1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment was an airborne unit of the Foreign Legion
. It fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961.
, Algeria
, with the designation of 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion .
The battalion boarded the transport ship “Pasteur” on the 24th of October, 1948 at Mers El-Kebir, and arrived in Indochina
on the 12th of November that same year. During the entire period of conflict in Indochina
, the unit primarily saw action in Tonkin
(northern Vietnam
).
As part of a consolidation of parachute-trained French formations, the unit absorbed Lieutenant Morin’s parachute company of the 3rd REI on June 1, 1949, thus increasing their numbers.
On September 16, 1950, the French post at Dong Khe was overrun, with only a small handful of survivors of the garrison making their way south to French lines at That Khe. In response, on September 17 and 18, the battalion jumped on That Khe in order to reinforce the combat command under Lieutenant Colonel Lepage, operating out of nearby Lang Son
, and to rescue the evacuated survivors of the battle of Cao Bang
, who were holed up in That Khe. Following a consolidation of French forces at That Khe, the battalion lead the French forces north towards Dong Khe with plans to retake the town, hold it long enough to link up with French forces retreating from the north, and then evacuate south. Although the two French groups were able to link up, heavy Viet Mihn interdiction on the roads and constant ambushes in the thick jungle forced the French off the roads in an attempt to bypass the town. In so doing, the entire battle group was forced into the Coc Xo gorge, where it was destroyed piecemeal. An attempt to reinforce the battle group occurred on the night of October 8 when approximately 570 additional reinforcements were dropped near That Khe in an attempt to draw the Viet Minh forces away from the gorge, but this operation became hopelessly bogged down and the reinforcements were cut to pieces in turn. The unit was almost entirely destroyed in the subsequent battle in October around Dong Khe, with only 130 men of the battalion remaining of the original 500 who jumped. In this engagement, the battalion distinguished itself in its willingness to go to great lengths to evacuate their wounded through forbidding terrain, including an incident in which the men rapelled down a 75 meter cliff at the Coc Xo gorge with the wounded strapped to their backs. Over the course of the battle and subsequent engagements between the 17th of September and the 30th of October, the unit lost 21 officers, 46 NCOs, and 420 men killed or wounded, including the battalion commander, Pierre Segretain
, killed in action the night of October 7. Only isolated elements of the battalion were able to rejoin the French lines, including Captain Jeanpierre
, who would later command the regiment in Algeria. Having ceased to exist as a combat-worthy formation, the unit was disbanded on December 31, 1950.
The 1st BEP reformed on the 18th of March, 1951 from the survivors of the original battalion (which had up to that point been attached to the 2nd BEP), as well as men from the 2nd BEP and reinforcements newly arrived from North Africa. Thus the battalion consisted of 3 companies, including a headquarters formation, the 1st and 2nd companies, and a company composed of Indochinese volunteers.
On the 10th of September, 1951, the unit returned to combat during Operation Tulip, part of General de Lattre de Tassigny's
effort to put the Viet Minh
on the defensive around the Cho Ben pass, north of Hoa Binh
. The operation
was a tactical success with the battalion successfully assisting in the capture of Hoa Binh, but further counter-attacks by the Viet Minh in November convinced the French military command at they were overextended and as a result the area was evacuated, with the last units leaving Hoa Binh in February, 1952.
Having reached an apparent stalemate in early 1952 around the Red River Delta
, the French command again decided to go on the offensive, giving the plan the code name Operation Lorraine
. On November 9, 1952, the 1st BEP and other airborne formations were dropped into combat near Phu Doan, capturing a quantity of Viet Minh supplies and securing the area. However, the operation failed in drawing the Viet Minh into a large, set-battle (as the French commanders had hoped), and as such the operation was abandoned and the remaining French forces were withdrawn on the 16th and 17 November. The battalion was one of the formations selected to hold the rearguard post at Na San, where it sustained a fierce assault
from the Viet Minh between November 23 and December 2, 1952. The post was well-fortified and held in the face of overwhelming numbers, with the bloodied Viet Minh falling back after a week of fighting.
After falling back to the French defensive positions around the de Lattre line, the battalion was reorganized and reinforced, with a third company of legionnaires being added, bringing the total strength of the battalion to 4 combat companies: 3 legion and 1 Indochinese. In addition, on September 1, 1953 the 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company
was created and attached to the 1st BEP.
On November 21, 1953, the unit was dropped as part of the second wave of French troops into the area around Dien Bien Phu
as part of Operation Castor
, with the objective of securing a WWII
-era landing strip and drawing the Viet Minh into another pitched battle against a well-defended position. The operation was completed without incident, with the battalion digging in around Dien Bien Phu in late November, 1953. During the battle of Dien Bien Phu
, the battalion was divided into mobile fire-brigades, with the primary focus being the Huguette forts, specifically Huguette 5. The 1 CEPML was stationed at Dominique 2 until the 14th of March, 1954, at which point it was shifted to various locations in the fort. Despite furious resistance, the 1st BEP is destroyed for a second time on May 7, 1954 with the final fall of the outpost. The unit loses 316 men killed in action over the course of the siege, not including those who subsequently die in captivity in Indochina.
, on February 1, 1955, the unit embarked of the steamship “Pasteur” in Saigon and arrived at Mers el-Kebir on the 24th of the same month. On September 1, 1955, the 1st BEP was expanded to a regiment-level formation and renamed 1st REP. From that point on, the unit was based out of Zeralda
.
November 6, 1956, the regiment landed in Egypt
at Port-Said and Port-Fuad as part of the French military force participating in the Suez canal crisis
. It was evacuated piecemeal between December 10 and 22, 1956, as which point the towns were handed over to United Nations
control.
From 1957 onwards, the regiment was sent back to Algeria, first in Algiers
, then in the djebel, and finally at Guelma
.
On the 29th of May, 1958, during operation “Taureau 3,” the regimental commander Lt. Col. Jeanpierre was killed when his helicopter was shot down by rebels. His successor, Col. Borthier, assumed command on the 17th of June 1958 with the mission of securing Algeria.
On the eve of the Algiers putsch of April, 1961, the regiment was commanded by Helie Denoix de Saint Marc
, as Lt. Col. Guiraud was on leave.
With the accession of the cadre, Major de Saint-Marc activated the regiment alongside the mutineers, and began the putsch on April 21 by marching on Algiers. Following the failure of the putsch, the regiment was disbanded the 30th of April, 1961 under the orders of Pierre Messmer
, the minister of the army. The legionnaires left their camp singing Edith Piaf
’s song Non, je ne regrette rien
. At that point, part of the regiment deserted and went over to the OAS
. Those who did not join in the putsch were escorted back to France and detained at Fort de Nogent
. This event marked the end of the 1st REP.
From that point onwards, the 2nd REP
remains the only foreign parachute regiment in the French army.
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 fought in the First Indochina War, Suez Crisis and Algerian War, but was disbanded after taking part in a putsch against the French government in 1961.
Creation and Designations
- July 1, 1948 : Creation of the 1 BEP
- December 31, 1950: Unit dissolved
- March 18, 1951: Second creation of 1 BEP
- September 1, 1955: The unit is enlarged to a regiment and redesignated 1 REP
- April 30, 1961: Final disbanding of 1 REP
Indochina
The 1st foreign parachute regiment was created July 1, 1948 in Khamsis, near Sidi Bel AbbèsSidi Bel Abbes
Sidi Bel-Abbes is capital of the Sidi Bel Abbès wilaya , Algeria. It is named after a Muslim holy man who is buried there. It is the commercial center of an important area of vineyards, market gardens, orchards, and grain fields. It is surrounded by a wall with four gates and there is a...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, with the designation of 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion .
The battalion boarded the transport ship “Pasteur” on the 24th of October, 1948 at Mers El-Kebir, and arrived in Indochina
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
on the 12th of November that same year. During the entire period of conflict in Indochina
First Indochina War
The First Indochina War was fought in French Indochina from December 19, 1946, until August 1, 1954, between the French Union's French Far East...
, the unit primarily saw action in Tonkin
Tonkin
Tonkin , also spelled Tongkin, Tonquin or Tongking, is the northernmost part of Vietnam, south of China's Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces, east of northern Laos, and west of the Gulf of Tonkin. Locally, it is known as Bắc Kỳ, meaning "Northern Region"...
(northern Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
).
As part of a consolidation of parachute-trained French formations, the unit absorbed Lieutenant Morin’s parachute company of the 3rd REI on June 1, 1949, thus increasing their numbers.
On September 16, 1950, the French post at Dong Khe was overrun, with only a small handful of survivors of the garrison making their way south to French lines at That Khe. In response, on September 17 and 18, the battalion jumped on That Khe in order to reinforce the combat command under Lieutenant Colonel Lepage, operating out of nearby Lang Son
Lang Son
Lạng Sơn , sometimes Langson, is a city in far northern Vietnam, is the capital of Lang Son province. It is accessible by road and rail from Hanoi, the Vietnamese capital, and it is the northernmost point on National Road 1A.-History:...
, and to rescue the evacuated survivors of the battle of Cao Bang
Battle of Route Coloniale 4
The Battle of Route Coloniale 4 was a battle of the First Indochina War. The battle lasted from 30 September to 18 October 1950...
, who were holed up in That Khe. Following a consolidation of French forces at That Khe, the battalion lead the French forces north towards Dong Khe with plans to retake the town, hold it long enough to link up with French forces retreating from the north, and then evacuate south. Although the two French groups were able to link up, heavy Viet Mihn interdiction on the roads and constant ambushes in the thick jungle forced the French off the roads in an attempt to bypass the town. In so doing, the entire battle group was forced into the Coc Xo gorge, where it was destroyed piecemeal. An attempt to reinforce the battle group occurred on the night of October 8 when approximately 570 additional reinforcements were dropped near That Khe in an attempt to draw the Viet Minh forces away from the gorge, but this operation became hopelessly bogged down and the reinforcements were cut to pieces in turn. The unit was almost entirely destroyed in the subsequent battle in October around Dong Khe, with only 130 men of the battalion remaining of the original 500 who jumped. In this engagement, the battalion distinguished itself in its willingness to go to great lengths to evacuate their wounded through forbidding terrain, including an incident in which the men rapelled down a 75 meter cliff at the Coc Xo gorge with the wounded strapped to their backs. Over the course of the battle and subsequent engagements between the 17th of September and the 30th of October, the unit lost 21 officers, 46 NCOs, and 420 men killed or wounded, including the battalion commander, Pierre Segretain
Pierre Segrétain
Pierre Côme André Segrétain was a French Army officer, that fought in World War II and the First Indochina War, primarily in Foreign Legion units...
, killed in action the night of October 7. Only isolated elements of the battalion were able to rejoin the French lines, including Captain Jeanpierre
Pierre Jeanpierre
Pierre Paul Jeanpierre was a French Army officer. He fought during World War II, the First Indochina War, the Suez Crisis and the Algerian War, where he was killed in action...
, who would later command the regiment in Algeria. Having ceased to exist as a combat-worthy formation, the unit was disbanded on December 31, 1950.
The 1st BEP reformed on the 18th of March, 1951 from the survivors of the original battalion (which had up to that point been attached to the 2nd BEP), as well as men from the 2nd BEP and reinforcements newly arrived from North Africa. Thus the battalion consisted of 3 companies, including a headquarters formation, the 1st and 2nd companies, and a company composed of Indochinese volunteers.
On the 10th of September, 1951, the unit returned to combat during Operation Tulip, part of General de Lattre de Tassigny's
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny
Jean Joseph Marie Gabriel de Lattre de Tassigny, GCB, MC was a French military hero of World War II and commander in the First Indochina War.-Early life:...
effort to put the Viet Minh
Viet Minh
Việt Minh was a national independence coalition formed at Pac Bo on May 19, 1941. The Việt Minh initially formed to seek independence for Vietnam from the French Empire. When the Japanese occupation began, the Việt Minh opposed Japan with support from the United States and the Republic of China...
on the defensive around the Cho Ben pass, north of Hoa Binh
Hoa Binh
Hòa Bình is a city in Vietnam. It is the capital of Hoa Binh province and is located 76 kilometres from Hanoi, a 5 kilometres from the Da River. The Battle of Hoa Binh was fought around the city in 1951-52 during the First Indochina War.-References:...
. The operation
Battle of Hoa Binh
The Battle of Hòa Bình was fought during the First Indochina War. It occurred from 10 November 1951 to 25 February 1952, when French Union forces attempted to lure the Việt Minh out in the open and to fight on French terms.-Prelude:...
was a tactical success with the battalion successfully assisting in the capture of Hoa Binh, but further counter-attacks by the Viet Minh in November convinced the French military command at they were overextended and as a result the area was evacuated, with the last units leaving Hoa Binh in February, 1952.
Having reached an apparent stalemate in early 1952 around the Red River Delta
Red River Delta
The Red River Delta is the flat plain formed by the Red River and its distributaries joining in the Thai Binh River in northern Vietnam. The delta measuring some 15,000 square km is well protected by a network of dikes. It is an agriculturally rich area and densely populated...
, the French command again decided to go on the offensive, giving the plan the code name Operation Lorraine
Operation Lorraine
Operation Lorraine was a French military operation of the First Indochina War.The main objective for the French was to lure the Viet Minh into open battle and inflict a crushing defeat on them. Giap failed to take the bait and Salan canceled the operation and the French withdraw to the de Lattre...
. On November 9, 1952, the 1st BEP and other airborne formations were dropped into combat near Phu Doan, capturing a quantity of Viet Minh supplies and securing the area. However, the operation failed in drawing the Viet Minh into a large, set-battle (as the French commanders had hoped), and as such the operation was abandoned and the remaining French forces were withdrawn on the 16th and 17 November. The battalion was one of the formations selected to hold the rearguard post at Na San, where it sustained a fierce assault
Battle of Na San
The Battle of Nà Sản was fought between French Union forces and the communist forces of the Việt Minh at Nà Sản, Sơn La Province, during the First Indochina War for control of the T’ai region ....
from the Viet Minh between November 23 and December 2, 1952. The post was well-fortified and held in the face of overwhelming numbers, with the bloodied Viet Minh falling back after a week of fighting.
After falling back to the French defensive positions around the de Lattre line, the battalion was reorganized and reinforced, with a third company of legionnaires being added, bringing the total strength of the battalion to 4 combat companies: 3 legion and 1 Indochinese. In addition, on September 1, 1953 the 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company
1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company
The 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company , or 1re Compagnie étrangère parachutiste de mortiers lourds, was an airborne heavy mortar company that briefly existed during the First Indochina War from September 1953 to 31 May 1954.-Overview:...
was created and attached to the 1st BEP.
On November 21, 1953, the unit was dropped as part of the second wave of French troops into the area around Dien Bien Phu
Dien Bien Phu
Điện Biên Phủ is a city in northwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of Dien Bien province, and is known for the events there during the First Indochina War, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, during which the region was a breadbasket for the Việt Minh.-Population:...
as part of Operation Castor
Operation Castor
Opération Castor was a French airborne operation in the First Indochina War. The operation established a fortified airhead in Dien Bien Province, in the north-west corner of Vietnam. Commanded by Brigadier General Jean Gilles, Castor was the largest airborne operation since World War II...
, with the objective of securing a WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era landing strip and drawing the Viet Minh into another pitched battle against a well-defended position. The operation was completed without incident, with the battalion digging in around Dien Bien Phu in late November, 1953. During the battle of Dien Bien Phu
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
The Battle of Dien Bien Phu was the climactic confrontation of the First Indochina War between the French Union's French Far East Expeditionary Corps and Viet Minh communist revolutionaries. The battle occurred between March and May 1954 and culminated in a comprehensive French defeat that...
, the battalion was divided into mobile fire-brigades, with the primary focus being the Huguette forts, specifically Huguette 5. The 1 CEPML was stationed at Dominique 2 until the 14th of March, 1954, at which point it was shifted to various locations in the fort. Despite furious resistance, the 1st BEP is destroyed for a second time on May 7, 1954 with the final fall of the outpost. The unit loses 316 men killed in action over the course of the siege, not including those who subsequently die in captivity in Indochina.
Algeria
Following the Geneva ConferenceGeneva Conference (1954)
The Geneva Conference was a conference which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, whose purpose was to attempt to find a way to unify Korea and discuss the possibility of restoring peace in Indochina...
, on February 1, 1955, the unit embarked of the steamship “Pasteur” in Saigon and arrived at Mers el-Kebir on the 24th of the same month. On September 1, 1955, the 1st BEP was expanded to a regiment-level formation and renamed 1st REP. From that point on, the unit was based out of Zeralda
Zéralda
Zeralda is a suburb of the city of Algiers in northern Algeria....
.
November 6, 1956, the regiment landed in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
at Port-Said and Port-Fuad as part of the French military force participating in the Suez canal crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
. It was evacuated piecemeal between December 10 and 22, 1956, as which point the towns were handed over to United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
control.
From 1957 onwards, the regiment was sent back to Algeria, first in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
, then in the djebel, and finally at Guelma
Guelma
Guelma is the capital of Guelma Province and Guelma District, located in northeastern Algeria, about 65 kilometers from the Mediterranean coast...
.
On the 29th of May, 1958, during operation “Taureau 3,” the regimental commander Lt. Col. Jeanpierre was killed when his helicopter was shot down by rebels. His successor, Col. Borthier, assumed command on the 17th of June 1958 with the mission of securing Algeria.
On the eve of the Algiers putsch of April, 1961, the regiment was commanded by Helie Denoix de Saint Marc
Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc
Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc is a French former member of the Resistance, then a military officer, and was courtmartialed for participating in the Generals' Putsch against Charles de Gaulle....
, as Lt. Col. Guiraud was on leave.
With the accession of the cadre, Major de Saint-Marc activated the regiment alongside the mutineers, and began the putsch on April 21 by marching on Algiers. Following the failure of the putsch, the regiment was disbanded the 30th of April, 1961 under the orders of Pierre Messmer
Pierre Messmer
Pierre Joseph Auguste Messmer was a French Gaullist politician. He served as Minister of Armies under Charles de Gaulle from 1960 to 1969 – the longest serving since Étienne François, duc de Choiseul under Louis XV – and then as Prime Minister under Georges Pompidou from 1972 to 1974...
, the minister of the army. The legionnaires left their camp singing Edith Piaf
Édith Piaf
Édith Piaf , born Édith Giovanna Gassion, was a French singer and cultural icon who became widely regarded as France's greatest popular singer. Her singing reflected her life, with her specialty being ballads...
’s song Non, je ne regrette rien
Non, je ne regrette rien
"Non, je ne regrette rien" , meaning "No, I'm not sorry for anything", is a French song composed by Charles Dumont, with lyrics by Michel Vaucaire. It was written in 1956, and is best known through its 1960 recording by Édith Piaf....
. At that point, part of the regiment deserted and went over to the OAS
OAS
OAS or Oas may refer to:* Organization of American States, an international organization of the Americas.* Ohio Auction School, an auction school in Ohio, USA.* Old Age Security, a social security payment available to most Canadians aged 65 or older....
. Those who did not join in the putsch were escorted back to France and detained at Fort de Nogent
Fort de Nogent
The Fort de Nogent or Fort de Nogent-sur-Marne is a French fortification forming part of the fortifications of Paris. Despite its name, the fort is located in Fontenay-sous-Bois; the name is derived from Nogent-sur-Marne the town the fort was planned to protect...
. This event marked the end of the 1st REP.
From that point onwards, the 2nd REP
2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force.-Indochina:...
remains the only foreign parachute regiment in the French army.
Battalion
- Major SegrétainPierre SegrétainPierre Côme André Segrétain was a French Army officer, that fought in World War II and the First Indochina War, primarily in Foreign Legion units...
(1948–1950) - Major Darmuzai (1950–1952)
- Major Brothier (1952–1953)
- Major Guiraud (1953–1954)
- Captain Germain (July–October 1954)
- Major JeanpierrePierre JeanpierrePierre Paul Jeanpierre was a French Army officer. He fought during World War II, the First Indochina War, the Suez Crisis and the Algerian War, where he was killed in action...
(1954–1955)
Regiment
- Major Jeanpierre (1955–1956)
- Lieutenant Colonel Brothier (1956–1957)
- Lieutenant Colonel Jeanpierre (1957–1958)
- Lieutenant Colonel Brothier (1958–1959)
- Lieutenant Colonel Dufour (1959–1960)
- Lieutenant Colonel Guiraud (1960–1961)
Officers and legionnaires
- Erwan BergotErwan BergotErwan Bergot was a French Army officer and author; he served in the French Army during the First Indochina War and Algerian War.-Biography:...
- Jean-Marie Le PenJean-Marie Le PenJean-Marie Le Pen is a French far right-wing and nationalist politician who is founder and former president of the Front National party. Le Pen has run for the French presidency five times, most notably in 2002, when in a surprise upset he came second, polling more votes in the first round than...
- Jacques PeyratJacques PeyratJacques Peyrat is a right-wing French politician and lawyer who has been mayor of Nice since 1995 and senator from the Alpes-Maritimes since 1998....
- Rémy RaffalliRémy RaffalliBarthélémy “Rémy” Raffali was a French Army soldier that fought in World War II and the First Indochina War.-Early Life and pre-war service:...
- Hélie de Saint Marc
Battle Honours
- Cameróne 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...
- Indochine 1949-1954First 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