The 13
e Régiment de Dragons Parachutistes ( en, 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment) or 13
e RDP is a
special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance (SR) or Recon Team is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organizations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detec ...
regiment of the
French Army
History
Early history
The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...
. It is a unit of the
French Army Special Forces Command
The Army Special Forces Command (french: Commandement des forces spéciales Terre, COM FST) regroups the various special operations forces units of the French Army and is the command charged with overseeing them. It is based in Pau, Pyrénées-A ...
, the latter itself being under the
Special Operations Command. The regiment is based in
Martignas-sur-Jalle
Martignas-sur-Jalle (; oc, Martinhàs de Jalas) is a commune in the Gironde department, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
Historically, the town is known to have been the theater of the , where 500 to 600 longbowmen commanded by John ...
.
Constituted in the form of a regiment of
dragoon
Dragoons were originally a class of mounted infantry, who used horses for mobility, but dismounted to fight on foot. From the early 17th century onward, dragoons were increasingly also employed as conventional cavalry and trained for combat w ...
s (mounted
cavalry
Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...
) during the ''
Ancien Regime
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word for "ancient, old"
** Société des anciens textes français
* the French for "former, senior"
** Virelai ancien
** Ancien Régime
** Ancien Régime in France
''Ancien'' may refer to
* the French word fo ...
'' by the Marquis de Barbezières in Languedoc in 1676, this cavalry regiment, one of the oldest, adopted the appellation of 13
e Régiment de dragons ( en, 13th Dragoon Regiment) during the reorganization of the French cavalry units in 1791. The regiment was transformed into an armoured corps in 1936, then an airborne-capable reconnaissance unit in 1952.
Creation and lineage
Like many regiments in European militaries of the 17th and 18th centuries the regiment often changed name to reflect its current commander or patron.
* 1676, 4 October: formation of the regiment in Languedoc by the
Marquis
A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman ...
de Barbezières, as Dragoon de Barbezières.
* 1714: designated as Dragoon de Goesbriand.
* 1724, 12 December: designated as Dragoon de Condé.
* 1744: designated as Dragoon de Bartillat
* 1774: designated as Dragoon Comte-de-Provence, then, in the same year designated as Dragoon de Monsieur.
* 1791: designated as 13
e Dragoon Regiment.
* 1815: dissolution of the regiment after the Napoleonic wars.
* 1855: Reformation of a Dragoon regiment designated as the
Dragoon Regiment of the Empress in reference to The
Empress
An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother (empr ...
Eugénie de Montijo
'' Doña'' María Eugenia Ignacia Agustina de Palafox y Kirkpatrick, 19th Countess of Teba, 16th Marchioness of Ardales (5 May 1826 – 11 July 1920), known as Eugénie de Montijo (), was Empress of the French from her marriage to Emperor Nap ...
.
* 1870: re-designated as the 13
e Dragoon Regiment.
* 1936: Mechanized as an armoured regiment, receiving Somua and Hotchkiss tanks.
* 1940: again disbanded, after losing 90% of its strength.
* 1944: New formation
* 1946: Regiment disbanded post-WW2
* 1952: reorganization and re-trained as the 13
e Parachute Dragoon Regiment.
Campaign history since 1792
History since 1945
Post–World War II
After
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 World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...
the regiment was designated as a
parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag or, in a ram-air parachute, aerodynamic lift. A major application is to support people, for recreation or as a safety device for aviators, w ...
unit in 1952 and witnessed yet another transformation. The regiment first integrated the
25th Parachute Division constituted in June 1956, following which the regiment was then transferred on July 1, 1957 to the
10th Parachute Division during the
Algerian War
The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...
. From May 1, 1963 to July 31, 1963, the regiment was part of the
11th Light Intervention Division 11e DLI.
The
13e RDP was transformed into a long-range recon unit. During the Cold War, the main mission of the 13
e RDP was to provide intelligence for the 1st Army, while each company of the
1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment 1er RPIMa would provide intelligence for one Army Corps.
Since the end of the Cold War, the
1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment 1
e RPIMa has become a direct-action unit while the 13
e RDP specialized in reconnaissance/surveillance operations in hostile environment, gathering intelligence for special operations. In a way they're similar to the role of the
U.S. Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
Long Range Surveillance Detachment or
Long Range Surveillance Company.
The 13
e RDP took part in the
Gulf War
The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...
. This was highlighted when three operators were captured by the Iraqis in late 1990. The 13
e RDP was, along with other French units, heavily involved in the
Kosovo War
The Kosovo War was an armed conflict in Kosovo that started 28 February 1998 and lasted until 11 June 1999. It was fought by the forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (i.e. Serbia and Montenegro), which controlled Kosovo before the war ...
and used tactics and technology to force Serbian
armour
Armour (British English) or armor (American English; see spelling differences) is a covering used to protect an object, individual, or vehicle from physical injury or damage, especially direct contact weapons or projectiles during combat, or f ...
to attempt to engage
Kosovo Liberation Army
The Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA; , UÇK) was an ethnic Albanian separatist militia that sought the separation of Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, ...
and other Allied forces in the open, which enabled them to be destroyed by Allied bombing, particularly by the
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...
and the
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...
. The 13
e RDP also contributed to the capture of
Momčilo Krajišnik in 2001 by close range recons.
Mission
The mission for the regiment is to acquire human intelligence at any time and in any hostile environments (aquatic, cold mountain, equatorial forest, desert), behind enemy lines, using small autonomous and discreet units, able to position itself closer to acquire intelligence, and transmit. For this kind of mission, units of the 13th practice what they call "hideout", that is to say, operations camouflage living areas for observation and transmission, but also evolved into more modern and urban modes of action (installation of cameras / sensors and remote viewing). The regiment is officially in charge of the research of strategic intelligence.
The high skill level of 13
e RDP operatives in
special reconnaissance
Special reconnaissance (SR) or Recon Team is conducted by small units of highly trained military personnel, usually from special forces units or military intelligence organizations, who operate behind enemy lines, avoiding direct combat and detec ...
means that they are often requested by other forces. The ''
Groupe d'Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale'' keeps a close relationship with the 13
e RDP to train its ''gendarmes'' in forward recon for hostage rescue operations in hostile environments. The ''Équipes d'Observation en Profondeur'' (EOP, forward control teams) of French artillery regiments use the standard operating procedures of the 13
e RDP. 13
e RDP operators are also reported to be highly requested to join the
Service Action of the ''
Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure
The General Directorate for External Security (french: link=no, Direction générale de la Sécurité extérieure, DGSE) is France's foreign intelligence agency, equivalent to the British MI6 and the American CIA, established on 2 April 1982 ...
'' (D.G.S.E, French Intelligence Service).
13e RDP and Intelligence role
In April 1960, the
French Army
History
Early history
The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...
in Germany decided to form an experimental long range intelligence company, the 7th company of
Commando
Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin">40_Commando.html" ;"title="Royal Marines from 40 Commando">Royal Marines from 40 Commando on patrol in the Sangin area of Afghanistan are pictured
A commando is a combatant, or operativ ...
s, based on earlier work in Indochina and Algeria. The 7th company developed survival and reconnaissance procedures for operating behind enemy lines. These methods and procedures and personnel are absorbed by the 13
e RDP. This led to the 13
e RDP from 1963 being formally tasked with its current 'Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol' missions.
Finally in 1968, the French Army laid out a plan for conversion of the regiment completely to its new task. Pending the creation of the new 1st Army in 1972, EMA decided to implement this plan, restructuring the regiment. The 13
e RDP is then made available to the Army to be used in Germany in a
stay-behind
In a stay-behind operation, a country places secret operatives or organizations in its own territory, for use in case an enemy occupies that territory. If this occurs, the operatives would then form the basis of a resistance movement or act as sp ...
role in case of war.
The Regiment was initially subordinate to the BRGE (French Army's military intelligence and electronic warfare Brigade). Nowadays, the 13
e RDP is part of the French Special Operations Command
Organization
The Regiment is currently composed of seven squadrons:
* Four "search", or intelligence, squadrons. They provide the Regiment's recon teams.
* One long-range communications squadron. They provide a secure communications link between deployed recon teams and higher headquarters.
* One exploitation squadron.
* One training squadron. They are responsible for providing in-house training courses and certifying new unit members.
Equipment
13
e RDP is equipped with standard French Army material, but has access to specialized weapons and equipment when needed. In the event that a "silenced" weapon is required teams can be equipped with MP5SD submachine guns. When heavy fire power is considered necessary, recon teams are known to carry the M-203 40 mm grenade launcher, and the 5.56mm
Minimi LMG. Vehicle mounted teams may arm their vehicles with a variety of heavy weapons including
Browning .50 cal heavy machine guns,
US MK-19 40 mm automatic grenade launchers, and light machine guns.
The vehicle-mounted teams are equipped with
Panhard
Panhard was a French motor vehicle manufacturer that began as one of the first makers of automobiles. It was a manufacturer of light tactical and military vehicles. Its final incarnation, now owned by Renault Trucks Defense, was formed ...
VPSs, heavily armed P-4 Jeeps and Peugeot motorcycles.
Training
Each member of the 13
e RDP are trained in the hand-to-hand combat system of Techniques of Close Operational Interventions (french: Technique d'intervention opérationnelle rapprochée, TIOR) which is a mix of
Krav Maga
Krav Maga ( ; , ; ) is an Israeli martial art. Developed for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), it is derived from a combination of techniques used in aikido, judo, karate, boxing, and wrestling. It is known for its focus on real-world situation ...
&
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
Traditions
Motto
The motto of the
13e RDP, is ''Au-delà du possible'' ("Beyond the possible").
Insignia
Insigne du 13e RDP.jpg, 13e R.D.P
File:Insigne de La Brigade des forces spéciales terre.gif
Regimental Colors
Honours
Battle honours
*
Valmy 1792
*
Hohenlinden 1800
*
Austerlitz 1805
*
Iéna 1806
*
La Moskowa 1812
*
Ypres 1914
Ypres ( , ; nl, Ieper ; vls, Yper; german: Ypern ) is a Belgian city and municipality in the province of West Flanders. Though
the Dutch name is the official one, the city's French name is most commonly used in English. The municipality c ...
*
Verdun 1916
*
AFN 1952–1962
Decorations
The regimental colours of the
13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment are decorated with:
*
Croix de guerre 1939–1945
The ''Croix de Guerre 1939–1945'' (English: War Cross 1939–1945) is a French military decoration, a version of the '' Croix de Guerre'' created on 26 September 1939 to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis forces at any ...
with 1 palm.
*
Croix de la Valeur militaire
The Cross for Military Valour (french: Croix de la Valeur Militaire) is a military decoration of France. It recognises an individual bestowed a Mention in Dispatches earned for showing valour in presence of an enemy, in theatres of operations wh ...
with 3 palms.
*
Gold Medal of the City of Milan
See also
*
List of French paratrooper units
References
External links
13e RDP official site
13e RDP official Facebook webpage
Official site of the 13th Regiment veterans
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parachute Dragoon Regiment, 13th
20th-century regiments of France
21st-century regiments of France
Dragoon regiments of France
Military units and formations established in 1954
Parachute regiments of France
Special forces of France
Military units and formations established in 1791