1st Foreign Regiment

1st Foreign regiment (1er Régiment étranger)
Regimental badge of 1er RE
Active	1841 - present
Country	France
Allegiance	French Foreign Legion
Branch	French Army
Garrison/HQ	Aubagne
Motto	Honneur et Fidélité (Honour and loyalty)
Colors	Green & Red
Anniversaries	Camerone Day (April 30) and Christmas
Insignia
Beret badge of the 1st Foreign Regiment
Abbreviation	1er RE

The 1st Foreign Regiment (French: 1er Régiment étranger, 1er RE) is the senior regiment of the French Foreign Legion. Today the regiment is mainly administrative, and provides staff for the Command of the Foreign Legion.

The regiment represents a major stage in a legionnaire's service. He begins his career at the Center of Selection and Incorporation (CSI), and returns at the end of it.^[1]

The regiment is also in charge of special institutions of the legion: the magazine Képi Blanc, the Legion's Athletics Team (ATHLEG) and the Military band.

History

In 1841 the Foreign Legion was reorganized into the 1st and 2nd Foreign Regiments.^[2] The two regiments provided three battalions each for the Crimean Campaign of 1854-56. Both regiments took part in the Magenta Campaign of 1859. After returning to Algeria the 1er RE was so weakened by losses it was disbanded in 1861, the remaining men joining the 2e RE in Sidi-Bel-Abbès and being re-titled Foreign Regiment (French: Régiment étranger, RE).

In October 1933 Sidi-bel-Abbes became the main depot for the whole Legion. Through World War Two 1er REI remained there. It continued as the main depot for the wars in Indo-China and Algeria. After Algerian independence the regiment left for Aubagne, France in October, 1962.

Organisation

The regiment consists of three companies, as follows:^[3]

• Compagnie de Commandement et des Services Régimentaire (CCSR) - Regimental Command and Services Company
• Compagnie des Services de la Légion Étrangère (CSLE) - Foreign Legion Services Company
• Compagnie Administrative du Personnel de la Légion Étrangère (CAPLE) - Foreign Legion Personnel Administration Company

It also runs the following:^[3]

• Institution des Invalides de la Légion Étrangère (IILE) à Puyloubier - Foreign Legion Invalid Institution, at Puyloubier
• Centre d’Hébergement et d’Accueil de la Légion Étrangère (CHALE) à la Ciotat - Foreign Legion Accommodation & Welcome Center, at Ciotat
• Centre des Permissionnaires de la Légion Étrangère de la Malmousque (CPLEM) à Marseille - Foreign Legion Leave Center, at Malmousque

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

Battle honours

• Sevastopol 1855
• Kabilie 1857
• Magenta 1859
• Camerone 1863
• Extrême-Orient 1884-1885
• Dahomy-Maroc 1892-1907, 1925
• Madagascar 1895-1905
• Orient 1915-17

Notes

References

• www.legion-etrangere.com
• Windrow, Martin (1971). French Foreign Legion. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0-85045-051-9. 

External links

• Official website - 1er Régiment étranger
• French Foreign Legion recruitment portal
• Képi Blanc magazine

v t e French Foreign Legion History of the French Foreign Legion— Képi Blanc (publication) Current Foreign Legion Units Administrative 1st Foreign Regiment — Foreign Legion Command — Foreign Legion Recruiting Group Infantry 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment — 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment — 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment — 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade — Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte Cavalry 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment Engineering 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment — 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment Training 4th Foreign Regiment — Jungle Training Center — Combat Training Center at Arta Beach Defunct Foreign Legion Units Administrative and Training Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments Airborne 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment — 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment — 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company Infantry 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment — 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment — 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment — 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment — 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers — 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers — 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers Cavalry 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment — 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division Miscellaneous Armored Train of the Foreign Legion — Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East