8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine
Active	1951-1954 1956-
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	troupes de marine
Role	Airborne
Size	1,047 men and women
Part of	11th Parachute Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Castres
Motto	Volontaire (Volunteer)
Colors	Blue and red
Anniversaries	Saint-Michel Day
Engagements	First Indochina War *Battle of Hoa Binh *Battle of Dien Bien Phu Algerian War
Commanders
Current commander	Philippe du Chaxel
Notable commanders	Guy Le Borgne, Pierre Tourret
Insignia
Beret badge of the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
Abbreviation	8e RPIMa

The 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (French: 8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 8e RPIMa) is an airborne regiment in the French Army. It is an elite unit that can be rapidly sent anywhere in the world. Part of the regiment are Commando Parachute Group, a French special forces unit.

History

Indochina

The unit was created on 28 February 1951, in Hanoi as the "8th Colonial Parachute Battalion," as a part of the French union forces.

The 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion fought at Lai-Chau, Hoa Binh, Langson and Dien Bien Phu. The Battalion was mentioned in dispatches four times for valor. It was dissolved on 19 May 1954, after Dien Bien Phu.

Algeria

The unit was recreated as the "8th Colonial Parachute Regiment" on 1 May 1956. The regiment parcipated in operations against the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN), most notably at El Kiffene, Ain El Kesseub and Tarf.

Relocation to Metropolitan France

The regiment relocated to the town of Nancy, Metropolitan France, in 1961, to form a part of the 11th Light Division. The regimental headquarters moved to Castres in 1963.

Later Deployments

• The regiment took part in the intervention in Chad between 1969 and 1972.

• The regiment is currently serving with the NATO ISAF in Afghanistan. In a fierce battle on 18–19 August 2008, ten French soldiers were killed and 21 wounded making it the largest loss of French troops in battle in many years. ISAF Press Release

Commanding officers

Captain Gautier (1951–1952) Captain Guy Le Borgne (1952–1953) Captain Pierre Tourret (1953–1954) Lieutenant Colonel Kohler (1954–1955) Colonel Louis Fourcade (1956–1958) Lieutenant Colonel Hubert de Seguins-Pazzis (1958–1960) Lieutenant Colonel Albert Lenoir (1960–1961) Lieutenant Colonel Kohler (1961–1963) Lieutenant Colonel Desfarges (1963–1965) Lieutenant Colonel Drouin (1965–1967) Lieutenant Colonel Mourier (1967–1969) Lieutenant Colonel Guilleminot (1969–1971) Lieutenant Colonel Bellamy (1971–1973) Lieutenant Colonel Dominique (1973–1975) Colonel Maurice Schmitt (1975–1977) Lieutenant Colonel Cann (1977–1979)

Lieutenant Colonel Vidal (1979–1981) Lieutenant Colonel Zeisser (1981–1983) Lieutenant Colonel Lepage (1983–1985) Lieutenant Colonel Theodoly-Lannes (1985–1987) Colonel Lafourcade (1987–1989) Lieutenant Colonel Thomann (1989–1991) Lieutenant Colonel Elrick Irastorza (1991–1993) Lieutenant Colonel de Haynin de Bry (1993–1995) Lieutenant Colonel Reglat (1995–1997) Lieutenant Colonel de Braquilanges (1997–1999) Colonel Michel Stollsteiner (1999–2001) Colonel Bosser (2001–2003) Colonel Brousse (2003–2005) Colonel Guionie (2005–2007) Colonel Jacques Aragones (2007–2009) Colonel Philippe du Chaxel (2009-2011) Colonel Eric Chasboeuf (2011- )

Officers and marines

• Maurice Amiot

Lineage

• 1951: 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion
• 1952: 8th Colonial Parachute Group
• 1953: 8th Shock Parachute Battalion
• 1954: Dissolved
• 1956: 8th Colonial Parachute Regiment
• 1958: 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

Honours

Battle honours

• Indochine 1951-1954
• AFN 1952-1962

Decorations

• Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations Exterieures with 3 palms.

Composition

The regiment consists of over 1047 men and women, divided into seven companies:

• 4 Combat companies
• 1 Reconnaissance and Support company (d'éclairage et d'appui ) (CEA)
• 1 Training company
• 1 Command and Logistics company

The regiment has been headquartered in Castres, France, since 1963. Paratroop training is conducted at the École des troupes aéroportées (ETAP) in Pau.

See also

• U.S. Army Rangers, closest U.S. equivalent
• Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom), the closest UK equivalent

External links

• 8e régiment de parachutistes d'infanterie de marine from Defense.gouv.fr