1st Foreign Engineer Regiment

1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er Régiment étranger de génie)
Regimental badge of 1er REG
Active	6e REI 1939 – 1942 1949 – 1955 6e REG & 1er REG 1 July 1984 – Present
Country	France
Allegiance	French Foreign Legion
Branch	French Army
Type	Engineer and former 6e REG
Role	Foreign Combat Engineer Foreign Airborne Combat Engineer
Size	980 men
Part of	6th Light Armoured Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Quartier General Rollet, Laudun, France
Motto(s)	AD UNUM ( All to One End )
Colors	Green & Red
March	Le fanion claque et s'élève
Mascot(s)	Saint Barbara
Anniversaries	Camerone Day (April 30)
Engagements	Koweït 1990–1991 Global War on Terrorism (2001-present) Operation Enduring Freedom Afghanistan
Battle honours	Camerone 1863[1] Koweït 1990–1991[2]
Insignia
Insignia of 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment
Abbreviation	1er REG

Each year, the French Foreign Legion commemorates and celebrates Camarón in its headquarters in Aubagne and Bastille Day military parade in Paris; featuring the Pionniers leading and opening the way.

The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (French: 1er Régiment étranger de génie, 1er REG) is one of two combat engineer regiments in the French Foreign Legion integrated in the rapid reaction force and part component of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade (6^e BLB).^[3] Currently stationed at Quartier General Rollet in Laudun-l'Ardoise, Gard, southern France.^[4]

History, creation and different nominations

Heir to the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment ( 6^e REI )

World War II

6th Foreign Infantry Regiment ( 1939 - 1/1/1942 ), ( 1949 - 1955 )

" Oriental Mediterranean Regiment " known as Regiment du Levant, the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (French: 6e régiment étranger d'infanterie, 6^e REI) has existed through history on two occasions, in the Levant ( Syria and Lebanon ) from October 1, 1939 to January 1, 1942 and in Tunisia from April 1, 1949 to June 1955.^[5] At creation in 1939, the manpower came from the 1st, 4th, 6th battalions of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment, 1er R.E.I (forming the 1st, 2nd, 4th battalions of the 6^e R.E.I) and the 2nd battalion of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (forming the 3rd battalion of the 6^e R.E.I)^[6] with the Legion Artillery Group of the Levant (French: Groupe d’Artillerie de Légion du Levant, G.A.L.L) compromising 3 artillery batteries. On August 23, 1941; the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment embarked at Marseilles; reduced from the results of combats to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd battalion and an artillery group, the regiment rallied to the Free French including other French constituents. The regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1942 after the British success in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign and its legionnaires were transferred into the 1st Foreign Regiment and Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments while 690 of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment opted for Charles de Gaulle.^[7] The regiment left Lebanon on August 16, 1941 and rejoined the Camp Idron (Pau) on August 25 before rejoining Sidi-bel-Abbès on December 3, 1941. During the regiment's dissolve on December 31, 1941, the legionnaires of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment were assigned to the later reconstituted 1st Foreign Marching Infantry Regiment (French: 1e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie de Marche, 1er R.E.I.M) and the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (French: Régiment de Marche de la Légion Etrangère, R.M.L.E).

On June 7, 1949, the 3rd battalion of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment embarked for Indochina and transformed to the 1st battalion of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (French: 5e Regiment Etranger d'Infanterie, 5^e REI) on October 31.^[5] The 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment participated to the operations of maintaining order.^[5] The regiment notably engaged in the battles of djebel Selloum, Kasserine and djebel Gouleb.^[5] the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment was dissolved for the second time on June 30, 1955 when the French Foreign Legion was in phase of reorganization following the return from Indochina.^[5]

Creation of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6^e REG )

6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 1984 - 1999 )

The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (French: 1er régiment étranger de génie, 1er REG) was created in 1984 as the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment (French: 6e régiment étranger de génie, 6^e REG ).^[5][8] On July 1, 1984, Foreign Legion Groupment, G.L.E Commander, général Jean-Claude Coullon assisted to the patronization ceremony marking the enacting of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment, 6e R.E.G.^[5] For the first time in Legion history, the colors of a French foreign legion regiment included the inscription "Génie".^[5] Accordingly, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6^e R.E.G ) received the regimental colors on October 12, 1984.^[5] The creation of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6^e R.E.G ) was delayed with a doubtful bet.^[5] The Legion had a long history of Fortification construction (French: génie bâtisseur), however, had little experience in combat engineering assault.^[5] The whites cadres combat engineer assault specialist of the general regime, a part component of the Military Combat Engineer Assault of the French Army brought forth their precious savoir-faire and formed the legionnaires in the various fields of specialties.^[5] Material arrived and the units prowled.^[5] The combat section and companies of the 6^e REG deployed in missions of short duration in Mayotte, Guyane, RCA and very quickly the regiment gained its first combat operational engagements.^[5] For the actions of 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6^e R.E.G ) in Tchad at Faya-Largeau in 1987, the 1st combat company was cited at the orders of the armed forces with the Croix de la Valeur militaire.^[5] In the same theater of combat engagement, Sergent-Chef Panic was killed by an Anti-tank mine on January 14, 1988 during a mission of opening and clearing the route.^[5] In 1989, a detachment of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment participated at Operation Salam in Pakistan which consisted of forming the Pakistanis in the delicate art of demining.^[5] At Laudun, the mood and mode of the regiment was accelerated by the dispatching of combat companies, sections and small separate detachments tasked with punctual missions.^[5] In 1990, for the first time, the entire regiment intervened.^[5] In Iraq and Kuwait, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment participated to the victorious offensive of the Division Daguet part of Opération Daguet and was seen cited at the orders of the armed forces with Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with a palm.^[5] During the Gulf War, D.I.N.O.P.S operated in support of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division, and provided the EOD services to the division. After the cease fire took hold they conducted a joint mine clearing operation alongside an Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver Team Unit. Barely in return to Laudun, combat companies were seen redispatched to new theatres of combat operations.^[5] The regiment would be found in Cambodia, Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Kosovo and other geographical locations.^[5] In some twenty years, the regiment acquired across the four corners of the globe a remarkable experience that sealed the conclusion of initial doubts.^[5]

Campaigns

Engineer Combat Missions

The 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6^e REG ) then 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 1^er REG ) engaged in:

• Somalia, (Operation Oryx)
• Cambodia, (United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (Opérations Marquis 1 et 2)
• Ex-Yougoslavia - Sarajevo (UNPROFOR) and NATO
• Rwanda, ( Operation Turquoise )
• Kosovo, ( Operation Trident )
• Eritrea, United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea
• Tchad (Operation Epervier)

Humanitarian Missions

• Operation Salam in Pakistan, initiating the formation of Afghans on techniques of mine clearing
• Operations in Indonesia, Sumatra during the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami
• Operations in France during intense floods
• Operation Tamour, protective security operations in support of medical treatment for children

1st Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 1^er REG )

1st Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 1999–present )

The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (French: 1er Regiment Etranger de Genie) on was renamed on July 1, 1999 with the creation of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment.^[9]

Organization

The regiment is composed of 980 men organized into 8 companies.^[10]

• Compagnie de Commandement et de Logistique (CCL) – Command and Logistics Company
• Legion Pionniers Groups
• Compagnie d'Administration et de Soutien (CAS) – Administrative and Services Company
• 1^er Compagnie de Combat – 1st Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section)
• 2^e Compagnie de Combat – 2nd Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section)
• 3^e Compagnie de Combat – 3rd Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and a command section)
• 4^e Compagnie de Combat - 4th Combat Company ( 3 combat sections, a support section and a command section)^[11]
• Compagnie d'Appui (CA) – Support Company
• 5^e Compagnie – 5th Reserve Company
• PCG Teams (Combat Engineer Divers, French: Plongeurs du Combat du Génie) former DINOPS Teams of Nautical Subaquatic Intervention Operational Detachment ( French: Détachement d'Intervention Nautique Operationnelle Subaquatique ) specialized in Parachute, Underwater demolition and Diving.

Traditions

Insignias

• 

  Insignia of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment, 6^e REI.

• 

  Insignia of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment, 6^e REG.

• 

  Insignia of the Pionniers of the 1st Foreign Regiment.

• 

  Insignia of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment, 1^er REG.

• 

  Insignia of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment, 1^er REG.

Regimental Colors

Regimental Colors of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment.^[1]

Regimental Colors of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment.^[1]

Regimental Colors of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment.^[1]

Regimental Song

Chant de Marche : Le fanion claque et s'élève featuring:^[12]

Decorations

• La Croix de la Valeur militaire, 1st combat company, for engagement in Tchad in 1987.^[5]
• La Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 6^e REG, for engagement in Kuwait in Opération Daguet, 1990.^[5]
• La Croix de la Valeur militaire, with 1 palm, the regiment, as of 2009 for engagement in Afghanistan part of Operation Pamir^[13]

• 

  Croix de la Valeur militaire
• 

  Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures

Honors

Battle honours

• Camerone 1863^[1]
• Koweït 1990–1991^[2]

Regimental Commanders

See also

• 31st Brigade
• Pierre Segrétain
• Pierre Jeanpierre
• 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion
• 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment
• List of French paratrooper units

Notes

References

• www.legion-etrangere.com
• Windrow, Martin (1996). French Foreign Legion Since 1945. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-621-3. 
• Anthony Clayton, France, Soldiers, and Africa. Brassey's Defence Publishers, 1988

External links

• Official website – 1er Régiment étranger de génie
• 1er REG's History & images - 1er REG History (English)

Foreign Legion Command French Foreign Legion
Honneur et Fidélité History of the French Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers) List of French paratrooper units Képi Blanc (publication)
Current Foreign Legion Units	Administrative Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments 1st Foreign Regiment Foreign Legion Command Foreign Legion Recruiting Group Infantry & Parachute Infantry 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Cavalry 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment Engineer & Parachute Engineer 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment Training 4th Foreign Regiment Jungle Training Center Combat Training Center at Arta Beach
Defunct Foreign Legion Units	Administrative and Training Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments Parachute Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion Foreign Air Supply Company 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company Infantry 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 3rd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 4th Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment/Garibaldi Legion 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers Cavalry 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Transport Armored Train of the Foreign Legion Disciplinary Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East Foreign Legion Brigades 31st Brigade (France)