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The Foreign Legion was primarily used, as part of the Armée d'Afrique, to protect and expand the French colonial empire during the 19th century, but it also fought in almost all French wars including the Franco-Prussian War, World War I and World War II. The Foreign Legion has remained an important part of the French Army, and sea transport ...
Following the outbreak of the war, the French Foreign Legion found itself in a difficult predicament as approximately two-thirds of the Foreign Legion's strength consisted of German and Austrian volunteers. [46] The French High Command, uncertain of these Legionnaires' loyalty, ordered them to remain garrisoned in Algeria and Morocco.
Throughout its long history since its inception on March 9, 1831, elements of the French Foreign Legion have engaged in combat on the behalf of France and its interests with distinction. The Foreign Legion has seen battle on five continents against numerous foes.
By the end of World War II, the Free French unit counted 273 certified victories, 37 non-certified victories, and 45 damaged aircraft with 869 fights and 42 dead. [39] On 31 May 1945, Normandie-Niemen squadrons were directed to Moscow by the Soviet authorities, who decided to allow them to return to France with their aircraft as a reward. [40]
Italian Legione Redenta, an Italian military formation that participated in the Siberian Intervention during the Russian Civil War; Jewish Legion, in the British Army at Gallipoli and Palestine; Polish Legion in Finland, fighting for the Finns against the Russians; Polish Legions in World War I, part of the Austro-Hungarian Army
The military options included enrolling in the French Foreign Legion or the Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers; as the Foreign Legion was associated with the Francoist Spanish Legion, most opted for the Foreign Volunteers. Returning to Spain was not a safe option.
The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion (RMLE) (French: Régiment de marche de la Légion étrangère) was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Foreign Regiment (1 er RE) of Sidi Bel Abbes and the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2 e RE) of Saida, Algeria ...
Foreign Brigade (unit designation in 1854 for two merged foreign regiments during the Crimean War) Mounted Companies (Compagnies montées de la Légion étrangère) – 1881; Saharan Companies of the French Foreign Legion, Saharan Companies and Squadrons of the French Foreign Legion – (CSPLE, ESPLE) – 1901