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, themselves regrouped at the corps of the
Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E), which included the attachment of the
Instruction Group of the Foreign Legion (french: Groupement d'instruction de la Légion étrangère (G.I.L.E)) at the
2nd Foreign Regiment 2
e RE, recreated on September 1, 1972.
In 1976, while the Instruction Group of the Foreign Legion departed to the
4th Foreign Regiment 4
eRE of
Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary (; oc, Castèlnòu d'Arri) is a commune in the Aude department in the Occitanie region of southern France. It is located in the former province of the Lauragais and famous for cassoulet of which it claims to be the world cap ...
and while being integrated within the
1st Foreign Regiment 1
er RE; the
2nd Foreign Regiment 2
e RE took charge of regimental operations.
The operational group was stationed in
Bonifacio, Corsica until 1977, the year of dissolution of the (G.O.L.E) to become a main composing elements of the
2nd Foreign Regiment 2
e RE, designated originally back in 1980: the
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2
e REI.
History of the garrisons, campaigns and battles
The G.O.L.E was engaged from 1978 to 1979 in Tchad, where the 7th company endured two 2
killed and 5
wounded in combat.
The G.O.L.E was engaged in 1976 in the
French Territory of the Afars and the Issas
The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas (FTAI; french: Territoire français des Afars et des Issas) was the name given to present-day Djibouti between 1967 and 1977, while it was still an overseas territory of France. The area was former ...
in a counter-terrorist children rescue mission in 1976 in the LOYADA affair where the 6th company deplored 6 killed in a helicopter crash.
[collectif, ''Légion étrangère Histoire et dictionnaire'', , Éditions Robert Laffont, Paris, 2013]
Organization
At creation, the G.O.L.E regrouped 3 combat companies, reinforced in operations by the 4th squadron of the
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1
e REC. Initially, the G.O.L.E consisted of the 5th, 6th
combat company as well a support combat company (french: Compagnie d'Appui et de Soutien (C.A.S)). However, the 5th and 6th combat companies didn't exist in 1971, the 5th was the C.M.L.E and the 6th combat company was the 3rd combat company commanded by Captain Braun. The G.O.L.E was created in 1971 and commanded by
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 o ...
Letestu. Later in 1975, the 7th combat company of the G.O.L.E would be created in
Comoros,
Mayotte
Mayotte (; french: Mayotte, ; Shimaore: ''Maore'', ; Kibushi: ''Maori'', ), officially the Department of Mayotte (french: Département de Mayotte), is an overseas department and region and single territorial collectivity of France. It is loca ...
and would rejoin
Bonifacio.
Chef de Corps
* Général d'armées Michel Guignon
See also
*
Major (France)
*
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 ...
*
31st Brigade
References
External links
GOLE 1971-1977- History & images of the GOLE
{{French Foreign Legion navbox
Units of the French Foreign Legion
Military units and formations established in 1971
Military units and formations disestablished in 1977