The Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers (french: Régiments de marche de volontaires étrangers, RMVE) were temporary formations of the Foreign Legion organized from Foreign volunteers during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. These regiments were formed on 16 September 1939:

On September 16, 1939, the war minister decided to form special corps of foreign volunteers part of the Foreign Legion. They were part of the Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers.

They were created at the corps of the Foreign Legion at Le Barcarès in October 1939 and May 1940. They recruited in principal from the Foreign Workers Companies (french: compagnie de travailleurs étrangers),Portrait d’oubliés. L’engagement des Espagnols dans les Forces françaises libres, 1940-1945 sur le site de la RHA
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Spaniards Spaniards, or Spanish people, are a Romance peoples, Romance ethnic group native to Spain. Within Spain, there are a number of National and regional identity in Spain, national and regional ethnic identities that reflect the country's complex Hist ...

from the Retirada, who represented 1/3 (one third) of formations, while the Foreign

Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...

who enlisted voluntarily constituted 40% (forty percent) of formations. These regiments were not well equipped and other units referred to them by derision as "twine regiments" (french: Régiments de ficelles). The 21^e, 22^e and 23^e RMVE did not have an active central corps, nor did they have

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 ...

reserve back-ups, not even "cadres" from Sidi bel-Abbès, only the exception of a couple of Legion Officers. To differentiate themselves, the traditional colors were inverted and were "Red & Green". Without Legion traditions, they fought and upheld nevertheless the same conviction. While not being well equipped, these three regiments as well as the 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12^e REI deserved the designation of "twine regiments", since they were the works of miracles at the gates of Paris, in Picardy, in the Ardennes and in Lorraine. They achieved a mixed success, but like many units during the

Fall of France The Battle of France (french: bataille de France) (10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign ('), the French Campaign (german: Frankreichfeldzug, ) and the Fall of France, was the German invasion of France during the Second World ...

were overwhelmed by the German

blitzkrieg Blitzkrieg ( , ; from 'lightning' + 'war') is a word used to describe a surprise attack using a rapid, overwhelming force concentration that may consist of armored and motorized or mechanized infantry formations, together with close air su ...

. Their regimental honors live on in 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 ...

2^e REI.

21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers - 21^e RMVE

* September 29, 1939: creation of the 1st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers ( 1^er RMVE at Barcarès). * February 25, 1940 : designated as 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 21^e RMVE * July 1940 : dissolution The 1st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 1^erRMVE was created at Barcarès in the Pyrénées-Orientales, in order to receive the foreign volunteers for the course of the war. The organization of the Marching Regiment included regimental units and three infantry battalions. On February 25, 1940, the 1^er RMVE was designated as 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers (21^e RMVE). Strong with 2800 men, the regiment left Barcarès on April 30, in reinforcement of the Maginot Line. On May 25, the regiment was called for immediately, into the region of Verdun. Incorporated into the 35th Infantry Division, the regiment combat engaged during the night from June 8 to June 9. Despite exemplary resistances, the regiment had to unfold on Aire, in Argonne. Following a new combat engagement, while being heavily surrounded and tested with great force, the 21^e RMVE was retrieved from 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 ...

on June 14, only to be reorganized. With the armistice being signed, the regiment would no longer pursue combat. Put to the test harshly twice, having lost half of formations, the 21^e RMVE was dissolved in July 1940. The insignia was created in 1939, by colonel Debuissy, first regimental commander of the 1^er RMVE, then the 21^er RMVE (October 1939 - June 1940). The 21^e RMVE has worn the insignia with the number « 1 » featured in the bomb of the grenade.

22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers - 22^e RMVE

* October 24, 1939 : creation of the 2nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 2^e RMVE. This

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 ...

integrated the (french: 19^e Division d'Infanterie) * February 25, 1940 : designated as the 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22^e RMVE * July 1940 : dissolution. The 2nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 2^e RMVE was created on October 24, 1939 at Barcarès in the Pyrénées-Orientales. The organization of the regiment consisted of three regimental formations and three infantry battalions. Ranks were filled with volunteers from forty seven nationalities. On February 25, 1940, the 2^e RMVE was designated as 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers (22^e RMVE). At the beginning of May, the regiment was in

Alsace Alsace (, ; ; Low Alemannic German/ gsw-FR, Elsàss ; german: Elsass ; la, Alsatia) is a cultural region and a territorial collectivity in eastern France, on the west bank of the upper Rhine next to Germany and Switzerland. In 2020, it had ...

and on May 19, the regiment made way towards

Somme __NOTOC__ Somme or The Somme may refer to: Places *Somme (department), a department of France *Somme, Queensland, Australia *Canal de la Somme, a canal in France *Somme (river), a river in France Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Somme'' (book), a ...

south of

Péronne, Somme Péronne () is a commune of the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. It is close to where the 1916, first 1918 and second 1918 Battles of the Somme took place during the First World War. The Museum of the Great War (known ...

. From May 22 to May 26, the regiment held his sector, regaining the apprehension of villages several times over again, in

Fresnes-Mazancourt Fresnes-Mazancourt (; pcd, Frène-Mazancourt) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Geography The commune is situated in the east of the département, east of Amiens at the junction of the D45 and N17, abou ...

Misery, Somme Misery () is a former commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Marchélepot-Misery.Marchélepot Marchélepot () is a former commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Marchélepot-Misery.23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23^e RMVE * July 1 : dissolution

History of the garrisons, campaigns and battles

Similarly to the previous

world war A world war is an international conflict which involves all or most of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World WarI (1914 ...

, numerous foreign volunteers requested to serve in the ranks of the French Army. To this effect, were created in October 1939, at camp Le Barcarès, in the Pyrénées-Orientales, the 21st and 22nd Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers. Their ranks were filled with the representation of 47 nationalities. These two regiments were first deployed in

in May 1940 then were directed in the

Ardennes The Ardennes (french: Ardenne ; nl, Ardennen ; german: Ardennen; wa, Årdene ; lb, Ardennen ), also known as the Ardennes Forest or Forest of Ardennes, is a region of extensive forests, rough terrain, rolling hills and ridges primarily in Be ...

at the beginning of hostilities. The 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 21^e RMVE was integrated into the (french: 35^e Division d'Infanterie) and deployed south of the

. The regiment held his sector (all along the

Marne–Rhine Canal The Canal de la Marne au Rhin (Marne–Rhine Canal) is a canal in north-eastern France. It connects the river Marne and the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne in Vitry-le-François with the port of Strasbourg on the Rhine. The original objective ...

(french: Canal de la Marne au Rhin)) for three consecutive weeks. During the unfolding of the regiment, the latter delivered combat against the

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troops around the village of

Sainte-Menehould Sainte-Menehould (; german: Sankt Mathilde) is a commune in the Marne department in north-eastern France. The 18th-century French playwright Charles-Georges Fenouillot de Falbaire de Quingey (1727–1800) died in Sainte-Ménéhould. It was the su ...

. The regiment illustrated capability in the sector of

Buzancy, Ardennes Buzancy () is a commune in the Ardennes department and Grand Est region of north-eastern France. Population See also *Communes of the Ardennes department The following is a list of the 449 communes of the Ardennes department of France. ...

- Le Mort-Homme on June 9 and 10 1940 then at the Grange au Bois. The 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 21^e RMVE combat engaged in the region of

and notably on May 24, 1940 during the apprehension of Villers-Carbonnel which they had to finally abandon following the successive repeated assaults of German tanks. The last of the regiments of foreign volunteers, the 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers - 23^e RMVE, formed in May 1940, was combat engaged south of

Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital ...

on June 7, 1940 then on June 15 and 16 at

Pont-sur-Yonne Pont-sur-Yonne (, literally ''Bridge on Yonne'') is a commune in the Yonne department in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté in north-central France. See also *Communes of the Yonne department *Yonne (river) The Yonne () is a river in France, a left-bank ...

Regimental Commanders

21^e RMVE *

Lieutenant-colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...

Paul Debuissy. * Lieutenant-colonel Albert Martyn. 22^e RMVE * Lieutenant-colonel Villiers-Moriamé. *

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 indicators ...

) Hermann. 23^e RMVE * Lieutenant-colonel Aumoitte. * Lieutenant-colonel Maillet, Commandant of depot 21 *

Herivaux, Rivesaltes * Médecin-général Le Dentu, Director of the Health Service of the Camps (Rivesaltes, 24/7/1940)

Fanion A fanion is a small flag used by the French military; the equivalent of an American guidon or British company colour. The name derives from the Italian word gonfanone, or gonfanon. They were often attached to a small staff which was placed in the ...
s

Image:Fanion 22 RMVE recto.JPG, Image:Fanion 22 RMVE verso.JPG,

References

Bibliographies

* ''Le livre d’or de la Légion étrangère (1831-1955)'', Jean Brunon et Georges Manue, éditions Charles Lavauzelle et Cie, 1958. * Livre d'or du 22^e RMVE : 1939-1945 par amicale des anciens du 22^e Régiment de Marche de Volontaires étrangers. * Naissance, vie et disparition du 21^e RMVE en 1939–1940. Édité en 1961. In 8 de 75 pages. Képi blanc * Fred Samuel, Mémoires d'un joaillier, éditions du Rocher, Paris, 1992 {{French Foreign Legion navbox Military units and formations established in 1939 Military units and formations disestablished in 1940 Defunct French Foreign Legion units

21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers - 21e RMVE

22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers - 22e RMVE