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31st Brigade | |
---|---|
31e Brigade | |
Active | 1 July 1981 – 28 June 1984 |
Country | France |
Branch | French Army |
Type | Specialized Armoured Brigade |
Part of | Foreign Legion Groupment |
Garrison/HQ | Bonifacio, Nîmes, Aubagne, Orange, Fréjus |
Motto(s) | Honneur et Fidélité |
Colors | Green and Red Red and Blue |
Engagements | 31st Brigade |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Général de brigade Paul Lardry (1981–1982) Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon [1] (1982–1984) |
The 31st Brigade (French : 31e Brigade) was a French Army unit created in 1981 whose components were all reassigned in 1984.
On 1 July 1981 the Chief of Staff of the French Army enacted the creation of an inter-arm brigade placed under the orders and command of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E), headed by générals [2] Paul Lardry and Jean-Claude Coullon. [3]
The structure of the 31st Brigade consisted 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.
The headquarter staff of the brigade was stationed in Aubagne. The brigade's main mission was peacekeeping operations in Lebanon in 1983 within the Multinational Force in Lebanon. Some of the regiments included 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), already active in UNIFIL ground operations since 1978.
Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon was also in charge of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) in 1982, through the putting-in-place of Operation Épaulard I spearheaded by lieutenant-colonel Bernard Janvier. Général Coullon led and witnessed the transformation of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E.) to the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) in 1984. [4] He also headed simultaneously the transitional command of the newly established Foreign Legion Command. [5]
From May to September 1983, the 31st Brigade intervened in Lebanon as part of the Multinational Force in Lebanon.
The 31st Brigade was replaced by the 6th Light Armoured Division on 28 June 1984.
The insignia of the 31st Brigade is a silver rectangle, bordered to the left by green and red stripes, representing the Legion and bordered to the right by red and blue stripes, representing the Troupes de marine. The top right features two stars representing the brigade. At the bottom left features Poseidon armed with a trident, forming out of a silver wave, recalling the intervention capacity capability of the brigade in any lieu, by maritime including aeronaval, aerial, or other maritime means of displacement. The insignia was realized in July 1981, following a contest at the corps units forming the brigade.
The French Foreign Legion is an elite corps of the French Army that consists of several specialties: infantry, cavalry, engineers, and airborne troops. It was created in 1831 to allow foreign nationals into the French Army. It formed part of the Armée d’Afrique, the French Army's units associated with France's colonial project in North Africa, until the end of the Algerian War in 1962.
The 1st Foreign Regiment is a depot regiment of the Foreign Legion in the French Army. It is located at Aubagne.
The 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment or 1er RPIMa is a unit of the French Army Special Forces Command, therefore part of the Special Operations Command.
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The 11th Parachute Brigade is one of the French Army's airborne forces brigade, predominantly light infantry, part of the French paratrooper units and specialized in air assault, airborne operations, combined arms, and commando style raids. The brigade's primary vocation is to project in emergency in order to contribute a first response to a situational crisis. An elite unit of the French Army, the brigade is commanded by a général de brigade with headquarters in Balma near Toulouse. The brigade's soldiers and airborne Marines wear the red beret (amaranth) except for the Legionnaires of the 2ème REP who wear the green beret.
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The 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment is the oldest and among the most decorated Airborne forces regiments of the French Army. Established in the French Army in 1943 and formerly part of the French Air Force since 1937, the chasseur distinguished its Regimental Colors during the campaigns of the Liberation of Paris, the First Indochina War in 1947, 1950, 1953, 1954 and the Algerian War. This elite regiment is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade.
The Foreign Legion Command (official) is the Command of the Foreign Legion in the French Army.
Marcel Letestu was a Général de brigade of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion.
Bernard Goupil was a Général de division of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion.
Paul Gardy was Général de brigade of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion in 1951 and 1958.
Jean-Claude Coullon was a Général d'armée of the French Army and Commandant of the French Foreign Legion.
Jean-Louis Franceschi is a Général of the French Army and Commandant of the Foreign Legion.
Hervé Charpentier is a Général d'armée of the French Army.