Uniforms of the French Foreign Legion, 1831-1981

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Main articles: 1st Foreign Regiment, Paul-Frédéric Rollet, and Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion Paul-Frédéric Rollet (1875–1941) From 1965 to 1967, the Legion operated several companies, including the 5th Heavy Weight Transport Company (CTGP), mainly in charge of evacuating the Sahara. The area of responsibility of some of these units extended from the confines of the in-between of the Sahara to the Mediterranean. Ongoing interventions and rapid deployments two years later and the following years included in part: Devises de la Légion étrangère. There have been three main mottoes within the Foreign Legion since its creation to summarize the general motivation of this exceptional unit. Post-colonial Africa [ edit ] The 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion parading through Roman ruins in Lambaesis, Algeria (c. 1958). Sergeant-chef wearing the Tenue de Réception also known as tenue de gala, worn by members of the French Foreign Legion, this example is that of a non cavalry unit indicated by the gold branch of service buttons and kepi enmeshments and chevron colour, as all cavalry units within the French army use silver as the branch of service colour, the term tenue de réception actually covers several different variations of uniform (see notes below), the kepi would generally only be worn for outdoor occasions, the rank is identified by the three gold chevrons worn on both sleeves and the gold chin-strap and seven flamed grenade on the kepi noir

VBL ( Véhicule Blindé Léger– Light armored vehicle) is a wheeled 4×4 all-terrain amphibious vehicle used by the Foreign Legion and other French Army forces. It has been produced by Panhard since the end of 1980s. Within the Foreign Legion, the VBL has been using by the reconnaissance units of the 1er REC and 2e REI since the early 1990s. La mission est sacrée, tu l'exécutes jusqu’au bout et, s'il le faut, en opérations, au péril de ta vie. Peacekeeping operations in Lebanon at the corps of the United Nations Multinational Force during the Lebanese Civil War along with the 31 ème Brigade which included the 1st Foreign Regiment 1 er RE. Operation Épaulard I was spearheaded by Lieutenant-colonel Bernard Janvier. The Multinational Force also included the British Armed Forces 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, U.S. American contingents of United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy, the French Navy and 28 exclusive French Armed Forces regiments including French paratroopers regiments, companies, units of the 11th Parachute Brigade along with the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 2 e REP. The multinational force also included the Irish Armed Forces and units of the French National Gendarmerie, Italian paratroopers from the Folgore Brigade, and infantry units from the Bersaglieri regiments and Marines of the San Marco Battalion.Since, in view of the rugged Indochinese climate, older men without previous tropical experience constituted more a liability than an asset, the average age of the Foreign Legion enlistees was about 23. At the time of the battle of Dien Bien Phu, any legionnaire of that age group was at the worst, in his "Hitler Youth" shorts when the [Third] Reich collapsed. [66]

By the mid-1960s the Legion had lost its traditional and spiritual home in French Algeria and elite units had been dissolved. [43] President de Gaulle considered disbanding it altogether but, being reminded of the Marching Regiments, and that the 13th Demi-Brigade was one of the first units to declare for him in 1940 and taking also into consideration the effective service of various Saharan units and performances of other Legions units, he chose instead to downsize the Legion from 40,000 to 8,000 men and relocate it to metropolitan France. [51] Legion units continued to be assigned to overseas service, although not in North Africa (see below). Commemoration of the Battle of Camarón by the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment at the Roman Theatre of Orange. Regimental flags of the 1st Foreign Regiment and 2nd Regiments in Paris, 2003. [5] Mottos [ edit ] Honneur et Fidélité [ edit ]

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During the 18th century; small pioneer detachments, carrying axes and other working tools, served with the grenadier companies of the infantry regiments of the French Royal Army. [2] In battle they joined with the grenadiers who led infantry assaults on fortified positions. The primary purpose of the pioneers was to use their axes to demolish the obstacles and barriers created by the enemy. Away from the battlefield the pioneers served as the regimental tradesmen, constructing and repairing buildings; or clearing access through forested terrain. The current official thesis says that the motto has probably been used within the Legion since the 1850s, when the 2nd Foreign Legion (Swiss Legion) was integrated into the original Foreign Legion. However, the motto Valeur et Discipline was predominately used until the late 1910s, even on regimental flags. In 1920, a ministry decree prescribed that the motto Honneur et Fidélité should appear on all regimental flags of the Legion, both current and future. The motto has been emblazoned on them since then. The current flag of the 1er RE with the motto Honneur et Fidélité. In 1921, the 1er RE’s regimental flag was the very first flag with this motto emblazoned on it. La musique de la Légion étrangère ( La Musique principale until 1999). The Foreign Legion Music Band. This band is a traditional part and a symbol of the Foreign Legion. It was established in 1832. The Music is composed exclusively of legionnaires, who have finished the same four-month-long basic training as the rest of the Legion. In 1962, the Music band left the Foreign Legion headquarters based in Sidi bel Abbes, Algeria, and, alongside the 1er RE, it moved to Aubagne in southern France. Today, about 55 members of the Music travel and play around the world to promote the Foreign Legion. The mission is sacred, you carry it out to the end, and in operations, if necessary, even at the risk of your life.

The image of the Legion as a professional and non-political force was tarnished when the elite 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1 er REP, which was also part of the 10th Parachute Division played a leading role in the generals' putsch of 1961 [45] and was subsequently disbanded. Main operations during the Algerian War included the Battle of Algiers and the Bataille of the Frontiers, fought by 60,000 soldiers including French and Legion paratroopers. For paratroopers of the Legion, the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1 er REP) and 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2 ème REP), were the only known foreign active parachute regiments, exclusively commanded by Pierre Paul Jeanpierre for the 1 er REP [45] and the paratrooper commanders of the 2 ème REP. [47] The remainder of French paratrooper units of the French Armed Forces were commanded by Jacques Massu, Buchond, Marcel Bigeard, Paul Aussaresses. Other Legion offensives in the mountains in 1959 included operations Jumelles, Cigales, and Ariège in the Aures and the last in Kabylie. [45]

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In September 1990, the 1st Foreign Regiment, the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, and the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment were sent to the Persian Gulf as a part of Opération Daguet along with the 1st Spahi Regiment, the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment, the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment, the French Army Light Aviation, the Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine, and components of the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment, the 1st Parachute Hussard Regiment, and the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment. Division Daguet was commanded by Général de brigade Bernard Janvier. The Pionniers ( pioneers) are the combat engineers and a traditional unit of the Foreign Legion. The sapper traditionally sport large beards, wear leather aprons and gloves and hold axes. The sappers were very common in European armies during the Napoleonic Era but progressively disappeared during the 19th century. The French Army, including the Legion disbanded its regimental sapper platoons in 1870. However, in 1931 one of a number of traditions restored to mark the hundredth anniversary of the Legion's founding was the reestablishment of its bearded Pionniers. [96]

Main articles: Foreign Legion Command, Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers), and Honneur et Fidélité The legionnaires are an integral part of the French Army. Today, they constitute some 7–8% of its strength (or 11% of the Ground Operational Forces, FOT, French Army operational units). [58] One of the first ACMAT VT4 vehicles ( 2018) The Legion’s 2e REG received its first ACMAT VT4 ( December 2018)

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MMP ( Missile Moyenne Portée– Medium-Range Missile) is a man-portable anti-tank guided missile in use by the French armed forces since 2018. The Foreign Legion adopted it in 2019. The missile was developed by MBDA, a European multinational developer (French-Italian-British) in the early 2010s. The main task was to modernize the armed forces by replacing the outdated MILAN missile, unsuitable for urban warfare and anti-insurgent operations. The MMP is also well suited for extreme weather (desert and sub-arctic conditions). In contrast to all other French Army units, the motto embroidered on the Foreign Legion's regimental flags is not Honneur et Patrie (Honour and Fatherland) but Honneur et Fidélité (Honour and Fidelity). [76] Legio Patria Nostra [ edit ]