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Active 31st Brigade1 July 1981 – 28 June 19846th Light Armoured Division1990-19916th Light Armoured Brigade1 July 1999 – present Type Specialized Armoured Brigade | ||
The 31st Brigade (French: 31e Brigade) was a French and Foreign interarm brigade created in 1981 which forming components, were all reassigned in 1984. On July 1, 1981, the Chief of Staff of the French Army (C.E.M.A.T) enacted the creation of an inter-arm brigade placed under the orders and command of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E), headed by général Jean-Claude Coullon.
Contents
Organization
The structure and formation of the 31st Brigade consisted organically of :
The brigade benefitted from the support of AMX-30 tank squadrons of the 501e Régiment de chars de combat, (501e R.C.C). The brigade could be reinforced more particularly by the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC, as well as the 1st Foreign Regiment, and AMX 10 RC squadrons of the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment in measure of providing a command element and immediate support.
The headquarter staff of the brigade was stationed in Aubagne. The brigade's main mission was peacekeeping operations in Lebanon in 1983 within the constituent ranks of the Multinational Force in Lebanon, some of which regiments including the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment 3e RPIMa , the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment 8e RPIMa, the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment 1er RPH, the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment 35e RAP and the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment 17e RGP, were already active within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL in ground operations since 1978.
Brigadier General Jean-Claude Coullon was also in liaison charge of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 2e REP in 1982, through the mise en place of Operation Épaulard I. Général Coullon led and witnissed in effect, the transformation designation of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) to the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) in 1984 and also headed simultaneously the transitional command of the newly established C.O.M.L.E.
While the 31st Brigade was then substituted in 1984 and replaced with the 6th Light Armoured Division (French: 6e Division Légère Blindée, 6e D.L.B) which became the 6th Light Armoured Brigade (French: 6e Brigade Légère Blindée, 6e B.L.B) following the Gulf War in 1991, formed mainly by the same combat regiments; the integrated were repatriated to the respective brigades.
Insignias
The insignia of the 31st Brigade features Poseidon.