2nd Marching Regiment Of The 2nd Foreign Regiment
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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 The French Armed Forces (french: Forces armées françaises) encompass the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Force and the Gendarmerie of the French Republic. The President of France heads the armed forces as Chief of the Armed Forces. France ...
regiment in 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 ...
which formed the
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 ...
(R.M.L.E) and existed ephemerally from end of 1914 to 1915.


Creation and different nominations

In August 1914: the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 2e étranger, 2eR.M. 2eR.E) was created in Saïda,
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
. On November 11, 1915: the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment (french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 2e étranger, 2eR.M. 2eR.E) was dissolved and contingents were merged with the
2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e régiment de marche du 1er étranger, 2e R.M. 1er R.E) was a French military unit of the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ephe ...
(french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 1er étranger, 2eR.M. 1erR.E) to form the
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 ...
(R.M.L.E).


History, garrisons, campaigns and battles


Creation of the regiment

On August 29, 1914, the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment set voyage from Saïda for Oran and arrived on April 30. The regiment was then formed of 2 battalions at 2 reduced
combat Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...
companies counting ( 20
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," fro ...
- 68 Sous-Officiers - 694 Caporaux and Legionnaires ) On August 30 and 31, the regiment embarked for destination
Marseille Marseille ( , , ; also spelled in English as Marseilles; oc, Marselha ) is the prefecture of the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône and capital of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region. Situated in the camargue region of southern Franc ...
and disembarked on September 2. While one of the battalion's regiment joined
Orléans Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and
Toulouse Toulouse ( , ; oc, Tolosa ) is the prefecture of the French department of Haute-Garonne and of the larger region of Occitania. The city is on the banks of the River Garonne, from the Mediterranean Sea, from the Atlantic Ocean and from Par ...
and stationed until September 29 at garrison Pérignon.


Combats in Champagne

The regiment initiated battle formations at camp de Mailly, south of Reims on October 2 when one of the battalion and general headquarter staff rendez-vous with another of the regiment's battalion. On October 18, the day of departure, the regiment counted 1947 men constituting 2 battalions. The regiment arrived at camp de Pertus on the 19, and with the
2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e régiment de marche du 1er étranger, 2e R.M. 1er R.E) was a French military unit of the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ephe ...
(french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 1er étranger, 2eR.M.1erR.E), both Marching Regiments formed a
brigade A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division. Br ...
which was placed at the corps of the 5th Army of
général is the French word for general. There are two main categories of generals: the general officers (), which are the highest-ranking commanding officers in the armed forces, and the specialist officers with flag rank (), which are high-level offic ...
Louis Félix Marie François Franchet d'Espèrey. On October 21, the regiment and the brigade were at
Verzy Verzy () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. Champagne The village's vineyards are located in the Montagne de Reims subregion of Champagne, and are classified as Grand Cru (100%) in the Champagne vineyard classificati ...
, south of Reims. Until October 26, the regiment's battalions relayed each other in the first line
trenches A trench is a type of excavation or in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit). In geology, trenches result from erosi ...
within the sectors of
Prunay Prunay () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. An important pottery vase with La Tène decoration dating to between 400-350 BC was found in the commune. Known as the Prunay Vase, it is now in the British Museum's collec ...
, Sillery, and prepositions of
Verzenay Verzenay () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. The town is famed for its vineyards and its champagne Champagne The village's vineyards are located in the Montagne de Reims subregion of Champagne, and are classified ...
in the south-east of Reims. On October 26, the regiment left Verzenay, destined for Cuiry-les-Chaudardes in the north-west of Reims where the Marching Regiment was assigned to the 71st Brigade of Colonel
Denis Auguste Duchêne Denis Auguste Duchene (23 September 1862 - 9 June 1950) was a French World War I general. He was born on 23 September 1862 at Juzennecourt, Haute-Marne and died on 9 June 1950 at Bihorel, Seine-Inférieure. He was promoted General de Brigade (b ...
(5th Army). The regiment's 3rd recently formed battalion from the depot of
Blois Blois ( ; ) is a commune and the capital city of Loir-et-Cher department, in Centre-Val de Loire, France, on the banks of the lower Loire river between Orléans and Tours. With 45,898 inhabitants by 2019, Blois is the most populated city of the ...
, joined the regiment on October 25 at
Merval The S&P MERVAL Index (''MERcado de VALores'', ) is the most important index of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. It is a price-weighted index, calculated as the market value of a portfolio of stocks selected based on their market share, number of ...
. Starting October 28, the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment made way to the first line at the
front Front may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''The Front'' (1943 film), a 1943 Soviet drama film * ''The Front'', 1976 film Music * The Front (band), an American rock band signed to Columbia Records and active in the 1980s and e ...
within the sector of Blanc Sablon and
Craonnelle Craonnelle is a Communes of France, commune in the Aisne Departments of France, department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Population See also *Communes of the Aisne department References

Communes of Aisne Aisne communes ...
. On November 26, Chef de bataillon Mauvilain's battalion ( 14 Officers and 1053 men ), left the depot of
Orléans Orléans (;"Orleans"
(US) and
Baslieux-lès-Fismes Baslieux-lès-Fismes (, literally ''Baslieux near Fismes'') is a commune in the Marne department in northeastern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also compris ...
where the battalion garrisoned for a couple days. Subsequently, on December 15, Mauvilain's battalion to the turn, made way to the first line at the front. On May 22, 1915, the regiment was relieved from the front by the 34th Infantry Regiment and was retrieved from the 18th Armed Corps; the regiment counted 72 Officers and 3818 men. On the 24, the regiment prepositionned south of Reims and was assigned to the Provisionay Touborge Division then the Provisonary Corvisart Division. On June 14, a detachment from the regiment made way to Prouilly and Chenay in the north-west of Reims and was assigned under the orders of the 1st Armed Corps. The regiment's detachment relieved the 201st French Infantry Regiment in the trenches of Chauffour and Carrières. On June 20, the remainder of the regiment to the turn joined the 1st Armed Corps and relieved the 284th French Infantry Regiment in the sector of
Merfy Merfy () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Ame ...
- Saint Thierry. With the 6th Cavalry Chasseurs Regiment, the 2nd Marching Regiment constituted the Guérin group. On July 11, following the departure of 334
Russians , native_name_lang = ru , image = , caption = , population = , popplace = 118 million Russians in the Russian Federation (2002 ''Winkler Prins'' estimate) , region1 = , pop1 ...
and 394
Belgians Belgians ( nl, Belgen; french: Belges; german: Belgier) are people identified with the Kingdom of Belgium, a federal state in Western Europe. As Belgium is a multinational state, this connection may be residential, legal, historical, or cultur ...
, one of the battalion's regiment was subsequently dissolved.


Haute Saône

On July 14, the regiment was relieved by the 127th French Infantry Regiment, the 75th French Infantry Regiment (territorial) and left the Guérin group. Accordingly, the regiment was assigned to the Moroccan Division (french: Division marocaine) and reconnected again with the
2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e régiment de marche du 1er étranger, 2e R.M. 1er R.E) was a French military unit of the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ephe ...
(french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 1er étranger, 2eR.M.1erR.E) at the corps of the 1st Brigade, north of
Montbéliard Montbéliard (; traditional ) is a town in the Doubs Departments of France, department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in eastern France, about from the border with Switzerland. It is one of the two Subprefectures in F ...
. On August 21, the regiment was put at disposition of the 57th French Infantry Division in order to participate to the mounting of counter-attack preparations in the region of the Sentheim, Soppe le Haut, Leimbash and Roderen south of Thann. From August 28, the 2nd Marching Regiment was found prepositioning in Plancher Bas, Auxelles Bas and Auxelles Haut. On September 13, 1915, the regiment participated with the Moroccan Division (french: Division marocaine) to a military inspection revue in presence of the President of the Republic and the
Minister of War A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
, a ceremony during which the regiment received the regimental colors.


Return to Champagne

On September 14, the regiment left the respective prepositionings and made way to Saint-Hilaire-au-Temple, north of
Châlons-en-Champagne Châlons-en-Champagne () is a city in the Grand Est region of France. It is the capital of the department of Marne, despite being only a quarter the size of the city of Reims. Formerly called Châlons-sur-Marne, the city was officially renam ...
within the sector of the 10e DIC. On September 25, the regiment occupied the front line
trenches A trench is a type of excavation or in the ground that is generally deeper than it is wide (as opposed to a wider gully, or ditch), and narrow compared with its length (as opposed to a simple hole or pit). In geology, trenches result from erosi ...
and participated since the following day to a joint offensive along with the colonial regiments and during which the regimental commander Lecomte-Denis, was wounded. Until October 2, the date in which the regiment was relieved, the regiment registered around the sectors in concern numerous losses. The 2nd Marching Regiment which reconnected with the 1st Brigade of the Moroccan Division (french: Division marocaine) made way then to
Souain-Perthes-lès-Hurlus Souain-Perthes-lès-Hurlus is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. First World War On 9 December 1915 at Souain, a former battlefield with rough terrain and trenches, and in the presence of General Philippe Pétain, a ...
, then Saint-Étienne-au-Temple, south of
Suippes Suippes () is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. It was part of the so-called ''la Champagne pouilleuse'', a region battered by conflict during World War I. In the early months of the war, British soldiers were deployed he ...
where the regiment garrisoned until October 19 of 1915 and endured also numerous heavy losses.


Dissolution

On October 20, 1915, the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment heads to l'
Oise Oise ( ; ; pcd, Oése) is a department in the north of France. It is named after the river Oise. Inhabitants of the department are called ''Oisiens'' () or ''Isariens'', after the Latin name for the river, Isara. It had a population of 829,419 ...
in the region of
Pont-Sainte-Maxence Pont-Sainte-Maxence () is a commune in the Oise department in northern France, in the region of Hauts-de-France. It is named after Saint Maxentia of Beauvais, whose relics were taken here. Pont-Sainte-Maxence station has rail connections to Sa ...
, until November 11, the date in which the regiment was dissolved. At dissolution, the regiment counted 30 Officers and 1910 men, all of whom formed the
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) by merger.


Traditions


Regimental Colors

The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment received the regimental colors on September 13, 1915, in a ceremony presided by President of the Republic and the
Minister of War A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
.


Decorations

Citation of the regiment: " In September 1915, the regiment mounted the assaults of enemy positions with a superb tempo and handling, while seizing numerous machine gun posts ".


Regimental Commanders

Period 1914-1915
2nd Marching Regiment of the '' 2nd Foreign Regiment''
'' 2ème R.M. 2eR.E'' *August 29, 1914 - December 2, 1914: Lieutenant-Colonel Passard *December 3, 1914 - December 10, 1914: Chef de battaillon Gueilhers ( by interim ) *December 11, 1914 - September 25, 1915: Colonel Lecomte-Denis *September 26, 1915 - October 18, 1915: Commandant Rozet ( by interim ) *October 19, 1915 - November 11, 1915: Lieutenant-Colonel de Lavenne de Choulot


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 ...
*
French Foreign Legion Music Band (MLE) The Music of the Foreign Legion (french: Musique de la Légion étrangère, MLE), formerly known as the Principal Music of the Foreign Legion (french: Musique principale de la Légion étrangère) is a Military band of the French Foreign Legion. ...
*
Joseph Joffre Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre (12 January 1852 – 3 January 1931) was a French general who served as Commander-in-Chief of French forces on the Western Front from the start of World War I until the end of 1916. He is best known for regroupi ...
*
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 ...
*
Canadian National Vimy Memorial The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a war memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the First ...


References

Bibliographies: * Régiment de marche de la légion,
Erwan Bergot Erwan Bergot (27 January 19301 May 1993) was a French Army officer and author; he served in the French Army during the First Indochina War and Algerian War. Biography Born to a Breton family in Bordeaux, Erwan Bergot volunteered to serve in In ...
, éditions Presses de la Cité, 1984. . * Le livre d’or de la Légion étrangère (1831-1955), Jean Brunon et Georges Manue, éditions Charles Lavauzelle et Cie, 1958.


External links


"Detailed History of the RMLE"


{{French Foreign Legion navbox Defunct French Foreign Legion units Military units and formations established in 1914 Military units and formations disestablished in 1915