Régiment d'infanterie chars de marine

Creation and different nominations

World War I

Enacted in Morocco in the beginning of August 1914 under the designation of 1st Mixed Colonial Infantry Regiment (French: 1^er Régiment mixte d'infanterie coloniale, R.M.I.C). In December, the regiment was designated as 1st Marching Colonial Infantry Regiment (French: 1^er Régiment de marche d'infanterie coloniale, R.M.I.C). On August 17, 1914, the regiment disembarked and was accordingly engaged on the French front at the early beginning of the war. The RICM, Colonial Infantry Regiment of Morocco (French: Régiment d'infanterie coloniale du Maroc, R.I.C.M) was officially created on June 9, 1915. The regiment was a colonial infantry regiment, according in occurrence with the infantry of the French Marines. However, certain missions included Senegalese and Somalis auxiliaries attached to the regiment.

In four lasting years, the regiment engaged on the various fronts as the most decorated regimental colors of the French Army with 10 citations at the orders of the armed forces.

In October 1916, the regiment was reinforced with Senegalese Tirailleurs and Somalis, the RICM reinforced by the 43rd Senegalese Tirailleurs battalion and two Somalis companies made way through the trenches, piercing the lines on a depth of two kilometers while undergoing couter-attacks and apprehended the Fort of Douaumont. For this occasion, the regiment was awarded the Légion d'honneur and the third citation at the orders of the armed forces.

Throughout the course of the war, the RICM endured the loss of 15000 Marsouins (killed or wounded) out of which 250 Officers. The regimental colors would bear no less than 10 palms on the croix de guerre 14-18, the Légion d'honneur, the Médaille militaire (July 5, 1919) and the Order of the Tower and Sword.

The regiment garrisoned in Rhénanie from 1918 to 1925 prior rejoining Morocco.

Interwar period

The regiment was sent to Morocco, in the Rif first between 1925 and 1926, then from 1927 to 1932. During these years, 94 Marsouins (out of which 8 Officers), 275 Marsouis wounded (out of which 7 Officers), as well as 10 disappeared.

During this period, the regiment was awarded the Military Sharifian Medal (French: Mérite Militaire Chérifien).

The 3rd battalion and the franc group of the RICM were awarded the Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures at the orders of the armed forces.

World War II

In Charente on June 23, 1940, the RICM was still combat engaged at La Hayes-Descartes on June 24. Commanded by colonel Avre, the regiment has been engaged in battle since ten days and endured a considerable amount of men when found situated at the heights of Civray south of Esvre. Two small detachments, commanded by lieutenant Setevenson, transmission officer, and captain Alfred Loudes, adjutant to the colonel, manoeuver to defend the command post and succeeded. During these battles, the regiment endured 600 killed, wounded or disappeared during combats of Amboise.

During the armistice period, in the free zone, the 2^e RIC garrisoned in Perpignan and the 21^e RIC at Fréjus, Toulon and Marseille. The RICM was reconstituted in North Africa, as well as the 43^e RIC.

Fall of 1943, the 9th Colonial Infantry Division 9^e DIC was put in place by général Blaizot and the reconnaissance regiment of the Division was designated as the RICM of Rabat, during which at the end of April, the regiment embarked for Corsica. The division was of a solid formation. On June 17, 1944, the division apprehended Elba. Two months later, the regiment disembarked in Provence at Nartelle, then the fall of Toulon and the regroupment at Vierzon.

The RICM was the first to reach the Rhin, aspirant Jean-Louis Delayen raised the fanion of his squadron at Rosenau on November 20, 1944. End of November, the RICM made way to Mulhouse. The 9^e DIC apprehended 200 cities or villages, over a stretch of three hundred kilometers while facing through five opposing divisions.

With the campaigns of the Liberation, the RICM endured the loss of 54 Marsouis (out of which 2 Officers), 143 wounded (out of which 6 officers).

La campagne de la libération coûte au RICM 54 marsouins (dont 2 officiers), 143 blessés (dont 6 officiers).

Two citations at the orders of the armed forces decorated the regimental colors of the RICM.

A U.S. decoration, the Distinguished Unit was awarded to the regiment during battles in Belfort, Mulhouse and Seppois-le-Bas.

Indochina War

On November 4, 1945, the first elements of the regiment arrived in Saigon. The regiment took part in all operations, including operation Gaur (1946), operation of control in Cochinchine and Annam (1946 to 1947), Cambodia (1946 to 1947), Tonkin (1946 to 1947), operation Lea (Lang-Son, Cao-Bang, Bac-Kan), high region (February 1948 to February 1951), operations in the delta (January 1948 to February 1951), Dien Bien Phu, and leading the last combats until July 1954.

The Armoured Tonkin Group was decorated at the orders of the various armed forces. One squadron was decorated at orders of the French Navy, as well as the marching group squadron. A citation at the orders of the Army Corps was awarded to three squadrons (cited twice), the marching battalion of the RICM, the marching squadron group of the RICM as well as a platoon of one of the squadrons. One of the squadrons was awarded also a citation at the orders of the Division.

In total, 15 citations were awarded to units of the RICM during that war, 5 out of which were for the regiment.

During this war, the regiment endured the loss of 1300 Marsouis (out of which 57 Officers, 167 Sous-Officiers killed or wounded).

Algerian War

In May 1956, Colonial Infantry Regiment of Morocco (French: Régiment d'Infanterie Coloniale du Maroc, R.I.C.M) made way to Algeria. In 1958, while the Colonial Troops (French: Troupes Coloniales, TC) were rebranded Marine Troops (French: Troupes de Marine, TDM), initials were conserved in memory of arms accomplishments. The regiment became the Marine Infantry Tank Regiment (French: Régiment d'Infanterie-Chars de Marine, R.I.C.M), the only TDM (troupe de marine) to combat on light armour. The 1st Marine Infantry Regiment 1^er RIMa also shared a similar specialty in 1986. Cadres of the regiment are formed at the Cavalry Application School of Saumur.

Following the ceasefire on March 19, 1962, 114 units of local forces of the Algerian order of battle were created in the entire of Algeria. Constituted of 10% of French military personnel and 90% of Muslim Algerian military personnel, whom would remain in service of the executive provisionary power of Algeria until the independence of Algeria. The RICM formed the 513th unit of the local force of the Algerian order of battle during the transitory period to full independence (Accords d'Evian).

Return to metropole

The regiment garrisoned at Vannes from 1963 to 1996, since September 1996, the regiment has been based in Poitiers.

Foreign Operations

In 1978 and 1979, the RICM participated to operation Tacaud in Tchad. In April 1978, 2 Marsouins were killed as well as several wounded during the battle of Salal, the first combat engagements during the conflict. In October of the same year, the regiment engaged in the skirmish of "Forchana" followed by the combat engagement of "Katafa": where four military personnel were seriously wounded. During mid-December, the combat of Foundouck would witness various personnel seriously attained. At the beginning of 1979 on March 5, another assault was mounted, during which 1 Marsouins was killed and several were wounded. The outcome for the regiment was the apprehending of some 800 arms and vehicles by the French groupment including units of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3^e RIMa and the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment 11^e RAMa. Accordingly, various platoons were detached in the capital in order to avoid any inter-ethnic confrontations. During these various combats, heavy losses were inflicted on rebels and a vast number of materials, arms and vehicles was recuperated or destroyed.

In parallel from March 1978 to September 1978, the 1st squadron was part of the first detachment of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL at the corps groupment of the 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment 3^e RPIMa. One Marsouins was killed and several wounded during a combat engagement on May 2, 1978. A citation at the orders of the armed forces was awarded in October 1978 to the RICM for peace combat engagements in Lebanon, and Tchad in 1978.

In end of 1979, the RICM took part in operation « Barracuda ».

By a decision decree dated October 25, 1978, actions led by a regiment in a country linked to France by a cooperation accords (agreement) in the various fields and at the corps of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon was seen recompensated by attribution of an 18th citation at the orders of the armed forces.

In 1990 and 1991, the regiment intervened in operation Salamandre, then in the active phase of the Gulf War.

In 1992, the regiment contributed the first element of frenchbat (French battalion) of Sarajevo, from the RICM reinforced by a company of the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2^e RIMa in Ex-Yugoslavia, where the regiment endured the loss of 4 men and illustrated capability most notably during the combats of the Vrbanja bridge at Sarajevo on May 27, 1995.

In 1994, the regiment was engaged in operation Turquoise in Rwanda.

In 2004, the RICM led the tactical interarm group of operation Licorne in the Ivory Coast. The regiment endured the loss of 5 Marsouins and some 30 others wounded.

Organization

The regiment is organized into 6 squadrons.

Motto

Latin, "Recedit Immortalis Certamine Magno". In French : "Il revint Immortel de la Grande Bataille" which translates to : "Returned Immortel from the Grand Battle".

Decorations

The RICM is the most decorated regiment of the French Army. The regimental colors are decorated with:

The marsouins of the RICM bear wearing the Fourragere:

The regimental colors of the RICM is the most decorated out of all regimental colors of the French Army. The regiment titled 19 citations at the orders of the armed forces in 2012.

Battle Honors

Régiment d'infanterie chars de marine - R.I.C.M (1958 - present)

(*) Officer who later became général de corps d'armée.
(**) Officer who later became général d'armée.

Henri Bentégeat was Chef d'état-major des armées from 2002 to 2006.

Notable Officers & Marines