Inspection of the Foreign Legion

Particularly following World War I, the French Foreign Legion grew exponentially reputable and important in the French Army. Accordingly, new regiments have been formed which one of them was the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment.

During the interwar period and in 1930, following the creation of the 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment in Tonkin, the Legion stood strong at 30,000 Legionnaires . Accordingly, the need to organize the Legion was necessary and also the need to provide a clear structure of command that would safe keep the evolution of the legion in relation to the foreign service of its volunteers proved to be even more important. On March 2, 1931, the Chief of the Defence staff, a Général, signs the instruction of two formulations, which rather initial, would be the main founding legislative pillar acts of the Inspection of the Foreign Legion.

This reorganization has been mainly and for a while preoccupied by the intentions of the colonel Paul-Frédéric Rollet while commanding the 1st Foreign Regiment. Since 1928, Marshal of France Louis Franchet d'Espèrey exposed in reports argumenting in favor of a new organization of the legion in reason of the increase of general enlistmnents and the existence of combat regiments mainly depending on two different arms, the infantry and armoured cavalry.

The date of creation of the Inspection of the Foreign Legion was fixed on April 1, 1931. The inspection would be entrusted to a Général (or really exceptional colonel), particularly specialized in legion affairs.

On March 26, 1931, colonel Rollet passed command of the 1st Foreign Regiment to colonel Nicolas. On April 1, 1931, Rollet was promoted to Brigadier general and assumed the function of the Général inspector of the Foreign Legion. Until his retirement in 1935, Rollet would serve his tailored function in total submission while comforting the culture of the Legion and codifying the essence of traditions. The inspection would be dissolved when Général Rollet would leave active duty. In 1948, the inspection would have been seen activated for 2 years under the command of Raoul Magrin-Vernerey. Dissolved again in 1950, the inspection reappeared as Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) commanded successively by generals Jean Olié and Paul Gardy whom were designated as général inspector. The Autonomous Group of the Foreign Legion (G.A.L.E) compromised then, 1 Headquarters Staff in Sidi bel-Abbès, the Communal Depot of the Foreign Regiments, the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment which regrouped all training/instruction units and the moral service for works of the Foreign Legion (S.O.M.L.E).

The inspection of the French Foreign Legion would give later form to the Foreign Legion Command.

See also

• Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion

References

Sources:

• Division Histoire et Patrimoine de la Légion étrangère
• Revue Képi blanc

External links

Foreign Legion Command French Foreign Legion
Honneur et Fidélité History of the French Foreign Legion Foreign Legion Pioneers (Pionniers) List of French paratrooper units Képi Blanc (publication)
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 1st Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 3rd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment 4th Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment/Garibaldi Legion 1st Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion 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)