The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (french: 2^e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 2^e REI) is an

infantry Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...

regiment of the Foreign Legion in the

French Army History Early history The first permanent army, paid with regular wages, instead of feudal levies, was established under Charles VII of France, Charles VII in the 1420 to 1430s. The Kings of France needed reliable troops during and after the ...

. The regiment is one of two mechanized infantry regiments of the

6th Light Armoured Brigade The 6th Light Armoured Brigade (french: 6e Brigade Légère Blindée, 6e BLB) is one of the eight inter-arm brigades which are at the disposition of the '' Commandement des Forces Terrestres''. The headquarters of the brigade is situated in Nîmes ...

. Since the regiment's arrival from Bonifacio in 1983, it has been stationed at Quartier Colonel de Chabrières; named in honor of Colonel de Chabrières who was shot in the chest while leading a charge of the regiment. Quartier Colonel Chabrières is situated in Nimes, a historical

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

city, in the south of

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

An armored infantry regiment, equipment includes more than 135

Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé The Véhicule de l'Avant Blindé 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 ...

(VAB) and

Véhicule Blindé Léger The Panhard Véhicule Blindé Léger ("Light armoured vehicle"), also known by its acronym Panhard VBL or simply VBL, is a French wheeled 4x4 all-terrain vehicle built by Panhard. The vehicle is offered in various configurations, and was design ...

(VBL), to provide armoured protection of personnel during combat. The regiment also has the

Véhicule blindé de combat d'infanterie The Véhicule Blindé de Combat d'Infanterie (English: ''Armoured Infantry Fighting Vehicle'') or VBCI is a French Infantry fighting vehicle designed and manufactured by GIAT Industries (now Nexter Systems) and Renault Trucks Defense to replace ...

(VBCI). The Regiment has responsibility for field testing new equipment for the

as a whole. The regiment benefits from a long tradition of conflicts and interventions. Recent engagements, from the

Balkans The Balkans ( ), also known as 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 throughout the who ...

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is borde ...

while passing by the

Ivory Coast Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre i ...

and the

Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Chad to the north, Sudan to the northeast, South Sudan to the southeast, the DR Congo to the south, the Republic of th ...

added additional experiences for the regiment.

History

Under the first restoration, the Bourbons only retained the Swiss, in souvenir to their loyal service rendered to France during four centuries, and with them also, four foreign regiments out of which one colonial, formed of

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Can ...

and

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

. The eight reorganized foreign regiments by Napoleon at the hundred days formed in 1815 the Royal Foreign Legion (french: « Légion Royale Etrangère »), which became the Hohenlohe Legion (french: « La Légion de Hohenlohe »), then in 1821 the

Hohenlohe Regiment The Hohenlohe Regiment (''Régiment de Hohenlohe'') was an infantry regiment of the French Army established after the abdication of Napoleon I. It consisted of foreign soldiers who wished to continue in French service under the restored monarchy. ...

. Licensed in 1830, the latter contributed to form the Twenty First Light, then the French Foreign Legion (french: La Légion Étrangère). The Swiss regiments of the restoration disappeared in 1830, nevertheless, the Swiss joined the French Army again from 1855 to 1859 under the successive denomination of 2nd Foreign Legion (french: « La Deuxième Légion Etrangère ») and 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1^er Régiment Etranger).

Foreign Legion since 1831

On March 10, 1831; the Foreign Legion was created. On April 1, 1841, the Legion was split in two formations. The 2nd Regiment was organized at Bône, on April 13, 1841, provisionary at two battalions of the

1st Foreign Regiment The 1st Foreign Regiment (french: 1er Régiment étranger, 1er RE) and the 2nd Foreign infantry Regiment are the original and most senior founding regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is also responsible for running sp ...

; the 4th battalion was sent to Algiers and the 5th battalion was garrisoned at Bône. The regiment consisted, just like the other

Line infantry Line infantry was the type of infantry that composed the basis of European land armies from the late 17th century to the mid-19th century. Maurice of Nassau and Gustavus Adolphus are generally regarded as its pioneers, while Turenne and Mon ...

regiments of the époque, a formation of 3,000 men. The 3rd battalion was formed in the following month of May. The regiment was quartered at Constantine in Algeria, with garrisons held at Bône, Bougie, and Djidjelli. Colonel Senilhes was the first regimental commander. The first regimental flag was received in 1848 by colonel

Jean-Luc Carbuccia Jean-Luc Carbuccia (1808 – 17 June 1854) and died at Gallipoli, was a French general and archaeologist. Early life Carbuccia was born in Bastia in 1808. His family; and old Corsican Family, related to Mozer de Mattéï; left for France, p ...

. In 1854,

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A neph ...

decided to create a 2nd Legion, composed uniquely of Swiss. However, with a reduced form of recruitment, the two units, which were engaged in

Crimea Crimea, crh, Къырым, Qırım, grc, Κιμμερία / Ταυρική, translit=Kimmería / Taurikḗ ( ) is a peninsula in Ukraine, on the northern coast of the Black Sea, that has been occupied by Russia since 2014. It has a p ...

, were dismissed at the end of the conflict and regrouped to form the 2nd Foreign Regiment, which re-departed to Algeria in 1856. On January 1, 1862, the two foreign regiments merged under the title of the Foreign Regiment. As part of a reorganisation of the Armee d'Afrique, the regiment was retitled the Foreign Legion (« Légion étrangère ») on March 13, 1875. It numbered 3018 men. On January 1, 1885, the 2nd Foreign Regiment was reformed. The 1st and 2nd

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...

remained in Algeria. The 3rd battalion was assigned to

Tonkin Tonkin, also spelled ''Tongkin'', ''Tonquin'' or ''Tongking'', is an exonym referring to the northern region of Vietnam. During the 17th and 18th centuries, this term referred to the domain '' Đàng Ngoài'' under Trịnh lords' control, includ ...

and the 4th battalion was sent to

Formosa Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territori ...

in 1884, then returned to

2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion in 1855

* On April 3, 1841; the 2nd Regiment of the Foreign Legion (2^ème R.L.E) was created at

Bône Annaba ( ar, عنّابة, "Place of the Jujubes"; ber, Aânavaen), formerly known as Bon, Bona and Bône, is a seaport city in the northeastern corner of Algeria, close to the border with Tunisia. Annaba is near the small Seybouse River ...

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 ...

Sinelhes, constituted of 2240 legionnaires and organized in 3 battalions stationed in Bone, Bougie and Djidjelli, respectively, starting from 1842. * From 1841 to 1857: the 2nd Regiment (2^ème R.L.E) participated at the conquest and campaigns of

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

. * From 1854 to 1855: the 2nd Regiment (2^ème R.L.E) took part in the

Crimean War The Crimean War, , was fought from October 1853 to February 1856 between Russia and an ultimately victorious alliance of the Ottoman Empire, France, the United Kingdom and Piedmont-Sardinia. Geopolitical causes of the war included the ...

in the

Battle of Alma The Battle of the Alma (short for Battle of the Alma River) was a battle in the Crimean War between an allied expeditionary force (made up of French, British, and Ottoman forces) and Russian forces defending the Crimean Peninsula on 20Septem ...

and the Siege of Sevastopol. * On January 17, 1855: the 2nd Regiment (2^ème R.L.E) became the 2nd Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion (2^èmeR.1^èreL.E)

2nd Foreign Regiment in 1856

* In 1856, the 2nd Regiment became the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2^èmeR.E). * In 1859, the 2nd Foreign Regiment took part in the

Second Italian War of Independence The Second Italian War of Independence, also called the Franco-Austrian War, the Austro-Sardinian War or Italian War of 1859 ( it, Seconda guerra d'indipendenza italiana; french: Campagne d'Italie), was fought by the Second French Empire and t ...

. * On June 4, 1859; Colonel de Chabrière, the regimental commander, was killed in action leading the charge during the

Battle of Magenta The Battle of Magenta was fought on 4 June 1859 during the Second Italian War of Independence, resulting in a French-Sardinian victory under Napoleon III against the Austrians under Marshal Ferencz Gyulai. It took place near the town of Mage ...

Foreign Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment in 1862

* In 1862, the 2nd Foreign Regiment became the Foreign Regiment (R.E). * From 1863 to 1867: the Foreign Regiment took part in the French intervention in Mexico. * On April 30, 1863; the Foreign Regiment (R.E) took part in the legendary

Battle of Camarón The Battle of Camarón (french: Bataille de Camerone) which occurred over ten hours on 30 April 1863 between the Foreign Legion of the French Army and the Mexican army, is regarded as a defining moment in the Foreign Legion's history. A small ...

where legion officers,

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

Jean Danjou,

Sous-Lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 19 ...

Jean Vilain,

Clément Maudet led 62 legionnaires against 800 Mexican

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry in ...

and 2,200 Mexican

. When only six of the French-led soldiers remained, and were out of ammunition, a bayonet assault was launched in which three of the legionnaires were killed. Camerone-Danjou

* From 1864 to 1907: the Foreign Regiment took part in the South-Oranese Campaign. * From 1870 to 1871: the Foreign Regiment took part in the Franco-Prussian War. Three battalions of the regiment (two battalions from

Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...

and one formed in

) participated in the Battles of Orleans, the

Battle of Coulmiers The Battle of Coulmiers was fought on 9 November 1870 between French and Bavarian forces during the Franco-Prussian War, ending in French victory. The struggle The Army of the Loire, under General D'Aurelle de Paladines, surprised a Bavaria ...

and the Battle of Saint Suzanne. Immediately following the war, the Foreign Regiment was amongst those troops used to suppress the rising of the

Paris Commune The Paris Commune (french: Commune de Paris, ) was a revolutionary government that seized power in Paris, the capital of France, from 18 March to 28 May 1871. During the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, the French National Guard had defende ...

(May 1871).

Foreign Legion of the 1st Foreign Regiment in 1875

* On April 10, 1875; the 2nd Foreign Regiment became the Foreign Legion (L.E). * In 1883, the Foreign Legion took part in the

Far East The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons. The t ...

in the

Sino-French War The Sino-French War (, french: Guerre franco-chinoise, vi, Chiến tranh Pháp-Thanh), also known as the Tonkin War and Tonquin War, was a limited conflict fought from August 1884 to April 1885. There was no declaration of war. The Chinese arm ...

, notably during the Capture of Sontay, the Bắc Ninh Campaign, the

Siege of Tuyên Quang The siege of Tuyên Quang was an important confrontation between the French and the Chinese armies in Tonkin (northern Vietnam) during the Sino-French War (August 1884 – April 1885). A French garrison of 630 men, including two companies of th ...

and the disembarking of Formosa. * On January 1, 1885; the Foreign Legion became the 2nd Foreign Regiment.

Sudan Campaign and Dahomey Expedition

* From 1892 to 1894, the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2^ème R.E) took part in the Sudan Campaign and the

Second Franco-Dahomean War The Second Franco-Dahomean War, which raged from 1892 to 1894, was a major conflict between France, led by General Alfred-Amédée Dodds, and Dahomey under King Béhanzin. The French emerged triumphant and incorporated Dahomey into their gr ...

. * In 1903, the 2nd Foreign Regiment took part in the

Battle of El-Moungar The Battle of El-Moungar was a battle fought during the South-Oranese Campaign between a contingent of the French Army of Africa, mainly from the French Foreign Legion, and Moroccan tribesmen. Background In the early twentieth century, French tr ...

. * From 1895 to 1905: the 2nd Foreign Regiment took part in the Campaigns of Madagascar. * From 1907 to 1918: the 2nd Foreign Regiment took part in the

French conquest of Morocco The French conquest of Morocco began in 1907 and continued until 1934. By the Treaty of Fez of 1912, France imposed a protectorate over Morocco and spent the next two decades taking control of the country. Before the protectorate The French ...

; during which combat units of the regiment received 7 citations at the orders of the armed forces. On August 29, 1907 a ''regiment de marche'' was created from the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2 RE) in Morocco.

Pacification of Algeria

From 1841 to 1907 legionnaires from the 2nd Regiment were deployed in Algeria. In the early twentieth century, France faced numerous incidents, attacks and looting by uncontrolled armed groups, in the newly occupied areas in the south of Oran (Algeria). Under the command of General Lyautey, the

's mission was to protect these areas newly seized in the west of Algeria, near the poorly defined Moroccan boundaries. On 17 August 1903, the first battle of the South-Oranese campaign took place in Taghit, where Foreign legionnaires were assailed by a contingent of more than 1,000 well-equipped Berbers. For 3 days, the legionnaires repelled repeated attacks of an enemy more than 10 times higher in number, and inflicted huge losses on the attackers, forcing them finally into a hasty retreat. A few months after the Battle of Taghit, 148 legionnaires of the 22nd mounted company, from the 2ème REI, commanded by Captain Vauchez and Lieutenant Selchauhansen, 20

spahi Spahis () were light-cavalry regiments of the French army recruited primarily from the indigenous populations of Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The modern French Army retains one regiment of Spahis as an armoured unit, with personnel now ...

s and two Mokhaznis were escorting a supply convoy, when they were ambushed at 9:30 am on 2 September by 3,000 Moroccans marauders. The half-company had halted to eat, no sentries had been posted and only a few cavalry pickets had been placed. The first volleys wounded or killed half of the detachment. Both officers and most of the non-commissioned officers were killed in the first stage of the fight. At 10:30 am, Quartermaster Sergeant (sergent-fourrier) Tisserand, who commanded the survivors, sent two spahi cavalrymen to Taghit for reinforcements. They immediately left. About forty survivors of the French force gathered on a nearby hill and under a scorching sun, on hot sand and without water, fought off the enemy for more than eight hours. Near the end of the battle, Tisserand, wounded, gave over command to Corporal Detz; the highest-ranked man still able. At 5 pm, they were relieved by Captain de Sulbielle, who rode from Taghit with his Spahis. At the sight of the approaching French cavalry, the Moroccans retreated in small groups. In November 1908; the Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment (R.M.2^èmeR.E) was dissolved . RMLE

On August 7, 1914, following the outbreak of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

; the 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment (1er R.M.2^èmeR.E) remained in

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to A ...

with the formed combat company and the

2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e Régiment de Marche du 2e étranger, 2eR.M. 2eR.E) was a French Military regiment in the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ep ...

(2^èmeR.M.2^èmeR.E) took arms at the fronts in mainland

; receiving 5 citations at the orders of the armed forces. In September 1915, the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment was dissolved and the components were merged with the

2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment The 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (french: 2e régiment de marche du 1er étranger, 2e R.M. 1er R.E) was a French military unit of the Legion which formed the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E) and existed ephe ...

to form the

Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (french: link=no, Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Fo ...

(R.M.L.E) created November 11, 1915. During the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the First World War to the beginning of the Second World War. The interwar period was relative ...

, combat in Morocco persevered from 1919 to 1934 and the regiment received 7 citations at the orders of the armed forces.

2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1922

* In 1922, the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2^èmeR.E) became the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2^èmeR.E.I). * On April 1, 1943, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment was dissolved and its components were transferred to the

, (R.M.L.E) from 1943 to 1945.

Far East Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion in 1945

* On August 1, 1945; the Far East Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (or R.M.L.E/E.O. for ''Régiment de marche de la Légion Etrangère d'Extrême-Orient'') was formed.

2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1946

* On January 1, 1946; the regiment was renamed the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2^èmeR.E.I). * From 1946 to 1955: the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment took part in 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) began in French Indochina from 19 December 1946 to 20 July 1954 between France and Việt Minh (Democratic Republic of Vi ...

and receives 9 citations at the orders of the armed forces. Insigne du 2° REI - Type 1

* From 1955 to 1956: the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment rejoined

Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...

, then

. * From 1956 to 1962: the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment participated in combat operations during the

Algerian War The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

. * From 1962 to 1967: the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment was placed at the disposition of central command of military sites in the Sahara. * On January 1, 1968; the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment was dissolved.

2nd Foreign Regiment in 1972

On September 1, 1972; the recreation of the 2nd Foreign Regiment took place in

Corsica Corsica ( , Upper , Southern ; it, Corsica; ; french: Corse ; lij, Còrsega; sc, Còssiga) is an island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 18 regions of France. It is the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies southeast of ...

. While in Corsica the regiment was garrisoned in Corte (basic training unit) and Bonifacio.

2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1980

* On July 1, 1980; the 2nd Foreign Regiment became the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment. * From 1982 to 1984: the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment filled the ranks of the

Multinational Force in Lebanon The Multinational Force in Lebanon (MNF) was an international peacekeeping force created in August 1982 following a 1981 U.S.-brokered ceasefire between the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel to end their involvement in the confl ...

. During the deployment of the regiment to

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to the north and east and Israel to the south, while Cyprus lie ...

in 1983; the men took part in several training and

combat Combat (French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed ( not using weapons). Combat is sometimes resorted to as a method of self-defense, or ...

peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United ...

missions while also finding out that they will not be seeing

again and will return to

Nîmes Nîmes ( , ; oc, Nimes ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the prefecture of the Gard department in the Occitanie region of Southern France. Located between the Mediterranean Sea and Cévennes, the commune of Nîmes has an estimated population of ...

, the new garrison of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment as of November 11, 1983, while the

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 ...

(2e REP), moved to Calvi. * In 1986, elements of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment were deployed to

Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...

as part of Operation Sparrowhawk ( Operation Épervier). *The regiment has also participated in several recent conflicts, most notably in the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Iraq were carried out in two key phases: ...

(1991), in

Bosnia Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and Pars pro toto#Geography, often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of Southern Europe, south and southeast Euro ...

, Chad and other parts of Africa. * Since 2001, the regiment took part in the global

War on Terror The war on terror, officially the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), is an ongoing international counterterrorism military campaign initiated by the United States following the September 11 attacks. The main targets of the campaign are militant ...

. In 2006, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment deployed as part of the French contingent of the

ISAF ' ps, کمک او همکاري ' , allies = Afghanistan , opponents = Taliban Al-Qaeda , commander1 = , commander1_label = Commander , commander2 = , commander2_label = , commander3 = , command ...

Organization

The regiment is composed of around 1,337 men organized into 10

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of people, whether natural, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specific, declared go ...

, making it one of the largest infantry regiments in the

. *Compagnie de Commandement et de Logistique (CCL) – Command and Logistics Company *Compagnie d'Administration et de Soutien (CAS) – Administrative and Support Company *1^re Compagnie de Combat (1^re Cie) – 1st Combat Company (4 combat sections) *2^ème Compagnie de Combat (2^e Cie) – 2nd Combat Company (4 combat sections) *3^ème Compagnie de Combat (3^e Cie) – 3rd Combat Company (4 combat sections) *4^ème Compagnie de Combat (4^e Cie) – 4th Combat Company (4 combat sections) *5^ème Compagnie de Combat (5^e Cie) – 5th Combat Company (4 combat sections) *Compagnie Antichar (CAC) – Anti-Tank Company (4 sections) *Compagnie d'Eclairage et d'Appui (CEA) – Reconnaissance and Support Company (3 sections) **Section de reconnaissance régimentaire (SRR) – Regimental Recce Section (VBL) **Section antichars (SAC) – Anti-Tank Section (Milan) **Section de tireurs d'élite (STE) –

Sniper A sniper is a military/paramilitary marksman who engages targets from positions of concealment or at distances exceeding the target's detection capabilities. Snipers generally have specialized training and are equipped with high-precision r ...

Section (PGM 12.7mm) *8^ème Compagnie de reserve (8^e Cie) – 8th Reserve Company

Traditions

Insignias

Image:Insigne de béret du 2e RE Type 3.jpg, Beret insignia of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, 2^ème REI File:Écusson de la 31e brigade.jpg, The Foreign Legion Groupment, G.L.E in the 31^ème Brigade featuring

Poseidon Poseidon (; grc-gre, Ποσειδῶν) was one of the Twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and myth, god of the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 In pre-Olympian Bronze Age Greece, he was venerated as ...

Regimental Colors

Regimental Song

Chant de Marche: Anne-Marie du 2ème REI in the

German language German ( ) is a West Germanic language mainly spoken in Central Europe. It is the most widely spoken and official or co-official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and the Italian province of South Tyrol. It is also a ...

featuring: -I- Anne-Marie, wo geht die Reise in, Anne-Marie, wo geht die Reise in, Sie geht in's Städtelein Wo die Soldaten sein. Ein, zwei, drei Junge, junge, junge Anne-Marie -II- Anne-Marie, heute wollen wir lustig sein, Anne-Marie, heute wollen wir lustig sein, Wir wollen tanzen gehen Und uns im Kreise drehen. Ein, zwei, drei Junge, junge, junge Anne-Marie.

Decorations

Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations Extérieures Croix (French for "cross") may refer to: Belgium * Croix-lez-Rouveroy, a village in municipality of Estinnes in the province of Hainaut France * Croix, Nord, in the Nord department * Croix, Territoire de Belfort, in the Territoire de Belfort depa ...

with 3 palms (

1945 to 1954 and

1990 to 1991). *

Cross for Military Valour The Cross for Military Valour (french: Croix de la Valeur Militaire) is a military decoration of France. It recognises an individual bestowed a Mention in Dispatches earned for showing valour in presence of an enemy, in theatres of operations wh ...

with palm

. * Gold Medal of the City of Milan in recognition for the victors in the battles

Magenta Magenta () is a color that is variously defined as pinkish- purplish- red, reddish-purplish-pink or mauvish-crimson. On color wheels of the RGB (additive) and CMY (subtractive) color models, it is located exactly midway between red and blu ...

and

Solférino Solférino (; oc, Solferino) is a commune in the Landes department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It was created in 1863 by Napoléon III by uniting several neighboring communities. It is named after the Battle of Solferino. P ...

. The standard and regimental colors of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment is heir to 28 citations at the orders of the armed forces. Personnels of the regiment are authorized to wear the

fourragère The ''fourragère'' () is a military award, distinguishing military units as a whole, in the form of a braided cord. The award was first adopted by France, followed by other nations such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, and Luxembourg. Fou ...

with colors of the Croix de guerre des Théâtres d'Opérations Extérieurs. Image:Croix de guerre des TOE.jpg, File:Croix de la Valeur Militaire France AVERS.jpg, Image:Médaille d'or de la ville de milan.jpg, File:Fourragère CG TOE.jpg,

Honours

Battle Honours

* Sevastopol 1855 * Kabilie 1857 * Magenta 1859 * Camerone 1863 * Extreme Orient 1884–1885 * Dahomey 1892 * Madagascar 1898–1905 * Maroc 1907–1913–1921–1934 * Indochine 1946–1954 * AFN 1952–1962 * Koweït 1990–1991"Édition Chronologique n° 45 du 29 octobre 2010".Le Ministère de la Défense instruction n°1515/DEF/EMA/OL/2 du 23 septembre 1983, modifiée, sur les filiations et l'héritage des traditions des unités; décision n°010318/DEF/CAB/SDBG/CPAG du 15 juillet 2008 portant création d'une commission des emblèmes. Art 1er. L'inscription "Koweït 1990-1991" est attribuée aux drapeaux et étendards des formations des armées énumérées ci-dessous. 2e R.E.I, 1er R.E.C, 6e R.E.G, 3e R.I.Ma, 1er R.P.I.Ma, 11e R.A.Ma, 4e Régiment de dragon, 1er Régiment de Spahis, 6e Régiment de Commandement et de Soutien, 1er R.H.C, 3e R.H.C, puis les formations de l'Armée de l'Air les 5e, 7e, 11e escadre de chasse, la 33e escadre de reconnaissance et les 61e et 64e escadre de transport. Le présent arrêté sera publié au bulletin officiel des armées, Hervé Morin. In the 19th century, the colors of the 2nd Foreign Legion Regiment were inscribed with the following battles and campaigns: *

Constantine, Algeria Constantine ( ar, قسنطينة '), also spelled Qacentina or Kasantina, is the capital of Constantine Province in northeastern Algeria. During Roman times it was called Cirta and was renamed "Constantina" in honor of emperor Constantine the G ...

(1837) *

Mostaganem Mostaganem ( ber, Mustɣanem; ar, مستغانم) is a port city in and capital of Mostaganem province, in the northwest of Algeria. The city, founded in the 11th century lies on the Gulf of Arzew, Mediterranean Sea and is 72 km ENE of O ...

(1839) * Mouzaïa (1840) * Coleah (1841) *

Djidjelli Jijel ( ar, جيجل), the classical Igilgili, is the capital of Jijel Province in north-eastern Algeria. It is flanked by the Mediterranean Sea in the region of Corniche Jijelienne and had a population of 131,513 in 2008. Jijel is the adminis ...

(1842) * Zaatcha (1849) * Fedj-Menazel (1851) *

(1854)

Regimental Annual Celebration

The annual celebration of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment is the second Campaign of Madagascar, which took place on September 2, 1903. The regiment honors that day with a parade commemorating and presenting hommage to the old combatants and anciens.

Regimental Commanders

(**) Officers whom were nominated to

Général de brigade Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed to ...

. (***) Officers whom where nominated to

Général de division Divisional general is a general officer rank who commands an army division. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. The rank is above a brigade general, and normally below an army corps ...

. (****) Officers whom were nominated to

Général de corps d'armée An army corps general or corps general is a rank held by a General officer who commands an army corps. The rank originates from the French (Revolutionary) System, and is used by a number of countries. Normally, the rank is above the divisional ge ...

. (*****) Officers subsequently promoted to

Général d'armée Army general (french: Général d'armée) is the highest active military rank of the French Army and the National Gendarmerie. It is also used in the Air and Space Force, where it is called . Officially, it is not a rank but a position and styl ...

. Officers nominated to

Marshals of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

(

)

Gallery

19 century

File:Patrice-mac-mahon.jpg,

Marshal of France Marshal of France (french: Maréchal de France, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished ( ...

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

de MacMahon. The

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are r ...

. File:Canrobert.jpg, Marshall of France de Canrobert. File:François Oscar de Négrier.jpg,

général is the French word for general. There are two main categories of generals: the general officers (), which are the highest-ranking commanding officers in the armed forces, and the specialist officers with flag rank (), which are high-level office ...

de Négrier, 1880. File:Octave Gustave Adolphe Gillet.jpg, Général Gillet in 1891.

20th century

File:Jean Marie Joseph Armand Brulard.jpg,

Brulard in 1918. File:Général Jacques Servranckx.JPG, Général Servranckx at

Les Invalides The Hôtel des Invalides ( en, "house of invalids"), commonly called Les Invalides (), is a complex of buildings in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, France, containing museums and monuments, all relating to the military history of France, ...

in 2007. File:GMP Bastille Day 2008-crop.jpg, Général Dary served in the 2nd Foreign Regiment; 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1980; in

Haute-Corse Haute-Corse (; co, Corsica suprana , or ; en, Upper Corsica) is (as of 2022) an administrative department of France, consisting of the northern part of the island of Corsica. The corresponding departmental territorial collectivity merged wi ...

from 1975 to 1977 prior serving in the

in Haute-Crose. File:French MO-120-RT-61 and Véhicule de Tracte Mortier 120 during Operation Desert Shield.JPEG,

Mortier 120mm Rayé Tracté Modèle F1 The MO-120 RT (factory designator) or MO-120-RT is a French heavy mortar. The RT in the designator stands for ''rayé, tracté'', which means rifled, towed. The MO-120-RT is currently used by the French Army (where it is known as RT F1 or Mortie ...

in Operation Desert Shield, 1990.

21st century

File:SA 340 VBL Afghanistan.jpg, Spanish

Cougar The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...

passing by a VBL of the 2e REI in

, 2005. File:FRF2 Afghanistan.JPG, Sniper of the 2e REI with the FR F2 in

, 2005. File:Firmino cote d'ivoire.jpg, VAB from 2nd company, 2e REI, in the

, April 2013. File:TE 2REI Afghanistan.jpg, Snipers of the 2e REI with

PGM Hécate II The Hécate II is the standard heavy sniper rifle and anti-materiel rifle of the French Army, sometimes known as the FR-12.7 (french: Fusil à Répétition de calibre 12.7 mm or "12.7 mm calibre repeating rifle"). It is manufactured by PGM Pr� ...

and FR F2 sniper rifles in

, 2005.

Notable people who served in the Regiment

* Edouard Daladier, Sergeant 1914–1915. * Lt. Col. Henri Gaston Louis Victor Grosdidier (1895–1923), Knight of the

Légion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour (french: Ordre national de la Légion d'honneur), formerly the Royal Order of the Legion of Honour ('), is the highest French order of merit, both military and civil. Established in 1802 by Napoleon ...

with Palmes. Croix de Guerre. * Pierre Jeanpierre, commander of the 1er BEP and 1er REP, KIA in Algeria in 1958. *

René Lennuyeux René Lennuyeux (1904-1990) was a Général de division of the French Army and Commandant of the French Foreign Legion from 1955 to 1958.Peter J. Ortiz, adventurer, OSS agent and movie star. *

Pierre Segretain Pierre is a masculine given name. It is a French form of the name Peter. Pierre originally meant "rock" or "stone" in French (derived from the Greek word πέτρος (''petros'') meaning "stone, rock", via Latin "petra"). It is a translation ...

, commander of the 1er BEP, KIA in the Battle of Route Colonial 4 in 1950. * Général Charles Alexis Vandenberg, Colonel in 1912 in Morocco. * Captain Marie Louis Joseph Vauchez. * Général Félix de Vial as Lieutenant in 1905 at Tiaret, Laghouat.

Alliances

* –

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions, plus a number of companies in other Army Reserve battalions. Each battalion of The Rifles was formerl ...

(Bond of Friendship)

Notes

References

*Porch, Douglas. ''The French Foreign Legion.'' Harper Collins, New York, 1991. * *

External links

*
2e REI's History
– History & images of the 2e REI {{DEFAULTSORT:Foreign Infantry Regiment, 2nd French Army Infantry regiments of France Military units and formations established in 1972