4th Bataillon are demobilized and authorized to return in their country, in prey with the civil war. The 7th Bataillon is brought back to Oran and takes number 4 then.

Wars carlists

The civil war tears the Spain. In order to help Isabelle II, Adolphe Thiers, then Minister of Interior Department, succeed in convincing the government to send the Foreign legion in Spain. Two days later, the June 8th 1835, Louis-Philippe gives his agreement and the Foreign legion is yielded the 28 of the same month. By royal decree, the Legion does not form any more part of the French Army.

That which was to become “the Old Legion” is delivered to itself in Spain. Badly equipped, little, not even paid, the legionaries fight without reinforcement, nor new recruitment. In 1839, the queen gives leave to the last survivors. The majority of them cross the French border to begin again in the Legion.

Algeria for the new Legion

The December 16th 1836, after the passage of the Foreign legion in the rows of the Spanish army, Louis-Philippe decided creation of a new Legion in order to reinforce the French troops in Algérie. Three Bataillon S are then created to fill the vacuum left by the departures in Spain. In 1840, two others, 4th and 5th, are formed with Pau and Perpignan with the survivors of the Spanish adventure, former legionaries as carlists. These Bataillon S quickly comes to supplement the device and to reinforce the French troops with the Army from Africa.

The the Crimea (1854 - 1856)

June 27th 1854, the Jean Bart embarks two Bataillon S of the Régiment. The 3rd Battalion and the deposit of the Régiment leave as for them to settle in Corsica, with Bastia, in order to form the deposit of war there intended to feed the two foreign regiments parties in the Crimea.

The two regiments of Legion take part, within the “foreign Brigade”, with the battles of the Alma, on September 20th 1854 and with the Siège of Sébastopol during the winter 1854 - 1855. The lack of equipment is particularly testing and the Choléra striking the task force. Nevertheless, the bellies of leather (nickname given to the legionaries by the Russians because of their cartridge pouch on the belly), behave admirably.

June 21st 1855, the companies of elite of the 3rd Battalion and all the manpower available left in Corsica arrives in the Crimea.

September 8th, it is the final attack and, the 10, the 2nd foreign Regiment, flag and music at the head, ravels in the streets of Sébastopol.

Countryside of Italy

Like the army of Africa, the Legion takes part in the countryside of Italy. It is illustrated in particular during the Bataille of Magenta on June 4th 1859.

June 24th, the legionaries run up against the Austrians during the Bataille of Solférino.

Forwarding of Mexico

Initially, the Legion was not to take part in the countryside, but a petition of its Officier S addressed to the Minister for the War causes to punish those and to send the foreign Regiment to the Mexico.

The regiment arrives on March 25th 1863 and is then seen entrusting the ungrateful task to escort convoys between Veracruz and Puebla. But the 3rd company illustrates the April 30th 1863 during the combat of Camerone which remains in the history like the illustration of the sacrifice in the name of the word given.

The regiment moves then towards the Hot Grounds and is reorganized into 4 Bataillon S in 1864. In parallel, the deposit of the regiment leaves temporarily beautiful Sidi Abbès for Aix-en-Provence in order to facilitate the recruitment and the sending of reinforcements to the Mexico.

From December 1864 at February 1865, the units of the regiment take part in the seat of Oaxaca.

July 3rd 1866, 3rd and 5th companies of the 4th battalion delivers a combat comparable with that of Camerone. Under the orders of the Captain Frenet, the 125 legionaries encircled in the hacienda of Incarnacion resist victoriously during 48 hours more than 600 Mexicans.

Total of the losses in the forwarding of Mexico: 22 officers, 32 warrant officers and 414 legionaries.

The agreement made with the emperor Maximilien indicated that the Foreign legion was to pass to the service Mexico; as the French adventure in Mexico turns to the disaster, the Legion returns to France.

Franco-German War of 1870

July 19th 1870, the Franco-German Guerre bursts between the France and the Prussia. This war is held on the ground of France, where the Legion does not have, normally, to intervene. In addition, one cannot ask the German legionaries to fight against their country. But the situation is so critical that the government calls upon the troops of Africa.

Two battalions are formed to leave in metropolis. The German legionaries, the flag of the regiment and the music remain, them, with Sidi-Beautiful-Abbots. During this time, one 5th battalion is created on the national ground to incorporate the foreigners who want to be used their fatherland as adoption. This one is distinguished particularly for its valiancy at the time of the Bataille of Orleans on October 10th.

The arrived battalions of Algérie are based with the survivors of the combat of Orleans but they know the defeats with the Army of the East. What remains unit takes part in the repression of the Commune of Paris in April and May 1871. June 11th, the foreign regiment of walk formed for the circumstance ceases existing. Its elements take again the way of Algeria.

Tonkin

November 18th 1883, the first 600 legionaries unload in Tonkin. They take part in the columns of the Admiral Courbet which fights against the black Pavillons.

December 16th, the legionaries achieve their first feat of arms out of Asian ground by taking the citadel of Sound-Tay. Reinforced by the 2nd battalion as from February 1884, the legionaries seize the fortress of Bac Ninh.

From January 26th to March 3rd 1885, the citadel of Tuyen Quang, defended by a majority of legionaries is besieged.

January 1st 1885, 3rd and 4th battalions of the 1st foreign regiment arrive at Tonkin and are integrated into the 2nd Foreigner. The 3rd battalion holds a particular place at the time of the catch of Lang Its on February 4th. The 4th battalion from 2nd Abroad, unloaded with Formosa in January 1885 combat the Chinese on the spot until the Franco-Chinese armistice of June 21st 1885. It joined then its body in Tonkin.

After the conquest, the phase comes from pacification which, as in Algérie is a permanent fight against the armed bands.

Africa

In 1892, the king Behanzin threat the counter of Oporto Novo and the France decides to intervene. A foreign battalion of walk is made up starting from 2 companies from 1st Abroad and 2 others from 2nd Abroad. It is placed administratively under the command of this last. The commander Faurax takes the head of it.

Of Cotonou, the legionaries must seize Abomey, the capital of the mutineer. Two months and half are necessary to reach the city at the price of combat repeated against the soldiers, and especially the Amazones of the king. This one capitulates and is captured by the legionaries in January 1894.

A company of walk is formed by the 2 {{E}} Étranger and is transported to Kayes in order to subject the Ahmadou sultans and Samory Touré. Once its mission accomplished successfully, the company is dissolved on its return to Saïda on June 24th 1893. A battalion of walk made up of two companies of the two foreign regiments is created with the beginning of the year 1894 to pacify the Niger. The victory of the legionaries to the fortress of Ullaged and the patrols of police force in the area accelerate the tender of the tribes. But 51 legionaries must be hospitalized because of tropical diseases there and Dysenterie. In 1895, a battalion of walk, formed by 1st and 2nd Foreigners is sent to Madagascar in order to take part in the task force which has the role of reducing the insurrection.

The foreign battalion then forms the spearhead of the column launched on Tananarive. But if the low intensity of the engagements does not make it possible to the Legionaries to show their bravery, they leave 226 as of their the, dead ones on the large island, of which hardly a tenth for acts of war. The others, like most of the task force, die of the climatic conditions and the tropical diseases.

The battalion returns in Algérie in December 1895. But as of 1896, the general Galliéni, called to reduce a second Malagasy insurrection, request to leave with 600 Legionaries in order to be able " to die convenablement" if necessary. New a Bataillon of walk is thus formed for this forwarding. Reinforcements follow because the operation of Pacification last until in 1905. There still, the most frightening enemy is the fever.

First World War

As of August 1914, thousands from abroad, present in metropolis or in the colonies, join the rows of the Legion, in order to prove their attachment and their recognition with the France. On the whole they are 42.883 volunteers, not representing less than 52 nationalities, which form the 5 regiments of walk, where are useful in majority of the Russians, the Italians, of the Swiss ones, of the Belgians and the British. Following the many losses undergone by these units and with the return of the majority of these first engaged in their countries of origin, the command decides, the November 11th 1915, the creation of the RMLE: Regiment of walk of the Foreign legion; on the French face, this one is engaged in Artois, in the Somme and with Verdun. With RICM, the RMLE will be the regiment more decorated with France.

The Legion provides moreover a battalion which, amalgamated with two other battalions of zouaves and Algerian riflemen, constitutes the RMA, Régiment of Walk of Algeria, which fights with Gallipoli (1915) and will join the Army of the East on the face of Salonique (1916-1918).

On the whole, more than 6.000 Legionaries find death on the battle fields of France or the Balkans; as example, the RMLE only loses with him 115 killed officers, including 2 colonels, 12 commanders and 21 captains.

Pacification against the Druzes.

Second world war

The declaration of war of the September 3rd 1939 causes a significant change within manpower legionaries: thus the Spaniards, in great republican survivors majority of the civil war, represent up to 28% of the total; European, taken refuge or expelled political opponents of their country of origin: Italians, Germans and Austrians, go up until nearly 17%. This wave of new volunteers makes it possible to increase the number of Legionaries to 48.924 registered voters on the roles to the May 9th 1940; this figure will never be exceeded, not even at the time of the Guerre of Indo-China.

This surge of volunteers makes it possible to create several new units:

  • the 13° DBLE (half-brigade of the Foreign legion), which takes part in the forwarding of Norway to Narvik, before being one of the very first units made up to join FFL in the United Kingdom to take part in the campaigns of Dakar, of the Gabon, Erythrée, Syria, Bir Hakeim, El Alamein;
  • the 6th REI which also takes part him in the countryside of Syria but in the opposing side.
  • 11th and 12th REI, which takes part in the Countryside of France in May - June 1940;
  • the GRD 97 (divisional Grouping of Recognition n°97) which is committed in May - June 40;
  • in addition, at the Pyrenean camp of Barcarès, is set up three other regiments, the 21e, 22e and 23e RMVE, or Régiments of Walk of Foreign Volunteers , units transitory.

1943: Countryside of Tunisia.

1944-1945: The RMLE, the 1st REC and the 13th DBLE take part in the campaigns of Italy, France and Germany.

After 1945, many former soldiers of the Wehrmacht join the Legion, increasing in a very important way its combativeness and its effectiveness.

War of Indo-China

On the whole, of 1946 with 1954, it are not less: 72833 Legionaries who are useful in Indo-China. With more: 10000 dead, the Legion records the highest rate in human losses: meadows of 12  % for the White Kepis against less 7  % for the whole of the French Task force of the Far East.

Total of the losses: : 10283 dead including 109 officers, 1082 warrant officers and 9092 legionaries.

The legion will take part in the famous battle of Diên Biên Phu.

War of Algeria

To be itself rejoined with the Putsch of Algiers of April 1961, the 1 {{er}} REFERENCE MARK is dissolved on April 30th 1961 with Zéralda. Its commander by interim, Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc, is condemned to 10 years of criminal detention.

The loss of the Algérie is a traumatism for the legion because it constrained to leave Sidi-beautiful-Abbots, one of its command centres, founded in 1842. While leaving, it burns the Chinese house which, taken in 1884 with Tuyen-Quang, was not to leave Sidi-beautiful-Abbots, carries the wood hand of the captain Danjou, the relics of the museum of the Memory and exhumes the coffins of the General Rollet ( Père of the Legion ) and, symbolically, of the legionary Heinz Zimmermann, the killed last of Algérie, which will be transferred to Puyloubier, close to Marseilles

Since 1962

Composition

Recruitment

The Foreign legion, contrary to other army corps French to exclusively male recruitment (submariners and mobile guards), does not profit from any statutory provision prohibiting recruitment of the women. Nevertheless, and taking into account the strong rate of selection upon the engagement (approximately 1 engaged out of 6 candidates in 2006), this one recruits, like legionary, only men. On the other hand, a variable number of Officer S and female Sous-officier S are useful under the green beret, as a " frameworks of the general scheme assigned to Légion". If these women carry the beret of the Institution, it do not carry the attributes of tradition from there (white Kepi, red and green shoulder pads and girdle blue).

Herewith a " manning table of Légion" bench in 1963 and establishing the national origin of more than: 500000 Legionaries having been used as 1831 with 1961. It will be noted that, at a given time, principal nationalities of origin of the foreign legion are in narrow correlation with the events in progress at this time, the legion allowing to escape step badly from worries for overcome from a war. This is why one sees on this table a very strong majority of German, mainly of former soldiers of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS:

With regard to the conditions of recruitment within the Foreign legion, to see the dedicated official page: recruitment. However, with regard to the age limits, they go from 17 years 1/2 (with parental authorization) to 40 years.

Feat of arms

  • Battle of Camerone the April 30th 1863 with the Mexico. Although it acts for the Legion of a demolished , it is commemorated by the legionaries with as much enthusiasm than by the Mexicans, who recognize without reserve the courage of the Legionaries (those went only when there remained only three combatants!).

  • Tuyen Quang in 1885 with the Tonkin. Six hundred legionaries are encircled and attacked by twenty thousand Chinese and their hard resistance during thirty-six days before the arrival of reinforcements.
  • Battle of Narvik
  • Battle of Bir Hakeim
  • Battle of Điện Well Phủ from March 13rd to May 7th, 1954.
  • Rescue of Kolwezi in 1978 with the Zaire. The parachutists of the Foreign legion, to several thousands of kilometers of their bases, intervene in Kolwezi, in Zaire, to deliver the Europeans retained as an hostage by rebels.
  • Release of children taken as an hostage in a school bus with Loyada in Republic of Djibouti.
  • During the war of the Gulf in 1991 the Foreign legion takes part in the terrestrial operations during the Opération Daguet.

Famous legionaries

Officers

Privates

Others

References

See also: Amorce=Articles related:, Units of the Foreign legion, Culture of the Foreign legion, List of the units of Foreign legion

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