» 1rec | French Foreign Legion Information (2024)

On May 8, 2024, the French Foreign Legion units commemorated the 79th anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe. The end of the war came after the signing of the definitive overall surrender of Nazi Germany to the Allies in Berlin. See some images from the 2024 Victory in Europe Day celebrations.

Read moreForeign Legion: 2024 Victory in Europe Day

On April 30, 2024, the French Foreign Legion celebrated the 161st anniversary of the 1863 Battle of Camerone, an epic moment in its history. The celebrations were held across the regiments in France and abroad. See images.

Read moreForeign Legion: 2024 Camerone Day

The last weekend, April 20-21, 2024, 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) legionnaires commemorated their patron, Saint George (Saint-Georges in French). See some images.

Read more1er REC: 2024 Saint George’s Day

See nice images showing the anti-tank vehicles of the 2nd Squadron, 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) when firing at Mailly Camp, in the Marne Department of northeastern France.

Read more1er REC: 2nd Squadron at Mailly Camp

In November 2023, Brigadier-chief Manuel Da Costa left the French Foreign Legion, reaching the age limit of 62 years for an active soldier. With 44 years of service, this senior corporal was the longest-serving active member not only of the Legion, but also of the entire French Armed Forces.

Read more1er REC: A longest-serving active member of the French Armed Forces left the Foreign Legion after 44 years of service

This week, on November 27, began an important tactical combined arms maneuver BIA 23 that takes place in the Marne Department in northeastern France, north of Camp Mailly. Organized by the 6th Light Armored Brigade (6e BLB), it is to be the very first French exercise involving a combined arms brigade of the modern SCORPION generation ready for an operational deployment. Among the participating units are the Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), and the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG).

Read more1er REC, 2e REI, 1er REG: Exercise BIA 23

In most English-speaking countries, November 11 is known as Veterans Day or Remembrance Day, honoring military veterans and those who have died in the line of duty. In France, this day is still known as Armistice Day, in memory of the 1918 armistice signed between the Allies and Germany that ended World War I. Since 2012, all those who died for France have also been commemorated during Armistice Day. The French Foreign Legion participates annually in those ceremonies. See images.

Read moreForeign Legion: 2023 Armistice Day

In early October 2023, the 3rd Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) arrived in Djibouti, Horn of Africa. The squadron would carry out its tasks there for the next four months.

Read more1er REC: 3rd Squadron in Djibouti in 2023

See a short video showing the 4th Platoon, 5th Squadron of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC) during their military exercise in Southern France. During the exercise, the legionnaires familiarize with their equipment.

Read more1er REC: 5th Squadron in Southern France

During the last weekend, the legionnaires of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), the only cavalry unit within the current Foreign Legion, were protecting the Air Legend airshow near Paris, as part of the counter-terrorist Operation Sentinelle.

Read more1er REC: 2023 Protecting Air Legend

On June 25, 2023, legionnaires of the French Foreign Legion’s 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade (13e DBLE), and 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG) arrived at the CENTAC Combat Training Center at the Mailly Camp, in the Aube Department of Northeastern France. Their task was to train combined arms maneuvers.

Read more1er REC, 13e DBLE, 1er REG: 2023 CENTAC