List of commanders of the Foreign Legion explained

The following is a list of all of the commanders of the Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère)__TOC__

Commanders of the Foreign Legion

Commanders of Foreign Legion Command (COMLE)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaigns
11Général de brigadeChristophe de Saint Chamas2011201x France
10Général de divisionAlain Bouquin20092011 France
9Général de brigadeLouis Pichot de Champfleury 20062008 France
8Général de brigadeBruno Dary20042006 France
7Général de brigadeFranscheschi20022004
6Général de brigadeBernard Grail19992002
5Général de brigadeChristian Piquemal19941999
4Général de brigadeBernard Colcomb19921994
3Général de brigadeRaymond Le Corre19881992
2Général de brigadeJean Louis Roué19851988
1Général de brigadeCoullons19841985

Commanders of Groupement de la Légion étrangère (GLE)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaigns
Général de brigadeCoullons19821984
Général de brigadePaul Louis Joseph Lardry19801982
Bernard Goupil19761980
Gustav Fourreau19731976
Marcel Letestu19721973 France

Commanders of the 1st Foreign Regiment

Commanders of the 1st Foreign Regiment of the Foreign Legion (1841-1856)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaign
9ColonelMartenot de Cordoue18551855
8ColonelLevy18551855
7ColonelVienot18541855
6ColonelBazaine 18511854
5Colonel18501851
4ColonelÉmile Henry MellinetMarch 15, 1846December 2, 1850
3ColonelMouret 18431846
2ColonelDespinoy18421843Algeria
1Colonelde Mollenbeck 18411842

Commanders of the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment

No. Rank Name Command began Campaign
Commandant(Major) Jeanpierre 19551956
Lieutenant ColonelBrothier19561957
Lieutenant ColonelJeanpierre 19571958
Lieutenant ColonelBrothier 19581959
Lieutenant ColonelDufour19591960
Lieutenant ColonelGuiraud19601961

Commanders of the 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment

The 2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment existed from 1939 to 1940 and 1946 to 1962; during its existence the regiment was led by ten different officers.

Rank Name Command began Command ended
Baldini19611962
Lieutenant-Colonelde Coatgoureden19601961
Lieutenant-ColonelOgier de Baulny19571960
Lieutenant-ColonelLegendre19551957
Lieutenant-ColonelRenucci19531955
Lieutenant-ColonelBerchet19521953a
Lieutenant-Colonelde Chazelles19481952
Lieutenant-ColonelLennuyeux19461948
Regiment disbanded in 1940. Regiment reestablished in 1946.
Commandant (Chef d'Escadrons)Billon19401940
ColonelFarine19391940

Commanders of the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment

The 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment is the youngest of all the regiments of the Foreign Legion having been established on July 1, 1999.

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaign
6ColonelPhilippe Kirscher2009---
5ColonelChavanat20072009
4ColonelBoucher20052007
3ColonelFradin20032005
2ColonelAutran20012003
1ColonelNeboisJuly 1, 19992001

Commanders of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment

Commander of the 2nd Foreign Regiment

Following the Crimean War, the elements of the two regiments which had participated in the war returned to Algeria and were consolidated into a single regiment thereafter referred to as the 2nd Foreign Regiment.

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaigns/Battles
4ColonelPierre Joseph Jeanningros18621862
3Butet18591862
218591859
1ColonelMarie Louis Henry de Granet-Lacroix de Chabrières18561859

Commanders of the 2nd Regiment of the Foreign Legion (1841-1855)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaigns/Battles
9Marie Louis Henry de Granet-Lacroix de ChabrièresMay 29, 18551855 France
8Colonelde Caprez 18511855 FranceCrimean War
7Cœur18511851 France
6ColonelJean-Luc Carbuccia1848July 17, 1851Bastia
5de Noue18481848
4ColonelFrançois Certain de CanrobertMarch 31, 18491848Algeria
3ColonelCaries de Senilhes18441848Algeria
2Patrice de Mac Mahon18431844
1ColonelCaries de Senilhes18411843

Commanders of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaign
30ColonelBenoît Desmuelles2012201x FranceMali- Operation Serval
29ColonelFrançois Plessy20102012 France
28ColonelE. Bellot des Minières20082010 FranceAfghanistan- Task Force Altor
27ColonelB. Houdet20062008 FranceChad- Operation Epervier
26ColonelPaulet20042006RCI Opération Licorne
25ColonelMaurin200220042002-2003: RCI Operation Licorne
24ColonelAlain Bouquin20002002 France2001: Kosovo - Mitrovica
23Lieutenant-colonelPrevost199820001998: Chad - Operation Epervier
1999: Bosnia - Operation Salamander and Operation West Star
1999: Senegal - Operation Caya
22ColonelBenoît Puga19961998 France1996: Brazzaville - Operation Malebo
1996 - 1997: Bangui - Operation Almandin II
1997: Brazzaville - Operation Pelican
21ColonelBruno Dary19941996 France1995 - 1996: Bosnia - Operation SALAMANDER
1996: Chad - Operation EPERVIER
20ColonelChicken199219941992-1993: Somalia - Operation Restore Hope
1992-1993 : Former Yugoslavia - UNPROFOR
1994: Chad - Operation Epervier
19ColonelGausseres199019921990: Rwanda - Operation Noroit
1990-1991: Chad - Operation Epervier
1991: Iraq - Operation Daguet
1991: Djibouti - Operation Godoria
1992: Djibouti - Operation Iskoutir
18ColonelCoevoet198819901988: Operation EPERVIER
1990 : GABON - Operation Requin
17ColonelWabinski19861988
16ColonelGermanos198619881986: Chad - Operation EPERVIER
15Lieutenant-colonelJanvier198419861982: Lebanon - Operation Killer Whale
1984: Chad - Operation Manta
14ColonelGuignon19821984
13Lieutenant-colonelJean Louis Roué19781980
12Lieutenant-colonelErulin197619781978: Kolwezi - Operation Bonite
1978: Chad - Operation Tacaud IV
11Lieutenant-colonelBrette19741976
10Lieutenant-colonelGoupil19721976
9Lieutenant-colonelDupoux19701972
8Lieutenant-colonelJeannou Lacaze196719701969 : Chad - Operation Tacaud 1
1967: Arrival in Calvi
7Lieutenant-colonelPaul Arnaud de Foïard19651967 France
6Lieutenant-colonelCaillaud19631965
5Lieutenant-colonelChenel19611963
4Lieutenant-colonelDarmuzai19601961
3ColonelJacques Lefort19581960
2Chef de bataillonMasselotFebruary 1958April 1958
1Lieutenant-colonelDevismes19551958

Commanders of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment

Commanders of the 3rd REI between 1920 and 1942

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaign
8ColonelLevêque19411942
7ColonelLales19391941
6ColonelMantoz19361939
5ColonelBrillat-Savarin19321936
4ColonelMichet de la Baume19281932
3Lieutenant-colonelBlanc19261928
2Lieutenant-colonelFrançois19251925
1Lieutenant-colonelPaul Frederick Rollet19201925 France

Commanders of the 4th Foreign Regiment

Commanders of the 4th Foreign Regiment

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin
ColonelMistral2009Present
ColonelPau20072009
ColonelRoqueplo20052007
ColonelKochin20032007
ColonelThiebault20012003

Commanders of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment

Commanders of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (1931-1945)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended
ColonelJean Belloc1943
ColonelMarcel Alessandri19411943

Commanders of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment

Commanders of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (1939-1941)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended
3Lieutenant-colonelDeloreOctober 1941December 31, 1941
2Lieutenant-colonelFerdinand BarreDecember 20, 1939October 1941
1ColonelImhausOctober 1, 1939December 20, 1939

Commanders of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (1949-1955)

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended
3Chef de BattalionGeorgeonJuly 7, 1955
2Lieutenant-colonelRossi
1Lieutenant-ColonelBabonneau René April 1, 1949

Commanders of the Old Legion

The Old Foreign Legion was established on March 9, 1831 and for the next several years the Legion quickly cycled through a number of officers until it was deployed to Spain to fight in the First Carlist War, after that deployment the pace of the change of leadership slowed down as the Foreign Legion enjoyed the leadershiper of able and skilled officers. However following taking catastrophic losses in Spain the French government at the time thought it best to disband this organization.

No. Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaigns/Battles
Lieutenant-colonelAndrè Camille Ferray
ColonelJoseph Conrad (French colonel)November 1836June 2, 1837†Algeria
First Carlist War
Battle of Barbastro
ColonelJean-Louis LebeauFirst Carlist War
ColonelJoseph Jean-Nicolas Bernelle FranceAlgeria
First Carlist War
3Colonel
2ColonelMichel CombeApril 1, 1832September 1832
1ColonelBaron Christophe Anton von Stoffle1831April 1, 1832 Switzerland

Commanders of 13th Demi-Brigade

Rank Name Command began Command ended Country of Origin Campaign
ColonelBurkhartJuly 29, 2008
ColonelMarchandJuly 29, 2006July 29, 2008
Lieutenant-colonelHenry Billaudel2004July 29, 2006
ColonelChavancy20022004
ColonelJean Maurin20002002
Lieutenant-colonelDebleds19982000
Lieutenant-colonelEmmanuel Beth19961998
ColonelJP Perez19941996
ColonelIbanez19921994
Lieutenant-colonelLe Flem19881990
Lieutenant-colonelChampeau19861988
Lieutenant-colonel Rideau19841986
Lieutenant-colonelVialle19821984
Lieutenant-colonelLoridon19801982
Lieutenant-colonelGillet19781980
Lieutenant-colonelJean-Claude Coullon19761978
Lieutenant-colonelPaul Lardy19741976
Lieutenant-colonelJean Pêtre19721974
Lieutenant-colonelAlexis BounfilsJuly 14, 1970July 17, 1972
Lieutenant-colonelGustave Fourreau1968July 14, 1970
Lieutenant-colonelHugh Geoffrey19651968
Lieutenant-colonelRobert Lacôte19621965
Lieutenant-colonelDupuy de QuerezieuxJuly 11, 1961August 23, 1962
Lieutenant-colonelAlbéric VaillantFebruary 7, 1961July 11, 1961
Lieutenant-colonelRobert Roux19581961
Lieutenant-colonelMaurice Senges1957

Commanders of the Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of commanders of the Foreign Legion".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.

Rank Name Command began Command ended
Lieutenant-colonelSchiffer2009Present
Lieutenant-colonelCompin20072009
Lieutenant-colonelBroda20052007
Lieutenant-colonelDenis Belivard20032005
Lieutenant-colonelPatrick Munoz20012003
Lieutenant-colonelPatrick Esteve19992001
Lieutenant-colonelMauguen19971999
Lieutenant ColonelGeorge Bernard Bon19951997
Lieutenant-colonel Henri Cormier 19931995
Lieutenant-colonel Bernard Dufour 19911993
Lieutenant-colonel Philippe Bouvattier 19891991
Lieutenant-colonel Bourgogne 1987 1989
Lieutenant-colonelCaseneuve 1985 1987
Lieutenant-colonelSavalle19831985
Lieutenant-colonelPingault 19811983
Lieutenant-colonelBargoin 1979 1981
Lieutenant-colonelSabarrere1977 1979
Lieutenant-colonel Racaud 19761977
CaptainGrandjean1973 1976