Uniforms of the French Foreign Legion, 1831-1981

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The regiments are now mainly stationed in Metropolitan France, with some units in the overseas departments and territories (mainly in French Guiana). [54] Fête de Camerone et la main du capitaine Danjou. Camerone Day marks the most significant event in the French Foreign Legion’s history, the Battle of Camerone. It became a symbol of bravery and the determination to fight to the finish. The battle occurred in Mexico on April 30, 1863. A Legion company, consisting of 3 officers and 62 legionnaires led by Captain Jean Danjou, faced almost 2,000 Mexicans. Captain Danjou and his men refused to surrender and continued to fight until their ammunition ran out. At the end of the battle, only three combat-ready legionnaires were left.

Honorary ranks have been awarded by the French Army to individuals credited with exceptional acts of courage since 1796. In the Foreign Legion, General Paul-Frédéric Rollet introduced the practice of awarding honorary Legion ranks to distinguished individuals, both civilian and military, in the early 20th century.

The Francs-Tireurs

Le Képi blanc. The official thesis says that legionnaires in North Africa prior to WWI wore a kepi with a khaki-colored cover during operations. After some time, due to the frequent washing and strong sun, the covers turned white. However, we know that in Algeria and Morocco before WWI, several French regular units used a white-covered kepi as well, and even used it in France. Following the end of WWI, legionnaires wore a white-covered kepi mainly in Morocco, which was considered a foreign theater of operations. In Algeria, they wore the prescribed red and blue kepi. The 4e REI in Morocco was partly an exception, and used both versions. In the late 1930s, the rules were standardized. Thus, officially, French citizens in metropolitan France saw legionnaires in white-covered kepi for the first time on 14 July 1939, at the well-known annual military parade in Paris. In 1961, at the issue of the putsch, the 1st Mounted Saharan Squadron of the Foreign Legion [50] ( French: 1 er Escadron Saharien Porté de la Légion Etrangère, 1 er ESPLE) received the missions to assure surveillance and policing.

The Foreign Legion is the only unit of the French Army open to people of any nationality. Most legionnaires still come from European countries but a growing percentage comes from Latin America and Asia. [59] Most of the Foreign Legion's commissioned officers are French with approximately 10% being Legionnaires who have risen through the ranks. [60] La mission est sacrée, tu l'exécutes jusqu’au bout et, s'il le faut, en opérations, au péril de ta vie. e DBLE: Honneur et Fidélité and More Majorum [77] ("in the manner, ways and traditions of our veterans foreign regiments")Sous-officiers (NCOs) including warrant officers account for 25% of the current Foreign Legion's total manpower. In 1920 and 1921, two sapper combat companies of pionniers were created at the corps of the four foreign legion regiments operating in Morocco. [3] These units are tasked with engineering functions ( French: génie militaire), mainly in terms of infrastructure (construction of roads, bridges, tunnels, etc.). These units did not carry any axes; they did, however, wear the pioneers' shoulder sleeve traditional patch on all uniforms.

M2 Browning, called simply the “12,7”, is a heavy machine gun used by the Foreign Legion and other French Army forces. It was created in USA in 1921. The French Foreign Legion has used the 12,7 since summer 1943.VAB of 2e REI VAB HOT from the Anti-tank Company (CAC) of 2e REI, with the anti-tank HOT missile launcher called MÉPHISTO Main articles: Foreign Legion Command, Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers), and Honneur et Fidélité A dress uniform insignia for a Sous-officier Proud of your status as a legionnaire, you show it in your always elegant dress, your always dignified but modest behavior, your always neat housing. The Foreign Legion adopted pioneer detachments in 1831. Originally of practical use in the difficult terrain of Algeria, the Legion's pioneers have survived to the present day as a visible symbol of its tradition of Honneur et Fidélité. The pioneer detachments of the other infantry regiments of the French Army were disbanded under the Third Republic.