| Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais | |
|---|---|
A platoon of Ardennian Rifles parading in Bastogne |
|
| Active | 1994 |
| Country | Belgium |
| Branch | Land Component |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Mechanised infantry |
| Part of | Medium Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Marche-en-Famenne |
| Motto | Resiste et mords |
| March | Marche des Chasseurs ardennais ("March of the Ardennian Rifles") (French) |
The Regiment of Ardennian Rifles (French: Régiment de Chasseurs Ardennais) is an infantry regiment in the Land Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. The regiment is a part of the 7th Brigade. It has inherited the traditions of the 1st Division of Ardennian Rifles and of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Ardennian Rifles Battalion.
The origin of the Chasseurs Ardennais starts with a concept preconceived in 1914 by colonel Bremer and in 1928 by general Hellebaut: the creation of a corps on the east border of Belgium, near Germany to protect itself against a German attack, the 10th of march 1933 king Albert the 1st decides the name change from 10e de ligne to Régiment des chasseurs ardennais. The direct consequence is that these soldiers, stationed in Arlon, Belgium will wear the Wild boar (emblem of the ardennes) on their green berets. One regiment is not enough to hold the east lines, so in august 1934, the regiment gets divided in three and a bcycle battalion gets added. The 24th of march 1937, three regiments are created, 1st, 2nd and 3rd regiment des chasseurs ardennais they are respectively located in Arlon, Bastogne and Vielsalm. Each unit was structured in this way: one HQ, three battalions to three companies of mixed cyclists (three packs of riflemen and three packs of MG) one motocyclste company and with each three motorbike packs, and one pack with three T15 tanks; one company with four antitank C47 cannons packs on T13 armored tracks: and finally one medical company. The 1st of july these become a division. In the end of 1939 this division counts 35000 men. This unit does some fierce fighting during the second world war on the 10th of May, one C47 antitank cannon takes out 5 german panzers. [1]