3rd Marine Infantry Regiment

3e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine


Regimetal insignia of the 3e RIC
Regimental insignia of the 3e RIMa
Active 1838 - present
Country France
Branch French Army
Type Troupes de marine
Size ~ 1,250
Part of 9th Marine Infantry Brigade
Garrison/HQ Vannes, France
Nickname(s) « Le Grand Trois » (Fr)
Motto(s) « Debout les morts » (Fr)
Colors Red and blue
Anniversaries Bazeilles
Engagements

Franco-Prussian War
World War I
World War II
Lebanese Civil War 1975–1990

Gulf War
War on Terror (2001 – present)
Battle honours
  • Magador 1844
  • Alma 1854
  • Palikao 1860
  • Ki-Hoa 1861
  • Bazeilles 1870
  • Sontay 1883
  • La Marne 1914
  • Champagne 1915
  • Dobropolje 1918
  • Koweït 1990–1991
Insignia
Beret badge of the Troupes de Marine
Abbreviation 3e RIMa

The 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment (French: 3e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine, 3e RIMa) is a unit of the French Army in the French Forces. The 3e RIMa is one of the oldest of the troupes de marine. This regiment is one of the "Quatre Grands" of marine infantry ounce garrisoned within the four military ports, ready to embark : the « Grand Un » , the « Grand Deux », the « Grand Trois » and the « Grand Quatre ». The « Grand Trois » has participated actively to the various far expeditions of the 19th century in Africa, the Americas, Oceania and the Orient. Surnamed also the "3rd Marine", the unit was part of the « Blue Division » which illustrated capability at the Battle of Bazeilles on August 31 and September 1, 1870. The regiment was subordinated to the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade.

Creation and different nominations

History

Ancien Regime

Wars of the Revolution & Empire

1815 to 1848

left arm insignia, with anchor of the marine infantry.

Foundation was merged with those of the marine infantry (French: « infanterie de marine » ) whom were at the source of the Compagnie Ordinaire de la Mer created by Richelieu in 1622. A Royal Ordinance of King Louis Philippe I, the King of the French reconstituted in 1831 two regiments of marine infantry (French: régiments d'infanterie de marine) from the 45th, the 51st Line Infantry Regiment (French: 51e Régiments d'infanterie de ligne) and 16th Light Infantry Regiment which was garrisoned at the time in the colonies; a new decree ordinance dated November 20, 1838 created a third regiment of arms (French: troisième régiment de l'arme). Each regiment counted 30 active companies, out of which 4 grenadier, 4 de voltigeurs and 22 du centre, a headquarter staff and a company hors rang. The 1st regiment garrisoned at Brest, Cherbourg and Guadeloupe, the 2nd regiment at Brest, Rochefort and Martinique; the 3rd at Toulon, Cayenne, Senegal and the Bourbon island (current Reunion island).

Second Empire

Napoleon III expressed a plentiful of solicitude for the troupes coloniales; a decree of 1854 reorganized the marine infantry by creating four regiments with four attaching ports of birth.

On August 17, 1870, the 3rd Marching Marine Infantry Regiment was part of the Armée de Châlons (1870) (French: Armée de Châlons (1870)) of Marshal de MacMahon.

– August 23 to 26 1870 – March towards the east.
– August 31, 1870 – Battle of Bazeilles.

1870 to 1914

World War I

An insignia of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment.

Division attachment

1914

1915

1916

1917

French Army of the Orient (French: Armée française d'Orient, AFO)

1918

Interwar period

World War II

Phoney War

The 3rd Infantry Colonial Regiment 3e RIC was one of the three infantry regiments of the 1st Colonial Infantry Division. This division was placed in reserve of the IInd Army which was the first in line to protect the Maginot Line in a turning manoeuvre.

Battle of France

1945 to present

Missions

Regularly projected in outre-mer missions (notably Guyana) and Africa (Chad, Gabon, Central) as all units that used to be referred as the "Colonial", the 3e RIMa distinguished capability within Division Daguet during the first Gulf War and the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Sarajevo at the capture of the Vrbanja bridge in May 1995.

Since 2002, personnel of the regiment are deployed six months per year:

Organisation

The regiment is articulated into 8 companies with approximately 1300 men and women:

Traditions

The anniversary is celebrated for combats in Bazeilles, the village which was apprehended and abandoned four consecutive times under orders, respectively on August 31 and September 1, 1870.

Et au Nom de Dieu, vive la coloniale !

In the Name of God, vive la coloniale !

The Marsouins and the Bigors have for Saint, God. This war calling concludes intimate ceremonies which part life in the regiments. Often also at origin as an act of grace to Charles de Foucauld.

Motto

"Debout les Morts". This sentence, which became the motto of the regiment is credited to Adjudant Péricard (3e RIC) who voiced on February 27, 1915, to stimulate the troops, during the reapprehension of a fort. For this battle, the regiment endured the for the 1st and 2nd battalions of the 3e RIC: 189 killed, 575 wounded and 250 disappeared.

Insignia of the 3e RIMa

A Marine anchor with inscription "Bazeilles", a French Imperial Eagle, and the number 3. In 1975, during a regimental inspection, colonel Jean Joubert, regimental commander of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment noticed a sketch drawing realized by sergent-chef De Muynck of the 3rd section, 3rd company; accordingly the new insignia of the 3e RIMa was created.

Regimental Colors

Decorations

The regimental colors of the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa is decorated with:

The 3e RIMa was cited at the orders of the armed forces in 1978 and in 1991. The regiment was awarded on October 16, 2014 the Fourragere with colors of the Croix de guerre 1914–1918.

Honours

Battle Honours

Regimental Commanders

3e RIC

3e RIMa

  • 1870: Colonel Lecamus
  • 1886: Colonel Vinckel-Mayer
  • 1965–1967: Colonel de La Longray
  • 1967–1969: Colonel Fournier
  • 1969–1971: Colonel Barthelemy
  • 1971–1973: Colonel Emile Mistral
  • 1973–1975: Colonel Guillermet
  • 1975–1977: Colonel Joubert
  • 1977–1979: Colonel Hamel
  • 1979–1981: Colonel Rousseau-Dumarcet
  • 1981–1983: Colonel Fages
  • 1983–1985: Colonel Canal
  • 1985–1987: Colonel Mourgeon
  • 1987–1989: Colonel Coste
  • 1989–1991: Colonel Thorette
  • 1991–1993: Colonel Thévenon
  • 1993–1995: Colonel Montfort
  • 1995–1997: Colonel Leclère
  • 1997–1999: Colonel de Jong
  • 1999–2001: Colonel Commins
  • 2001–2003: Colonel Rochet
  • 2003–2005: Colonel de Woillemont
  • 2005–2007: Colonel Lecointre
  • 2007–2009: Colonel Chanson
  • 2009–2011: Colonel Schill
  • 2011–2013: Colonel Steiger
  • 2013–2015: Colonel Hervé
  • 2015–2017: Colonel Giraud
  • 2017–  : Lieutenant-colonel Ludovic Danigo

Notbale officers and marines

References

    Sources and bibliography

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