Foreign Legion Command

Updated on Jan 24, 2024

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Country France Type Command		Allegiance French Foreign Legion Role Headquarters

Active Commandement de La Légion Étrangère (1931 - 1984) Commandement de La Légion Étrangère C.O.M.L.E (1984 - present) Size 47 Men 23 Officers 24 Enlisted

The Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (French: (C.O.M.)mandement de la (L.)égion (É.)trangère, C.O.M.L.E) or Foreign Legion Command is the headquarters of the French Foreign Legion. The Commandement de la Légion Étrangère has adopted various inspecting, grouping, and commanding designations since 1931 and has been designated as C.O.M.L.E since 1984. The Divisional General commanding the Legion, surnamed or other known as Father of the Legion (French: Le Père Légion) is a direct subordinate of the Chief of Staff of the French Army (C.E.M.A.T). The divisional général is the technical counselar commanding for the ensemble related to the Legion ( recruitment, traditions, employment, regimental formations and security).

The division général of the Legion commands exclusively the 1st Foreign Regiment (1^er R.E.) (French: 1^er Régiment étranger), the 4th Foreign Regiment (4^e R.E.) (French: 4^e Régiment étranger) and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (G.R.L.E) (French: Groupement du recrutement de la Légion étrangère).

C.O.M.L.E has direct command over the 1st Foreign Regiment (1^er RE), 4th Foreign Regiment (4^e RE) and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (GRLE) (while the GRLE wasn't formed till 2007, the 1^er RE and the 4^e RE are regiments of traditions which are outside the regular French army command). The commands of the C.O.M.L.E division general commandant extends to:

Guardian of Legion Esprit de Corps, Legion Patrimony and Legion Traditions

Guardian Protector of Personnel Serving at Foreign Status

Command of General Personnel Administration Operations

Command of Training and Instructing Procedure Implementations

Guardian of Legion Communities

Royal Foreign Regiments in 1815

While the regiments of the Foreign Legion weren't established until 1831 as regiments composing a foreign Legion; Royal Foreign regiments prior 1831 constituted the Royal Foreign Legion (French: Légion Royale Étrangère) created on September 6, 1815 and which was renamed the Hohenlohe Regiment in 1821; hence, the elite reputation of the 1831 Foreign Legion.

Foreign Legion Regiments of Tradition (1831 - present)

At least 400 Foreign Regiments and Royal Foreign Unit Guards served the Kings of France and France till the beginning of the 19th century. In 1831, King Louis Philippe, the King of the French signed to birth the Royal Ordinance with Minister of War, Nicolas Jean de Dieu Soult, Duc de Dalmatie. The Royal Ordinance terms of the first article stated that a Legion composed of foreigners will be formed and this Legion will be known as the French Foreign Legion (French: La Légion Etrangère). Contrary to the foreign regiments that have previously served the Kingdom; the fourth article of the Royal Ordinance stipulated that service in this Legion will be exclusively voluntarily.

The French Foreign Legion was initially formed of troops having served in the regiment of Hohenlohe, officers of the Grande Armée (French: La Grande Armée) and reserve soldiers of the Imperial Wars. Consequently, the French Foreign Legion (French: La Légion Etrangère) was initially formed of 5 battalions compromised each of 8 combat companies. In application with the second article of the Royal Ordinance, each combat company was formed of men from the same nationality, speaking the same language. Consequently, the 1st, 2nd, 3rd Battalions were formed of Swiss and Germans, the 4th Battalion of Spanish and the 5th of Sardinians and Italians. In addition and obviously, Frenchmen, also composed the integration of these battalions.

Since then, the Legion has seen few foreign officers at foreign status commanding Legion regiments and detachments and mainly in times of Legion warfare around the History of France.

Officers in the Legion for the most part are seconded from the French Army. French officers of the Legion are amongst the elite and referred to as Legion officer (French: Officier de Légion), along with the highly admired, Major (French: Major de Légion), Adjudant-chef (French: Adjudant-chef de Légion), Adjudant (French: Adjudant de Légion), and very rare few French and foreign (non-French) Legion officer (French: Officier du Rang de La Légion) seconded from the ranks of the legionnaires.

The history tradition making of Legion regiments was front line opened and led by the Pionniers and charged by the service and sacrifices of the legionnaires following behind their legion regimental, battalion and company commanders since 1831 and serving the commanding Divisional General of the Legion since 1931.

Creation and different nominations (1931-1984)

The command of the French Foreign Legion is stationed at quartier Vienot in Aubagne at the corps of the 1st Foreign Regiment. The headquarters detachment was established in 1984 following the reorganization of the previous Foreign Legion Group (G.L.E). Foreign Legion Command is headed by a Général.

On March 2, 1931; the Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.L.E) (French: Inspection de la Légion étrangère, I.L.E) was created.

Between 1934 and 1935, the I.L.E was dissolved.

In 1948, the I.L.E is recreated.

On September 1, 1950; the I.L.E was dissolved and the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) (French: Groupement Autonome de la Légion étrangère, G.A.L.E) is created.

On July 1, 1955; the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère) was created.

On September 16, 1957; the C.O.L.E became the Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E) (French: Inspection Technique de la Légion étrangère).

On July 1, 1964; the I.T.L.E was dissolved.

On September 1, 1972, creation of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) (French: Groupement de Légion étrangère) which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion (G.O.L.E.) (French: Groupement Opérationnel de la Légion étrangère).

On July 1, 1984, the G.L.E became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère).

History of the garrisons, campaigns and battles

During the interwar period on April 1, 1931, while the Legion reached requirements of 30,000 legionnaires, général Paul-Frédéric Rollet, was entrusted with the post of inspector of the Foreign Legion newly created in Tlemcen in Algeria. It is at this moment that the Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments (D.C.R.E) (French: Dépôt commun des régiments étrangers, D.C.R.E) was created. This inspector of the Foreign Legion was dissolved with the retirement of the Father of the Legion.

In 1948, the inspection was recreated for 2 years under the command of general Raoul Magrin-Vernerey. Again dissolved in 1950, the inspection unit left way for the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) commanded consecutively by générals Jean Olié and Paul Gardy which have the attributions of inspector general. Accordingly, the (G.A.L.E) was composed of one headquarter staff état-major at Sidi bel-Abbès, the Communal Depot of the Legion, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 1^er REI that regrouped all training/ instruction units, the intelligence service, and the Moral Service for Works of the Foreign Legion (S.O.M.L.E) (French: Service du Moral et des œuvres de la Légion étrangère , S.O.M.L.E)

In 1954, at the end of the First Indochina War, the Foreign Legion was reorganized. The 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE inherited all the attributions of Legion units. The Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E) was created on July 1, 1955 at Vincennes; with command ensured by colonel Lennuyeux. Two years later on September 16, 1957, the foreign legion command inherited the new naming of Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E). This technical inspection was dissolved in 1964 and its attributions were transferred to the regimental commander of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE.

In 1972, under the impulsion of colonel Marcel Letestu, a Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) was created which is put at his disposition. Accordingly, colonel Letestu has immediate authority on the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er RE and the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2^e RE and conserved this prerogative of general inspector. On the other hand, the commander of the (G.L.E) commanded also the 31st Brigade which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion. This experimental unit, Legion dominated was among the first inter-arm brigade. The 31st Brigade (French: 31^e Brigade) engaged in peacekeeping combat operations in Lebanon at the corps of the Multinational Force in Lebanon under the command of Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) Brigadier General Jean-Claude Coullon. The 31^e Brigade was subsequently replaced by the 6th Light Armoured Division 6^ème D.L.B in 1984 and then became designated as the 6th Light Armoured Brigade 6^ème B.L.B following the Gulf War at the corps of Opération Daguet.

On July 1, 1984; the (G.L.E) inherited the denomination of Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère).

Organization

In the mission, the divisional general commanding the French Foreign Legion is assisted by a limited general headquarter staff which services operations are based on personnel of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^er R.E and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (G.R.L.E). This general staff is compromised as of the 2012 of the following:

Foreign Legion Human Resources Division, (D.R.H.L.E): division ensures the management of the ensemble administration of personnel serving at Foreign Status.

Foreign Legion Recruiting Group, (G.R.L.E): group is responsible for legion centers of information, legion recruiting centers, as well as the legion center of selection and incorporation.

Foreign Legion Information Systems and Communication Division, (D.S.I.C.L.E): division develops proper applications, administers networks and consulting in material of formation (Information Systems) for the foreign legion. The division has also for mission to support the Foreign Legion Service Handling of Information (S.T.I.L.E).

Foreign Legion Statistical and Personnel Protection Division, (D.S.P.L.E): division handles in material of protection and security, the ensemble of personnel serving at Foreign Status. This division paraticipates at the selection process of candidates at engagement.

Foreign Legion Communication and Information Division, (D.I.C.L.E): division in charge of institutional communication. This division runs public relations, the media, issue numbers production of Képi Blanc, the monthly of the legion, the administration of information technologoies, as well audio cells.

Foreign Legion History and Patrimony Division, (D.H.P.L.E): division handles the conservation preservation and management of the foreign legion, and most notably the management of Foreign Legion Museum.

Regimental Colors

Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion Étrangère) redesignated since 1984 is an integral part of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1^e RE.

Inspector Tenure of Foreign Legion

Inspection de la Légion étrangère (I.L.E)

Autonomous Group Tenure of the Foreign Legion

Groupement autonome de la Légion étrangère (G.A.L.E)

Foreign Legion Command Tenure

Commandement de la Légion étrangère (C.O.L.E)

Technical Inspection Tenure of the Foreign Legion

Inspection technique de la Légion étrangère (I.T.L.E)

Foreign Legion Groupment Tenure

Groupement de la Légion étrangère (G.L.E)

Commandement de la Légion Étrangère - C.O.M.L.E - (1984 - present)

The Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) transitted giving formation to the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) through the command of Brigadier General Jean-Claude Coullon in 1984.