Fusiliers de Marine

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Marine Nationale

Motto: Honneur, Patrie, Valeur, Discipline ("Honour, Homeland, Valour, Discipline") Components Force d'Action Navale Force Océanique Stratégique Aviation Navale FORFUSCO Commandos de Marine Fusiliers de Marine Gendarmerie Navale History History of the French Navy Future of the French Navy French Navy ensigns and pennants Ships Current Fleet Current deployments Historic ships Historic Fleets Personnel Naval Ministers Maritime Prefect Ranks in the French Navy

The Fusiliers de Marine (also known as Fusiliers Marins) are units specialised in the protection and defence of key sites of the French Navy on land. They include about 1,200 men.

Their deployments include:

• One group in Toulon and another in Brest, with a "Regional Intervention Group" to reinforce the protection of any particular building or place.
• Seven companies scattered around metropolitan territory: one in the naval base of Cherbourg, one in every site of the FOST (Ile longue, France-sud, Rosnay and Sainte Assise) and one on each of the naval air bases of Lann Bihoué and Nîmes-Garons.

They also protect the DOM/TOM where interarm transmission stations are located.

[edit] History

"Call to fair men; the Royal regiment of Naval fusiliers is recruiting..." Louis XV

Musée de la Marine, Paris: Naval Infantry shako, around 1829.

Originally embarked troops used to maintain order aboard ships, the Fusiliers de Marine served as elite troops during boardings, typically using hand grenades and sharp-shooting from the masts. An anonymous Fusilier de Marine is credited for Nelson's death during the Battle of Trafalgar.

[edit] See also

• Troupes de Marine
• Marine

[edit] External links

• (French) Présentation des fusiliers marins et commandos marine