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The 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 11e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 11e REI) was a regiment of the Foreign Legion in the
11e REI
- History of the 11e REI {{French Foreign Legion navbox Foreign Infantry Regiment, 11th 1939 establishments in France Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1940
The 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 11e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 11e REI) was a regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army
The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (french: Armée de Terre, ), is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces. It is responsible to the Government of France, along with the other components of the Armed Force ...
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
from 1939 to 1940.
History
The 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment was stationed inLorraine
Lorraine , also , , ; Lorrain: ''Louréne''; Lorraine Franconian: ''Lottringe''; german: Lothringen ; lb, Loutrengen; nl, Lotharingen is a cultural and historical region in Northeastern France, now located in the administrative region of Gra ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
from late 1939 to the spring of 1940.
The 11th REI defended the northern Inor Wood near Verdun
Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department.
Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...
from the German offensive early on in the battle until June 11, 1940, when the regiment began a fighting retreat to the south. By June 18, the 11th REI had lost three-fourths of its strength and the regiment withdrew to the south near Toul
Toul () is a commune in the Meurthe-et-Moselle department in north-eastern France.
It is a sub-prefecture of the department.
Geography
Toul is between Commercy and Nancy, and the river Moselle and Canal de la Marne au Rhin.
Climate
Toul ...
. The regimental flag was burned at Crezilles near Nancy to prevent it falling into German hands.
Organization
The 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment was composed of 2,500 veterans of the Legion who had served in North Africa and 500 Legionnaire reservists.See also
* Major (France) * Music of the Foreign Legion (MLE) * Peter J. Ortiz *12th Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 12e Régiment étranger d'infanterie, 12e REI) was an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army which existed from 1939 to 1940 at the beginning of World War II
World War&n ...
Notes
References
*Porch, Douglas. ''The French Foreign Legion: The Complete History of the Legendary Fighting Force.'' HarperCollins, New York, 1991. *External links
11e REI
- History of the 11e REI {{French Foreign Legion navbox Foreign Infantry Regiment, 11th 1939 establishments in France Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1940