12th Cuirassier Regiment (France)

12e Régiment de Cuirassiers

The Regiment's standard, with its battle honours
Active 1668-1815
1854-1928
1940-1942
1943-1994
2009-
Country France
Branch French Army
Type Cavalry
Size 940 personnel
Part of 2nd Armoured Brigade
Garrison/HQ Quartier Valmy, Olivet
Motto In periculo ludunt (Amidst danger, they play)

The 12th Cuirassier Regiment (French: 12e Régiment de Cuirassiers, 12e RC) is an armoured cavalry (tank) regiment of the French Army. It provides the armoured component of the 2nd Armoured Brigade.[1] Currently stationed at Quartier Valmy, Olivet, France.[1]

Ancien Régime

First formed in 1688 under the Ancien Régime.

The Revolutionary Wars

It distinguished itself in the Revolutionary.

The Napoleonic Wars

It took part at the battles of Austerlitz (1805), Jena (1806) and Borodino (1812).

The 19th Century and early 20th

The writer Louis-Ferdinand Céline volunteered for this regiment in 1912.

First World War

Garnison de Départ : Rambouillet. Turned into the 12e régiment de cuirassiers à pied

Interwar Period

Became the 12e Régiment de cuirassiers again in 1919. It was disbanded in 1928.

World War 2

Recent

After having been a garrison force at Müllheim in Germany for a long time in the post-1945 period, it was amalgamated, in 1994, with the 6th Cuirassier Regiment to form the 6th-12th Cuirassier Regiment, based at Olivet in Loiret.

In 2009, the two units were delinked and the 6th Cuirassiers deactivated; the 12th Cuirassiers was re-established as an individual unit.

Symbol

Their symbol is a white dolphin on a blue shield.

Organization

The regiment is composed of around 940 personnel organization into 10 squadrons.[1]

Lineage

Commanding Officers

*These officers became generals de brigade after this.

Battle honours, garrisons, campaigns, events

French Revolutionary Wars

As part of the Army of the Rhine from 1792 to 1800:

Napoleonic Wars

(*) Battle honour on this regiment's flag

Colonels killed and wounded in command of the 12e Cuirassiers:

Officers killed and wounded whilst serving in the 12e Cuirassiers during the 1805-1815 period:

Battle honours

Decorations

Quotations about the regiment

"This regiment, long known as one of the best trained cavalry regiments, entirely merits the reputation it has gained in that sphere." ("Ce régiment, qui depuis longtemps passe pour l'un des mieux exercés de la cavalerie, mérite toute la réputation qu'il s'est acquise dans ce genre.")
"A regiment of the highest morale and proudly held under fire." ("Régiment d'un moral très élevé et d'une superbe tenue au feu.")
"Thanks to an elite personnel and despite heavy losses, it knew how to preserve a high morale and a magnificent aggressive fervor" ("Grâce à un personnel d'élite et malgré de lourdes pertes, a su conserver un moral élevé et une ardeur combative magnifique.")
"A tank regiment impregnated with the purest traditions of the cavalry, that distinguished itself by the rapidity and audacity of its actions" ("Régiment de chars imprégné des plus pures traditions de la cavalerie, qui s'est distingué par la rapidité et l'audace de ses actions.")

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "12e régiment de cuirassiers". Armée de Terre. Retrieved 20 January 2012.

References

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