2e Régiment étranger De Parachutistes
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The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment () is the only airborne regiment of the Foreign Legion in the
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
. It is one of the four infantry regiments of the 11th Parachute Brigade and part of the spearhead of the French rapid reaction force. Since the regiment's arrival from Algeria in 1967, it has been stationed at Camp Raffalli near the town of Calvi on the island of
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
, south of mainland France. The regiment is also equipped with
Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé The or VAB (literally meaning "Armoured Forward Vehicle"; but more appropriately translated: "Armoured Vanguard Vehicle") is a French armoured personnel carrier and support vehicle designed and manufactured by ''Renault Trucks Defense'' (now kno ...
.


History

Descended from the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion which served in Indochina, it fought in Algeria, and more recently in Kolwezi ( Zaïre) during the
Battle of Kolwezi The Battle of Kolwezi was an airborne operation by French and Belgian airborne forces that took place in May 1978 in Zaire during the Shaba II invasion of Zaire by the Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FLNC). It aimed at rescu ...
in 1978. Having participated in all French exterior operations since 1970, the regiment has operated in
Chad Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric ...
,
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
, and the former Yugoslavia since 1992, at
Djibouti Djibouti, officially the Republic of Djibouti, is a country in the Horn of Africa, bordered by Somalia to the south, Ethiopia to the southwest, Eritrea in the north, and the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden to the east. The country has an area ...
,
Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
, in Central Africa and even Gabon. In 1997, the regiment was engaged in the
Congo-Brazzaville The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...
during Operation Pelican (). From 2002 to 2003, at the beginning of Opération Licorne, the regiment was engaged in the
Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest List of ci ...
. More recently in 2010, the regiment fought in Afghan theatre as part of the Brigade La Fayette (or ''Task Force La Fayette'') as GTIA Surobi, code Battle Group Altor. The Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment was created on April 1, 1948.http://2rep.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=101&idA=43&block=16&idA_SM=0&titre=historique-du-2e-rep Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of the 2e REP, The origins... The command of the company was given to a 23-year-old Lieutenant, Jacques Morin. He commanded the company from April 31, 1948, to May 31, 1949. Volunteers filled in the ranks from the foreign regiments present already in
Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...
. Part of the
3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment The 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is stationed in French Guiana. Its mission includes the protection of the Guiana Space Centre, a European Space Agency (ESA) f ...
, the parachute company operated under different battalions. Following a series of combat action operations in the most exposed sectors of the high regions and airborne operations in the Delta, the company was dissolved on May 31, 1949. At the time the company disbanded, it comprised three Legion officers, 14 Sous-officiers, and 92 corporals and legionnaires, all of whom were transferred to the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion which had just disembarked in Indochina.


3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion (1948–1955)

The 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion (3e BEP) was created in April 1949 at Mascara.http://2rep.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=104&idA=47&block=16&idA_SM=43&titre=3e-bep Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of the 2e REP, the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion ''3e Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes'' The 7th combat company of paratrooper training of the 1st Foreign rejoined Sétif 7 months later, starting November 15, 1949, becoming officially the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion. The mission of the 3e B.E.P was to instruct the legionnaires destined to relieve the
1st First most commonly refers to: * First, the ordinal form of the number 1 First or 1st may also refer to: Acronyms * Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters, an astronomical survey carried out by the Very Large Array * Far Infrared a ...
and 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalions. It also participated in operations to maintain order in
Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
from January to June 1952. On May 4, 1954, as the Battle of Dien Bien Phu was underway, the battalion began travelling to Indochina. On May 25, 1954, the battalion was at Haïphong. On June 1, the men forming the 3e B.E.P were transferred to the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion as the 2 BEP was reconstituted. The 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion merged with the injured of annihilated foreign battalions while in the meantime, owing to numerous volunteers, the 3e B.E.P. was seen reconstituted at Sétif. Back to
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
, the three foreign paratrooper battalions (the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion, 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion, 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion) would be seen filling the ranks of the foreign paratrooper regiment. On September 1, 1955, the 3e B.E.P. became the 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment (3e REP). Based at Batna, the regiment became operational but then was dissolved on December 1, 1955; the men constituting the regiment were merged with the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion to form a new unit, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment. The insignia of the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion was created in 1950 by Captain Pierre Darmuzai, the battalion commander (''Chef de Bataillon'').


2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (1948–present)

The 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2e Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes, 2e B.E.P) was created on October 1, 1948, in accordance with a ministerial prescription dating to March 27, 1948.http://2rep.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=103&idA=46&block=16&idA_SM=43&titre=2e-bep-1948-1955 Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of the 2e REP, 2nd Foreign Paratrooper Battalion,''2e Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes'' The combat companies of the 2e B.E.P were formed by the 4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion in
Morocco Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It has coastlines on the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to Algeria–Morocc ...
and the depot of the foreign regiments in Sidi-bel-Abbès, were assigned by the 25th Airborne Division Element. Made up of one command company and three ''fusiliers-voltigeurs'' type combat companies, the battalion cleared way to Oran on January 19, 1949, destined for
Indochina Mainland Southeast Asia (historically known as Indochina and the Indochinese Peninsula) is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to th ...
. Disembarked in Saïgon on February 9, the battalion was directed to Kép (
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
) by land route.http://2rep.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=103&idA=46&block=16&idA_SM=43&titre=2e-bep-1948-1955 Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of the 2e REP, 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion,''2e Bataillon Etranger de Parachutistes'' In November 1949, the battalion took base in Quan Thé. The first combat engagements of the 2e B.E.P. have for theatre of operations,
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
, Cochinchine and Annam. In October 1950, the battalion was summoned to Tonkin. Reinforced by a heavy mortars company, the battalion engaged in all military operations in the Delta, in Thaï lands, Mékong and the plains of Jarres. The impressive series of combat engagements were earned at the battle of Nghĩa Lộ, colonial route N°6 (RC6), Hòa Bình and the defence of the camp by an airborne operation on Langson. Crowned of a magnificent epoque, the 2e B.E.P cleared the way to Dien Bien Phu on April 9 and 10 of 1954 in the middle of the furnace. Following the couter-attack of supporting point "Huguet", led by a rare determination during the night of the 22 and 23 of April; the 2e B.E.P and the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1er B.E.P) merged to form a single Foreign Marching Battalion. On May 7, the Foreign Marching Battalion was dissolved and the 2e B.E.P was recreated by members of the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion. On June 1, 1954, the 2e B.E.P. left Asia on November 1, 1955. The colors of the battalion were decorated with 6 citations at the orders of the armed forces and the Fourragère of the colors of the
Legion of Honor The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
. The losses of the 2e B.E.P included 1500 Legion Officers, Sous-Officiers and Legionnaires killed along with their "chef de corps", Legion
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 ...
Barthélémy Rémy Raffali leading and heading
tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...
. Returned to Algeria, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2e B.E.P) became the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment on December 1, 1955. The insignia of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion was created in 1949, in
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
. The battalion insignia represents an Eastern winged
Dragon A dragon is a Magic (supernatural), magical legendary creature that appears in the folklore of multiple cultures worldwide. Beliefs about dragons vary considerably through regions, but European dragon, dragons in Western cultures since the Hi ...
making reference to the original implementation in Asia. The three point triangular shape of the insignia represents the form of an open
parachute A parachute is a device designed to slow an object's descent through an atmosphere by creating Drag (physics), drag or aerodynamic Lift (force), lift. It is primarily used to safely support people exiting aircraft at height, but also serves va ...
; centered by the flag colors of the Legion; and is symbol of the perfection that is expected of the men that may serve this regiment. The battalion was commanded at the time by commandant Solnon (1948–1950).


Algeria (1954–1962)

On December 1, 1955, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion was enlarged to a full regiment, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (). The regiment served throughout the
Algerian War The Algerian War (also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence) ''; '' (and sometimes in Algeria as the ''War of 1 November'') was an armed conflict between France and the Algerian National Liberation Front (Algeri ...
and suffered a total of 741 casualties. When the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion left the
Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...
on November 1, 1955, the fanion of the battalion included six palms and the Fourragère with colors of the
Légion d'honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and Civil society, civil. Currently consisting of five cl ...
. The battalion had lost 1500 Officers, Sous-Officiers and Legionnaires including a battalion commander. On December 1 the 2e BEP became the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP). During their first combat engagement, on January 5, the regiment lost its first fatality, while their opponents lost 22 of theirs. Regrouping at Philippeville, the companies covered appropriate sectors. From March to June, two units operated in the Aurès Mountains. April 30 was marked with hard combat engagements. The regimental colors were received on June 5. In November, the regiment changed sectors. The command post set camp at Tébessa. In operational reserve, the regiment had for mission to run surveillance of the Algeria-Tunisia border. The year of 1956 ended with 900 rebels killed, 500 prisoners and significant war material recuperated. The foreign regiment had endured the loss of 38 men killed in combat. In April 1957, the regiment returned to Philippeville. On May 30, the regiment left garrison and made way to El Milia () in order to ensure the security of the almost island looking Collo and the region of Jijel (). In August, the regiment returned to Tébessa for a series of operations on the border where 35 rebels where placed out of combat at the expense of the lives of six Legionnaires. On December 18, the foreign regiment destroyed an opposing battalion size in the Hamimat Guerra. The rebels deplored 45 fatalities. In 1960, the regiment was spread in different garrisons : Chekfa, Tleta, Chahna, Siar and Philipeville at camp Pehau. During the 1st trimester, « Opération Turquoise » occupied the regiment which deplored four fatalities, eight wounded, however, the enemy left 24 outlaws (), 2 prisoners, 5 defeated escapees, and 17 arrested suspects. One type 20 mm cannon recuperated, 1 PM, 10 war rifles and numerous munitions were destroyed. A couple of secondary operations were mounted such as « Saxophone » on January 26 and 27, "Clarinette" (3 HLL killed and one prisoner), « Basson I » on February 20 and 21, « Basson II » on March 8 and 9, (six HLL killed and 24 suspects arrested), « Zacharie » (1 leading figure died committing suicide and 2 defeated escapes) from March 15 to 17, « Victorien » (four defeated escapees), then in the 2nd trimester, « Turquoise » with secondary operations « Poisson » (two HLL killed, eight suspects arrested) on April 1 and 2, « Basson III » (three HLL killed and defeated escapees, on April 19, one
Officer 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 ...
and two Legionnaires were killed in an ambush). After « Turquoise », followed « Opaline » in June. In the first days of 1958, the regiment saw accelerated combat. On April 26 and 27, the foreign regiment placed out of combat 209 HLL (outlaws) in the region of Sbihi, seizing a strong arsenal including three machine-guns. On the 30, during the celebration of Camarón, a series of locations seals were placed into effect in order to intercept a band of rebels making way towards Ahras. 84 of them were killed. In January 1959, the foreign regiment made way towards Guelma, as operational reserve for the zone East Constantine. On March 1, the foreign regiment annihilated a battalion size force at Gambetta. On June 23, another battalion size rebel force was dismantled. 29 HLL were killed and 10 were made prisoners. During the 3rd trimester, the operations "Pierres précieuses" were launched. West Constantine was racked. The casualty results were heavy: 229 HLL killed, 99 prisoners, and the foreign regiment endured the loss of 11 Legionnaires. In January 1960, the 2e REP, now part of the 25th Parachute Division operated in the sector of Djidjelli. It's operation "Turquoise" again, secondary operation of operation "Pierres précieuses". On September 23, the foreign regiment returned to its rear base in Philipeville before rejoining Hammama where operation "Ariège" was commencing and which concerned the regions of Biskra and Kenchela. Before leaving the Aurès, the 2e REP inflicted another defeat on the rebels in Chelia, finishing with 53 HLL killed. On December 28, the foreign regiment made movement towards Oran then Tlemcen where the regiment arrived on December 30. On May 1, 1961, following the dissolution of their brother regiment, 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment, the 2e REP remained the only heir of all Foreign Legion parachute units created since 1948. Coming under the orders of the Western Oran Zone to reinforce the Algerian-Moroccan Barrage, the regiment remained until January 28, date where the later was found in the rear base. The operations, police rounds and presence rounds followed each other in the regions of Calle, Milia, Philipeville until March 18, 1962, date of the ceasefire which the foreign regiment learned of at Telergma. In less than seven years, more than 4000 rebels were placed out of combat and nearly 4000 individual arms and more than 200 collective arms were ceased. The foreign regiment left Constantine, on August 30, 1962, after a continuous quasi presence for 6 years in the same region. On September 16, the foreign regiment regrouped at Bou-Sfer in the enclave of the Strategic Base of
Mers El Kébir Mers El Kébir ( ) is a port on the Mediterranean Sea, near Oran in Oran Province, northwest Algeria. It is famous for the attack on the French fleet in 1940, in the Second World War. History Originally a Phoenician port, it was called ''Port ...
.


2nd Foreign Paratrooper Regiment


The transition (1962–1967)

Starting 1962 and at the signature of the
Évian Accords The Évian Accords were a set of declarations between the French Government and the Provisional Government of the Algerian Republic on 18 March 1962 in Évian-les-Bains which outlined the agreements for Algeria's Independence alongside coope ...
, the
French Armed Forces The French Armed Forces (, ) are the military forces of France. They consist of four military branches – the Army, the Navy, the Air and Space Force, and the National Gendarmerie. The National Guard serves as the French Armed Forces' milita ...
progressively left
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
for metropolitan France. For the first time in Legion history, Legion regiments would be garrisoned in mainland France. For the 2e REP, this move would be made progressively between 1965 and 1967. From the former garrison at Bou-Sfer, the last French Base on Algerian territory, the Regiment sent units to start preparing the new garrison, situated in Calvi, in
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
. This garrison was the former garrison of the 1st Parachute Choc Battalion of the 11th Parachute Choc Demi-Brigade, dissolved in 1963. The complete move would be effective in June 1967 and the regiment joined the 11th Parachute Division. That period, the first period of peace in the history of the regiment after 14 years in existence, was accompanied with various challenges, significant for the legionnaires. The legionnaires had to face political decisions which were hard to comprehend. The dissolution of their "brother regiment", the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment following the generals putsch left the regiment in significant disarray. In addition, the foreign regiment was in a null phase of operations activity. The Regiment was garrisoned in camp, and stuck with no permission to move out of the designated area while being encircled by the local Algerian army, with whom the foreign regiment had been fighting against for eight years. Accordingly, the training and routine affected deeply the esprit de corps of the legionnaires. It was during this périod, under Colonel Caillaud, that the companies started to specialize in a particular task: Anti-tank combat (1st company), Mountain combat (2nd company), Amphibious combat (3rd company) and Destruction explosive activities (4th company). This regrouping reformed the R.E.P into an elite para-commando force. In June 1967 the regiment was moved to its current base at Camp Raffalli, Calvi on the island of
Corsica Corsica ( , , ; ; ) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the Regions of France, 18 regions of France. It is the List of islands in the Mediterranean#By area, fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of the Metro ...
. It was assigned to the 11th Division and became part of France's rapid intervention forces.


(1967–1978)

* Chad: (in 1969, Operations Pout, Manta, Sparrowhawk): Elements of the regiment were deployed to Chad in April 1969 as part of a French force to support the government against two rebel forces. Returning at the end of 1970. Individual companies were deployed again in 1978–79 to protect French lives and again in 1984. *
French Territory of the Afars and the Issas The French Territory of the Afars and the Issas (FTAI; ) was the name given to present-day Djibouti between 1967 and 1977, while it was still an Overseas territory (France), overseas territory of France. The area was formerly known as French Soma ...
: (1976 Loyada, 1992 Operation Iskoutir). * Zaire: In May 1978, a force of ''gendarmes katangais'' entered the Katanga province of
Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...
from
Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
and occupied the mining town of Kolwezi. They began to loot the town and kill government soldiers and civilians (including several Belgian and French employees of a mining company). At the request of the government of Zaire, 2 REP was airlifted to Kinshasa and dropped on Kolwezi. The operation was a success and the town was quickly recaptured with minor casualties in the ranks of the paratroopers. Some 120 civilian hostages died in the occupation.


(1978–2015)

In 1994, the parachute company which the REP had provided for the 13th Demi-Brigade of Foreign Legion (13e DBLE) was dissolved. Nevertheless, the 2e REP continued each year to supply a company on 4-month rotations until the departure of the 13e DBLE on June 13, 2011. Operations: * 1982
Lebanon Lebanon, officially the Republic of Lebanon, is a country in the Levant region of West Asia. Situated at the crossroads of the Mediterranean Basin and the Arabian Peninsula, it is bordered by Syria to the north and east, Israel to the south ...
: ( Operation Épaulard I spearheaded by Lieutenant Colonel Bernard Janvier from August to September 1982 under command of Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon, in preparation for the Multinational Force in Lebanon and then
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (; ), or UNIFIL (; ) is a United Nations peacekeeping mission established on 19 March 1978 by United Nations Security Council Resolutions United Nations Security Council Resolution 425, 425 and Unit ...
) along with the 31st Brigade which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion. * 1990-91
Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...
: in Division Daguet part of Opération Daguet, Reconnaissance and Deep Action
Commandos A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opp ...
(), and contingents of 1st Marine Infantry Paratroopers Regiment in
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
under the command of Général de brigade Bernard Janvier ) * 1990, 1992
Rwanda Rwanda, officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of East Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator, Rwanda is bordered by ...
: Operation Noroit * 1990
Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...
: Operation Shark * 1992
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
: () * 1996 Central African Republic: Operation Almandine * 1997
Congo-Brazzaville The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...
: Operation Pelican * 1993 to 2003 Former Yugoslavia: 1993 Sarajevo; 1995, 1996 and 1999 KFOR: 2001 and 2003 Kosovo * 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010
Côte d'Ivoire Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire and officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital city of Yamoussoukro is located in the centre of the country, while its largest city and ...
: Opération Licorne


2008–2015

The regiment served in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
with the
International Security Assistance Force The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. It was established by United Nations Security Council United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386, Resolution 1386 ac ...
sending OMLTs in 2008 and 2012: GTIA (''Altor'' in 2010) and SGTIA (''Ba cum'' in 2011) as part of Brigade La Fayette (Operation Pamir). Three Legionnaires, Nepali Kisan Thapa, Pole Konrad Rygiel and Slovakian Robert Hutnik were
killed in action Killed in action (KIA) is a casualty classification generally used by militaries to describe the deaths of their personnel at the hands of enemy or hostile forces at the moment of action. The United States Department of Defense, for example, ...
. There were structural changes from 2010. In January 2011, a defense base in Calvi was created. Colonel Plessy was the first commandant of the designated defense base, while being the regimental commander of the 2e REP. 2e REP continued to be deployed on short duration missions: in Djibouti until the departure of the 13th Demi-Brigade of Foreign Legion in 2011; to
Gabon Gabon ( ; ), officially the Gabonese Republic (), is a country on the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, on the equator, bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, the Republic of the Congo to the east and south, and ...
; to
New Caledonia New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...
; and as of 2012, in the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
as a deployed company of the 13e DBLE, alternating with Legion infantry units from metropolitan France. In 2012, a subunit from the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...
deployment protected the French Military Hospital in
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
during Operation Tamour ( :fr:opération Tamour). During the night of January 27 and 28, 2013, a company of the 2e REP was parachuted into the city of
Timbuktu Timbuktu ( ; ; Koyra Chiini: ; ) is an ancient city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. It is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali, having a population of 32,460 in the 2018 census. ...
as part of
Operation Serval Operation Serval () was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali. Operation Serval followed the United Nations Security ...
in
Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
. This was the regiment's first parachute drop since Kolwezi in 1978. In 2015, a fifth combat company was formed, specialized in desert warfare.


Global War on Terror from 2015 until present

Operation Serval Operation Serval () was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali. Operation Serval followed the United Nations Security ...
in
Mali Mali, officially the Republic of Mali, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is the List of African countries by area, eighth-largest country in Africa, with an area of over . The country is bordered to the north by Algeria, to the east b ...
having been replaced by
Operation Barkhane Operation Barkhane (French language, French: ''Opération Barkhane'') was a counterinsurgency operation that started on 1 August 2014 and formally ended on 9 November 2022. It was led by the French military against Islamist groups in Africa's S ...
in the Saharan Sahel in August 2014, 3 combat sections of the regiment parachuted in the north of Niger between April 7 and April 13, 2015. The War on Terror in France and Opération Sentinelle means the regiment operates in mainland France.


Selection

Promo Parachutiste is the selection course which Legionnaires intending to join 2ème REP undergo at Camp Raffalli in Calvi, Haute-Corse. Following selections, a Legionnaire's training begins with 12 months of physical, mental and psychological tests across all terrain and weather conditions including special operations. 2e R.E.P is the only regiment of the 11th Parachute Brigade which trains their own paratroopers. The Legionnaires spend their parachute training in Calvi TAP within the walls of the regiment. All other French Army paratrooper units are trained at the École des troupes aéroportées (ETAP) in Pau. Stringent Training Practices – The Slovakian recruit Joszef Tvarusko, who was part of the 2e R.E.P of the French Foreign Legion, died from heatstroke during a rigorous exercise in Djibouti in May 2008, leading to the trial of four of his superiors over alleged harsh treatment.


Organization

The regiment is composed of around 1310 men organized into 10
companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...
and a reserve unit of 60 men. As of 2018, the structure of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment consisted of: * Compagnie de Commandement et de Logistique (CCL) – Command and Logistics Company * Compagnie d'Administration et de Soutien (CAS) – Administrative and Support Company * 1re CIE – 1st Company (specialises in
urban warfare Urban warfare is warfare in urban areas such as towns and cities. Urban combat differs from combat in the open at both Military operation, operational and the Military tactics, tactical levels. Complicating factors in urban warfare include the p ...
)Originally specialised in
Night Night, or nighttime, is the period of darkness when the Sun is below the horizon. Sunlight illuminates one side of the Earth, leaving the other in darkness. The opposite of nighttime is daytime. Earth's rotation causes the appearance of ...
and
Anti-tank warfare Anti-tank warfare refers to the military strategies, tactics, and weapon systems designed to counter and destroy enemy armored vehicles, particularly tanks. It originated during World War I following the first deployment of tanks in 1916, and ...
.
(a command section and 4 combat sections - a French section is equivalent to a platoon in Anglophone armies) * 2e CIE – 2nd Company (specialises in
mountain warfare Mountain warfare or alpine warfare is warfare in mountains or similarly rough terrain. The term encompasses military operations affected by the terrain, hazards, and factors of combat and movement through rough terrain, as well as the strategies ...
) (a command section and 4 combat sections) * 3e CIE – 3rd Company (specialises in
amphibious warfare Amphibious warfare is a type of offensive military operation that today uses naval ships to project ground and air power onto a hostile or potentially hostile shore at a designated landing beach. Through history the operations were conduc ...
) (a command section and 4 combat sections) * 4e CIE – 4th Company (specialises in woodland warfare) (a command section and 4 combat sections) * 5e CIE – 5th Company (specialises in desert warfare) ( a command section and 4 combat sections) * 6e CIE – 6th Company (reserve company), formed in July 2001 upon the dissolution of the 173rd Infantry Regiment of Corsica * Compagnie d'Appui (CA) (then known as ''Compagnie d'éclairage et d'appui'' – ''CEA'') – Combat Support Company ** Section de Reconnaissance Régimentaire (SRR) – Motorised Reconnaissance Platoon ** Section d'Appui Direct (SAD) – Portable Medium-range Missile Platoon ** Section d'Appui Mortier (SAM-120) – Heavy Mortar Platoon ** Section de Tireurs d'Elite (STE) – Elite Snipers Platoon ** Groupement des Commandos Parachutistes (GCP) – Parachute Commando Group * Compagnie de Maintenance Régimentaire (CMR) (then known as 5e Compagnie de maintenance – 5e CM) – Regimental Maintenance Company (formed August 1994) Consisting similarly to the DINOPS, PCG, GCM of the Legion REGs, the 2e REP operates more specialized action teams than other Legion regiments. These include the GCP of the Commando Parachute Group – ''Groupement Commando Parachutiste'' which is a
special forces Special forces or special operations forces (SOF) are military units trained to conduct special operations. NATO has defined special operations as "military activities conducted by specially designated, organized, selected, trained and equip ...
unit of the 11th Parachute Brigade of the
French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...
. While GCP members of other specialized regular units wear the parachutist's red beret, the 2e REP GCP members wear the green beret.


Traditions

Except for the Legionnaires of the 1er REG, 2e REG, 2e REP that retain the green beret; the remainder of the metropolitan French army and marine paratroopers, of the 11th Parachute Brigade, wear the red beret. File:Brevet Parachutiste.jpg, French parachute brevet.


Insignias

The insignia of the French metropolitan Paratroopers represents a closed "winged armed dextrochere", meaning a "right winged arm" armed with a sword pointing upwards. The Insignia makes reference to the Patron of Paratroopers. In fact, the Insignia represents "the right Arm of Saint Michael", the
Archangel Archangels () are the second lowest rank of angel in the Catholic hierarchy of angels, based on and put forward by Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite in the 5th or 6th century in his book ''De Coelesti Hierarchia'' (''On the Celestial Hierarchy'') ...
which according to
Liturgy Liturgy is the customary public ritual of worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and participation in the sacred through activities reflecting praise, thanksgiving, remembra ...
is the "Armed Arm of God". This Insignia is the symbol of righteous combat and fidelity to superior missions. File:Cie para 3REI.JPG, Co. Para du 3e R.E.I in the 1er B.E.P and 1er R.E.P File:Insigne1erBEP.jpg, 1er B.E.P File:Monument aux morts legion para.jpg, Officers, Sous-Officiers and Legionnaires of the C.E.Ps, B.E.Ps and R.E.Ps File:Insigne du 1° REP.jpg, 1er R.E.P File:Insigne3REP.jpg, 3e B.E.P & 3e R.E.P File:Insigne 1°CEPML.jpg, 1re C.E.P de M.L File:CERA.JPG, C.E.R.A File:Insigne 2e régiment étranger de parachutistes.jpg, 2e B.E.P


Regimental Colors

''Bearing stitched in golden letters, the following inscriptions''.


Regimental Songs

Chant de Marche : La Légion marche featuring: La Légion marche vers le front, En chantant nous suivons, Héritiers de ses traditions, Nous sommes avec elle. (Refrain) Nous sommes les hommes des troupes d'assaut, Soldats de la vieille Légion, Demain brandissant nos drapeaux, En vainqueurs nous défilerons, Nous n'avons pas seulement des armes, Mais le diable marche avec nous, Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, car nos aînés de la Légion, Se battant là-bas, nous emboîtons le pas. Pour ce destin de chevalier, Honneur, Fidélité, Nous sommes fiers d'appartenir Au 2e REP.


Decorations

The regimental colors are decorated with: * Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with: ** 6 palms obtained during the campaigns of the
First Indochina War The First Indochina War (generally known as the Indochina War in France, and as the Anti-French Resistance War in Vietnam, and alternatively internationally as the French-Indochina War) was fought between French Fourth Republic, France and Việ ...
. The 6 palms obtained during the same campaign allows the regiment to wear the red fourragère. * Fourragère with: ** ruban colors of the Légion d'honneur, only two regiments (2e R.E.P & 1er R.C.P) earned this fourragère for participating in military campaigns in Indochina. The 2e REP has received a second fourragère Valeur Militaire in July 2013Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, Traditions, Le Drapeau du 2e REP
/ref> * Cross for Military Valour with 4 palms for the following citations: ** Intervention at Loyada ( Djibouti, frontier with
Somalia Somalia, officially the Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. The country is located in the Horn of Africa and is bordered by Ethiopia to the west, Djibouti to the northwest, Kenya to the southwest, th ...
) in 1976 and the
Battle of Kolwezi The Battle of Kolwezi was an airborne operation by French and Belgian airborne forces that took place in May 1978 in Zaire during the Shaba II invasion of Zaire by the Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FLNC). It aimed at rescu ...
in 1978. ** Interventions in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
with the contingents of
ISAF The International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) was a multinational military mission in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. It was established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1386 according to the Bonn Agreement, which outlined t ...
(2 palms). ** Airborne operations on
Timbuktu Timbuktu ( ; ; Koyra Chiini: ; ) is an ancient city in Mali, situated north of the Niger River. It is the capital of the Tombouctou Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali, having a population of 32,460 in the 2018 census. ...
during
Operation Serval Operation Serval () was a French military operation in Mali. The aim of the operation was to oust Islamic militants from the north of Mali, who had begun a push into the center of Mali. Operation Serval followed the United Nations Security ...
in 2013. * Fourragère with: ** the attribution of the two citations for the same operation theatre confers the right to wear the fourragère with colors of the Croix de la Valeur militaire (as of July, 2013)circulaire n°, 13913/SDBC/DECO créant une fourragère à la couleur croix de la Valeur militaire du 28 novembre 2011 and the olive colors of the
Médaille militaire The ''Médaille militaire'' (, "Military Medal") is a military decoration of the French Republic for other ranks for meritorious service and acts of bravery in action against an enemy force. It is the third highest award of the French Republic, ...
for the ensemble of the four conferred citations. File:Croix de la Valeur Militaire France AVERS.jpg, File:Croix de guerre des TOE.jpg, File:Fourragère LH.png,


Honours


=Battle honours

= * Camerone 1863Camerone is a Battle Honour shared by all Foreign Legion Regiments, no matter when it was formed. * Indochine 1949–1954 * AFN 1952–1962


Company, Battalion & Regimental Commanders

''Note (*): Legion officers killed leading their battalions and regiments''


2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (1948–1955)


2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1955–present


Notable Officers, Sous-Officiers and Legionnaires


Notes


References

* Official website of th
French Foreign Legion
* Porch, Douglas. ''The French Foreign Legion.'' New York: Harper Collins, 1991. * Braby, Wayne & Windrow, Martin. ''French Foreign Legion Paratroops.'' Oxford: Osprey Publishing, 1985. * Lochrie, Alex. ''Fighting for the French Foreign Legion.'' London: Pen & Sword, 2009. * The 2e Rep: French Foreign Legion Paratroopers, Yves Debay, Histoire & Collections, 2003, ,


External links

* Official website â€
2e Régiment étranger de parachutistes

2eREP veterans forum
* History and images â€
2e REP History
{{DEFAULTSORT:Foreign Parachute Regiment, 2nd Parachute infantry regiments of France Infantry regiments of the French Foreign Legion Military units and formations established in 1955