The 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (french: 2^e Régiment Etranger de Génie, 2^e REG) is one of two combat engineer regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade. Stationed, since its creation in 1999, on the former site of the French Strategic Nuclear Missiles at Saint Christol, Vaucluse, southern France.

History

The regiment was created in 1999 and is an heir to one of the 18 combat engineer formations of the Foreign Legion in Indochina. The regiment participated to the conservation of the indochinese patrimony of the

5th Foreign Infantry Regiment The 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (abbr. 5th REI, french: 5e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie), nicknamed the "Regiment of Tonkin" (french: "Régiment du Tonkin"), was a regiment of the Foreign Legion of the French Army created under the Thir ...

5^e REI, "The Tonkin Regiment". The regiment is a unit component of the military engineers (french: génie militaire) of the French Army. The regiment like all Legion regiments is composed of foreign legionnaires.Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, Historique et Traditions, Creation of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment
/ref> The younger legionnaires are issued from 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 ...

4^e RE while the older legionnaires are selected from other legion regiments. Since creation, the regiment is stationed in garrison Maréchal Koenig, based on plateau Albion, on the commune of

Saint-Christol, Vaucluse Saint-Christol (; oc, Sant Cristòu) is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. See also *Communes of the Vaucluse department The following is a list of the 151 communes of the ...

, which housed previously the 1st Strategic Missiles Groupment (french: 1^er Groupement de Missiles Stratégiques) (1^er GMS) of the Strategic Air Forces, on Aerial Base 200 Apt-Saint-Christol. The missions of the regiment at the corps of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (27^e BIM) are intelligence gathering, direct combat, mobile support (demining, clearing paths, etc.) to any counter mobilities and the deployment amongst combat units.
Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, Mission, The men The particularity of the mountain brigade imposes adaptation to techniques that are demanding and specific in either relieving infantry units or replacing their combat role in operations of area control. The regiment has been present on most exterior theatres of operations since creation. Projecting each year a number of legionnaires in various fields of operations, the regiment was engaged in Djibouti at the corps of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion and in Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, French Guiana; similarly, at the corps of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, in the Balkans, in Martinique and metropole France during interior operations.

Campaigns ( 1999 - present)

Engineer Combat Missions Since creation in 1999, the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (french: 2^e Régiment Etranger de Génie, 2^e REG) has been present in the following theatres of exterior operations: * Djibouti with the 13^e DBLE * Afghanistan *

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...

* French Guiana at the corps of the 3^e REI * Balkans, Kosovo * Martinique * Lebanon in Opération Baliste launched by French President

Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, , ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. Chirac was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and from 1986 to 1988, as well as Ma ...

, during the month of July 2006. Following the

Israeli Israeli may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel * Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel * Modern Hebrew, a language * ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008 * Guni Israeli ...

bombardments of the bridges in Southern Lebanon, the world needed a combat engineer regiment to intervene quickly and efficiently in the reconstruction of bridges based on the old Bailey bridge system whose concept dates back to World War II. This intervention while very little publicized due to the estival period, allowed to consolidate the operational character in material of intervention of the military capability of combat engineers (french: génie de combat) in the Legion and more particularly at the 2^e REG. * The regiment intervenese regularly in internal security operations: SATER Plan (french: Plan SATER), "SATER", (french: Sauvetage Aéro-Terrestre, SATER), (aero-terrestrial specialized French rescue put into motion at the departmental level with objectif of terrestrial search and precise localization of airborne capable civilian or military in distress) supported by elements of the

French Air Force The French Air and Space Force (AAE) (french: Armée de l'air et de l'espace, ) is the air and space force of the French Armed Forces. It was the first military aviation force in history, formed in 1909 as the , a service arm of the French Army; ...

. Elements of SATER Plan was used to support protective operations around all the depots before the use of the euro, in 2001. * The regiment intervenes regularly in internal security operations:

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 (fo ...

, a mission shared and contributed by all other regiments. Humanitarian Missions *The regiment also served in metropole France, while barely being created, within operations of the Orsec Disposition (french: Dispositif Orsec), "ORSEC" (french: Organisation de la Réponse de SÉcurité Civile),(ORSEC - Response Organization for Civil Security; the response rescue organization responsible to manage natural disasters and catastrophes beyond level of normal emergencies), at the end of 1999, following the storming thundering path of

Cyclone Lothar and Martin Cyclone Lothar is regarded as the worst European windstorm recorded during the 20th century. Crossing France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany between 25 December and 27 December 1999, Cyclone Lothar resulted in 110 fatalities (inclu ...

which caused the devastation and destruction of a part of Europe.

Organization

The regiment is composed of around 900 to 925 men organized into 6 companies. *Compagnie de Commandement et de Logistique (CCL) - Command and Logistics Company * Legion Pionniers Groups *Compagnie d'Administration et de Soutien (CAS) - Administrative and Services Company *1^re Compagnie de Combat - 1st Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section) *2^e Compagnie de Combat - 2nd Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section) *3^e Compagnie de Combat - 3rd Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section) *Compagnie d'Appui (CA) - Support Company (5 specialist sections) * PCG Teams (Combat Engineer Divers, french: Plongeurs du Combat du Génie) former DINOPS Teams of Nautical Subaquatic Intervention Operational Detachment ( french: Détachement d'Intervention Nautique Operationnelle Subaquatique ) specialized in

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, who ...

, Underwater demolition, Diving and Mountain Commando Group ( GCM ) in some cases as double specialties.

Traditions

Insignias

File:Insigne 27e brigade d'infanterie de montagne.svg, Insignia of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade, 27^e BIM File:Insigne de béret du 2e REG.jpg, Beret insignia of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, 2^e REG File:Insigne 2e régiment étranger de génie.jpg, Regimental insignia of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, 2e REG

Regimental Colors

Regimental Song

''Chant de Marche: Rien n'empêche'' featuring: De la boue des rizières aux plateaux du Tonkin Honneur, Fidélité pour unique refrain Le feu, l'eau et la terre comme seul univers Il s'avance et combat, le sapeur légionnaire, Brisant tous les assauts quand la mitraille explose Sur cette terre d'Indo où tant d'anciens reposent. Dans le froid, la tourmente, à la mort à la vie Rien n'empêche le deuxième étranger de génie. (bis) Aujourd'hui la mémoire sonne le rappel. Nous, légionnaires du 2 répondons à l'appel. Ouvrir, tracer la route c'est pour le régiment Passer coûte que coûte, voilà notre serment Foi, vaillance et courage comme seul héritage Nul obstacle et nul homme pour nous faire barrage. Refrain Sur les cimes de l'Alpe quand le combat résonne Du fracas de la foudre et que l'orage tonne En avant képis blancs, à nous les grands espaces. En tout lieu en tout temps, il nous faut faire face. Relever les défis, voilà notre ambition. Ne jamais faire défaut, c'est notre tradition. Refrain

Decorations

* croix de la Valeur militaire with one palm since January 3, 2012. * Another citation for the croix de valeur militaire was attributed on June 20, 2013, the regiment since that date wears the fourragère with colors of the croix de la Valeur Militaire. File:Croix de la Valeur Militaire France AVERS.jpg,

Honors

Battle honours

* Camerone 1863
Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment,Camerone

Regimental Commanders

* 1999 - 2001 : colonel Nebois * 2001 - 2003 : colonel Autran * 2003 - 2005 : colonel Fradin * 2005 - 2007 : colonel Boucher * 2007 - 2009 : colonel Chavanat * 2009 - 2011 : colonel Kirscher * 2011 - 2013 : colonel Bonini * 2013 - 2015 : colonel Reussner * 2015 - 2017 : lieutenant-colonel De Sercey * 2017 - 2021 : colonel De Boisfleury * 2021 - 20** : colonel Emmanuel Combe

Notes

References

*www.legion-etrangere.com *

External links

*Official website
2e Régiment étranger de génie
{{French Foreign Legion navbox French Army Foreign Engineer Regiment, 2nd Military units and formations established in 1999 1999 establishments in France