4th Foreign Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 4th Foreign Regiment (4e Régiment Étrangère) is the unit responsible for training the French Foreign Legion
. Prior to assuming its responsibility of training Foreign Legion personnel, the 4th Foreign Regiment was an infantry regiment which participated in campaigns in Morocco
, French Indochina
, and Algeria
.
on November 1, 1920 in Marrakesh, Morocco
during the Rif War
. In November 1940, the 4th Foreign Regiment was disbanded to allow its ranks to be reorganized into the 11th Foreign Regiment of Infantry and the 12th Foreign Regiment of Infantry. Shortly thereafter the 4th Foreign Regiment was reestablished as the 4th Demibrigade of the Foreign Legion; under that name the 4th Foreign Regiment operated as part of the Free French forces until 1943 when it was again disbanded as part of another French military reorganization.
In July 1962, the 4th Foreign Regiment was redeployed to southern Algeria
where the regiment was tasked with guarding the oil field
s and French nuclear facilities in the region. The 4th Foreign Regiment was disbanded and its subordinate units were folded into the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
. In October 1976 the Foreign Legion established a new Instruction Regiment (Regiment d'Instruction) at Castelnaudary
by divesting the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment's Instruction Group (Groupement d' Instruction). As the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment folded into the 2nd REI, the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment's lineage was passed on to the new Instruction Regiment; in 1980 the Instruction Regiment was given its current name as the 4th Foreign Regiment.
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...
. Prior to assuming its responsibility of training Foreign Legion personnel, the 4th Foreign Regiment was an infantry regiment which participated in campaigns in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , 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...
, French 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....
, and 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...
.
History
The 4th Foreign Regiment was established as an infantry regimentInfantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
on November 1, 1920 in Marrakesh, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , 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...
during the Rif War
Rif War (1920)
The Rif War, also called the Second Moroccan War, was fought between Spain and the Moroccan Rif Berbers.-Rifian forces:...
. In November 1940, the 4th Foreign Regiment was disbanded to allow its ranks to be reorganized into the 11th Foreign Regiment of Infantry and the 12th Foreign Regiment of Infantry. Shortly thereafter the 4th Foreign Regiment was reestablished as the 4th Demibrigade of the Foreign Legion; under that name the 4th Foreign Regiment operated as part of the Free French forces until 1943 when it was again disbanded as part of another French military reorganization.
In July 1962, the 4th Foreign Regiment was redeployed to southern 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...
where the regiment was tasked with guarding the oil field
Oil field
An oil field is a region with an abundance of oil wells extracting petroleum from below ground. Because the oil reservoirs typically extend over a large area, possibly several hundred kilometres across, full exploitation entails multiple wells scattered across the area...
s and French nuclear facilities in the region. The 4th Foreign Regiment was disbanded and its subordinate units were folded into the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
2nd 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...
. In October 1976 the Foreign Legion established a new Instruction Regiment (Regiment d'Instruction) at Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary
Castelnaudary is a commune in the Aude department in the Languedoc-Roussillon region in south France. It is in the former province of the Lauragais and famous for cassoulet of which it claims to be the world capital, and of which it is a major producer....
by divesting the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment's Instruction Group (Groupement d' Instruction). As the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment folded into the 2nd REI, the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment's lineage was passed on to the new Instruction Regiment; in 1980 the Instruction Regiment was given its current name as the 4th Foreign Regiment.
Organization
The 4th Foreign Regiment functions as the Foreign Legion's training command. The Regiment consists of six companies:- Command and Services Company (CCS), or Compagnie de Commandement et des Services, is the regimental headquarters company which also has integrated logistical capabilities. This company has several subordinate administrative units such as the Office of Maintenance and Logistics, the Office of Job Training (Bureaux Instruction Empoi), and the Directorate of Human Resources (Direction des Ressources Humaines).
- Foreign Volunteer Companies (CEV), or Compagnies d’Étranger Voluntaire, are responsible for performing recruit basic training. The regiment has three such companies.
- Cadre Training Company (CIC), or Compagnie d’Instruction des Cadres, conducts all NCO education and professional development courses.
- Specialist Instruction Company (CIS), or Compagnie d’Instruction des Spécialistes, conducts training courses in administrative and technical skill. This company teaches over forty courses a year ranging from three to fifteen weeks each.