2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment

2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment (2e Régiment Étranger de Cavalerie)
Regimental Insignia of the 2 REC
Active	July 1939 – January 1, 1946 November 1946 – January 1962
Country	France
Allegiance	French Foreign Legion
Branch	French Army
Type	Foreign Cavalry
Nickname(s)	Dauphin
Motto	Pericula Ludus Dangers game - for the regiment; Danger is my Pleasure
Colors	Green & Red
Engagements	World War II First Indochina War Algeria War Suez Crisis
Battle honours	Camerone 1863 AFN 1952-1962 Regimental Colors of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte as of 1984
Disbanded	The Regiment Regiment 1st dissolve, January 1, 1946 Regiment 2nd dissolve, January 1962 The Regimental Colors Active: entrusted to the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte (1984-Present)

Each year, the French Foreign Legion commemorates and celebrates Camarón in its headquarters in Aubagne and Bastille Day military parade in Paris; featuring the Pionniers leading and opening the way.

The 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment (French: 2^e Régiment Étranger de Cavalerie, 2^e REC) was a foreign cavalry regiment of the Foreign Legion. While the regiment was dissolved twice in 1946 and 1962; the regimental colors have been entrusted by the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte since 1984.

History

2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment since 1939

The 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment (2^e R.E.C) was created on July 1939 on the substance of the squadron groups of Morocco issued from the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC.

World War II

With the debut of World War II, the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment was stationed in Morocco and part of its elements were quickly attached to the 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division, (G.R.D 97) (French: Groupement de reconnaissance divisionnaire 97 (GRD97)) which engaged in combat on the metropolitan terrain during the German spring offensive of 1940, and which the divisionary group commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Boyer de Latour was killed leading at the bois de Noroy the 9th of July of the same year. Following the armistice, the dissolution of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment, 2^e R.E.C was pronounced on November 15, 1940 and the regimental colors of the 2ème R.E.C were entrusted to the honor guard of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment.

Indochina

The 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment was officially dissolved on June 1, 1946 at Sidi Bel Abbès, however, units forming the 2^e R.E.C were recreated in November of the same year. Taking garrison at Oujda, where the regiment would remain until 1956; the regiment had for mission to instruct and train the reinforcements destined for the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC making way to the Far East.

North Africa and Algerian War

Following the Paris accords in 1954 and the departure for Indochina in 1955, the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment participated to the securing of Moroccan territories then, starting from 1956 to the missions of maintaining order of Algerian terrains, first in the sector of Laghouat, then, starting from 1958, the similar on the Tunisian barrage. In January 1962, the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment made way on Biskra before being dissolved again following the accords of Evian.

In 5 years of campaigns in Algeria, the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment, 2ème REC placed outside their combat element more than 1022 terrorist rebels and recuperated 697 arms of which 30 automatic mahcine guns. The 2nd Squadron (2^e Esc) was attached to the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment when deployed to take part in the operations of the Suez Canal Crisis.

Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte

In 1984, the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte received the honor guard regimental colors of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment.

Traditions

Insignias

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  Beret Insignia of the D.L.E.M

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  Regimental Insignia of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment, 2^e R.E.C

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  Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte, D.L.E.M

Regimental Colors

Regimental Colors of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment entrusted to the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte as of 1984.

Decorations

Decorations of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment with cited decorations of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte as of 1984.

Honours

Battle honours

As inscribed on the regimental colors of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment:

• Camerone 1863
• AFN 1952–1962

Regimental Commanders

Main articles: Foreign Legion Command and Honneur et Fidélité

2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 2e Régiment Etranger de Cavalerie (2ème R.E.C) 1939–1940 Colonel Farine 1940–1940 Chef d'escadrons Billon 1946–1948 Lieutenant colonel Lennuyeux 1948–1952 Lieutenant colonel de Chazelles 1952–1953 Lieutenant colonel Berchet 1953–1955 Lieutenant colonel Renucci 1955–1957 Lieutenant colonel Legendre 1957–1960 Lieutenant colonel Ogier de Baulny 1960–1961 Lieutenant colonel de Coatgoureden 1961–1962 Lieutenant colonel Baldini

See also

• 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment

External links

• 2e REC – History & images of the 2e REC