The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (French: 1er Régiment étranger de génie, 1er REG)
is one of two combat engineer regiments in the French Foreign Legion, and part of the
6th Light Armoured Brigade.
Currently stationed at Quartier General Rollet in Laudun-l'Ardoise, Gard, southern France.
== History, creation and different nominations ==
=== Heir to the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (6e REI) ===
==== World War II ====
6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (1939 – 1/1/1942), (1949–1955)
" Oriental Mediterranean Regiment " known as Regiment du Levant, the 6th Foreign Infantry
Regiment (French: 6e Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie, 6e REI) has existed through history on two
occasions, in the Levant (Syria and Lebanon) from October 1, 1939 to January 1, 1942 and
in Tunisia from April 1, 1949 to June 1955.
At creation in 1939, the manpower came from the 1st, 4th, 6th battalions of the 1st Foreign
Infantry Regiment, 1er R.E.I (forming the 1st, 2nd, 4th battalions of the 6e R.E.I)
and the 2nd battalion of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (forming the 3rd battalion of the
6e R.E.I) with the Legion Artillery Group of the Levant (French: Groupe d'Artillerie
de Légion du Levant, G.A.L.L) compromising 3 artillery batteries.
On August 23, 1941; the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment embarked at Marseilles; reduced from
the results of combats to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd battalion and an artillery group, the regiment
rallied to the Free French including other French constituents.
The regiment was disbanded on January 1, 1942 after the British success in the Syria–Lebanon
Campaign and its legionnaires were transferred into the 1st Foreign Regiment and Communal
Depot of the Foreign Regiments while 690 of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment opted for
Charles de Gaulle.
The regiment left Lebanon on August 16, 1941 and rejoined the Camp Idron (Pau) on August
25 before rejoining Sidi-bel-Abbès on December 3, 1941.
During the regiment's dissolve on December 31, 1941, the legionnaires of the 6th Foreign
Infantry Regiment were assigned to the later reconstituted 1st Foreign Marching Infantry
Regiment (French: 1er Régiment Etranger d'Infanterie de Marche, 1er R.E.I.M) and the Marching Regiment
of the Foreign Legion (French: Régiment de Marche de la Légion Etrangère, R.M.L.E).
On June 7, 1949, the 3rd battalion of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment embarked for
Indochina and transformed to the 1st battalion of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (French:
5e Regiment Etranger d'Infanterie, 5e REI) on October 31.
The 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment participated to the operations of maintaining order.
The regiment notably engaged in the battles of djebel Selloum, Kasserine and djebel Gouleb.
the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment was dissolved for the second time on June 30, 1955 when
the French Foreign Legion was in phase of reorganization following the return from Indochina.
=== Creation of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment (6e REG) ===
6th Foreign Engineer Regiment (1984–1999) The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er Régiment
Etranger de Génie), 1er REG) was created in 1984 as the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment.
On July 1, 1984, Foreign Legion Groupment, G.L.E Commander, général Jean-Claude Coullon
assisted to the patronization ceremony marking the enacting of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment,
6e R.E.G.
For the first time in Legion history, the colors of a French foreign legion regiment
included the inscription "Génie".
Accordingly, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6e R.E.G ) received the regimental colors
on October 12, 1984.
The creation of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6e R.E.G ) was delayed with a doubtful bet.
The Legion had a long history of Fortification construction (French: génie bâtisseur),
however, had little experience in combat engineering assault.
The whites cadres combat engineer assault specialist of the general regime, a part component
of the Military Combat Engineer Assault (French: Génie militaire) of the French Army brought
forth their precious savoir-faire and formed the legionnaires in the various fields of
specialties.
Material arrived and the units prowled.The combat section and companies of the 6e REG
deployed in missions of short duration in Mayotte, Guyane, the Central African Republic
and very quickly the regiment gained its first combat experience.
For the actions of 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6e R.E.G ) in Tchad at Faya-Largeau in 1987,
the 1st combat company was cited at the orders of the armed forces with the Croix de la Valeur
militaire.
In the same theater of combat engagement, Sergent-Chef Panic was killed by an Anti-tank
mine on January 14, 1988 during a mission of opening and clearing the route.In 1989,
a detachment of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment trained Pakistanis in demining during Operation
Salam in Pakistan.
At Laudun, the mood and mode of the regiment was accelerated by the dispatching of combat
companies, sections and small separate detachments tasked with punctual missions.
In 1990, for the first time, the entire regiment intervened.
In Iraq and Kuwait, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment participated to the victorious offensive
of the Division Daguet part of Opération Daguet and was seen cited at the orders of
the armed forces with Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures with
a palm.
During the Gulf War, D.I.N.O.P.S operated in support of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne
Division, and provided the EOD services to the division.
After the cease fire took hold they conducted a joint mine clearing operation alongside
a Royal Australian Navy Clearance Diver Team Unit.
Barely in return to Laudun, combat companies were seen redispatched to new theatres of
combat operations.
The regiment would be found in Cambodia, Bosnia, Somalia, Rwanda, Kosovo and other geographical
locations.
== Campaigns == Engineer Combat Missions
The 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment ( 6e REG ) then 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er
REG) engaged in:
Somalia, (Operation Oryx) Cambodia, (United Nations Transitional Authority
in Cambodia (Opérations Marquis 1 et 2) Ex-Yugoslavia – Sarajevo (UNPROFOR) and
NATO Rwanda, (Operation Turquoise)
Kosovo, (Operation Trident) Eritrea, United Nations Mission in Ethiopia
and Eritrea Tchad (Operation Epervier) Humanitarian Missions
Operation Salam in Pakistan, initiating the formation of Afghans on techniques of mine
clearing Operations in Indonesia, Sumatra during the
2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami Operations in France during intense floods
Operation Tamour, protective security operations in support of medical treatment for children
=== 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) ===
1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1999–present) The 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (French:
1er Regiment Etranger de Genie, 1er REG) on was renamed on July 1, 1999 with the creation
of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment 2e REG.
== Organization == The regiment is composed of 980 men organized
into 8 companies.
Compagnie de Commandement et de Logistique (CCL) – Command and Logistics Company
Legion Pionniers Groups Compagnie d'Administration et de Soutien (CAS)
– Administrative and Services Company 1er Compagnie de Combat – 1st Combat Company
(3 combat sections, a support section and a command section)
2e Compagnie de Combat – 2nd Combat Company (3 combat sections, a support section and
a command section) 3e Compagnie de Combat – 3rd Combat Company
(3 combat sections, a support section and a command section)
4e Compagnie de Combat – 4th Combat Company ( 3 combat sections, a support section and
a command section) Compagnie d'Appui (CA) – Support Company
5e Compagnie – 5th Reserve Company PCG Teams (Combat Engineer Divers, French:
Plongeurs du Combat du Génie) former DINOPS Teams of Nautical Subaquatic Intervention
Operational Detachment (French: Détachement d'Intervention Nautique Operationnelle Subaquatique)
specialized in Parachute, Underwater demolition and Diving.
== Traditions ==
=== Insignias ===
=== Regimental Colors ===
=== Regimental Song === Chant de Marche : Le fanion claque et s'élève
featuring:
=== Decorations === La Croix de la Valeur militaire, 1st combat
company, for engagement in Tchad in 1987.
La Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment
6e REG, for engagement in Kuwait in Opération Daguet, 1990.
La Croix de la Valeur militaire, with 1 palm, the regiment, as of 2009 for engagement in
Afghanistan part of Operation Pamir French: Opération Pamir)
=== Honors ===
==== Battle honours ==== Camerone 1863
Koweït 1990–1991
== Regimental Commanders ==
== See also == List of French Foreign Legion units
== Notes