a French Foreign Legion Forum

Welcome! Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

13th DBLE Vs 2nd REI, and HK416

Joseph Cosgrove

Moderator
Legionnaire
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
9,565
Reaction score
7,907
Location
Thailand
Home Country
New Zealand
Bon chance !

Tom it's bonne, you put a jinx on it. Well, I don't know what I'd do with a maserati here in Thailand anyway. It's like the old Joe Walsh song, My maserati does 185, I lost my license now I don't drive.

Tom there's no hard feelings. But that brings me to Mali again. The locals have this belief that if they put small bundles of straw with something inside (I never did find out what as none of the drivers would tell me) on the road if you drove over it you would take on all their hardships. To the point where once the driver slammed on the brakes and swerved to miss the gri gri, nearly hitting another car coming towards us.

Both cars came to a halt in the middle of the road. I was furious and got out of the car and kicked the gri gri off the road. Crazy toubabou is what the guards called me behind my back.

Toubabou means white skin.
 

SnafuSmite

Active Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Messages
1,573
Reaction score
1,381
Location
South of South
Home Country
South Africa
Tom it's bonne, you put a jinx on it. Well, I don't know what I'd do with a maserati here in Thailand anyway. It's like the old Joe Walsh song, My maserati does 185, I lost my license now I don't drive.

Tom there's no hard feelings. But that brings me to Mali again. The locals have this belief that if they put small bundles of straw with something inside (I never did find out what as none of the drivers would tell me) on the road if you drove over it you would take on all their hardships. To the point where once the driver slammed on the brakes and swerved to miss the gri gri, nearly hitting another car coming towards us.

Both cars came to a halt in the middle of the road. I was furious and got out of the car and kicked the gri gri off the road. Crazy toubabou is what the guards called me behind my back.

Toubabou means white skin.

Very superstitious in Africa, I know that here in South Africa amongst the Zulu/Xhosa it's considered very rude and bad luck to knock someone with a broom while sweeping, something about never being able to find love!
 
1

176607Mick

Unregistered
Very superstitious in Africa, I know that here in South Africa amongst the Zulu/Xhosa it's considered very rude and bad luck to knock someone with a broom while sweeping, something about never being able to find love!

Have you all been smoking Jamaican woodbines?/Gitanes? What's this thread about?
 
1

176607Mick

Unregistered
Very superstitious in Africa, I know that here in South Africa amongst the Zulu/Xhosa it's considered very rude and bad luck to knock someone with a broom while sweeping, something about never being able to find love!

My favourite videos from the land of the Braai are the trick tokalosh ones..hilarious
 

IrishHermit

Active Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2017
Messages
131
Reaction score
13
Location
Les États Unis
Home Country
United States
Tom it's bonne, you put a jinx on it. Well, I don't know what I'd do with a maserati here in Thailand anyway. It's like the old Joe Walsh song, My maserati does 185, I lost my license now I don't drive.

Tom there's no hard feelings. But that brings me to Mali again. The locals have this belief that if they put small bundles of straw with something inside (I never did find out what as none of the drivers would tell me) on the road if you drove over it you would take on all their hardships. To the point where once the driver slammed on the brakes and swerved to miss the gri gri, nearly hitting another car coming towards us.

Both cars came to a halt in the middle of the road. I was furious and got out of the car and kicked the gri gri off the road. Crazy toubabou is what the guards called me behind my back.

Toubabou means white skin.

It seems that I have replied to your wish for a Maserati twice Joseph. In posts number 20 and 21 where I wrote bonne and bon respectively. So, they cancel each other out. I wrote those posts around 4:20 a.m. when I should have been sleeping. But, since I don't remember writing them, I must have been asleep. :)
 

SnafuSmite

Active Member
Joined
Nov 5, 2015
Messages
1,573
Reaction score
1,381
Location
South of South
Home Country
South Africa
It seems that I have replied to your wish for a Maserati twice Joseph. In posts number 20 and 21 where I wrote bonne and bon respectively. So, they cancel each other out. I wrote those posts around 4:20 a.m. when I should have been sleeping. But, since I don't remember writing them, I must have been asleep. :)

Oh dear Irish, double tapping in your sleep now......:D
 

canada101

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto
Home Country
Canada
1. Let's say that 13e DBLE is more ‘light’ infantry than 2e REI which belongs to a light armoured brigade and has recently received the new VBCI infantry combat armoured vehicle. I think it'll take some time and more training until 13e DBLE is considered ready for deployment. Maybe one more year or so (just an educated guess, don't quote me on this).
3. All Legion units (and not only them) will ultimately receive the HK-416. A total of 102,000 copies have been ordered, to be delivered over the next 10 years. As rightly mentioned by Dusaboss, the 13e DBLE having been recently upgraded to a full-strength regiment, so it made sense to equip them directly with the new rifle, rather than issuing them with the FAMAS and then replacing it with the HK. Other units have their FAMAS and can keep using it for some more time.

Thank You.

To your knowledge, since major changes are happening with the 13th Dble with it now being based in France and the large increase in troop levels, is it fair to say that the Legion plans to make the 13th Dble the linchpin of future operations with long term deployments? Right now, the impression I have is that 2nd Rep is the most active regiment in the Legion since people always say that 2nd rep is the most elite regiment of the Legion. Since the parachute drop in Mali back in 2013, just how active has 2nd rep been in Africa? Are troops from 2nd rep receiving more deployments to Africa than other regiments such as 2nd Rei and 1st Rec?
 

canada101

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto
Home Country
Canada
Hello again,

Along with the 13th dble and 2nd Rei, I see that the 1st Cavalry Regiment is part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. Is it merely the choice of armoured vehicles that differentiates these units? Any thoughts with regards to which one of these units would be best to join with regards to location, deployments, and regimental life?
 

Hansenmann

Active Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2015
Messages
381
Reaction score
2
Location
Denmark
Home Country
Denmark
Hello again,

Along with the 13th dble and 2nd Rei, I see that the 1st Cavalry Regiment is part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. Is it merely the choice of armoured vehicles that differentiates these units? Any thoughts with regards to which one of these units would be best to join with regards to location, deployments, and regimental life?
You're overthinking just about everything. Join the Canadian army instead.
 

rickyN7

Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2017
Messages
81
Reaction score
1
Location
Sofia, Bulgaria
Home Country
Belgium
Hello again,

Along with the 13th dble and 2nd Rei, I see that the 1st Cavalry Regiment is part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. Is it merely the choice of armoured vehicles that differentiates these units? Any thoughts with regards to which one of these units would be best to join with regards to location, deployments, and regimental life?
You could just google it. There's a big difference between the functions of a cavalry regiment and an infantry regiment. The light cavalry today (to my knowledge) carries out long range reconnaissance and most of the time are grouped into squadrons consisting of tank destroyers, light transport vehicles and even bikes. Anciens who served in the 1REC are active here, so they could explain much better than I could. The 2REI and 13DBLE are both mechanized infantry, which means they carry out infantry tasks of all sorts with mechanized (VBCI) support. Very different missions.
As for regimental garrison location, deployments and regimental life - I'm curious, too.
From what I gather, the 13th is almost at full strength and we've yet to see how they do and what missions they'll get assigned overseas. I've read somewhere that their garrison, Camp de Larzac, is a shitty place, though I couldn't say why.
2REI is in Nimes which is a comfortable place for a garrison, easy to reach big cities and the base is shared with a command unit (tho I might be mistaken) meaning it might be more comfortable than other Legion-standard barracks. I get the impression the 2REI is the most often-deployed regiment at this point. There's a lot of call for mechanized infantry today, it seems. I believe that is why they're rebuilding the DBLE as well, and there might be a little competition between the two, as they'll be filling the same role.
As for the 1REC, it seems to be the most talked-uo regiment. All the anciens are praising it, its discipline, traditions and rewarding lifestyle. Also, it is unique (much like the REP) in that it's the only Cav regiment. There are two Genie regiments, two infantry regiments, but only one Para and one Cav.
This is just what I've gathered during my time on the forum, so feel free to correct me.
 

Joseph Cosgrove

Moderator
Legionnaire
Joined
Jul 13, 2013
Messages
9,565
Reaction score
7,907
Location
Thailand
Home Country
New Zealand
Hello again,

Along with the 13th dble and 2nd Rei, I see that the 1st Cavalry Regiment is part of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade. Is it merely the choice of armoured vehicles that differentiates these units? Any thoughts with regards to which one of these units would be best to join with regards to location, deployments, and regimental life?
Hello to you again. When are you thinking of joining the French foreign Legion?
 

canada101

Member
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
42
Reaction score
0
Location
Toronto
Home Country
Canada
Is it the case that 2 REI is the best funded and most active regiment of the Legion? I see they are active in Estonia right now as part of the NATO buildup in the Baltic states. Also, is 2 REI on permanent stand-by? On Wikipedia, it says 1 REC is currently on permanent stand-by.
 
Top