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Foreign Legion Command

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Foreign Legion Command
Commandement de La Légion Étrangère
ActiveCommandement de La Légion Étrangère[1]
(1931 - 1984)
Commandement de La Légion Étrangère[1]
C.O.M.L.E (1984 - present)[1]
Country France
Branch French Army
TypeCommand
RoleHeadquarters
HeadquartersAubagne, France
Motto(s)Honneur et Fidélité
Legio Patria Nostra
ColorsGreen and Red
Battle honoursCamerone 1863
Commanders
CommandantBrigadier General Cyrille Youchtchenko[2]
Notable
commanders		Paul-Frédéric Rollet[1]
Insignia
Beret badge of the Foreign Legion Command
AbbreviationC.O.M.L.E

The Foreign Legion Command (French: Commandement de la Légion Étrangère, (COMLE)) (official) is the Command of the Foreign Legion in the French Army.[3][4]

The Legion is led by a French general, a Legion officer (French: Officier de Légion)[1] who is usually a general who spent his entire career in Legion units. COMLE also includes the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command (French: L’Etat-major du COMLE)[5](official), led by another senior officer, chief of the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command (French: Chef de L’Etat-major du COMLE) (official).[5][6] As of 2017, the general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command includes several divisions related to the functioning of the Legion.[7] The general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command has adopted various inspecting, grouping, and commanding designations since 1931 and has been designated officially as C.O.M.L.E since 1984.[1] The Général de division commanding the Legion, also known as Father of the Legion (French: Le Père Légion) or Foreign Legion Command Chief (French: Chef COMLE) [8] (official) is a direct subordinate of the Chief of Staff of the French Army (C.E.M.A.T). The Division Général is also the technical counselor commanding for the ensemble related to the Legion (recruitment, traditions, employment, regimental formations and security).[9]

The Divisional general commanding the Legion, commands also the 1st Foreign Regiment, the 4th Foreign Regiment and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (G.R.L.E). The GRLE was not formed till 2007.[6] The commands of the C.O.M.L.E division general commandant extends to:

The Music of the Foreign Legion (MLE) is led by the Music Chief.[10]

History

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The Legion is part of the History of France.[11] it was created by a King, combat engaged at Camarón under an Emperor and has known to endure the most heavy losses under the Republic.[12]

Pionniers & Legion Regiments

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Main articles: Honneur et Fidélité and Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers)
Regiment Regiment Insignia Legion Regimental Command
1st Foreign Regiment, (1er R.E)[13]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1841 - present)
Foreign Legion Regiment - 1er RE Colonel[14][15]
Legion Pionniers Sections of Tradition
C.O.M.L.E Exclusive Command[1]
4th Foreign Regiment, (4e R.E)[16]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1920 - present)		 Foreign Legion Regiment - 4e RE Colonel[17]
Legion Pionniers Groups
C.O.M.L.E Exclusive Command[1]
Foreign Legion Recruiting Group, (G.R.L.E)[18]
Foreign Legion Tenure (2007 - present)		 Foreign Legion Regiment - GRLE Colonel[19]
C.O.M.L.E Command[1]
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment, (1er R.E.C)[20]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1920 - present)		 Foreign Legion Regiment - 1er REC Colonel[21]
Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er R.E.G)[22]
Foreign Legion Teunure (1999 - present)
Foreign Legion Regiment - 1er REG Colonel[23]
Legion Pionniers Groups
Airborne Combat Engineers
Regiment part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade
2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (2e R.E.I)[24]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1841 - present)
Foreign Legion Regiment - 2e REI Colonel[25]
Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, (2e R.E.P)[26]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1948 - present)		 Foreign Legion Regiment - 2e REP Colonel[27][28]
Commando Parachute Group
Regiment part of the French 11th Parachute Brigade
2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment, (2e R.E.G)[29]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1999 - present)		 Foreign Legion Regiment - 2e REG Colonel[30]
Legion Pionniers Groups
Airborne Combat Engineers
Regiment part of the French 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade
3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, (3e R.E.I)[31]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1945 - present)
former
Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion, (R.M.L.E)
Foreign Legion Tenure (1915-1920) - (1942-1945)
Foreign Legion Regiment - 3e REI Colonel[32]
Legion Pionniers Groups
Regiment part of territorial command of French Army
13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion, (13e D.B.L.E)[33]
Foreign Legion Tenure (1940 - present)		 Foreign Legion Regiment - 13e DBLE Colonel[34]
Regiment part of the French 6th Light Armoured Brigade
Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte, (D.L.M.E)[35]
Foreign Legion Teunure (1973 - present)		 Foreign Legion Detachment - DLME Colonel[36]
Legion Pionniers Groups
Detachment part of the territorial command of the French Army

Creation and different nominations (1931-1984)

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Main articles: 1st Foreign Regiment, 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, and History of the 2nd Foreign Regiment

The command of the Foreign Legion is stationed at quartier Vienot in Aubagne at the corps of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er RE. The headquarters detachment was established in 1984 following the reorganization of the previous Foreign Legion Group (G.L.E). Foreign Legion Command is headed by a Général.

  • On March 2, 1931; the Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.L.E) (French: Inspection de la Légion étrangère, I.L.E) was created.[1]
  • Between 1934 and 1935, the I.L.E was dissolved.[1]
  • In 1948, the I.L.E is recreated.[1]
  • On September 1, 1950; the I.L.E was dissolved and the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) (French: Groupement Autonome de la Légion étrangère, G.A.L.E) is created.[1]
  • On July 1, 1955; the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère) was created.[1]
  • On September 16, 1957; the C.O.L.E became the Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E) (French: Inspection Technique de la Légion étrangère).
  • On July 1, 1964; the I.T.L.E was dissolved.[1]
  • On September 1, 1972, creation of the Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) (French: Groupement de Légion étrangère) which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion (G.O.L.E.) (French: Groupement Opérationnel de la Légion étrangère).
  • On July 1, 1984, the G.L.E became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère).[1]

History of the garrisons, campaigns and battles

[edit]
Main articles: 1st Foreign Regiment, 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, and History of the 2nd Foreign Regiment

During the interwar period on April 1, 1931, while the Legion reached requirements of 30,000 Legionnaires, général Paul-Frédéric Rollet,[1] was entrusted with the post of Inspector of the Foreign Legion newly created in Tlemcen in Algeria. It is at this moment that the Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments (D.C.R.E.) was created. This Inspector of the Foreign Legion was dissolved with the retirement of the Father of the Legion.

In 1948, the Inspection was recreated for 2 years under the command of Général de division Raoul Magrin-Vernerey.[1] Again dissolved in 1950, the inspection unit left way for the Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E.) commanded consecutively by Générals Jean Olié and Paul Gardy which had the attributions of Inspector General.[1] The G.A.L.E. was made up of a headquarter staff at Sidi bel-Abbès, the Communal Depot of the Legion, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment which included all training/ instruction units, the intelligence service, and the Moral Service for Works of the Foreign Legion (French: Service du Moral et des œuvres de la Légion étrangère)(S.O.M.L.E.).

In 1954, at the end of the First Indochina War, the Foreign Legion was reorganized. The 1st Foreign Regiment inherited all the attributions of Legion units. The Foreign Legion Command (C.O.L.E.) was created on July 1, 1955 at Vincennes; with command ensured by Colonel René Lennuyeux.[1] Two years later on September 16, 1957, the foreign legion command inherited the new naming of Technical Inspection of the Foreign Legion (I.T.L.E). This technical inspection was dissolved in 1964 and its attributions were transferred to the regimental commander of the 1st Foreign Regiment .

In 1972, after efforts by Colonel Marcel Letestu,[1] a Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) was created which was put at his disposition. Accordingly, Colonel Letestu has immediate authority on the 1st Foreign Regiment and the 2nd Foreign Regiment and conserved this prerogative of General Inspector. On the other hand, the commander of the (G.L.E) commanded also the 31st Brigade. This experimental unit, Legion dominated was among the first combined arms brigades. The 31st Brigade engaged in peacekeeping combat operations in Lebanon as part of the Multinational Force in Lebanon under the command of Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E) Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon.[1] The 31st Brigade was subsequently replaced by the 6th Light Armoured Division in 1984 and then became designated as the 6th Light Armoured Brigade following the Gulf War as part of Division Daguet.

On July 1, 1984 the G.L.E. inherited the denomination of Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E.) (French: Commandement de la Légion étrangère).[1]

Organization

[edit]
Main article: 1st Foreign Regiment

In the mission, the division general commanding the Foreign Legion is assisted by a general staff headquarters which service operations are based on the personnel of the 1st Foreign Regiment 1er R.E and the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (G.R.L.E). This general staff compromised as of the 2012 of the following Divisions and bureaux:

  • Foreign Legion Human Resources Division (French: Division des Ressources Humaines, D.R.H.L.E): Division ensured the management of the ensemble administration of personnel serving at Foreign Status.
  • Foreign Legion Recruiting Group, (French: Groupement de Recrutement de la Légion étrangère, G.R.L.E): responsible entity for Legion centers of information, Legion recruiting centers, as well as the Legion center of selection and incorporation.
  • Foreign Legion Information Systems and Communication Division, (French: Division des Systèmes d'Information et de Communication, D.S.I.C.L.E): Division developed proper applications, administered networks and consulting in material of formation (Information Systems) for the Foreign Legion. The division also supported the Foreign Legion Service Handling of Information (French: Service de traitement de l'information de la Légion Étrangère, S.T.I.L.E).
  • Foreign Legion Statistical and Personnel Protection Division (French: Division Statistiques et Protection du Personnel de la Légion étrangère, D.S.P.L.E): Division handled in material of protection and security, the ensemble of personnel serving at Foreign Status. This division participated at the selection process of candidates at engagement.
  • Foreign Legion Communication and Information Division, (French: Division Communication et Information, D.I.C.L.E): Division in charge of institutional communication. This division ran public relations, the media, issue numbers production of Képi Blanc (French: Képi Blanc), the monthly of the legion, the administration of information technologies, as well audio cells.
  • Foreign Legion History and Patrimony Division, (French: Division Histoire et Patrimoine, D.H.P.L.E): Division handled the conservation preservation and management of the foreign legion, and most notably the management of Foreign Legion Museum (French: Musée de la Légion étrangère).
  • Foreign Legion Social Work and Aid Bureau, (French: Bureau d'Action Sociale et d'Entraide de la Légion étrangère, BASELE/FELE).

As of 2017, the general staff headquarters of the Foreign Legion Command (French: L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère), at the disposition of the Commandant of the Legion,[1] has undergone further organizational structuring and was articulated in various legion divisions revolving around: studies, pilotage and synthesis; human resources; security and protection; patrimony; solidarity and others.[37]

Commanders

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Commandement de La Légion Étrangère (1931 - 1984)

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Source:[1]

Inspector Tenure of the Foreign Legion

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Inspection de la Légion étrangère (I.L.E)
Name Portrait Rank Tenure Note
Paul-Frédéric Rollet[1] Général 1931-1935 1st Foreign Regiment (1899-1909).
Captain of the 3rd mounted combat company of the 1st marching battalion of the 2nd Foreign Regiment from 1909 to 1914.
Lieutenant-Colonel Regimental Commander of the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion in 1917.
Lieutenant-Colonel Regimental Commander of the 3rd Foreign Regiment (1920-1925).
Colonel Regimental Commander of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1925-1931) until planning the 100th anniversary of the Legion on Camaron day of April 30, 1931.
Founding Pillar Patron of the organization of the French Foreign Legion and constituents.
Accumulated 41 years of military service out of which 33 years in the Legion.
Honorary titled Father of the Legion or Le Père de la Légion.[1]
Raoul Magrin-Vernerey[1] Général 1948-1950

Autonomous Group Tenure of the Foreign Legion

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Groupement autonome de la Légion étrangère (G.A.L.E)
Name Portrait Rank Tenure Note
Jean Olié[1] Général 1950
Paul Gardy[1] - Général 1951

Foreign Legion Command Tenure

[edit]
Commandement de la Légion étrangère (C.O.L.E)
Name Portrait Rank Tenure Note
René Lennuyeux[1] - Général 1955

Technical Inspection Tenure of the Foreign Legion

[edit]
Inspection technique de la Légion étrangère (I.T.L.E)
Name Portrait Rank Tenure Note
René Lennuyeux[1] - Général 1957
Paul Gardy[1] - Général 1958
René Morel[1] - Général 1960
Jacques Lefort[1] - Général 1962

Foreign Legion Groupment Tenure

[edit]
Groupement de la Légion étrangère (G.L.E)
Name Portrait Rank Tenure Note
Marcel Letestu[1] - Général 1972 Sergent to Général
Gustave Fourreau[1] - Général 1973 Caporal-Chef to Général
Bernard Goupil[1] - Général 1976 Caporal-Chef to Général
Paul Lardry[1] - Général 1980
Jean-Claude Coullon[1] - Général 1982 Caporal-Chef to Général

Commandement de la Légion Étrangère - C.O.M.L.E - (1984 - present)

[edit]

The Foreign Legion Groupment (G.L.E)[1] became the Foreign Legion Command (C.O.M.L.E)[1] under the command of Général de brigade Jean-Claude Coullon in 1984.[1]

No. Portrait Name
(born–died) 		Term of office Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Général de brigade
Jean-Claude Coullon
(born 1929) 		1 July 1984 1 July 1985 1 year, 0 days [1]
2 Général de division
Jean Louis Roué
(1933–2011) 		1 July 1985 1988 2–3 years [1]
3 Général de division
Raymond Le Corre
(1933–2014) 		1988 1992 3–4 years [1]
4 Général de division
Bernard Colcomb
(born 1937) 		1992 1994 1–2 years [1]
5 Général de division
Christian Piquemal
(born 1940) 		1994 1 September 1999 4–5 years [1]
6 Général de division
Bernard Grail
(born 1946) 		1 September 1999 1 August 2002 2 years, 334 days [1]
7 Général de division
Jean-Louis Franceschi
(born 1947) 		1 August 2002 1 August 2004 2 years, 0 days [1]
8 Général de division
Bruno Dary
(born 1952) 		1 August 2004 16 July 2006 1 year, 349 days [1]
9 Général de brigade
Louis Pichot de Champfleury
(born 1954) 		16 July 2006 1 July 2009 2 years, 350 days [1]
10 Général de division
Alain Bouquin
(born 1958) 		1 July 2009 1 September 2011 2 years, 62 days [1]
11 Général de division
Christophe de Saint-Chamas
(born 1959) 		1 September 2011 1 August 2014 2 years, 334 days [1]
12 Général de division
Jean Maurin
(born 1959) 		1 August 2014 1 August 2018 4 years, 0 days [1][38]
13 Général de brigade
Denis Mistral
(born 1966) 		1 August 2018 1 August 2020 2 years, 0 days [39]
14 Général de brigade
Alain Lardet
(born 1968) 		1 August 2020 20 July 2023 2 years, 353 days [40]
15 Général de brigade
Cyrille Youchtchenko
(born 1967) 		20 July 2023 Incumbent 1 year, 128 days [41]

See also

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References & Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be [1] Division General Commandant of the French Foreign Legion, Les Chefs COMLE
  2. ^ [2] Le COMLE, Le Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (The Commandment of the French Foreign Legion)
  3. ^ "Commandement de la légion étrangère". www.legion-etrangere.com (in French). Retrieved 2022-01-15.[permanent dead link‍]
  4. ^ "Foreign Legion Command". Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  5. ^ a b [3] L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (general staff headquarters of the foreign legion command)
  6. ^ a b Koelher, Charles (31 March 2006). "LEGIO PATRIA NOSTRA: THE HISTORY OF THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION SINCE 1962" (PDF). U.S. General Command and Staff College. p. 69. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2010.
  7. ^ [4] L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (general staff headquarters of the Foreign Legion Command)
  8. ^ [5] Le C.O.M.L.E, Le Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (C.O.M.L.E, The Foreign Legion Command)
  9. ^ "Foreign Legion Command | French Foreign Legion Information". Retrieved 2022-03-26.
  10. ^ [6] Archived 2017-12-31 at the Wayback Machine History of the French Foreign Legion Music Band
  11. ^ [7], « La Légion étrangère fait partie de l’histoire de France » ( The French Foreign Legion is part of the History of France), correspondence interview with Foreign Legion Command chief general Jean Maurin, source : Ministry of the Armies (French: Ministère des Armées).
  12. ^ [8], « La Légion étrangère fait partie de l’histoire de France » ( The French Foreign Legion is part of the History of France), correspondence interview with COMLE chief general Jean Maurin, source : Ministry of the Armies (French: Ministère des Armées).
  13. ^ [9] Archived 2017-05-08 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment
  14. ^ [10] Archived 2015-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE), Regimental Commanders from (1841 to 1955)
  15. ^ [11] Archived 2017-10-19 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Foreign Regiment (1er RE), Regimental Commanders from (1955 - present)
  16. ^ [12] Archived 2015-08-29 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 4th Foreign Regiment
  17. ^ [13] Archived 2015-09-28 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 4th Foreign Regiment (4e RE), Regimental Commanders from (1920 - present)
  18. ^ [14] Archived 2018-04-22 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group
  19. ^ [15] Official Website of the Foreign Legion Recruiting Group (GRLE), Regimental Commanders from (2007 - present)
  20. ^ [16] Archived 2015-05-02 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
  21. ^ [17] Official Website of the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment (1er REC), Regimental Commanders from (1921 - present)
  22. ^ [18] Archived 2016-08-10 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment
  23. ^ [19] Archived 2015-09-26 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment (1er REG), Regimental Commanders (1984 - present)
  24. ^ [20] Archived 2012-01-04 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment
  25. ^ [21] Archived 2015-07-03 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e REI), Regimental Commanders (1841 - present)
  26. ^ [22] Archived 2017-07-30 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
  27. ^ [23] Archived 2015-08-29 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP), Regimental Commanders (1955 - present)
  28. ^ [24] Archived 2015-08-29 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, History of Regimental and Commanders of the CEPs, BEPs and REPs (1948-Present)
  29. ^ [25] Archived 2016-03-12 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment
  30. ^ [26] Archived 2015-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2e REG), Regimental Commanders (1999 - present)
  31. ^ [27] Archived 2015-09-01 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment
  32. ^ [28] Archived 2015-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment, Regimental Commanders (1915 - present)
  33. ^ [29] Archived 2012-02-08 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion
  34. ^ [30] Archived 2015-09-01 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 13th Dem-Brigade of the Foreign Legion (13e DBLE), Regimental Commander (1940- Present)
  35. ^ [31] Archived 2015-09-04 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte
  36. ^ [32] Archived 2015-09-30 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte (DLME) and 2nd Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2e Co. 3e REI), Regimental Commander
  37. ^ [33] L'Etat-major du Commandement de la Légion Étrangère (general staff headquarters of the Commandment of the French Foreign Legion)
  38. ^ "Biographie du général de division Jean MAURIN". Légion étrangère (in French). Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  39. ^ "French Foreign Legion: New Commander". French Foreign Legion information. 10 August 2018. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  40. ^ "Foreign Legion: 2020 Change of Command". French Foreign Legion information. 26 July 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
  41. ^ "Foreign Legion: 2023 Change of Command". French Foreign Legion information. 26 July 2023. Retrieved 21 September 2024.
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