Infos on 2eme REP foreign Legion troops!

[stephane from Paris]

Do you want to have some informations on this elite paratroop unit?
Numbers of soldiers, nationnality(surprises)?

[Upfrontreporting]

Sure could be interesting.


regards.

[hist2004]

Any information on the GCP(Group de Commando Parachutists) of the 2nd
REP would be of interest too.

Thanks & Regards,
Hist2004

[Guttorm]

Any info/pictures from the Legion would be MUCH appriciated woot

[stephane from Paris]

In 2001 the "2eme REP" was a force of 1297 men including officers.
Nearly all of the officers are french.
here the list of nationality, i don't know all the english name of the countries:
France: 250 (they had to change their name and declared other nationality)
Poland: 115
Hungary: 68
Switzerland:65
Canada: 60
Roumany: 55
Russia: 56
Ukraine: 49
Slovaquia: 49
England: 44
Rep tcheck: 39
Portugal: 30
Lituania: 19
Bielorussia: 18
Spain: 16
Luxenburg: 14
Japan: 13
Germany: 12
Korea: 12
Italia: 12
Bulgary: 11
Lettonie: 10
Belgium: 10
Finland: 10
Croatia: 10
Irland: 10
monaco: 9
Madagascar: 8
Moroco: 7
Sweden:5
New zealand:5
Brasil: 5
Danmark: 4
USA: 4
Turkey: 4
Moldavia: 4
South Africa: 3
Kazakstan: 3
Ouzbekistan: 3
Mexico: 3
Estonia: 3
Liban: 3
Albania: 3
Australia: 2
Algeria: 2
Tunisia: 2
Slovenia: 2
Benin, Ethiopy, Kirghisgistan, China, Laos, Nepal,Peru, Uruguay, chiliea, argentina,holland, Iceland, norway, Scotland, austria: 1

The 2eme REP is part of the "11eme division parachutiste", and those troops aren't in the Special Operation Command with includes Navy commando, CPA10 (air force comandos), 1ere RPIMA (Elite of Paras), Resco and Csar Helicopters...
What do you want about GCP 2eme REP unit?

[Dominique]

I thought the 11DP disbanded and reorganized into the 11BP a few years ago.

[fantassin]

Yes, the French army has done away with the "divisions" several years ago; all divisions have been renamed brigades because they were actually brigade-sized (8,000 strong) and not division-sized.

[hist2004]

The readers may be interested in their Selection & training(GCP). I've seen some information but not an in-depth view. These soldiers are considered the Elite of the Legion.

Thanks & Regards,
Hist2004

[Dominique]

OK, here's the info I have on the 2e REP.

2er Regiment Etranger de Parachutiste (2er REP) (It's part of the 11e BP) It's organized into five companies:
- 1ere CIE (Co) - specialists on night combat, anti-armor and at combat in built up areas (MOUT/FIBUA).
- 2eme CIE - specialists at mountain warfare.
- 3eme CIE - specialists at amphibious warfare. (contains the units combat divers, and scout swimmers)
- 4eme CIE - specialists at demolition/sabotage, sniping.
- 5eme CIE - Maintenance of equipment
- CEA - Maintenance and recon company, (GCP- Groupment de Commandos Parachutiste, two platoons of MILAN anti-tank missiles, one anti-aircraft artillery platoon, and a mechanized reconnaissance platoon.)

The GCP is bascially a LRRP unit. They conduct direct action raids, handle pathfinder missions, and in an emergency in-extremis hostage rescue operations. They operate with COS units on occasion. Some of the teams are combat swimmer or HALO qualified.

[fantassin]

You can add a reserve company, a depot company and a logistic company to this inventory. The reserve company is mostly used for things like fire fighting duty (lots of forest fires in Corsica in the summer), guard duties when the regiment is deployed or as translators in rare languages for overseas operations.

The CEA is not dealing with maintenance; its tasks are "Eclairage" (recce) and "Appui" (support), hence the CEA name.

All the GCP are HALO qualified, some are also HAHO. Before being allowed to join the GCP (two teams in the 2°REP, a little less than 40 men altogether), the candidate must do the "2nd level commando training course" in Montlouis.

Then he has to be recommended by his company and do the relevant physical and agressivity tests. Then he goes to the ETAP airborne school in Pau to follow the SOGH course during which he'll do between 60 and 80 jumps according to weather and plane availability.

When he comes back, if he has qualified (most do because they've been training before in civilian para clubs), he joins one of the teams. he can remain in them as long as he is fit enough; some get posted out to get promoted.

Among other things, the 2°REP GCPs have pioneered the use of field digital photography for the past ten years and has refined the use of burst transmission to deliver the results of their recces (reports and pictures) to the brigade HQ.

[ivandebono]

The 6th Company was established on 1st July 2001 after the 173rd Infantry Regiment (which was based in Corsica) was disbanded. It is made up of reservists.

[fantassin]

At this link (see "raw footage of the exercise" on the right of the screen) you can see GCPs from the 2°REP and 3°RPIMa HALO jumping during last November's ALLIED RESPONSE NATO exercise.

http://www.nato.int/shape/news/2003/11/i031121a.htm

[Royal]

I remember an Adjudant-Chef from Angola (I guess he's down on the list as Portugese) 'disciplining' one of the Japanese Soldats after he had a negligent discharge in a FMB a few years back - an interesting experience, but I bet he won't do it again.

[stephane from Paris]

Fantassin and dominique are right!
We could add that for trying GCP selection, the Legionaire must have 4 years in the corps!
They are around 6x 30men, so they are between 150 to 180!

[fantassin]

They are around 6x 30men, so they are between 150 to 180!


That's actually the figure for the whole brigade. Each Bn has one or two GCP teams depending on its speciality (Infantry, arty...).

No Bn from 11°BP has more than 40 GCP altogether and the REP's GCP is among the most numerous teams.

[DANJANOU]

Interesting, the numbers on the Brits appear to be down. They used to be a magjority in 2REP. I guess someone finally cracked down on Le Mafia Anglais.

[Aldo Penniconi]

Interesting, the numbers on the Brits appear to be down. They used to be a magjority in 2REP. I guess someone finally cracked down on Le Mafia Anglais.

It was heaving with British during the 1980s due to restructuring.

[BafuD]

Holy ****.