2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment is one of two combat engineer regiments in the French Foreign Legion. The regiment provides the combat engineering component of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade. Stationed, since its creation in 1999, on the former site of the French Strategic Nuclear Missiles at Saint Christol, Vaucluse, southern France.
History
The 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment is the combat engineer regiment of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade. The regiment was created in 1999 and is an heir to one of the 18 combat engineer formations of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina. The regiment participated to the conservation of the indochinese patrimony of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 5e REI, "The Tonkin Regiment". The French Foreign Legion regiment is a unit component of the military engineers of the French Army.The regiment like all Legion regiments is composed of foreign legionnaires. The younger legionnaires are issued from the 4th Foreign Regiment 4e RE while the older legionnaires are selected from other legion regiments.
Since creation, the regiment is stationed in garrison Maréchal Koenig, based on plateau Albion, on the commune of Saint-Christol, Vaucluse, which housed previously the 1st Strategic Missiles Groupment of the Strategic Air Forces, on Aerial Base 200 Apt-Saint-Christol.
The missions of the regiment at the corps of the 27th Mountain Brigade are intelligence gathering, direct combat, mobile support to any counter mobilities and the deployment amongst combat units. The particularity of the mountain brigade imposes adaptation to techniques that are demanding and specific in either relieving infantry units or replacing their combat role in operations of area control.
The regiment has been present on most exterior theatres of operations since creation. Projecting each year a number of legionnaires in various fields of operations, the regiment was engaged in Djibouti at the corps of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion and in Afghanistan, Ivory Coast, French Guiana; similarly, at the corps of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, in the Balkans, in Martinique and metropole France during interior operations.
Campaigns ( 1999 - present)
Engineer Combat MissionsSince creation in 1999, the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment has been present in the following theatres of exterior operations:
- Djibouti with the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion
- Afghanistan
- Ivory Coast
- French Guiana at the corps of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
- Balkans, Kosovo
- Martinique
- Lebanon in Opération Baliste launched by French President Jacques Chirac, during the month of July 2006. Following the Israeli bombardments of the bridges in Southern Lebanon, the world needed a combat engineer regiment to intervene quickly and efficiently in the reconstruction of bridges based on the old Bailey bridge system whose concept dates back to World War II. This intervention while very little publicized due to the estival period, allowed to consolidate the operational character in material of intervention of the military capability of combat engineers in the Legion and more particularly at the 2e REG.
- The regiment intervenese regularly in internal security operations: SATER Plan, "SATER",, supported by elements of the French Air Force. Elements of SATER Plan was used to support protective operations around all the depots before the use of the euro, in 2001.
- The regiment intervenes regularly in internal security operations: Vigipirate, a mission shared and contributed by all Legion Regiments.
- The regiment also served in metropole France, while barely being created, within operations of the Orsec Disposition, "ORSEC",, at the end of 1999, following the storming thundering path of Cyclone Lothar and Martin which caused the devastation and destruction of a part of Europe.
Organization
- Compagnie de Commandement et de Logistique - Command and Logistics Company
- Legion Pionniers Groups
- Compagnie d'Administration et de Soutien - Administrative and Services Company
- 1re Compagnie de Combat - 1st Combat Company
- 2e Compagnie de Combat - 2nd Combat Company
- 3e Compagnie de Combat - 3rd Combat Company
- Compagnie d'Appui - Support Company
- PCG Teams former DINOPS Teams of Nautical Subaquatic Intervention Operational Detachment specialized in Parachute, Underwater demolition, Diving and Mountain Commando Group in some cases as double specialties.
Traditions
Insignias
Regimental Colors
Regimental Song
'''Chant de Marche : Rien n'empêche featuring:De la boue des rizières aux plateaux du Tonkin
Honneur, Fidélité pour unique refrain
Le feu, l'eau et la terre comme seul univers
Il s'avance et combat, le sapeur légionnaire,
Brisant tous les assauts quand la mitraille explose
Sur cette terre d'Indo où tant d'anciens reposent.
Dans le froid, la tourmente, à la mort à la vie
Rien n'empêche le deuxième étranger de génie.
Aujourd'hui la mémoire sonne le rappel.
Nous, légionnaires du 2 répondons à l'appel.
Ouvrir, tracer la route c'est pour le régiment
Passer coûte que coûte, voilà notre serment
Foi, vaillance et courage comme seul héritage
Nul obstacle et nul homme pour nous faire barrage.
Refrain
Sur les cimes de l'Alpe quand le combat résonne
Du fracas de la foudre et que l'orage tonne
En avant képis blancs, à nous les grands espaces.
En tout lieu en tout temps, il nous faut faire face.
Relever les défis, voilà notre ambition.
Ne jamais faire défaut, c'est notre tradition.
Refrain
Decorations
- croix de la Valeur militaire with one palm since January 3, 2012.
- Another citation for the croix de valeur militaire was attributed on June 20, 2013, the regiment since that date wears the fourragère with colors of the croix de la Valeur Militaire.
Honors
Battle honours
- Camerone 1863
Regimental Commanders
- 1999 - 2001 : colonel Nebois
- 2001 - 2003 : colonel Autran
- 2003 - 2005 : colonel Fradin
- 2005 - 2007 : colonel Boucher
- 2007 - 2009 : colonel Chavanat
- 2009 - 2011 : colonel Kirscher
- 2011 - 2013 : colonel Bonini
- 2013 - 2015 : colonel Reussner
- 2015 - 2017 : lieutenant-colonel De Sercey
- 2017 - 20** : colonel De Boisfleury