HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment () is one of two
combat engineer A combat engineer (also called pioneer or sapper) is a type of soldier who performs military engineering tasks in support of land forces combat operations. Combat engineers perform a variety of military engineering, Tunnel warfare, tunnel and l ...
regiments 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 ...
. Stationed, since its creation in 1999, on the former site of the French Strategic Nuclear Missiles at Saint Christol,
Vaucluse Vaucluse (; or ) is a department in the southeastern French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur. It had a population of 561,469 as of 2019.
, southern
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade.


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 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 ...
. The regiment participated to the conservation of the indochinese patrimony of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 5e REI, "The Tonkin Regiment". The regiment is a unit component of the military engineers () 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 ...
. 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 4e 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, which housed previously the 1st Strategic Missiles Groupment () (1er 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 (27e 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 Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
and metropole
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
during interior operations.


Campaigns ( 1999–present)

Engineer Combat Missions Since creation in 1999, the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment () has been present in the following theatres of exterior operations: *
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 ...
with the 13e DBLE *
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 ...
*
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 ...
*
French Guiana French Guiana, or Guyane in French, is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France located on the northern coast of South America in the Guianas and the West Indies. Bordered by Suriname to the west ...
at the corps of the 3e REI *
Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
, Kosovo *
Martinique Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
*
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 ...
in Opération Baliste launched by
French President The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is the supreme magistracy of the country, the pos ...
Jacques Chirac Jacques René Chirac (, ; ; 29 November 193226 September 2019) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1995 to 2007. He was previously Prime Minister of France from 1974 to 1976 and 1986 to 1988, as well as Mayor of Pari ...
, during the month of July 2006. Following the Israeli bombardments of the bridges in Southern Lebanon, the
world The world is the totality of entities, the whole of reality, or everything that Existence, exists. The nature of the world has been conceptualized differently in different fields. Some conceptions see the world as unique, while others talk ...
needed a combat engineer regiment to intervene quickly and efficiently in the reconstruction of bridges based on the old
Bailey bridge A Bailey bridge is a type of portable, Prefabrication, pre-fabricated, Truss Bridge, truss bridge. It was developed in 1940–1941 by the British Empire in World War II, British for military use during the World War II, Second World War and saw ...
system whose concept dates back to
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. 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 () in the Legion and more particularly at the 2e REG. * The regiment intervenese regularly in internal security operations: SATER Plan (), "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 (, , ) is the air force, air and space force of the French Armed Forces. Formed in 1909 as the ("Aeronautical Service"), a service arm of the French Army, it became an independent military branch in 1934 as the Fr ...
. Elements of SATER Plan was used to support protective operations around all the depots before the use of the
euro The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
, in 2001. * The regiment intervenes regularly in internal security operations: Vigipirate, a mission shared and contributed by all other regiments. Humanitarian Missions *The regiment also served in metropole
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, while barely being created, within operations of the Orsec Disposition (), "ORSEC" (),(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 which caused the devastation and destruction of a part of
Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...
.


Organization

The regiment is composed of around 900 to 925 men organized into 6
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 ...
. *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 *1re Compagnie de Combat - 1st Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section) *2e Compagnie de Combat - 2nd Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section) *3e 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, ) former DINOPS Teams of Nautical Subaquatic Intervention Operational Detachment ( ) specialized in
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 ...
, 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, 27e BIM File:Insigne de béret du 2e REG.jpg, Beret insignia of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, 2e 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


See also

*
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 ...
* 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (France) *
Major (France) () is the seniormost non-commissioned officer rank in France and other Francophone countries. Unlike most other countries which use the old European rank system, France uses as its lowest ranking Senior officer#France, senior officer. While t ...
* Music of the Foreign Legion (MLE) * 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment * 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment * List of French Foreign Legion units


Notes


References

*www.legion-etrangere.com *


External links

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