The 6th Light Armoured Brigade () is one of the eight inter-arm brigades which are at the disposition of the . The headquarters of the brigade is situated in
Nîmes
Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
. The brigade is capable of deploying to any exterior theatre of operation while delivering fire power, agility, and mobility.
History
The brigade is heir to the 6th Cavalry Division () of 1914, the 6th Light Cavalry Division of 1940 (), and the
6th Armoured Division, stationed in Compiègne (1951-1957) and then in Strasbourg (1977-1984)
In 1984, the formation was reorganised as the 6th Light Armoured Division (6e DLB) and was part of the
Rapid Action Force
The Rapid Action Force (RAF), is a specialized rapid reaction wing of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India established in October 1992 to deal with riot and crowd control situations.
History
RAF was established on 11 December 1 ...
(1984-1999). The division then was formed of 7 regiments, 5 professionals out which 3 are part of the
Foreign Legion:
*
21st Marine Infantry Regiment
The 21st Marine Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Troupes de Marine issued by filiation from the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment, 2e RIC.
Creation and different nominations
* 1831: creation of the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2e ...
, 21
e RIMa, which had been part of the
31st Brigade (1981-1984)
* 68th Artillery Regiment, 68
e RA
* 6th Command and Support Regiment, 6
e RCS
*
1st Spahi Regiment
The 1st Spahi Regiment () is an armored regiment of the modern French Army, previously called the 1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment (). It was established in 1914 as a mounted cavalry unit recruited primarily from indigenous Moroccan horsemen. The regim ...
, 1
er RS
*
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment () is the only cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of two armoured cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The regiment has been stationed at Camp Carpiagne near ...
, 1
er REC, attached to the 31st Brigade
*
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is one of two mechanized infantry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
Since the regiment's arrival from Bonifacio in ...
, 2
e REI, a regimental component of the 31st Brigade
*
6th Foreign Engineer Regiment, 6
e REG
Structure in 2007
Following Army reorganisation in 1999, the division was renamed the 6th Light Armoured Brigade (). It consists of 6000 service personnel with 2100 wheeled vehicles, and includes 6 regiments and one transmission company:
*
21st Marine Infantry Regiment
The 21st Marine Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Troupes de Marine issued by filiation from the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment, 2e RIC.
Creation and different nominations
* 1831: creation of the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2e ...
*
3rd Marine Artillery Regiment
The 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment () is the heir to the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment created in Rochefort by Napoleon Bonaparte's consular decree of May 13, 1803, the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment, then the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment. The ...
*
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is one of two mechanized infantry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
Since the regiment's arrival from Bonifacio in ...
, 2
e REI
*
1st Spahi Regiment
The 1st Spahi Regiment () is an armored regiment of the modern French Army, previously called the 1st Moroccan Spahi Regiment (). It was established in 1914 as a mounted cavalry unit recruited primarily from indigenous Moroccan horsemen. The regim ...
*
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment () is the only cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of two armoured cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The regiment has been stationed at Camp Carpiagne near ...
, 1
er REC
*
1st Foreign Engineer Regiment
The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment () is one of two combat engineer regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
It is currently stationed at Quar ...
, 1
er REG
*6th Command and Support Regiment
It includes significant numbers of the
Foreign Legion and
Troupes de Marine.
Organization in 2009
Strong with 6000 service personnel,
legionnaires
The French Foreign Legion (, also known simply as , "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow List of militaries that recruit foreigners, foreign nationals into French service. The Legion was founded in 1831 and today consis ...
and
Troupes de Marine the brigade is composed of:
*General H.Q. in
Nîmes
Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
* 6th Command and Support Regiment, 6
e RCS
*
21st Marine Infantry Regiment
The 21st Marine Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Troupes de Marine issued by filiation from the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment, 2e RIC.
Creation and different nominations
* 1831: creation of the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2e ...
, 21
e RIMa
*
3rd Marine Artillery Regiment
The 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment () is the heir to the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment created in Rochefort by Napoleon Bonaparte's consular decree of May 13, 1803, the 3rd Colonial Artillery Regiment, then the 3rd Marine Artillery Regiment. The ...
, 3
e RAMa
*
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment () is an infantry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment is one of two mechanized infantry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
Since the regiment's arrival from Bonifacio in ...
, 2
e REI
*
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment () is the only cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is one of two armoured cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
The regiment has been stationed at Camp Carpiagne near ...
, 1
er REC
*
1st Foreign Engineer Regiment
The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment () is one of two combat engineer regiments of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
It is currently stationed at Quar ...
, 1
er REG
Organization in 2016
Mostly manned with troops from the
Foreign Legion and
Troupes de Marine, the brigade is composed of:
* General H.Q. in
Nîmes
Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
* 6
e Compagnie de Commandement et de Transmissions (6
e CCT) - Command and Signals Company in
Nîmes
Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
with VAB
*
1 Régiment de Spahis – Cavalry Regiment in
Valence with
AMX 10 RC
*
1 Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (1 REC)
Foreign Legion - Cavalry Regiment in
Marseille
Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...
with
AMX 10 RC
*
2e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie (2
e REI) - Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment in
Nîmes
Nîmes ( , ; ; Latin: ''Nemausus'') is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Gard Departments of France, department in the Occitania (administrative region), Occitanie Regions of France, region of Southern France. Located between the Med ...
with
VBCI
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 (now ...
*
13e Demi Brigade de Légion Etrangère (13
e DBLE) -
Foreign Legion regiment in
La Cavalerie
La Cavalerie (; ) is a commune in the Aveyron department in southern France. During the 1970s it became the focal point of peasant resistance to the proposed extension of the Larzac military training base, just to the north.
Population
...
with
VAB
*
21e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine (21
e RIMa) - Marine Infantry Regiment in
Fréjus
Fréjus (; ) is a Communes of France, commune in the Var (department), Var Departments of France, department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region in Southeastern France.
It neighbours Saint-Raphaël, Var, Saint-Raphaël ...
with
VAB
*
3e Régiment d'Artillerie de Marine (3
e RAMa) - Marine Artillery Regiment in
Canjuers
Canjuers is a calcareous plateau and a military camp in Provence located in southeastern France. It is the site of the largest military camp in Continental Europe.
Geography
Situated in the ''département'' of the Var in the Prealps of Castell ...
with
TRF1
The TRF1, originally known as GIAT 155 mm Tracté (TR) is a 155mm French towed howitzer produced by Nexter (ex Giat Industries) and used by the French Army.
The TRF1 was showcased in 1979 at the Eurosatory arms trade show, as a replacement for ...
howitzers,
CAESAR
Gaius Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war. He ...
self-propelled howitzers and
RTF1 mortars
*
1 Régiment Étranger de Génie (1 REG) - Foreign Legion Engineer Regiment in
Laudun
Laudun-l'Ardoise (; ) is a commune in the Gard department in the Occitania region in Southern France. It is located on the departmental border with Vaucluse, which is also the regional border with Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.
The commune name w ...
Division & Brigade Commanders
(1984 - 1999)
*1984 - 1986 :
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 ...
Moreau
*1986 - 1988 : général de brigade Favreau
*1988 - 1990 : général de brigade Pincemin
*1990 - 1991 : général de brigade Mouscardès
*1991 - 1993 : général de division
Bernard Janvier
Bernard Janvier (born 16 July 1939) is a former general of the French Army who served in the French Foreign Legion, primarily spearheading and putting in place effective resolving forces.
Janvier first took part in the Algerian War. He then spearh ...
*1993 - 1994 : général de division Bâton
*1994 - 1996 : général de division Rideau
*1996 - 1999 : général de brigade Schwrdorffer
(1999 - present)
* 1999 - 2000:
général de brigade Barro
* 2000 - 2002: général de brigade de Kermabon
* 2002 – 2004: général de brigade
Bruno Dary
* 2006 – 2008: général de brigade Bertrand Clément-Bollée
* 2008 – 2010: général de brigade Eric Margail
* 2010 – 2012: général de brigade Antoine Windeck
* 2012 – 2014: général de brigade Laurent Kolodziej
* 2014 – 2016: général de brigade Pierre Gillet
* 2016 - 2017: général de brigade Benoît Durieux
* 2017 - 2019: général de brigade Franck Nicol
* 2019 - 2021: général de brigade Jean-Christophe Bechon
* 2021 - : général de brigade Eric Ozanne
See also
*
French Navy
The French Navy (, , ), informally (, ), is the Navy, maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the four military service branches of History of France, France. It is among the largest and most powerful List of navies, naval forces i ...
References
External links
6e DLBOfficial site
Page de la 6° BLB sur le site du ministère français de la Défenseservir-et-defendre.comL'ordre de bataille de la force terrestre.
{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
1999 establishments in France
Brigades of France
Military units and formations established in 1999