Camerone 2004 at the 2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment (2° REG)

[Ralf174978]

A few pictures from the ceremonies to Camerone at the 2° REG (2nd Foreign Engineer Regiment) in St. Christol (South-France):

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/7806/Camerone2004_2REG_1_700x525.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/3174/Camerone2004_2REG_3_700x525.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/8981/Camerone2004_2REG_4_700x525.jpg
http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4933/Camerone2004_2REG_2_700x933.jpg

[Operation Ivy]

woot woot

[Celareon]

Cool pics! woot

[Metak]

http://img10.imageshack.us/img10/4933/Camerone2004_2REG_2_700x933.jpg

Which unit has blue-red kepi?
Are there in ST.Christol base legionares only or there are some other units too?

[Ralf174978]

The unit (music band) with the blue and red Kepis were guests during the ceremonies. They are from the Spahis Regiment.

[Rantanplan]

Spahis? I guess they are a historic rudiment of the tirailleur algerian, right?

[Pad75]

Spahis? I guess they are a historic rudiment of the tirailleur Algerian, right?

The Spahis Regiment where cavalry unit in North Africa (Morocco and Algeria). The Tirailleurs where infantry.
The soldiers where indigenous with French officers and French NCO.
The Spahis have been created around 1830 and was mainly used at the beginning to bring order in the colonization areas.

They have fought in France in WWI and WWII as cavalry.
After the landing of the Allies in North Africa and after the Anfa treaty, where 12 French divisions (French Army of North Africa and Free French forces) had to be equipped by the US, the Spahis have been transform into Armour regiment (mainly in recon and tank destroyer units). They have seen combat on the Italian front, France (operation Dragoon, Vosges and Alsace campaign) and end the war in Germany with the 1st French Army.
After WWII the Spahis get back to North Africa and the old regiments "died" due to the independence of Morroco and Algeria (like the Tirailleurs for infantry).

But because one Spahis regiment was “compagnon de la Liberation” (the 12th who was part of the 2nd DB of Leclerc) and joined the Free French at the beginning of the war, the General de Gaulle decide to keep one Spahis regiment in the French Order of battle. Now the regiment de Spahis uses the Leclerc MBT.

The President Chirac served in a Spahis Regiment during the Algerian war.
The bleu and red kepi are the colours of the Cavalry.