35th Parachute Artillery Regiment
| 35e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste | |
|---|---|
|
Regimental insigne | |
| Active |
1873–1942 1947–present |
| Country |
 France |
| Type | Airborne Artillery |
| Size | 900 men and women |
| Part of | 11th Parachute Brigade |
| Garrison/HQ | Tarbes, France |
| Motto(s) |
Droit Devant |
| Engagements |
World War I |
| Battle honours |
|
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Colonel Marchand |
| Notable commanders | Ferdinand Foch |
| Insignia | |
| Badge of the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment worn on Maroon Berets. This badge is also worn by French Foreign Legion Paratroopers on Green Berets. |
 |
| Abbreviation | 35e RAP |
The 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (French: 35e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste, 35e RAP) is the only airborne artillery unit of the French Army, it forms the air artillery component of the 11th Parachute Brigade. It is based in Tarbes together with the air cavalry, the 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment.
History
The 35th Artillery Regiment (France) was created on 7 October 1873 in Vannes and counted 9 artillery batteries equipped with 75mm cannons. The regiment was first commanded by Colonel Ferdinand Foch from 1903 to 1905; the Supreme Allied Commander on the Western Front with title bearing Généralissime (British Field Marshal, 22nd Royal First Honorary Colonel and Marshal of Poland following the war) during World War I.
World War I (1914-1918)
The regiment fought in World War I in a series of battles, receiving four citations at the orders of the armed forces. The regiment played an active role during the First Battle of the Marne. For the 35th Artillery Regiment, battles even included corps-à-corps with artillerymen defending their equipment down to the bayonets and for which the regiment was cited at the orders of the armed forces. In 1915, the regiment took part in the Offensive of Champagne and was cited at the orders of the armed forces. On March 30 1916, the 35th Artillery Regiment engaged in the Battle of Verdun for four weeks and then made way to the Battle of the Somme during the same year. In 1917, the regiment took part in numerous battles at Chemin des Dames including the Battle of La Malmaison on October 23, 1917. In 1918, the 35th Artillery Regiment was found again mounting charges down to the bayonets similarly to the early worst hours of 1914. For this occasion the regiment was honored with the Fourragere with colors of the Croix de guerre 1914–1918. In 1919 and with five citations at the orders of the armed forces for acts of valor, the regiment received the privilege on February 17 to bear wearing the Fourragere with ribbon colors of the Médaille militaire.
World War II (1939-1945)
During the Battle of France in 1940, two-thirds of the regiment was destroyed while covering the Dunkirk evacuation of Allied troops. The regiment was dissolved in 1942 after the invasion of Vichy France by Nazi Germany. The regiment was reconstituted after World War II in 1947 and based at Tarbes, later, the regiment was reorganized into the 35th Parachute Light Artillery Regiment (Fr: 35e Régiment d’Artillerie Légère Parachutiste, 35e RALP).
Indochina (1946-1954)
The regiment fought in the First Indochina War at Dien Bien Phu within Operation Castor.
Algerian War (1954-1962)
The regiment fought during the Algerian War. With the end of the Algerian War, the regiment was repatriated to France and became part of the 11th Parachute Division.[1]
Lebanese Civil War (1975-1990)
The regiment partook in various peacekeeping missions in Lebanon on numerous yearly occasions. From 1983 to 1984, the regiment integrated the corps of the Multinational Force in Lebanon during the Lebanese Civil War along with the 31e Brigade which included the Operational Group of the Foreign Legion. The Multinational Force also included HM's 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, American contingents of United States Marine Corps and the United States Navy, 28 exclusive French Armed Forces regiments including French paratroopers regiments, companies, units of the 11th Parachute Brigade along with the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, the Irish Armed Forces and units of the National Gendarmerie, Italian paratroopers from the Folgore Brigade, infantry units from the Bersaglieri regiments and Marines of the San Marco Battalion.
Gulf War (1990-1991)
The regiment was engaged in the Gulf War in 1991 part of Opération Daguet along with 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment, the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment, the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment, the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment, the 1st Spahi Regiment, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment, the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment, the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment, the French Army Light Aviation, the Marine Infantry Tank Regiment, French paratroopers regiments including components of the 1st Parachute Hussard Regiment, the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment and other airborne contingents.
1990's
The regiment was present in Djibouti, Lebanon, Tchad, Central Africa, Gabon, Ex-Yugoslavia, Kurdistan, and participated in various humanitarian missions, including in Rwanda part of Opération Turquoise.
Global War on Terror (2001-present)
The regiment has been spearheading air artillery in combat, combat support, peacekeeping and multipurposed facade operations through the globe with the ongoing War on Terror on all exterior theatres of operations of the French Armed Forces within the five continents.
Organization
- 1 Command and Logistics Air Artillery Battery
- 1 Renseignement Air Artillery Battery
- 3 Ground-to-Ground Air Artillery Batteries
- 1 Gournd-to-Air Air Artillery Battery
- 1 Reserve Air Artilery Battery
Traditions
Except for the Legionnaires of the 1er REG, 2e REG, 2e REP that conserve the Green Beret; the remainder of the French army metropolitan and marine paratroopers forming the 11th Parachute Brigade wear the Red Beret.
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Circled Winged Armed Dextrochere worn on Red Beret of French Army Metropolitan Paratroopers
The Archangel Saint Michael, patron of the French paratroopers is celebrated on September 29.
The prière du Para (Prayer of the Paratrooper) was written by André Zirnheld in 1938.
Insginias
Just like the paratrooper Brevet of the French Army; the Insignia of French Paratroopers was created in 1946. The French Army Insignia of metropolitan Paratroopers represents a closed <<winged armed dextrochere>>, meaning a "right winged arm" armed with a sword pointing upwards. The Insignia makes reference to the Patron of Paratroopers. In fact, the Insignia represents <<the right Arm of Saint Michael>>, the Archangel which according to Liturgy is the <<Armed Arm of God>>. This Insignia is the symbol of righteous combat and fidelity to superior missions.
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Insignia model 45 of the 35e R.A.P -
Blue Winged Rectangle with two crossed cannons reading Droit Devant topped by a red and gold shield armor -
Red Beret of the 35e R.A.P
Regimental Colors
Decorations
The regimental colors are decorated with:
- Croix de guerre 1914–1918 with 4 palms cited at the orders of the armed forces.
- Cross for Military Valour with 1 palm:
- On May 21, 2012; the regiment was cited for intervention in Afghanistan within the corps of the International Security Assistance Force (I.S.A.F).
- The regiment wears the Fourragere with ribbon colors of the Médaille militaire.
-
Croix de guerre 1914-1918 -
Croix de la Valeur militaire -
Fourragère with ribbon colors of the Médaille militaire
Honours
Battle Honours
- Saint-Gond 1914
- Champagne 1915
- La Malmaison 1917
- Noyon 1918
- Somme-Py 1918
- AFN 1952-1962
Regimental Commanders
| 35e RA 35th Artillery Regiment
|
RALP
|
35e R.A.P.
|
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Gallery
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Mission Load Up -
Mali - Commando Parachute Group motoryzed patrol -
Practice round fire of a CAESER on August 14, 2009 in Afghanistan.
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TRF1 Cannon of a 155 mm towed by a TRM 10000.
See also
- List of French paratrooper units
- 31st Brigade
- 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
- 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company
- 11th Marine Artillery Regiment