5th Foreign Infantry Regiment

5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (5e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie)
Regimental badge 5e REI
Active	1930–1945 1949–1955
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Infantry
Garrison/HQ	French Indochina Tonkin Region
Nickname(s)	Régiment du Tonkin
Battle honours	CAMERONE 1863
Disbanded	1955

Each year, the French Foreign Legion commemorates and celebrates Camarón in its headquarters in Aubagne and Bastille Day military parade in Paris; featuring the Pionniers leading and opening the way.

The 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment (French: 5^e Régiment Étranger d'Infanterie, 5^e REI) was an infantry regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It was based in French Indochina and existed from 1930 to 1945 and again from 1949 to 1955.

History

The creation of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment was mandated on July 17, 1930 to deal with growing disorder in French Indochina. The Regiment was established from the 1st, 7th and 9th Battalions of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment that had been previously deployed to Indochina from 1920 to 1927.^[1] The 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment was tasked with reinforcing the troops already guarding the Tonkin region. The 5th REI was deployed across northern Indochina with its headquarters located in the Red River Delta. Garrison duty in French Indochina proved to be a fairly comfortable assignment for its legionnaires until the outbreak of World War II with the notable exception of the Yên Bái mutiny in 1930.

World War II

After the Battle of France and Second Armistice at Compiègne, French Indochina remained loyal to the Vichy government, leaving the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment largely on its own for the duration of World War II. On September 22, 1940 the 2nd Battalion of 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment was attacked by elements of the Japanese 5th Infantry Division as they withdrew from China across the Tonkin border.^[2] The 2nd Battalion alongside the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment Tirailleurs Tonkinois and the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Colonial Infantry Regiment put up a defense, but despite their efforts found themselves surrounded and without artillery, armor, or air support three days later and were forced to surrender. By September 26 fighting in the region died down and with the exception of repulsing the Thai incursion into Indochina, the next few years the 5th REI's military activity was limited to combating groups of armed bandits. On March 9, 1945, the Japanese launched a coup against the French leading to the collapse of the French government in Indochina.^[3] A French garrison consisting of more than 100 legionnaires at the fort at Brière de l'Isle was surprised when it was attacked by a Japanese regiment, but was able to effect a defense through the night until its ammunition was exhausted by the next morning; the Japanese massacred the French prisoners.^[3] Another Legion garrison was overrun at Hà Giang on the Lô River.^[3] Brigadier General Marcel Alessandri rallied as many elements of the 5th REI as he could outside of Việt Trì as he determined that the 5th REI was vastly outnumbered French forces had no choice but to escape the region as he had 2,000 legionnaires at his disposal compared to 40,000 Japanese soldiers in the region.^[2]^[3] General Alessandri decided that the only feasible escape was north to territory controlled by Nationalist China.^[3] Over the next fifty-three days General Alessandri led the 5th REI 700 miles (1,127 km) through mountainous jungle and heavy combat towards the Chinese border into Yunnan.^[3] Once on the other side the 5th REI still had to march another 300 miles (483 km) to Tsao-pa to receive help from the Nationalists on June 15.^[3] On July 1, 1945, the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment was disbanded.

First Indochina War

On November 1, 1949 the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment was re-established in the Tonkin Region of Indochina, from elements of 4th REI and staff arriving from Sidi Bel Abbes. The regiment was deployed to the north-eastern border of Tonkin to defend the region from the Viet Minh. On November 26, 1949, the 1st Battalion was engaged in battles for the positions of Cho Bo and Hoa Binh and were threatened with encirclement at Suyut. The 2nd Battalion was dispersed in small detachments in key positions in Tien Yen, Dam Ha, Ha My and Cai Coi. They participated with the 3rd REI in disarming Chinese nationalists who had fled to Indochina following their defeat at the hands of Mao's Communists. In March 1954, the 5th REI was parachuted into Dien Bien Phu, were the 2nd and 3rd battalions suffered heavy losses.

Organization

1er Battalion
2e Battalion
3e Battalion
4e Battalion (disbanded September 2, 1932)

Notes

↑ Windrow, Martin (1999). French Foreign Legion 1914-1945. p. 21.
1 2 Mercer, Charles (1964). Legion of Strangers. pp. 283–286.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 McLeave, Hugh (1973). The Damned Die Hard. pp. 199–204.

References

Mercer, Charles (1964). Legion of Strangers. Holt, Rinehart,and Winston of Canada, Ltd. pp. 283–286.
McLeave, Hugh (1973). The Damned Die Hard. Saturday Review Press. ISBN 0-8415-0247-1.
Windrow, Martin (1996). French Foreign Legion 1914-1945. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-761-9.

External links

5e RE - History & images of the 5e RE(I)

Foreign Legion Command
French Foreign Legion

Current
Foreign Legion
Units

Administrative	Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments 1st Foreign Regiment Foreign Legion Command Foreign Legion Recruiting Group

Infantry & Parachute Infantry	2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade Foreign Legion Detachment in Mayotte

Cavalry	1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment

Engineer & Parachute Engineer	6th Foreign Engineer Regiment 1st Foreign Engineer Regiment 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment

Training	4th Foreign Regiment Jungle Training Center Combat Training Center at Arta Beach

Defunct
Foreign Legion
Units

Administrative and Training	Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments

Parachute	Parachute Company of the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion Foreign Air Supply Company 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company

Infantry	1st Foreign Infantry Regiment 4e régiment de marche du 1er étranger 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment 11th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 21st Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 22nd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers 23rd Marching Regiment of Foreign Volunteers

Cavalry	2nd Foreign Cavalry Regiment 97th Reconnaissance Group of the Infantry Division

Transport	Armored Train of the Foreign Legion

Disciplinary	Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East

Foreign Legion Brigades	31st Brigade (France)

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