The 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment () or 1er RPIMa is a unit of the French Army Special Forces Command, therefore part of the Special Operations Command.
Heirs to the Free French paratroopers of the 3rd and 4th squadrons of the Special Air Service (SAS) founded in the United Kingdom during WWII, the 1er RPIMa is sometimes referred to as the "French SAS" and still uses the same motto as their British counterparts to this day: (French for "Who Dares Wins").
Origins
Quite unusually for the French Armed Forces, the affiliations of this unit are various, not directly related to each other, and numerous. The regiment is heir simultaneously to formations of the French Air Force, mainland infantry, Troupes coloniales and Troupes de marine.
World War II
September 15, 1940, the 1st Air Infantry Company (Free French) (1e Compagnie d'Infanterie de l'Air: 1e C.I.A) was created in the United Kingdom by Captain Georges Bergé.In Paras de la France libre (Paras of Free France), page 21 March 15, 1941: Operation Savanna, the first operation of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in France, an ambush in Brittany. On April 10, 1941 the 1st Air Infantry Company (1e C.I.A) was reattached to the Free French forces and renamed 1er Compagnie Parachutiste (1st Parachute Company). May 1941: Operation Josephine B (destruction of six transformers at the electric plant in Pessac). Divided into one section assigned to the BCRA intelligence unit, and two other sections sent to the Middle East. July 21, 1941: embarked for the Mideast, garrisoned in Beirut, then Damascus. On September 25, 1941 the 1st Parachute Company became the Peloton Parachutiste du Levant (Parachute Platoon of the Levant) and was attached to the French Air Force.In Histoire des parachutistes français (History of French Paratroopers), page 13 On October 15, 1941 the unit's name changed again, to the 1er Compagnie de Chasseurs Parachutistes, (1er C.C.P) (1st Parachute Chasseur Company). On January 1, 1942 the unit became the French Squadron of the Special Air Service under Major David Stirling, a special forces unit garrisoned at Kibrit Air Base on the Suez Canal. June 1942: the French SAS destroyed 20 German airplanes in Crete, then attacked the airports in Matouba-Derna, Benina, Barce and Benghazi on the Libyan front. July 1942: operations in Cyrenaica. January 1943: harassed the German rear-guard in Tunisia. Spring 1943: rest and training at Camberley (England). On July 1, 1943 the unit became the 1er Bataillon d'Infanterie de l'Air, (1er B.I.A) (1st Air Infantry Battalion). In November 1943 the 1st Battalion was renamed 4e Bataillon d'Infanterie de l'Air, (4e B.I.A) (4th Air Infantry Battalion) Beginning 1944: training of French SAS in Scotland. The battalion was assigned to the Special Air Service. Night of June 5–6: parachuted into Brittany, 36 paratroopers of the FFL in four groups (two over Plumelec, two over Duault). The sole battle casualty in Plumelec (on June 6 at 0 h 40), caporal Emile Bouétard, was probably the first casualty of the Normandy Landing. June 1944: combined forces with the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) and the 2nd U.S. Division. June 1944: fighting along with the maquis de Saint-Marcel, Morbihan and maquis of Duault in Côtes-d'Armor; a battalion (450 men) parachuted in with the French Forces of the Interior (FFI) 3000 total, tied up 85000 Germans in Brittany, preventing them from reaching Normandy, and joined two divisions of George Patton's army on August 6. On July 1, 1944 the 4th Battalion was renamed 2e R.C.P S.A.S (2nd SAS Parachute Chasseur Regiment) of the 4th SAS Regiment. August 1944: operations and SAS participation in the Liberation of Paris. September 11, 1944: one company took 3000 Germans prisoner. Autumn: rest leave in Champagne. November 11, 1944: the two regiments of the French SAS marched up the Champs-Élysées in Paris before General Charles de Gaulle and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill after the 2e RCP was awarded the Compagnon de la Libération designation (Companion of the Liberation). December 23, 1944: provided reinforcement in the Ardennes. February 1945: regrouped in England. Night of April 7–8, 1945: Operation Amherst, parachuted into the Netherlands. Fighting until the 18th. On August 1, 1945 the Parachute Chasseur Regiments merged completely into the French Army. The 3rd Parachute Chasseur Regiment (3e R.C.P) or 3rd SAS Regiment was dissolved and its components transferred to the 2e R.C.P.
Indochina war
The colonial battalions On February 1, 1946 the 1er Bataillon de Choc S.A.S, (1e B.C-S.A.S) (1st SAS Shock Battalion) was created from elements of the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1e R.C.P ) and the 2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment (2e R.C.P). On February 23, 1946 the battalion became the 1er Bataillon Parachutiste S.A.S, (1e B.P-S.A.S) (1st S.A.S Parachute Battalion). On March 1, 1946 the 2e Bataillon de Choc S.A.S, (2e B.C-S.A.S) (2nd S.A.S shock battalion) was created from elements of the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1e R.C.P) and the 1st Shock Parachute Infantry Regiment (1e R.I.C.A.P). On September 25, 1947 the two S.A.S para battalions regrouped and became the 1er Bataillon Parachutiste SAS, (1e B.P-S.A.S) (1st S.A.S Parachute Battalion). On January 1, 1948 the battalion became the 1er Bataillon Colonial de Commandos Parachutistes, (1e B.C.C.P) (1st Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion). On July 4, 1948 the 1e B.C.C.P was dissolved. On December 7, 1949 another 1st Colonial Parachute Commando Battalion (1e B.C.C.P) was created. On October 1, 1950 the colonial parachute commandos became the 1er Groupe Colonial de Commandos Parachutistes, (1e G.C.C.P) (1st Colonial Parachute Commando Group). On March 1, 1951 the parachute commando group became the 1er Bataillon de Parachutiste Coloniaux, (1e B.P.C) (1st Colonial Parachute Battalion). On January 19, 1952 the 1st Colonial Parachute Battalion, (1e B.P.C) was dissolved. On June 20, 1953 another 1st Colonial Parachute Battalion, (1er B.P.C) was created.
The colonial brigades On July 1, 1946 the 1er Demi-Brigade de Parachutistes SAS, 1er D-B.P.SAS (1st SAS Parachute Demi-Brigade) was created in Indochina from the 1st and 2nd SAS Parachute Battalions. On October 1, 1947 the Demi-Brigade Coloniale de Commandos Parachutistes D-B.C.C.P (Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade) was created in Brittany. On October 23, 1947 the SAS Demi-Brigade became the Demi-Brigade Coloniale de Commandos Parachutistes SAS, D-B.C.C.P-S.A.S, (SAS Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade). In June 1948 the two demi-Brigades became: in Brittany, the 1e D-B.C.C.P and the 2e D-B.C.C.P in Indochina. On February 1, 1955: the 1e D-B.CCP became the Colonial Parachute Brigade ( BPC ).
Post-Indochina
The brigade On February 25, 1958 the B.P.C became the Brigade école des Parachutistes Coloniaux, (B.E.P.C) (Colonial Parachute Brigade Instruction Center). On December 1, 1958 the B.E.P.C became the Brigade de Parachutistes d'Outre-Mer, (B.P.OM) (Overseas Parachute Brigade). On November 1, 1960 the B.P.OM became the Brigade Parachutiste d'Infanterie de Marine, B.P.I.Ma (Marine Infantry Parachute Brigade). On December 31, 1961 the B.P.I.Ma was dissolved.
The regiment On November 1, 1960 the Center of Instruction of the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment was created at Bayonne. On January 1, 1973 the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment, 1er (R.P.I.Ma) was assigned and tasked with special operations.
History, garrisons, campaigns and battles
Despite its name, the 1er RPIMa is part of the French Army, like other Marine units. The naval infantry background dates back to 1762, when units of the French Army were detached to the French Navy for ship-borne and overseas duties.
It is the heir to the first Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade, whose origins date back to World War II. Under the command of Captain Georges Bergé, the 1st Air Company was created in England on September 15, 1940 with parachute units of the Special Air Service (SAS). The 1e CCP/SAS was created in 1941 in Scotland. From 1942 to 1944, this company was engaged in Crete, Libya, Tunisia, Brittany, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
Afterwards, the company was dissolved and re-designated as an SAS Parachute Demi-Brigade from 1946 to 1949, then 1st Colonial Parachute Commando Demi-Brigade from 1949 to 1955 in Indochina. It was classified as B.P.C in Algeria from 1955 to 1958, the B.C.C.P dissolved and re-designated from 1959 to 1960 as G.I.B.P.OM then in 1960 B.P.C.I.Ma and renamed in 1962 1erR.P.I.Ma which retained the SAS emblem.
Successive garrisons September 1940: RAF Ringway (England) 1941: Beirut then Damascus. 1942: Kabrit on the Suez Canal. 1943: Camberley, United Kingdom Following the war, in France 1960: Creation of the 1eR.P.I.Ma and Garrison at Bayonne
World War II
The 1er RPIMa inherited the traditions of the two Free French Special Air Service (SAS) Regiments that served with distinction alongside the British SAS Brigade during World War II. On September 15, 1940, General Charles de Gaulle signed the activation order of the 1ère Compagnie d'Infanterie de l'Air (1ère CIA) of the Free French Forces, or 1st Free French Airborne Infantry Company, under the command of Captain Bergé.
The 1ère CIA began operational missions, parachuting into occupied France in March 1941. The company was then split into two units, a covert action unit used for clandestine operations and a conventional and uniformed company sent to North Africa in September 1941 to fight Axis Forces along with British Forces.
A very good relationship was quickly established between Captain Bergé and Major Stirling, the commander of the newly created Special Air Service (SAS); the French detachment was soon incorporated into the SAS and became the French Squadron. From 1942 to 1943, the French SAS roamed the region, ranging as far as Crete hunting down Axis forces and destroying their aircraft and supply dumps. In November 1943, the 3rd and 4th Air Infantry were created and incorporated into the SAS Brigade along with their British and Belgian counterparts, the 1st and 2nd SAS Regiments.
The Free French SAS took an important part in the liberation of Europe. In Brittany, a little after midnight on D-Day, June 6, 1944, Caporal Emile Bouétard (born in Brittany, 1915) was the first soldier killed in action in Plumelec, Morbihan. On August 1, 1944, the 3rd and 4th Air Infantry battalions were renamed the 2nd and 3rd Chasseur Parachute battalions. As a reward for their bravery, King George VI awarded the Free French SAS the right to wear the red beret of the British SAS, which replaced the black beret worn until then. As the war drew to a close, 52 French SAS "sticks" (705 men) were parachuted into the Netherlands on April 7, 1945, causing major havoc in the rear areas of German occupation forces and easing pressure on the forward thrust of the 2nd Canadian Army Corps.
The Free French SAS took a major part in the epic battles of the SAS in Africa, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany, earning French and foreign awards (including many British DSOs, MCs and MMs). The regimental colours of the 1er RPIMa have also been decorated with the U.S. Bronze Star Medal, the Dutch Bronze Cross and the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Today, this SAS heritage is still evident in its regimental motto "Qui Ose Gagne" ("Who Dares Wins") and in the awarding of the RAPAS Wings, reminiscent of the wartime SAS "Operational Wings" that can only be awarded to 1er RPIMa operators after they have successfully passed a series of strict selection requirements, including operational deployments.
1945–1974