1st Foreign Regiment
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The 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1er Régiment étranger, 1er RE) and the
2nd Foreign infantry Regiment The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 2e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 2e REI) is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is one of two mechanized infantry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. ...
are the original and most senior founding regiments of the Foreign Legion in 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 ...
. The regiment is also responsible for running special institutions of the Legion. These include the magazine ''Képi Blanc'', the Legion's Athletics Team (ATHLEG), the Legion Military Band, the Legion Museum and numerous other Legion initiatives. The 1st Foreign Regiment is a Foreign Legion Command depot regiment. The regiment and all regiments of the Foreign Legion, differentiate, that their Legion Majors, Legion Adjudant Chefs and Legion Adjudants, form both a French and non-French (Foreign) elite composition.


History


Royal Foreign Legion

Under the first restoration, the Bourbons would only retain the
Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland *Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri *Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia *Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports * Swiss Internation ...
, in souvenir to their loyal service rendered to France during four centuries, and with them also, four foreign regiments out of which one colonial, formed of
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
and
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
. The eight reorganized foreign regiments by Napoleon at the
Hundred Days The Hundred Days (french: les Cent-Jours ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition, marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoratio ...
formed in 1815 the Royal Foreign Legion (french: La Légion Royale Etrangère), which became the Hohenlohe Legion (french: La Légion de Hohenlohe), then in 1821 the
Hohenlohe Regiment The Hohenlohe Regiment (''Régiment de Hohenlohe'') was an infantry regiment of the French Army established after the abdication of Napoleon I. It consisted of foreign soldiers who wished to continue in French service under the restored monarchy. ...
. Licensed in 1830, the latter contributed to form the twenty first light, then the French Foreign Legion (french: La Légion Étrangère). The Swiss regiments of the restoration disappeared in 1830, nevertheless, the Swiss reincorporated again the French Army from 1855 to 1859 under the successive denomination of 2nd Foreign Legion (french: La Deuxième Légion Etrangère) and 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1er Régiment Etranger).


Creation and different nominations

* On April 1, 1841 : creation of the 1st Foreign Regiment. * 1859 : merged with the 2nd Foreign Regiment and became the Foreign Regiment. * 1875 : became the French Foreign Legion ("Légion étrangère"). * January 1, 1885 : became again the
1st Foreign Regiment The 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1er Régiment étranger, 1er RE) and the 2nd Foreign infantry Regiment are the original and most senior founding regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is also responsible for running sp ...
.


1st Foreign Regiment Pionniers

The
Legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...
retook since 1831 the tradition of Pionniers.


1st Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion


1st Foreign Regiment of 1885

The 1st Regiment of the Foreign Legion was created in 1841 based on 3 battalions in the newly created 1831 Foreign Legion.
Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment, Affiliations of the 1st Foreign Regiment
The 1st Regiment of the Foreign Legion became in 1855 the 1st Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion. This regiment merged with the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2e R.E.), (1856-1861) in 1859 and became the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Foreign Regiment (R.E), (1862-1875), then came the 1st and 2nd battalion of the Foreign Legion (L.E), (1875-1884) which produced the 1st Foreign Regiment of 1885 that consequently became the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI in 1922 and the 1st Foreign Marching Infantry Regiment (french: 1er Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie de Marche, 1er R.E.I.M) in 1943.


1st Foreign Regiment of 1856

The 1st Foreign Regiment (1er R.E.) (1856-1861) was created based on the 1st and 2nd Foreign Regiments of the 2nd Foreign Legion.


1st Foreign Regiment of 1955

The 1st Foreign Regiment (1er R.E) was created based on the recreated 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1946-1955). This 1st Foreign Regiment gave formation on September 1, 1972, to the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) which became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) on July 1, 1984. With the Foreign Legion Command, the 1st Foreign Regiment constitute the ''Mother House'' (french: Maison Mère) of the Foreign Legion.
Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment, Regiment History
This expression inherited from
Sidi Bel Abbès Sidi Bel Abbès ( ar, سيدي بلعباس), also called Bel Abbès, is the capital (2005 pop. 200,000)''Sidi Bel Abbes'', lexicorient.com (Encyclopaedia of the Orient), internet article. of the Sidi Bel Abbès wilaya (2005 pop. 590,000), Alger ...
came from the primordial role the regiment played in conserving tradition and rendering the 1st Foreign Regiment a genuine turning plateau for the ensemble of the Foreign Legion.
Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment, the 1st Foreign Regiment
Quartier (garrison) Raphaël Vienot, Vienot of
Aubagne Aubagne (, ''Aubanha'' in Occitan according to the classic norm or ''Aubagno'' according to the Mistralian norm) is a commune in the southern French department of Bouches-du-Rhône. In 2018, it had a population of 47,208. Its inhabitants are k ...
and Sidi Bel Abbès were both named in honor of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Raphaël Vienot Raphaël Vienot (31 August 1804 – 2 May 1855) was colonel of the French Army who particularly illustrated himself during the Crimean War and was killed in action while leading the assault of his regiment. He is the patron of a promotion at the ...
(french:
Raphaël Vienot Raphaël Vienot (31 August 1804 – 2 May 1855) was colonel of the French Army who particularly illustrated himself during the Crimean War and was killed in action while leading the assault of his regiment. He is the patron of a promotion at the ...
). Aubagne also houses the French Foreign Legion Museum. Created in 1841 and stationed in Aubagne since 1962, the 1st Foreign Regiment is the patron of all Foreign Legion regiments. Beyond this historical aspect, the 1st Foreign Regiment represents a major cornerstone in the career paths of legionnaires. The legionnaires initiate their careers from the 1st Foreign Regiment at the selection center of incorporation while also confirming successful return upon completion of basic training before deploying to a legion operational regiment. Legionnaires also pass by the 1st Foreign Regiment each time a posting of a regiment changes, and also finalize in the same regiment their departure formalities at the end of active duty service.


Missions of the 1st Foreign Regiment

The 1st Foreign Regiment, is a regiment with essentially a combat and administrative vocation which major missions are the support of the Foreign Legion and directed by the Foreign Legion Command. However, during exterior and interior mission deployments requirements of units and regiments of the legion; the 1st Foreign Regiment usually also dispatches particular individuals or teams of specialists (O.M.L.T). In addition, the foreign regiment like all regiments 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 ...
, does also engage in the alert phase mission of
Vigipirate Vigipirate (french: Plan Vigipirate) is France's national security alert system. Created in 1978 through interministerial sessions and falling within the responsibilities of the prime minister, it has since been updated three times: in 1995 (f ...
. The 1st Foreign Regiment also dispatches and supports world humanitarian missions around the
globe A globe is a spherical model of Earth, of some other celestial body, or of the celestial sphere. Globes serve purposes similar to maps, but unlike maps, they do not distort the surface that they portray except to scale it down. A model glo ...
during natural catastrophes and disasters.


History of the garrisons, campaigns and battles


1841 to 1852

The 1st Foreign Regiment 1er was created in Aleria on April 1, 1841, from the first three Legion battalions. On January 1, 1849, the 1er RE, under the command of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Émile Mellinet (french: Émile Mellinet), was in garrison at
Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...
in Algeria.


Second Empire

On July 6, 1856, the regiment received the regimental flag colors "Emperor Napoleon III at the 1st Foreign" (french: l'Empereur Napoléon III au 1er Etranger) before initiating the campaign in Kabylie. The foreign regiment first participated to the pacification of Algeria, then was funneled to the
Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...
(french: Crimée (1853-1856)) where the regiment formed a brigade with the foreign brother regiment, 2nd Foreign Regiment 2e RE, at the corps of the 6th Division. The regiment participated to the
Battle of Alma The Battle of the Alma (short for Battle of the Alma River) was a battle in the Crimean War between an allied expeditionary force (made up of French, British, and Ottoman forces) and Russian forces defending the Crimean Peninsula on 20Septem ...
(french: bataille de l'Alma) and to the Siege of Sevastopol (french: siège de Sebastopol). The regimental commander, colonel Vienot was killed in combat on May 1, 1855. The regiment participated to the apprehension of the Malakoff tower on September 8, 1855. The regiment then partcipiated to the Italian campaign (french: campagne d'Italie) in 1859, at the corps of the 2nd Infantry Division of the 2nd Army Corps of
Patrice de MacMahon, Duke of Magenta Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893) was a French general and politician, with the distinction of Marshal of France. He served as Chief of State of France from 1873 to 1 ...
, and illustrated capability during the
Battle of Magenta The Battle of Magenta was fought on 4 June 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, resulting in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai. It took place near the town of Mage ...
(french: bataille de Magenta). The regiment entered triumphantly in Milan liberated on June 7, 1859. Returned to Algeria, the regiment was licensed on December 14, 1861, by
Imperial Imperial is that which relates to an empire, emperor, or imperialism. Imperial or The Imperial may also refer to: Places United States * Imperial, California * Imperial, Missouri * Imperial, Nebraska * Imperial, Pennsylvania * Imperial, Texas ...
decree. The men were accordingly transferred to the 2nd Foreign which changed name designation on January 1, 1862, to become the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Foreign Regiment. During the Mexican expedition from 1861 to 1867, the foreign regiment embarked to Mexico where the latter arrived on March 25, 1863, at
Veracruz Veracruz (), formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave (), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave), is one of the 31 states which, along with Me ...
. The 3rd combat company illustrated itself with distinction while sacrificing itself during the
Battle of Camarón The Battle of Camarón (french: Bataille de Camerone) which occurred over ten hours on 30 April 1863 between the Foreign Legion of the French Army and the Mexican army, is regarded as a defining moment in the Foreign Legion's history. A small ...
(french: Bataille de Camerone) on April 30, 1863. The 1st and 2nd battalions participated to the siege of Oaxaca which capitulated in April 1865. The 2nd battalion lost on March 1, 1866, 102 men killed during the combat of Santa Isabel. On December 13 of the same year, the regiment left Mexico. During the Franco-Prussian War (french: Guerre franco-allemande de 1870), the Legion engaged the conflict within delay. It was at the end of September 1870, that the regiment integrated the 15th Crops 1st Brigade, 2nd Division and was found making way towards Orléans (where the regiment refused 3 times consecutively the order to retreat and where foreign
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
Kara,
Peter I of Serbia Peter I ( sr-Cyr, Петар I Карађорђевић, Petar I Кarađorđević;  – 16 August 1921) was the last king of Serbia, reigning from 15 June 1903 to 1 December 1918. On 1 December 1918, he became the first king of the Serbs, ...
illustrated capability) on October and December 1870 then at Montbéliard in January 1871, where he forced the Germans to leave the city.


1871 to 1914

During the
Paris Commune The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defende ...
(french: la Commune de Paris) in 1871, the regiment participated with ''Armée Versaillaise'' (french: armée versaillaise) to the ''
semaine sanglante The ''semaine sanglante'' ("") was a weeklong battle in Paris from 21 to 28 May 1871, during which the French Army recaptured the city from the Paris Commune. This was the final battle of the Paris Commune. Following the Treaty of Frankfurt ...
'' ("Bloody Week"). The commander-in-chief of the ''Armée Versaillaise'' was
Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...
Patrice de Mac Mahon Marie Edme Patrice Maurice de MacMahon, marquis de MacMahon, duc de Magenta (; 13 June 1808 – 17 October 1893) was a French general and politician, with the distinction of Marshal of France. He served as Chief of State of France from 1873 to ...
. The regiment then returned to Algeria in June 1871 (
Mascara Mascara is a cosmetic commonly used to enhance the upper and lower eyelashes. It is used to darken, thicken, lengthen, and/or define the eyelashes. Normally in one of three forms—liquid, powder, or cream—the modern mascara product has vari ...
near Oran). On January 1, 1885, the "French Foreign Legion", named given to the "Foreign Regiment" on March 13, 1875, doubled in two foreign regiments constituted each of 4 battalions and one depot company. During the Expedition of Madagascar in 1895–1896, the foreign regiment with the 2nd Foreign Regiment, formed a Marching Battalion, which depended on the Algerian Regiment (french: Régiment Algérie), of the Army of Africa (french: l'Armée d'Afrique) under the orders of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Oudri of the 2nd Foreign Regiment. In 1881, the 1st Foreign Regiment was combat engaged in Morocco (combats of Chellaha of May 19) and South Oran (combat of Chott Tigri on April 26, 1882, where 300
Legionnaires The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army. It ...
faced 8000 dissidents). The 1st Foreign Regiment combat engaged in 1900 during the Battle of the Oasis, again in South-Oran and the Moroccan confines. On January 27, 1906, the 3rd combat company of the 1st Foreign Regiment crushed the enemy which participated to the combat of El Moungar (where the 22nd company of the 2nd Foreign Regiment had endured heavy losses, and which the battle was surnamed the "Cameron of the Sands"). At the beginning of 1883, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 1st Foreign Regiment were sent to Tonkin. They apprehended Sontay on December 16, 1883. From January 26 to March 3, 1884, 600 men of Tuyen-Quang out of which 390
Legionnaires The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army. It ...
repelled 20,000 Chinese regulars. In 1892, the 1st Foreign Regiment was engaged in Dahomey (Actual Benin) and disembarked at Cotonu on August 22. They combat engaged in September and October. 800
Legionnaires The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army. It ...
of
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Fauraux faced thousands of combatants and re-embarked victorious on November 17. Between 1892 and 1894, the companies of the 1st Foreign Regiment intervened as well in Sudan. On July 1, 1893, the legionnaires of
Lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
Betheder and Sergent Minnaêrt fought with ferocity at Bossé. They lost 60 killed and wounded which earned this heroic Sergent (who already distinguished capability at Tonkin) the decoration of the
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...
for his bravery under fire. In 1895–1896, the regiment was part of the expedition which went on to the conquest of Madagascar. While combats were effective, climatic conditions were terrible and caused ravages. The losses through diseases were significant (200 dead). The Legionnaires exhausted themselves and gave their full without complaints. It was customary to say that in the Expeditionary Corps : " when a French trooper entered the hospital , it would be for repatriation, a Tirailleur would enter for medical treatment, and a Legionnaire would only enter for dying". The pacification debuted in 1895 and endured till 1905, date of permanent return of units of the 1st Foreign Regiment to Algeria. The Moroccan époque debuted in 1906. In August 1907,
Chef de bataillon Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
(
Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
) Provost was killed at Casablanca while repelling a violent attack. In 1908, the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er RE distinguished capability at Menabah. In 1911, the 22nd combat company of
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Labordette endured the loss of 29 including their company commander at Alouana.


First World War

The regiment was not directly combat engaged in
World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...
. However, the regiment continued to combat administer the institution and supply men for the ensemble of foreign units engaged in the conflict. In 1914, the 1st Foreign Regiment formed the constitution totality or most of the corps of many units. In Morocco : The 1st Foreign Regiment 1er RE supplied the entire of the 1st
Marching Regiment A regiment de marche (roughly 'marching regiment' in English) is a French temporary (provisional not permanent), regiment created for a specific campaign or other military purpose. Clayton describes a "batallion de marche" as comprising the 'fit ...
of the
1st Foreign Regiment The 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1er Régiment étranger, 1er RE) and the 2nd Foreign infantry Regiment are the original and most senior founding regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is also responsible for running sp ...
, 1er RM 1er RE (constituted from the 1st, 2nd and 6th battalions). These units combat engaged for 4 years at the cost of 272 killed at Taza or Sidi-Amar. The 1st Marching Regiment was dissolved on February 15, 1918, and the battalions and mounted companies became autonomous. In France: The 1st Foreign Regiment formed the corps constitution of the 2nd Marching Regiment, 3rd Marching Regiment and 4th Marching Regiment ("Légion garibaldienne") combat engaged in France, out of which the essential constitution was formed of foreign volunteers for the duration of the war (out of which the prominents featured tour de France champion François Faber, and poets
Blaise Cendrars Frédéric-Louis Sauser (1 September 1887 – 21 January 1961), better known as Blaise Cendrars, was a Swiss-born novelist and poet who became a naturalized French citizen in 1916. He was a writer of considerable influence in the European mo ...
, Camil Campanyà or
Alan Seeger Alan Seeger (22 June 1888 – 4 July 1916) was an American war poet who fought and died in World War I during the Battle of the Somme, serving in the French Foreign Legion. Seeger was the brother of Charles Seeger, a noted American pacifist ...
). Between March and July 1915, the
3rd Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (disambiguation) * Third Avenue (disambiguation) * H ...
and 4th
Marching Regiment A regiment de marche (roughly 'marching regiment' in English) is a French temporary (provisional not permanent), regiment created for a specific campaign or other military purpose. Clayton describes a "batallion de marche" as comprising the 'fit ...
s disappeared after terrible losses. The 2nd Marching Regiment which was cited at 2 occasions was annihilated (1322 killed) with his foreign brother regiment
2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 2e étranger, 2eR.M. 2eR.E) was a French Military regiment in the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ep ...
2e RM 2e RE in September 1915 during combats of Navarrin. The survivors constituted the renowned
Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (french: link=no, Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Fo ...
( RMLE) which was entrusted to
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Paul-Frédéric Rollet Paul-Frédéric Rollet (1875–1941) was a Général
. The RMLE would be the second most decorated unit of the French Army (after the Infantry Colonial Regiment of Morocco, actual Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine, RICM). In the Orient: A provisional regiment was formed of troops of the
Army of Africa (France) The Army of Africa (french: Armée d’Afrique ) was an unofficial but commonly used term for those portions of the French Army stationed in French North Africa (Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia) from 1830 until the end of the Algerian War in 1962, ...
, with the title of ''1er Régiment de Marche d'Afrique''. The first two battalions were from the
Zouaves The Zouaves were a class of light infantry regiments of the French Army serving between 1830 and 1962 and linked to French North Africa; as well as some units of other countries modelled upon them. The zouaves were among the most decorated unit ...
, and the third battalion was formed of men from the Foreign Legion. This composite infantry battalion would be engaged with other units of the
Corps expéditionnaire d'Orient The Corps Expeditionnaire d'Orient (Oriental Expeditionary Force) (CEO) was a French Expeditionary Force raised for service during the Gallipoli Campaign in World War I. The corps initially consisted of a single infantry division, but later gr ...
in the Orient (firstly in the Gallipoli campaign in the Dardanelles, and thereafter on the
Salonika front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of German ...
). The unit was originally formed of 2 companies of 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1er REI) and 2 companies of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI). The battalion headquarters company hailed from the 1er REI and the battalion commander (french: chef de bataillon) from the 2e REI. Losing 815 men under fire, the Legion Battalion of 1er RMA was cited 3 consecutive times out of which 2 at the orders of the army before being disbanded on 30 September 1917. In Tonkin, these attacks were led by Annamese agitators (french: agitateurs annamites) between August 1915 and July 1918. These action would repeat themselves until 1940. The 4th Battalion lost 216 men during this period.


Interwar period

In 1925, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI counted 10,000 men repatriated in 9 battalions (8 combat battalions and 1 training battalion, the 5th, 9 specialized companies, and the Communal Depot of Foreign Regiments (DCRE)). The 4th Battalion forming a corps at Tonkin, rejoined by the 9th created in 1926. The battalion combat engaged Annamese agitators at the cost of more than 200 fatalities. The 8th battalion and 24th company were in Syria. They combat engaged at Messifré and Soueida on September 12, 1925. The 8th battalion would be cited 2 times at the orders of the army (the first citation was obtained while they belonged to the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment 4e REI, before becoming the 8th battalion of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI). The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th and 7th as well the specialized units were in Algeria. Rif War: the conquest of Morocco would require in several times the engagements of units of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI and especially since 1918. On August 9, 1918, the 2nd Mounted Company endured terrible combats mounting to 49 fatalities out which 2 out of exhaustion. Their chief,
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Timm, severely wounded in the leg and in the face, attached himself to a
mule The mule is a domestic equine hybrid between a donkey and a horse. It is the offspring of a male donkey (a jack) and a female horse (a mare). The horse and the donkey are different species, with different numbers of chromosomes; of the two po ...
to be able to continue his commandment and lead his men. On July 23, 1923, the 6th battalion attacked the Taghzout hill and lost 18 killed and 36 wounded. The paroxysm of these interventions was reached in 1925-1926 during the
Rif War The Rif War () was an armed conflict fought from 1921 to 1926 between Spain (joined by France in 1924) and the Berber tribes of the mountainous Rif region of northern Morocco. Led by Abd el-Krim, the Riffians at first inflicted several de ...
. Four battalions (1st, 2nd, 6th, 7th) and two companies of sapeurs- Pionniers of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI were engaged (almost 2000 men). At the cost of more than 400 fatalities, the battalions illustrated themselves in furious combats often in close range corps-a-corps combat. On June 10, 1924, the 6th battalion was decimated at the cost of 4 officers killed and 60 fatalities during an operation at night to liberate the post of Mediouna. The 2nd battalion chief,
Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...
(
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
) Deslandre was killed while leading at the head of his Legionnaires on July 18, 1924, near Tezual. On May 8, 1926, the general offensive was launched. All the units of the 1st Foreign Regiment were of participation, in particular the 1st, 2nd and 6th battalions. Victory was definite on May 26. Nevertheless,
Chef de bataillon Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
(
Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...
-
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
) Le Roch was killed in violent combats on July 14 while leading the 1st Battalion at the tips of Tizi-N'Ouidel. The four battalions were cited 5 times (out of which 2 citations for the 6th battalion).


Second World War

In France: In 1939, the "1st Foreign" directed on France 2500 Cadres and Legionnaires out of the 3000 men, who formed the
11th Foreign Infantry Regiment The 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 11e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 11e REI) was a regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army which served during World War II from 1939 to 1940. History The 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment w ...
11e REI and
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. History The regimen ...
12e REI. Three former regimental commanders of the 1er REI would command the 11e REI. These two regiments disappeared during the defeat of 1940 at cost of heavy losses. The 11e REI was cited at the orders of the army, the 12 e REI at the orders of the division. In parallel, the 1st battalion of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment was transferred to the 13e DBLE which was on its way to Narvik. In 1941, two battalions of the 1er REI and the company "hors rang" (CHR) constituted the 4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (4e DBLE) sent to Senegal. The 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI grew back in size by integrating the veterans of the
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment The 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 6e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 6e REI) was an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army from 1939 to 1941 and again from 1949 to 1955. History, creations and different nomin ...
6e REI whom fought in Syria. In November 1942, the 1st Battalion of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI illustrated capability during combats against the Afrika Korps in Tunisia. The 2nd company was annihilated in the Djebel Mansour and was cited at the orders of the army. With the return of the 4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (4e DBLE) to Sidi-Bel-Abbès and the beginning of the campaign of Tunisia in 1943, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI became the 1st Foreign Marching Infantry Regiment 1er REIM on April 16, 1943. Formed of three battalions, the regiment illustrated combat ability at the cost of 380 fatalities by inflicting heavy losses to the enemy at Pont du Fhas and in the Djebel Zaghouan. For actions incurred, the regiment was cited at the orders of the army, a citation which currently adorns the regimental colors flag of the regiment. The veterans of the 1st Foreign Marching Infantry Regiment 1er REIM and 3rd Foreign Marching Infantry Regiment 3e REIM, would form again the renowned
Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (french: link=no, Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Fo ...
( RMLE) which participated in full to the total liberation of the national territory. The 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1er REI ceased to exist on June 30, 1943. The respective missions were assured by the DCRE at Bel-Abbès.


Indochina War

The 1st Foreign Regiment was reborn on May 1, 1946. The regiment participated along the various combat specialized units which would partake operations in which the Legion would lead until 1962 (notably the Mounted Saharan Companies). The regiment accordingly was fully dedicated to the selection, training/instruction of foreign volunteers, institution administration and funneling via the communal depot, general reinforcements for units engaged in Indochina. Accordingly, the regiment did not actually participate directly to the conflict. On September 1, 1950, the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (GALE) was created, commanded consecutively by Générals Jean Olié and
Paul Gardy Paul Gardy was Général de brigade of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion in 1951 and 1958. Military career Saint-Cyrien of the 108th promotion ("du Souvenir" - "of Memory" promotion), sous-lieutenant Gardy, graduated Saint- ...
. This Autonomous Foreign Legion Group was the
Commandment Commandment may refer to: * The Ten Commandments * One of the 613 mitzvot of Judaism * The Great Commandment * The New Commandment The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another" which, ac ...
ancestor of the actual
Legion Legion may refer to: Military * Roman legion, the basic military unit of the ancient Roman army * Spanish Legion, an elite military unit within the Spanish Army * Legion of the United States, a reorganization of the United States Army from 179 ...
.


Algerian War

During the stir-up of "Events in Algeria", the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er RE, like all Legion regiments which lived in Algeria since 1831 would participate to combats which would last until 1962; the regiment endured the loss of 92
Officers An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fr ...
, Sous-Officiers (
Sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...
s to
Warrant Officer Warrant officer (WO) is a rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ranks, the mo ...
s) and Legionnaires while placing out of combat 1151 rebels and recuperating 529 individual and collective arms. A couple of dates: November 18, 1954, death of
Sous-lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 19 ...
of the 3rd Marching Battalion in Djebel Orbata. On January 7, 1958, the 6th company of Center Instruction No 2 destroyed a band of rebels north-west of Franchetti. On March 5, 1961, the tactical general staff headquarters of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er RE at the orders of
battalion chief A battalion chief is the rank and title of a subordinate fire chief or commanding officer in the firefighting command structure. The title of battalion chief is usually synonymous with firefighting in the United States and Canada. A battalion chi ...
(
Commandant Commandant ( or ) is a title often given to the officer in charge of a military (or other uniformed service) training establishment or academy. This usage is common in English-speaking nations. In some countries it may be a military or police ran ...
-
Major Major ( commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicato ...
) Fournier was engaged in the region of Sebdou then Djilali. The section of student candidate ''sous-officiers'' of Adjudant Kemenceî responded to the rebels and beat 24, at the cost of 2 fatalities. On August 11, 1961, rebels infiltrated to Sidi-Bel-Abbès. Spotted, they entrenched themselves in a house. The Legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Regiment mounted the assault at the cost of 3 fatalities, out of Legionnaire Zimmerman would be last fatality in Algeria. Departure: On September 29, 1962, the bodies of général
Paul-Frédéric Rollet Paul-Frédéric Rollet (1875–1941) was a Général
,
Chef de bataillon Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
(Prince) Count Aage of Rosenborg, Aage de Danemark, and Legionnaire Zimmermann (representing the ensemble of Legionnaires whom died in Algeria) were transferred to the cemetery at Puyloubier (Bouches du Rhône). October 24, 1962, marked the continental departure ceremony at the
Monument aux Morts Monuments aux Morts are French war memorials established to commemorate the losses of World War I. After the end of the 1914–1918 war there was a frenzy to build memorials to commemorate those who had been killed and it has been calculated that ...
(which was dismantled and repatriated to Aubagne). The black pavilions brought back from Tuyen-Quang in 1885 by
Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...
Borelli were burned in application of wishes to have them never leave Sidi-Bel-Abbès. October 26, marked the continental departure. The 1st Foreign Regiment however would conserve units in the
Sahara , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...
in virtue with the Evian accords (defense of a nuclear site). The last legionnaires of these Saharan companies would return to Aubagne in 1969 and would notably be garrisoned at Bou-Sfer (with the
2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (french: 2e Régiment étranger de parachutistes, 2e REP) is the only airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of the four infantry regiments of the 11th Parachute Brigade and part o ...
2e REP and
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment () is the only cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of two armoured cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. The regiment recently moved camp after being stationed a ...
1er REC leaving in 1967).


Since 1962

On July 15, 1962, the precursors arrived at the camp de la Demande at Aubagne, which would become quartier (garrison) Vienot.
Colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...
Vaillant, regimental commander, disembarked with the regimental colors flag on October 26, 1962. On April 29, 1963, the first Cameron eve night in metropolis had lieu. On April 30 was the inauguration of the
Monument aux Morts Monuments aux Morts are French war memorials established to commemorate the losses of World War I. After the end of the 1914–1918 war there was a frenzy to build memorials to commemorate those who had been killed and it has been calculated that ...
repatriated from Algeria and the celebration of the centennial of the battle of Cameron with a military parade. The Instruction Group of the Foreign Legion (GILE) garrisoned at Corte (Haute-Corse) and Bonifacio (South of Corsica). In October 1969 : The Motorized Company of the Foreign Legion (CMLE) of the 1st Foreign Regiment was enacted in Corte. The Motorized Company was deployed to
Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...
at the occasion of Opération Tacaud. The company endured 6 fatalities in combat alongside the 2e REP until disengaging in 1970. The Motorized Company became the 6th company of the
Operational Group of the Foreign Legion The Operation Group of the Foreign Legion (french: Groupement opérationnel de la Légion étrangère (G.O.L.E)) was a unit of the Foreign Legion with an operational vocation. Created on August 1, 1971 from elements of the 1st Foreign Regiment, ...
(GOLE) (created on March 9, 1971). The 1st Foreign Regiment was split in two giving birth to the
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 2e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 2e REI) is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is one of two mechanized infantry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. ...
2e REI, which recuperated the Instruction Group of the Foreign Legion and
Operational Group of the Foreign Legion The Operation Group of the Foreign Legion (french: Groupement opérationnel de la Légion étrangère (G.O.L.E)) was a unit of the Foreign Legion with an operational vocation. Created on August 1, 1971 from elements of the 1st Foreign Regiment, ...
stationed in Corsica. On July 1, 1981 : creation of the 31st Brigade, which the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er RE was part of. One unit was deployed to
Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...
within the cadre of the
Multinational Force in Lebanon The Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF) was an international peacekeeping force created in August 1982 following a 1981 U.S.-brokered ceasefire between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel to end their involvement in the confl ...
(FMSB) from May to September 1983 (Command element & immediate support, the value size of a company). September 1990 to April 1991: The 1st Foreign Regiment engaged a Transport Platoon within the cadres of
Opération Daguet Opération Daguet (, ''Operation Brocket'') was the codename for French operations during the 1991 Gulf War. 18,000 members of the French Armed Forces were deployed during the conflict and they represented the second largest European contingen ...
in the Gulf. Since 1991, the regiment has regularly supplied and reinforced units of the Legion deployed in exterior theatres of operations as well as interior missions (notably
Sentinel Sentinel may refer to: Places Mountains * Mount Sentinel, a mountain next to the University of Montana in Missoula, Montana * Sentinel Buttress, a volcanic crag on James Ross Island, Antarctica * Sentinel Dome, a naturally occurring gran ...
since 2015).


Organisation

The regiment consists of three companies, as follows: * Pionniers Sections of Tradition *Compagnie de Commandement et des Services Régimentaire (CCSR) – Regimental Command and Services Company *Compagnie des Services de la Légion Étrangère (CSLE) – Foreign Legion Services Company *Compagnie Administrative du Personnel de la Légion Étrangère (CAPLE) – Foreign Legion Personnel Administration Company It also runs the following: *Institution des Invalides de la Légion Étrangère (IILE) à Puyloubier – Foreign Legion Invalid Institution, at Puyloubier *Centre d’Hébergement et d’Accueil de la Légion Étrangère (CHALE) à la Ciotat – Foreign Legion Accommodation & Welcome Center, at Ciotat *Centre des Permissionnaires de la Légion Étrangère de la Malmousque (CPLEM) à Marseille – Foreign Legion Leave Center, at Malmousque Also reported within the regiment is the Foreign Legion Emergency Staff and Statistics Division, a Legion intelligence section.


Tradition


Insignia

"" "mode="" packed"=""> File:Insigne 1er régiment étranger-transparent.png,
Regimental Insignia of the 1st Foreign Regiment, 1er R.E.
File:Écusson de la 31e brigade.jpg, The Foreign Legion Groupment, G.L.E in the 31st Brigade featuring
Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as ...
File:Pionniers.png, Pionniers of the 1st Foreign Regiment File:CodexMendoza01.jpg,
Codex Mendoza
File:Insign de béret 1er RE Type 3.jpg,
Beret insignia of the 1st Foreign Regiment
The insignia of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment, (1er R.E.I), (1950-1955) retook the symbolics of the Foreign Legion with the grenade of 7 flames and the green, red colors of the legion. The regiment is represented inside the grenade while the globe commemorates the relic of the Foreign Legion in
Sidi Bel Abbès Sidi Bel Abbès ( ar, سيدي بلعباس), also called Bel Abbès, is the capital (2005 pop. 200,000)''Sidi Bel Abbes'', lexicorient.com (Encyclopaedia of the Orient), internet article. of the Sidi Bel Abbès wilaya (2005 pop. 590,000), Alger ...
. The current insignia of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (1er R.E), retook the symbolic ruban of the
Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition The Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition (french: Médaille commémorative de l'expédition du Mexique) was a French commemorative campaign medal established by decree of French emperor Napoleon III on 29 August 1863 to recognize milit ...
created in 1863. This insignia was initially destined for the 3rd company of the
4th Foreign Regiment The 4th Foreign Regiment (french: 4e Régiment étranger, 4e RE) is a training regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. Prior to assuming the main responsibility of training Legion recruits, it was an infantry unit which participated ...
4e RE in 1936. The insignia became that of the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion, (G.A.L.E) and was then adopted by the 1st Foreign Regiment, (1er R.E.) in 1955. The insignia makes reference to a white diamond shape on which figures the arms of
Mexico Mexico (Spanish language, Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a List of sovereign states, country in the southern portion of North America. It is borders of Mexico, bordered to the north by the United States; to the so ...
(a black coloured Mexican golden eagle (''Aquila chrysaetos''), locking on a serpent, as depicted on the
flag of Mexico The national flag of Mexico ( es, Bandera de México) is a vertical tricolor of green, white, and red with the national coat of arms charged in the center of the white stripe. While the meaning of the colors has changed over time, these thr ...
) and a
saltire A saltire, also called Saint Andrew's Cross or the crux decussata, is a heraldic symbol in the form of a diagonal cross, like the shape of the letter X in Roman type. The word comes from the Middle French ''sautoir'', Medieval Latin ''saltatori ...
with Foreign Legion and Mexican colors.


Regimental colors


Regimental Song

Chant de Marche : Nous sommes tous des volontaires featuring:
Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment, Chant du 1er Régiment étranger
Nous sommes tous des volontaires, Les gars du 1er étranger, Notre devise est légendaire, Honneur et Fidélité, Honneur FidélitéFidélité, Marchons légionnaires, Dans la boue, dans le sable brûlant, (bis) Marchons l'âme légère, (bis) Et le cœur vaillant, (bis) Marchons légionnaires. (bis) Nous marchons gaiement en cadence, Malgré le vent malgré la pluie, Les meilleurs soldats de la France, Sont là devant vous, les voici. Partout où le combat fait rage, L'on voit le 1er étranger, Exemple d'héroïsme, de courage, Se couvrir de glorieux lauriers. Gardons dans le fond de nos âmes, Le souvenir de nos aînés, Et pour la grenade à sept flammes, Loyal prêt à tout sacrifier.


Decorations

*
Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleo ...
on April 28, 1906 *
Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France) Croix (French for "cross") may refer to: Belgium * Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut France * Croix, Nord, in the Nord department * Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort depa ...
with 1 palm
Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment, Regimental Colors and decorations
* Gold Medal of the City of Milan since March 9, 1909 * Cross with swords of the
Sovereign Military Order of Malta The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (SMOM), officially the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta ( it, Sovrano Militare Ordine Ospedaliero di San Giovanni di Gerusalemme, di Rodi e di Malta; ...
File:Chevalier légion d'honneur 2.png,
Legion of Honour
File:Croix de Guerre 39 45.jpg,
Croix de guerre 1939–1945 with 1 palm
Image:Médaille d'or de la ville de milan.jpg,


Honors


Battle honours

* Sevastopol 1855 * Kabilie 1857 * Magenta 1859 * Camerone 1863 * Extrême-Orient 1884–1885 * Dahomy-Maroc 1892–1907, 1925 *
Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Afric ...
1895–1905 *
Orient The Orient is a term for the East in relation to Europe, traditionally comprising anything belonging to the Eastern world. It is the antonym of '' Occident'', the Western World. In English, it is largely a metonym for, and coterminous with, the ...
1915–17 * AFN 1952–1962


Foreign Legion and Regimental Commanders


Tenure (1841–1955)


Tenure (1955-present)


Notable members

* Captain Jean Danjou *
Peter I of Serbia Peter I ( sr-Cyr, Петар I Карађорђевић, Petar I Кarađorđević;  – 16 August 1921) was the last king of Serbia, reigning from 15 June 1903 to 1 December 1918. On 1 December 1918, he became the first king of the Serbs, ...
* Captain Joseph Arthur Dufaure du Bessol *
Siegfried Freytag Siegfried Freytag (10 November 1919 – 2 June 2003) was a World War II German Luftwaffe pilot and wing commander. As a fighter ace, he was credited with 102 aerial victories of which 49 victories were claimed over the Eastern Front. Among his ...
, German Aviation Ace * Brigadier General Giuseppe Garibaldi II with his 5 brothers, 2 of whom were killed in combats at Argonne in 1915. * Hermann Eckstein (1903-1976) * Eugene Jaques Bullard *
Pierre Segretain Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...
* Pierre Jeanpierre * Peter J. Ortiz *
Serge Andolenko Serge Andolenko (26 June 1907 - 27 August 1973) was a French military officer of Ukrainian origin who became brigade général of the French Army. Born in Volochysk in 1907 in the Ukraine, then in the Russian Empire, he was the only son, of an ...
* Louis-Antoine Gaultier * Gabriel Bablon


Gallery

Boule Algerie.jpg, Relic of the Foreign Legion at Sidi bel-Abbès 1er RE.JPG, Place d'armes of garrison (quartier) Vienot at
Aubagne Aubagne (, ''Aubanha'' in Occitan according to the classic norm or ''Aubagno'' according to the Mistralian norm) is a commune in the southern French department of Bouches-du-Rhône. In 2018, it had a population of 47,208. Its inhabitants are k ...
Monument morts legion.JPG, Monument Morts Legion


See also

*
Major (France) () in France, is a senior superior military rank (french: grade militaire) across various military and security institutions with history dating back well beyond the 18th century. Typically, the contemporary rank of Major is situated differen ...
*
Swiss Guard The Pontifical Swiss Guard (also Papal Swiss Guard or simply Swiss Guard; la, Pontificia Cohors Helvetica; it, Guardia Svizzera Pontificia; german: Päpstliche Schweizergarde; french: Garde suisse pontificale; rm, Guardia svizra papala) is ...
* Moroccan Division *
Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (french: link=no, Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Fo ...
*
List of French Foreign Legion units This article lists the principal units of the Foreign Legion in the French Army created since 1831. Legion units are only cited once, based on their respective dates of creation. A dissolved Legion unit which is recreated under the same designati ...


References


Bibliography

* * * * * *


Websites

*www.legion-etrangere.com


External links

*
Legion recrute

Képi Blanc magazine

1st Foreign Regiment's history
- History & images of the 1er RE {{DEFAULTSORT:1st Foreign Regiment French Army Foreign Regiment, 1st Military units and formations established in 1841 Foreign Regiment, 1st 1841 establishments in France