8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
(8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine)
Active 1951 - 1954
1956 - present
Country France
Branch French Army
Type troupes de marine
Role Airborne
Size Battalion 1200 men and women
Part of 11th Parachute Brigade
Garrison/HQ Castres, France
Motto(s) Volontaire (Volunteer)
Colors Blue and red
Anniversaries Saint-Michel Day
Engagements

First Indochina War
Battle of Hoa Binh
Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Algerian War
Lebanese Civil War 1975-1990

War on Terror (2001-Present)

Commanders
Current
commander		 Philippe du Chaxel
Notable
commanders		 Guy Le Borgne, Pierre Tourret
Insignia
Beret badge of the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
Abbreviation 8e RPIMa

The 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (French: 8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 8e RPIMa) is an airborne battalion of the French Army. It is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade and is stationed at Quartier Fayolle, Castres, France.[1]

It is an elite unit that can be rapidly sent anywhere in the world. Part of the regiment is the Commando Parachute Group, a French special forces unit. Paratroop training is conducted at the École des troupes aéroportées (ETAP) in Pau.

History

Indochina

The unit was created on 28 February 1951, in Hanoi as the "8th Colonial Parachute Battalion," as a part of the French union forces.

The 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion fought at Lai-Chau, Hoa Binh, Langson and Dien Bien Phu. The Battalion was mentioned in dispatches four times for valor. It was dissolved on 19 May 1954, after Dien Bien Phu.

Algeria

The unit was recreated as the "8th Colonial Parachute Regiment" on 1 May 1956. The regiment participated in operations against the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN), most notably at El Kiffene, Ain El Kesseub and Tarf.

Relocation to Metropolitan France

The regiment relocated to the town of Nancy, Metropolitan France, in 1961, to form a part of the 11th Light Division. The regimental headquarters moved to Castres in 1963.

Later Deployments

The regiment took part in the intervention in Chad between 1969 and 1972.

The regiment is currently serving with the NATO ISAF in Afghanistan. In a fierce battle on 18–19 August 2008, ten French soldiers were killed and 21 wounded making it the largest loss of French troops in battle in many years. ISAF Press Release

Composition

The regiment consists of battalion size unit of around 1200 personnel organized into eight companies:[1]

Traditions

The Archangel Michael featured in Mont Saint-Michel and the Insignia of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment.

Except for the Legionnaires of the 1er REG, 2ème REG, 2ème 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.

The Archangel Saint Michael, patron of the French paratroopers is celebrated on 29 September.

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. The French Army Insignia of Marine Infantry Paratroopers is backgrounded by a Marine Anchor.

Commanding officers

  • Captain Gautier (1951–1952)
  • Captain Guy Le Borgne (1952–1953)
  • Captain Pierre Tourret (1953–1954)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Kohler (1954–1955)
  • Colonel Louis Fourcade (1956–1958)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Hubert de Seguins-Pazzis (1958–1960)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Albert Lenoir (1960–1961)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Kohler (1961–1963)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Desfarges (1963–1965)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Drouin (1965–1967)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Mourier (1967–1969)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Guilleminot (1969–1971)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Bellamy (1971–1973)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Dominique (1973–1975)
  • Colonel Maurice Schmitt (1975–1977)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Cann (1977–1979)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Vidal (1979–1981)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Zeisser (1981–1983)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Lepage (1983–1985)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Theodoly-Lannes (1985–1987)
  • Colonel Lafourcade (1987–1989)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Thomann (1989–1991)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Elrick Irastorza (1991–1993)
  • Lieutenant Colonel de Haynin de Bry (1993–1995)
  • Lieutenant Colonel Reglat (1995–1997)
  • Lieutenant Colonel de Braquilanges (1997–1999)
  • Colonel Michel Stollsteiner (1999–2001)
  • Colonel Bosser (2001–2003)
  • Colonel Brousse (2003–2005)
  • Colonel Guionie (2005–2007)
  • Colonel Jacques Aragones (2007–2009)
  • Colonel Philippe du Chaxel (2009-2011)
  • Colonel Eric Chasboeuf (2011- )

Officers and marines

Lineage

Honours

Battle honours

Decorations

See also

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "8e RPIMa". French government. Retrieved 2012-02-17.

External links

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