Trisha Shetty (Editor)

4th Foreign Regiment

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Country
  
France

Branch
  
French Army

Allegiance
  
French Foreign Legion

Part of
  
Foreign Legion Command

4th Foreign Regiment

Active
  
1920–1940 1941–1943 1948–1963 1976 – Present

Role
  
Recruit induction & training

The 4th Foreign Regiment (French: 4e Régiment étranger, 4e RE) is the regiment responsible for training the French Foreign Legion. Prior to assuming the main responsibility of training Foreign Legion personnel, the 4th Foreign Regiment is an infantry regiment which participated in campaigns in Morocco, French Indochina, and Algeria.

Contents

A rooted regiment of mutltiple and profound traditions

Created in November 1920 in Marrakesh, Morocco, the 4th Foreign Regiment became the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment in 1922. While barely created, the regiment engaged in campaigns in Morocco in the Rif War between 1920 and 1934. During that time simultaneously, the 4th and 5th battalion engaged in combat campaigns in the Levant between 1921 and 1926.

World War II

Dissolved on November 1940 to allow the creation of the 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment, 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment and then the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion; the 4th Foreign Regiment was recreated in 1941 under the designation of 4th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion, 4eDBLE. It was under that designation (1er R.E.I.M, which essentially contributed to constitute) in which the regiment participated in 1943 to the campaign of Tunisia, where the regiment illustrated capabilities at Zaghouan Mountain (or djebel). Following events and during World War II, the regiment was again dissolved in June 1943, and the constituents forming were transferred to the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (R.M.L.E), the regiment which participated and endured heavy combat action during the campaigns of France and Germany.

Far East and North Africa

the 4th Foreign Regiment was recreated in 1946. The regiment engaged successively constituting battalions in Madagascar (between 1947 and 1951), also engaging in the Far East, where the 2nd and 5th battalions were sent in a single unit forming before being dispersed to other regiments. Again dissolved in 1951, the <<4th>> was recreated in Morocco on March 1955, before being engaged in combat in Algeria between 1957 and 1964.

In July 1962, the 4th Foreign Regiment was redeployed to Reggane in southern Algeria, tasked with guarding the oil fields and French nuclear facilities in the region. Following, the 4th Foreign Regiment was disbanded and its subordinate units were folded into the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment. On 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).

Regiment of Instruction

On September 1, 1977, the regimental colors of the 4eEtranger were entrusted to the Instruction Regiment of the Foreign Legion which took garrison at Castelnaudary, a year earlier. On June 1, 1980, the later was redesignated as 4th Foreign Regiment.

The crucible of the Foreign Legion

Implemented solidly and firmly for 30 years at Castelnaudary, first at garrison Lapasset then garrison Danjou, the regiment pursued the arts in forming the various multinational cadres, specialists and young foreign volunteer recruits hailing from the four corners of the globe; strong with 44 officers, 170 warrant officers and non-commissioned officers, and 358 enlisted, all permamently dedicated to this unique and important mission for the future of the Foreign Legion.

Throughout the course of this moving history, the <<4th>> has illustrated combat capabilities mainly in:

  • TINTEGHALINE, de TIZI N’RECHOU (1922)
  • D’OUAOUIZERT (1922)
  • RIFF WAR (1924 – 1934)
  • LEVANT (1921 – 1926), MESSIFRE (1925)
  • CAMPAGNE DE TUNISIE (1943)
  • MADAGASCAR (1947–1951)
  • INDOCHINA (1949)
  • MAROCCO – ALGERIA (1955 - 1964)

    • Organization

    The Regiment consists of six companies:

  • Legion Pionniers Groups
  • Compagnie de Commandement et des Services (CCS) - Command and Services Company

    • 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).

  • Compagnies d’Étranger Volontaire (CEV) - Foreign Volunteer Companies

    • Responsible for performing recruit basic training. The regiment has three such companies.

  • Compagnie d’Instruction des Cadres (CIC) - Cadre Training Company

    • Conducts all NCO education and professional development courses.

  • Compagnie d’Instruction des Spécialistes (CIS) - Specialist Instruction Company

    • Conducts training courses in administrative and technical skill. This company teaches over forty courses a year ranging from three to fifteen weeks each.

    Regimental Colors

    Inscribed on the regimental colors of the 4th Foreign Regiment are the motto of the Foreign Legion:

    "Honneur et Fidélité"

    Code of Honour

  • Art. 1 - Légionnaire, tu es un volontaire, servant la France avec honneur et fidélité.
  • Art. 2 - Chaque légionnaire est ton frère d'armes, quelles que soient sa nationalité, sa race ou sa religion. Tu lui manifestes toujours la solidarité étroite qui doit unir les membres d'une même famille.
  • Art. 3 - Respectueux des traditions, attaché à tes chefs, la discipline et la camaraderie sont ta force, le courage et la loyauté tes vertus.
  • Art. 4 - Fier de ton état de légionnaire, tu le montres dans ta tenue toujours élégante, ton comportement toujours digne mais modeste, ton casernement toujours net.
  • Art. 5 - Soldat d'élite, tu t'entraînes avec rigueur, tu entretiens ton arme comme ton bien le plus précieux, tu as le souci constant de ta forme physique.
  • Art. 6 - La mission est sacrée, tu l'exécutes jusqu'au bout et si besoin, en opérations, au péril de ta vie.
  • Art. 7 - Au combat, tu agis sans passion et sans haine, tu respectes les ennemis vaincus, tu n'abandonnes jamais ni tes morts, ni tes blessés, ni tes armes.

    • Regimental Song

    Chant de Marche : C'est le 4 en chantant featuring:

    Battle Honors

  • CAMERONE 1863
  • MAROC 1914–1918-1921-1934
  • DJEBEL ZAGHOUAN 1943
  • A.F.N 1952 - 1962

    • References

    4th Foreign Regiment Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA