French Foreign Legion

Categories: French Army

Image:French Foreign Legion dsc06878.jpg
Légionnaires in dress uniform. Note the red epaulettes and the distinctive white kepi. They carry the standard assault rifle, the FAMAS.

The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion Étrangère) has been a unique and distinguished unit within the French Army since 1831. It takes its name from the fact that it is chiefly comprised of foreign fighters who after a term of years may become French citizens.

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History

The French Foreign Legion was created by Louis Philippe, then King of France, on March 10, 1831, to support his war in Algeria. Successive legions were also raised to augment the French forces in the Crimean War, in Italy, and in Mexico.

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Mexico

It was in Mexico on 30 April 1863 that the Legion earned its legendary status. The small infantry patrol unit led by Capitaine Danjou numbering 62 soldiers and 3 officers was attacked and besieged by Mexican infantry and cavalry units numbering 3 battalions, and was forced to make a defense in Hacienda Camarón. Despite the hopelessness of the situation they fought nearly to the last man. Danjou was mortally wounded in the defense of the hacienda, and the last of his men mounted a desperate bayonet attack. When the last three survivors were asked to surrender, they insisted that the Mexican soldiers allow them safe passage back home, to keep their flag, and to escort the body of the fallen Danjou. Upon seeing this, the Mexican commander commented, "these are not men, they are devils," and out of respect agreed to these terms.

Today the "Camerone Day" is an important day of celebration for the Legionnaires, when the wooden prosthetic hand of Capitane Danjou is brought on display.

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Franco-Prussian War

During the Franco-Prussian War, the Legion attempted to lift the Siege of Paris by breaking through the German lines. They succeeded in taking Orleans, but failed to break the siege.

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Colonial Warfare

During the Third Republic, the Legion played a major role in French colonial expansion. They fought in North Africa (where they established their headquarters at Sidi-Bel-Abbès in Algeria), Madagascar, and Indochina, where they participated in the celebrated defense of Tuyen Quang in 1885.

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The World Wars

In World War I the Legion fought in many critical battles of the war, including the Battle of Verdun. The Legion was heavily decorated for its efforts in the war.

The Foreign Legion was heavily involved in World War II, playing a large role in the Middle East and the North African campaign. The 13th Demi-Brigade was deployed in the Battle of Bir Hakeim. Interestingly, part of the Legion was loyal to the Free French movement, yet another part was loyal to the Vichy government. A battle in Syria saw two opposing sides fight against each other in a short engagement, and later on the Vichy Legion joined its Free French brethren.

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Indochina

Units of the Legion were deployed in French Indochina and fought in the Franco-Chinese War, and one battalion was the key component in the celebrated defense of the fortress of Tuyen Quang when it was assaulted by Chinese troops many times its number.

Units of the Legion were involved in the defense of Dien Bien Phu and lost a large number of their men in the battle. Towards the desperate end of the battle, Legionnaires formed the bulk of the volunteer relief force which were delivered by parachute to the base.

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Membership

While most of its commissioned officers are French, approximately 10% are former legionnaires who have risen through the ranks. The rest of the Legion is made up of men from a wide variety of nationalities, with French citizens representing 25-35% of the legionnaires. The foreign volunteers are primarily European. Before and during World War II, many Jews from Eastern Europe fled to France and ended up enlisting in the legion. Ironically, after the fall of the Third Reich, Germans (long a major presence in the legion) accounted for roughly sixty percent of the manpower, with many former Nazi and SS troops coming directly from POW camps. During the mid 1980s there were large contingents of British and Yugoslav nationals. Present day has seen a number of recruits from African countries.

Legionnaires can choose to enlist under a pseudonym ("declared identity") and a declared citizenship. This disposition exists in order to allow people who want to turn a page in their life to enlist. French citizens can enlist under a declared, fictitious, foreign citizenship (generally, a francophone one). After one year, legionnaires can regularize their situation under their true identity.

In the past, the Legion had a reputation for attracting criminals on the run and would-be mercenaries. In recent years, however, admission has been restricted much more severely and background checks are done on all applicants. Generally speaking, convicted felons are prohibited from joining the service.

After serving in the Legion for three years (out of a five year initial enlistment), the legionnaire is allowed to apply for French citizenship. Furthermore, a soldier harmed in combat for France is also allowed to apply for French citizenship under a provision known as "français par le sang versé" ("French by spilled blood").

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Composition

Previously, the Legion was not stationed in mainland France except in wartime. Until 1962 the Legion headquarters were stationed in Sidi-Bel-Abbès, Algeria. Nowadays, some units of the legion are in Corsica or overseas possessions, while the rest is in the south of mainland France. Current headquarters are in Aubagne, France, just outside Marseille.

There are nine regiments and one independent sub-unit :

  • Mainland France
    • 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), based in Orange (armoured troops)
    • 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), based in Nîmes,
    • 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG), based in Laudun;
    • 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG), based in St Christol,
    • 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE), based in Aubagne (Legion headquarters),
    • 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE), based in Castelnaudary (training);
  • in Corsica,
    • 2nd Foreign Parachutist Regiment (2e REP), based in Calvi;
  • French Overseas Territories and Overseas Collectives,
    • 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (3e REI), based in French Guiana,
    • Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte(DLEM) in Comore Islands, off East Africa.
  • Africa
    • 13th Demi-Brigade of Foreign Legion (13 DBLE), based in Djibouti.
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Current Deployments

These deployments are current as of October 2005

  • Operations exterieures (other than at home bases or on standard duties)
    • Martinique - (Protection) - 2e REG / 2e Compagnie, RCS;
    • Paris, France - VIGIPIRATE - 1er REC / 2 units, EM; 2e REI / 3 units, EM; 1er REG / 2 units;
    • Guyane - (Protection) - 3e REI / 3e Compagnie; 1er REG / RCS;
    • Cote D'Ivoire - (Intervention) - Operation LICORNE - 2e REP / 2e Compagnie;
    • Mayotte - (Prevention) - DLEM;
    • Iles Glorieuses - (Prevention) - DLEM;
    • Djibouti - (Prevention) - 13e DBLE; 2e REI / CAC, RCS; 2e REG / 1er Compagnie, RCS;
    • Kosovo - (Intervention) - 2e REG / CA.
  • Training Operations
    • 2e REP - France (Midi-Pyrenees and Champagne Ardenne) - Mourmelon/Extel Aveyron
    • 1er REC - France (Provence/Alpes-Cotes D'Azur) - Ex. Amphibie - Canjuers;
    • 2e REI - France (Languedoc-Roussillon and England) - La Courtine, Ex. Angleterre;
    • DLEM - Africa - Ex. Madagascar;
    • 3e REI - Africa - Piste Assa Gaila; Ex. REG;
    • 13e DBLE - Guyane - Stage Combat en Milieu Equatorial Camopi.
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Notable Members of the Légion Étrangère

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The Legion in popular culture

The existence of the French Foreign Legion has led to a romantic view that it is a place for a wronged man to leave behind his old life to start a new one, but also that it is full of scoundrels and men escaping justice. This view of the legion is common in literature, and has been used for dramatic effect in many movies, not the least of which are the several versions of Beau Geste. The Legion is also depicted in the U.S. comic strip Crock.

There is a French song made famous by Edith Piaf called "Mon Legionnaire".

The Foreign Legion adopted another Edith Piaf song as their own "Je ne regrette rien" during the 1950's and today is still a popular Legion 'chant' sung when on parade, adapting it to their unique marching cadence of 88 steps to the minute.

Ante Gotovina's biography The General, written by Croatian writer Nenad Ivankovic, is mainly about Gotovina's life in the Legion.

Most recently, the Legion was revealed in a contemporary (July 2005) documentary Escape to the Legion, commissioned by the British television channel, Channel 4. In this four-part series, 11 volunteers with Bear Grylls explored the myths, romanticism and rigours of basic training in the French Foreign Legion.

Additionally, Legion of the Lost an autobiography by Jaime Salazar published in 2005, chronicles his experience as an American citizen who joined the legion out of boredom and disenfranchisement from white collar America.

The Foreign Legion was also portrayed in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles tv series during WWI.

Legionaire, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, depicted the Foreign Legion's battles against Algerian berbers.

The Mummy, starring Brendan Fraser, begins with Fraser's character, Rick O'Connell, a member of Foreign Legion and fighting in ruins of Hamunapftra (City of Dead).

The 1939 comedy, Flying Deuces is one of the most popular films to star the duo Laurel and Hardy. The film begins with the pair joining the Foreign Legion and much of the comedy comes from their experiences.

"March or Die" (1978), (also known in France as "Marche ou creve") stars Gene Hackman as Colonel Foster, an embittered Legion veteran of the Legion's heroic RMLE who returns to Algeria from the Western Front at end of WW1. He is ordered to chaperone an archaeological expedition into hostile Arab territory. The film also stars Max Von Sydow, Catherine Deneuve, Terence Hill and Ian Holm.

In science fiction writer Jerry Pournelle's "Future History", http://www.chronology.org/pournelle/, whose main character is a future soldier of fortune named John Christian Falkenberg, there is a central role to the CoDominium Navy, which fights on all kinds of planets far away in space, and which had been created out of the French Foreign Legion and still keeps many of its traditions such as the aforementioned "Camerone Day".

The movie, Savior, with Dennis Quaid, is about an American who joins the legion after he shoots a group of Muslims (following a Muslim bombing of the restaurant where his wife and son were--both die). In the legion, Quaid is a sniper and is involved in the Bosnia/Serb/Croatian ethnic wars.

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See also

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External links

de:Fremdenlegion es:Legión extranjera francesa fr:Légion étrangère ja:フランス外人部隊 no:Fremmedlegionen nl:Vreemdelingenlegioen pl:Legia Cudzoziemska sl:Francoska tujska legija fi:Muukalaislegioona sv:Främlingslegionen he:לגיון הזרים הצרפתי zh:法国外籍兵团