1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment is the only armoured cavalry regiment in the French Foreign Legion
. It is one of two cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
It has been stationed at Quatier L' Moyne in Orange, Vaucluse
since 1967, when it arrived from Mers-el-Kébir
.
. At the time the Legion was an infantry formation, and the idea of a Legion cavalry regiment met with some resistance from the French cavalry. However the regiment was deemed a useful way of making full use of the Legion's Russian White movement
veterans, many of whom had extensive light cavalry experience from the Russian Civil War
. The regiment was quickly accepted as a highly competent addition to the French cavalry.
The regiment subsequently served in the Indochina War and the Algerian War. It is now the Foreign Legion's tank regiment.
•The ECL, Command and Logistics Squadron.
•The EAS, Administration and Support Squadron.
•Four Combat Squadrons (the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th) each made up of 4 combat groups and a command group. They are equipped with AMX 10 RC
, an armoured and wheeled vehicle with a 105mm gun.
•The EEI, Reconnaissance and Light Squadron.
French Foreign Legion
The French Foreign Legion is a unique military service wing of the French Army established in 1831. The foreign legion was exclusively created for foreign nationals willing to serve in the French Armed Forces...
. It is one of two cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade.
It has been stationed at Quatier L' Moyne in Orange, Vaucluse
Orange, Vaucluse
Orange is a commune in the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.It has a primarily agricultural economy...
since 1967, when it arrived from Mers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir is a port town in northwestern Algeria, located by the Mediterranean Sea near Oran, in the Oran Province.-History:Originally a Roman port, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of Tlemcen in the 15th century, and eventually became a...
.
History
The regiment was created in Tunisia in 1921 around a cadre of Russian legionnaires, and soldiers from the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the French Foreign Legion created in 1841 and is situated in the south of France at Nimes. The 2REI has participated in several conflicts, more notably in the Gulf war, in Bosnia, Chad and in different parts of Africa...
. At the time the Legion was an infantry formation, and the idea of a Legion cavalry regiment met with some resistance from the French cavalry. However the regiment was deemed a useful way of making full use of the Legion's Russian White movement
White movement
The White movement and its military arm the White Army - known as the White Guard or the Whites - was a loose confederation of Anti-Communist forces.The movement comprised one of the politico-military Russian forces who fought...
veterans, many of whom had extensive light cavalry experience from the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
. The regiment was quickly accepted as a highly competent addition to the French cavalry.
The regiment subsequently served in the Indochina War and the Algerian War. It is now the Foreign Legion's tank regiment.
Commanding officers
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Composition
The regiment is divided into seven squadrons with an estimated manpower of 930 men.•The ECL, Command and Logistics Squadron.
•The EAS, Administration and Support Squadron.
•Four Combat Squadrons (the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th) each made up of 4 combat groups and a command group. They are equipped with AMX 10 RC
AMX 10 RC
The AMX-10RC is a wheeled recon vehicle and tank destroyer built by GIAT. Over 300 are in service in the French Army. 120 additional vehicles were sold to Morocco and Qatar ....
, an armoured and wheeled vehicle with a 105mm gun.
•The EEI, Reconnaissance and Light Squadron.
Battle Honours
- Camerone 1863Battle of CamarónThe Battle of Camarón, which occurred 30 April 1863 between the French Foreign Legion and the Mexican army, is regarded by the Legion as a defining moment in its history...
- Levant 1925–1926LevantThe Levant or ) is the geographic region and culture zone of the "eastern Mediterranean littoral between Anatolia and Egypt" . The Levant includes most of modern Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and sometimes parts of Turkey and Iraq, and corresponds roughly to the...
- Maroc 1925–1927MoroccoMorocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
- Ousseltia 1943
- Colmar 1945Colmar PocketThe Colmar Pocket ; in Alsace, France, was the site of an operation during the Second World War, between 20 January and 9 February 1945, where the French First Army and the U.S...
- Stuttgart 1945StuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
- Indochine 1947–1954First Indochina WarThe First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
- AFN 1952–1962
Decorations
- Croix de guerre 1939-1945Croix de guerre 1939-1945 (France)The Croix de guerre 1939–1945 is a French military decoration created on September 26, 1939, to honour people who fought with the Allies against the Axis force at any time during World War II.-Recipients:...
with 3 palms - Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieuresCroix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations ExterieuresThe Croix de guerre des théâtres d’opérations extérieures is a French medal rewarded for military service in foreign countries. It is granted to individuals who have received citations for their actions while engaged in military service overseas.-History:...
with 4 palms