3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment

3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment

Active November 1949
Country  France
Allegiance French Foreign Legion
Type Airborne infantry
Role Training
Disbanded December 1, 1955
Abbreviation 3 REP

The 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment (French: 3e Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes, 3e REP) was an airborne regiment in the French Foreign Legion from 1949 to December 1, 1954.

Contents

History

The 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion was formed from the 7th Parachute Instruction Company of the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment in Mascara, Algeria. The 3rd BEP was established to train legionnaires as airborne infantry for deployment to the 1st and 2nd BEPs operating in French Indochina.[1] The regiment also participated in law enforcement activities in Tunisia in 1952.

On May 4, 1954 the regiment arrived in French Indochina at Haiphong. On June 1, 1954 the 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion was renamed as the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion, which had been destroyed at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Returned to Algeria in November 1955.[2]

In March 1955, the 2nd BEP made an airborne drop onto the Hodna Plain.[3] When garrisoned at Batna in September 1955 it was re designated as the 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment. However, with the re-establishment of 2e REP in December 1955 the Regiment was disbanded on December 1, its elements being folded into 1er REP and 2e REP.[4]

Garrisons

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Windrow, Martin (1986). French Foreign Legion Paratroopers. pp. 17. 
  2. ^ Windrow, Martin (1986). French Foreign Legion Paratroopers. pp. 17. 
  3. ^ Porch, Douglas (1991). pp. 572–573. 
  4. ^ Windrow, Martin (1986). French Foreign Legion Paratroopers. pp. 17. 

References