1st Foreign Regiment

1st Foreign Regiment Pionniers

The Legion retook since 1831 the tradition of Pionniers.

1st Foreign Regiment of 1885

The 1st Regiment of the Foreign Legion was created in 1841 based on 3 battalions in the newly created 1831 Foreign Legion. The 1st Regiment of the Foreign Legion became in 1855 the 1st Regiment of the 1st Foreign Legion. This regimet merged with the 2nd Foreign Regiment (2^e R.E.), (1856-1861) in 1859 and became the Foreign Regiment (R.E), (1862-1875), then came the 1st and 2nd battalion of the Foreign Legion (L.E), (1875-1884) which produced the 1st Foreign Regiment of 1885 that consequently became the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1922 and the 1st Foreign Marching Infantry Regiment (French: 1er Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie de Marche, 1er R.E.I.M) in 1943.

1st Foreign Regiment of 1856

The 1st Foreign Regiment (1er R.E.) (1856-1861) was created based on the 1st and 2nd Foreign Regiments of the 2nd Foreign Legion.

1st Foreign Regiment of 1955

The 1st Foreign Regiment (1^er R.E) (1955–present) was created based on the recreated 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1946-1955). This 1st Foreign Regiment gave formation on September 1, 1972 to the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) which became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) on July 1, 1984. With the Foreign Legion Command, the 1st Foreign Regiment constitute the <<Maison Mère>> (Mother House) of the Foreign Legion.

This expression inherited from Sidi Bel Abbès came from the primordial role the regiment played in conserving tradition and rendering the 1st Foreign Regiment a genuine turning plateau for the ensemble of the Foreign Legion. Quartier (garrison) Raphaël Vienot of Aubagne and Sidi Bel Abbès were both named in honor of colonel Viénot. Aubagne also houses the French Foreign Legion Museum.

Created in 1841 and stationed in Aubagne since 1962, the 1st Foreign Regiment is the patron of all Foreign Legion regiments. Beyond this historical aspect, the 1st Foreign Regiment represents a major cornerstone in the career paths of legionnaires. The legionnaires initiate their careers from the 1st Foreign Regiment at the selection center of incorporation while also confirming successful return upon completion of basic training before deploying to a legion operational regiment. Legionnaires also pass by the 1st Foreign Regiment each time a posting of a regiment changes, and also finalize in the same regiment their departure formalities at the end of active duty service.

Missions of the 1st Foreign Regiment

The 1st Foreign Regiment, is a regiment with essentially an administrative vocation which major missions are the support of the Foreign Legion and the Foreign Legion Command. However, during exterior and interior misson deployments requirements of units and regiments of the legion; the 1st Foreign Regiment usually also dispatches particular individuals or teams of specialists (O.M.L.T). In addition, the foreign regiment like all regiments of the French Army, does also engage in the alert phase mission of Vigipirate. The 1st Foreign Regiment also dispatches and supports world humanitarian missions around the globe during natural catastrophe and disasters.

Organisation

The regiment consists of three companies, as follows:

It also runs the following:

Also reported within the regiment is the Foreign Legion Emergency Staff and Statistics Division, a Legion intelligence section.

The insignia of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment, (1^er R.E.I), (1950-1955) retook the symbolics of the Foreign Legion with the grenade of 7 flames and the green, red colors of the legion. The regiment is represented inside the grenade while the globe commemorates the relic of the Foreign Legion in Sidi Bel Abbès.

The current insignia of the 1st Foreign Regiment, (1^er R.E), retook the symbolic ruban of the Commemorative medal of the Mexico Expedition created in 1863. This insignia was initially destined for the 3rd company of the 4th Foreign Regiment in 1936. The insignia became that of the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion, (G.A.L.E) and was then adopted by the 1st Foreign Regiment, (1^er R.E.) in 1955.

The insignia makes reference to a white diamond shape on which figures the arms of Mexico (a black Circaetus holding a serpent) and a Roman saltire with Foreign Legion and Mexican colors.

Regimental Song

Chant de Marche : Nous sommes tous des volontaires featuring:

Decorations

Battle honours

Notable personalities having served in the 1st Foreign Regiment