List of battles involving the French Foreign Legion
Appearance
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 different continents against numerous foes.
Afghanistan War
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (June 2010) |
Gulf War
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011) |
Peacekeeping Operations
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Result | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
Operation Unicorn | ![]() |
Ongoing | 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment |
Algerian War
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011) |
Indochina War
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Result | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
Battle of Dien Bien Phu | ![]() |
Defeat | 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment | |||
November 20–23, 1953 | Operation Castor | ![]() |
French Union Victory | 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion |
Second World War
Date | Battle | Location | Legion Commanding Officer(s) | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
May 26 – June 11, 1942 | Battle of Bir Hakeim | Bir Hakeim, Libya | Lieuntenant-colonel Dimitri Amilakhvari | Victory Successful Delaying Action |
2nd Battalion of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion 3rd Battalion of the 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion | ||
September 22–26, 1940 | Battle of Lạng Sơn | ![]() |
Defeat French Forces ordered to Surrender |
2nd Battalion of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment | |||
Battle of Narvik | Norway | ||||||
May 10 – June 25, 1940 | Battle of France | France | Defeat | 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment | |||
August 15, 1944 | Operation Dragoon | ![]() |
Victory Allied forces successfully landed in southern France |
1st Battalion of 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion 2nd Battalion of 13th Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion |
Rif War
Date | Battle | Location | Legion Commanding Officer(s) | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
June 10, 1925 | Siege of Mediouna | Mediouna, Morocco | Defeat | 40 legionnaires | 37 legionnaires | 6th Battalion of the 1st Foreign Regiment |
First World War
Date | Battle | Location | Legion Commanding Officer(s) | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
April 28, 1915 | First Battle of Krithia | Lieutenant-colonel Nièger | 3rd Battalion, 1st Marching Regiment of Africa | ||||
April 25, 1915 | Landing at Kum Kale | Kum Kale, Turkey | Lieutenant-colonel Nièger | Approximately 600 men | 3rd Battalion, 1st Marching Regiment of Africa |
Sino-French War
Date | Battle | Location | Legion Commanding Officer(s) | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
August 1884 – April 1885 | Siege of Tuyên Quang | Tuyên Quang, Indochina | Victory | 600 | |||
March 2, 1882 | Battle of Hòa Mộc, Indochina | Tuyên Quang | ![]() |
2nd Foreign Legion Battalion 3rd Foreign Legion Battalion |
Franco-Prussian War
![]() | This section is empty. You can help by adding to it. (January 2011) |
Mexican Campaign
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
April 30, 1863 | Battle of Camerone | ![]() |
Captain Jean Danjou | Defeat Surviving legionnaires were allowed to leave under their own arms |
65 Total 3 Officers 62 enlisted |
40 dead 17 wounded .. |
3rd Company of the Foreign Regiment of the Foreign Legion |
December 1864 to February 1865 | Siege of Oaxaca | ![]() |
Italian Campaign (1859)
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
June 4, 1859 | Battle of Magenta | Magenta, Italy | Victory | ||||
June 24, 1859 | Battle of Solferino | Solferino, Italy | Victory | 2nd Foreign Regiment |
Crimean War
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
September 20, 1854 | Battle of Alma | Alma River, Ukraine | Victory | 60 men [1] | Eight companies from the 1st and 2nd Regiments of the Foreign Legion | ||
October 17, 1854 – September 9, 1855 | Siege of Sevastopol | Sevastopol, Ukraine | Brigadier Achille Bazaine | Victory | 1st Regiment of the Foreign Legion 2nd Regiment of the Foreign Legion | ||
November 9, 1854 | Battle of Inkermann | Sevastopol, Ukraine | Victory | 1st Regiment of the Foreign Legion 2nd Regiment of the Foreign Legion |
Second Deployment to Algeria
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Highest Ranking Legion Commander | Result | Strength | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
1849 | Battle of Zaatcha | Victory | 5,000 |
First Carlist War
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Highest Ranking Legion Commander | Result | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
June 2, 1837 | Battle of Barbastro | Col. Joseph Conrad | Pryric Victory | ||||
May 24, 1837 | Battle of Huesca | Col. Joseph Conrad | 378 Casualties 350 legionnaires 28 officers | ||||
April 1836 | Battle of Zubiri |
First Deployment to Algeria
Date | Battle | Location | Commanding Officer | Result | Casualties | Foreign Legion Units Involved |
June 28, 1835 | Battle of Macta | Defeat | ||||
April 24, 1832 | Battle of Maison Carrée | Outside of Algiers, Algeria | Victory | 3rd Battalion |
See also
References
- ^ Porch p. 125