The 6th Engineers Regiment (french: 6
e Régiment du Génie) is a regiment of the ''génie militaire'' of the
French Military constituted under the
IIIrd Republic. It is the only Engineers Regiment among the
Troupes de Marine (French Marine Corps).
Creation and different nominations
In 1894 : 6th Engineer Regiment 6
e RG was created, on October 1 at Angers. The regiment was installed in garrison Eblé designated after the
général whose men perished while constructing the bridges on the Bérézina.
History
1894 to 1914
* 1894 : Angers
* 1895 : Campaigns in Madagascar
* 1900 : China
World War I
* 1914 :
La Marne
* 1916 :
Verdun
Verdun (, , , ; official name before 1970 ''Verdun-sur-Meuse'') is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France. It is an arrondissement of the department.
Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital ...
* 1917 :
L'Aisne
* 1918 : Champagne
During the campaign of 1914-1918, 17 companies of the regiment were cited 72 times (out of which 47 citations at the orders of the armed forces). 15 companies of the regiment were awarded the right to wear the fourragere of the
Croix de guerre 1914-1918
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 ...
.
Interwar period
* 1918-1939 : Angers
* 1925-1927:
Rif War
World War II
In June 1940, the 6th Engineer Regiment participated to the combats of the
Cadets of Saumur. Missioned by lieutenant-colonel Robert, regimental commander of the depot of the 6th Engineer Regiment, lieutenant Rousseau was the chief head center at Saumur and had at his disposition, for each bridge, one officer with some 30 men : lieutenant Martin on the bridge of Montsoreau, lieutenant Poupon on the bridge of VR de Saumur, sous-lieutenant Fraisier on the bridge of VF de Saumur, sous-lieutenant Falck on the bridge of Gennes.
In total, there were 120 men at the war depot of the 6th Engineer Regiment which supported the combats of the
Cadets of Saumur.
Captain Schneider was cited for the defensive mounted on the bridge of Port-Boulet.
At mobilization on September 1939, the 71st Engineer Battalion was created at Angers. The active encadrement of this unique regiment of engineer of the
1st Colonial Infantry Division 1
re DIC was issued from the 6th Engineer Regiment.
From that came the links between the 71st and 6th, out of which in 1997, was summarized by the transfer to the 6
e RG of a complete consecutive company at the dissolution of the 71st.
1945 to present
Following
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 vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the 6th was garrisoned in Angers at garrison Vernau, in designation of
Jean-Edouard Verneau, a resistant French
général, deceased in deportation in 1944.
* 1946 - : garrison at Angers.
* 1945 - 1954 : participated to the
French Far East Expeditionary Corps
The French Far East Expeditionary Corps (french: Corps Expéditionnaire Français en Extrême-Orient, CEFEO) was a colonial expeditionary force of the French Union Army that was initially formed in French Indochina in 1945 during the Pacific Wa ...
.
* 1977 - 1984 : 4th Cavalry Division (french:
4e Division de Cavalerie, 4
e DC).
* 1984 - 1993 :
3rd Army Corps.
* 1993 - :
9th Marine Infantry Division 9
e DIMa, then
9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade 9
e BLBMa, then designated
9th Marine Infantry Brigade
The 9 Marine Infantry Brigade (french: 9 Brigade d'Infanterie de Marine, 9 BIMa) is a light armoured, amphibious unit of the ''Troupes de marine'' of the French Army.
In July 1963, the 9 Brigade was created in Brittany. On 1 January 1976, the 9 ...
9
e BIMa.
** Interventions in
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 li ...
,
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by 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 ...
,
Tchad,
Pakistan
Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...
,
Kuwait
Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the nort ...
,
Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
,
Rwanda
Rwanda (; rw, u Rwanda ), officially the Republic of Rwanda, is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley of Central Africa, where the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa converge. Located a few degrees south of the Equator ...
,
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
,
Congo
Congo or The Congo may refer to either of two countries that border the Congo River in central Africa:
* Democratic Republic of the Congo, the larger country to the southeast, capital Kinshasa, formerly known as Zaire, sometimes referred to a ...
,
Albenia
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
,
Kosovo
Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...
and
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
.
** Since 2004, 500 sapeurs of the 6th Engineer Regiment deployed to 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 is ...
,
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
,
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 bordere ...
,
Senegal
Senegal,; Wolof: ''Senegaal''; Pulaar: 𞤅𞤫𞤲𞤫𞤺𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤭 (Senegaali); Arabic: السنغال ''As-Sinighal'') officially the Republic of Senegal,; Wolof: ''Réewum Senegaal''; Pulaar : 𞤈𞤫𞤲𞤣𞤢𞥄𞤲𞤣𞤭 � ...
,
Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
,
Mayotte
Mayotte (; french: Mayotte, ; Shimaore: ''Maore'', ; Kibushi: ''Maori'', ), officially the Department of Mayotte (french: Département de Mayotte), is an overseas department and region and single territorial collectivity of France. It is loc ...
and
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
.
** In February 2006, a hundred sapeurs were deployed to aid the populations of the Reunion in an epidemic.
** In 2010 : the "6" integrated two companies in the 2nd Engineer Regiment 2
e RG and one reserve company 22nd Marine Infantry Battalion 22
e BIMa.
** In 2013 : the "6" was engaged in Mali during Operation Serval.
Traditions
Motto
To recall the commitment, fidelity and hardship work of the sapeurs of the "6", the writer
Hervé Bazin, nominated the motto of the regiment "Je continuerai". In the years of 1980, the motto was "Parfois détruire, souvent construire, toujours servir".
Nickname
The Marine soldiers are called "marsouins" when coming from the infantry or light cavalry and "bigors" when coming from the artillery. The engineers being more recently added in the French Marines, they do not have a traditional nickname. They are called "sapeurs de Marine" (Marine engineers).
Regimental Colors
Decorations
The regimental colors of the 6th Engineer Regiment 6
e RG is decorated with:
* 15 companies of the 6th Engineer Regiment, were cited numerous times for collective and individual acts of valor during the 1914-1918 world conflict and two citations at the orders of the armed forces.
*
Croix de guerre 1914-1918
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:
** 2 palms
*
Croix de la Valeur militaire with:
** 1 palm (May 4, 2013)
Fourragere:
*Fourragère with colors of the
croix de guerre 1914-1918
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 ...
Image:Fourragère_aux_couleurs_de_la_croix_de_guerre_1914-1918.jpg, Fourragère aux couleurs du ruban de la Croix de guerre 1914-1918
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 ...
Honours
Battle Honours
*Madagascar 1895
*La Marne 1914
*Verdun 1916
*L'Aisne 1917
*Champagne 1918
Regimental Commander
{,
, -
, valign=top ,
* 1894 - 1897 : Colonel Dalstein
* 1897 - 1899 : Colonel Gillet
* 1899 - 1902 : Colonel Mortagne
* 1902 - 1904 : Colonel Mague
* 1904 - 1905 : Colonel Petitbon
* 1905 - 1908 : Colonel Bourdeaux
* 1908 - 1911 : Colonel Alby
* 1911 - 1912 : Colonel de Montdesir
* 1914 - 1919 : Colonel Bernard
* 1919 - 1920 : Lieutenant-colonel Leroux
* 1920 - 1922 : Colonel Thomas
* 1922 - 1924 : Colonel Leroux
* 1924 - 1926 : Colonel Letourneur
* 1926 - 1928 : Colonel Tircaud
* 1928 - 1930 : Colonel Gourandy
, valign=top ,
* 1930 - 1932 : Colonel Alleau
* 1932 - 1934 : Colonel Fillon
* 1934 - 1936 : Colonel Froment
* 1936 - 1938 : Colonel Tournoux
* 1938 - 1939 : Colonel Carrier
* 1939 - 1940 : Lieutenant-colonel Robert
* 1940 - 1941 : Lieutenant-colonel Bastide
* 1941 - 1942 : Lieutenant-colonel Malhomme
* 1945 - 1946 : Lieutenant-colonel Guy
* 1946 - 1950 : Colonel Malhomme
* 1950 - 1952 : Colonel Besson
* 1952 - 1953 : Colonel Muttin
* 1953 - 1956 : Colonel Colin
* 1956 - 1957 : Colonel Bonnamy
* 1957 - 1959 : Colonel Cathala
, valign=top ,
* 1959 - 1961 : Colonel Guilleret
* 1961 - 1963 : Colonel Tricot
* 1963 - 1964 : Colonel Siquier
* 1964 - 1965 : Colonel Leconte
* 1965 - 1967 : Colonel de Bouteiller
* 1967 - 1969 : Colonel Ledermann
* 1969 - 1971 : Colonel Lartigue
* 1971 - 1973 : Colonel Georges
* 1973 - 1975 : Colonel Tretjak
* 1975 - 1977 : Colonel Munier
* 1977 - 1979 : Colonel Teil
* 1979 - 1981 : Colonel Bresson
* 1981 - 1983 : Colonel Kervizic
* 1983 - 1985 : Colonel Lalier
* 1985 - 1987 : Colonel Laguerie
, valign=top ,
* 1987 - 1990 : Colonel Leduc
* 1990 - 1992 : Colonel Charvoz
* 1992 - 1994 : Colonel Maral
* 1994 - 1997 : Colonel Chinouilh
* 1997 - 1999 : Colonel Gros
* 1999 - 2001 : Colonel Daehn
* 2001 - 2003 : Colonel de Goutte
* 2003 - 2005 : Colonel Alabergère
* 2005 - 2007 : Colonel de Jerphanion
* 2007 - 2009 : Colonel Quevilly
* 2009 - 2011 : Colonel Glinec
* 2011 - 2013 : Colonel Crach
* 2013 - 2015 : Colonel Combi
* 2015 - : Colonel Guillot
External links
website (in French)
French engineer regiments
Military units and formations established in 1894