8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

The 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (8e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 8e RPIMa) is an airborne regiment of the French Army. It is part of the 11th Parachute Brigade and is stationed at Quartier Fayolle, Castres, France.

It is an elite unit that can be rapidly sent anywhere in the world. Part of the regiment is the Commando Parachute Group, a French special forces unit. Paratroop training is conducted at the École des troupes aéroportées (ETAP) in Pau.

Indochina
The unit was created on 28 February 1951, in Hanoi as the "8th Colonial Parachute Battalion," as a part of the French union forces.

The 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion fought at Lai-Chau, Hoa Binh, Langson and Dien Bien Phu. The Battalion was mentioned in dispatches four times for valor. It was dissolved on 19 May 1954, after Dien Bien Phu.

Algeria
The unit was recreated as the "8th Colonial Parachute Regiment" on 1 May 1956. The regiment participated in operations against the Algerian National Liberation Front (FLN), most notably at El Kiffene, Ain El Kesseub and Tarf.

Relocation to Metropolitan France
The regiment relocated to the town of Nancy, Metropolitan France, in 1961, to form a part of the 11th Light Division. The regimental headquarters moved to Castres in 1963.

Later Deployments
The regiment took part in the intervention in Chad between 1969 and 1972.

The regiment is currently serving with the NATO ISAF in Afghanistan. In a fierce battle on 18–19 August 2008, ten French soldiers were killed and 21 wounded making it the largest loss of French troops in battle in many years. ISAF Press Release

Composition
The regiment consists of around 1200 personnel organized into eight companies:


 * Compagnie de commandement et de logistique (CCL) - Command and logistics company
 * Compagnie d'éclairage et d'appui (CEA) - Reconnaissance and support company
 * 1er Compagnie de combat - 1st Combat company
 * 2e Compagnie de combat - 2nd Combat company
 * 3e Compagnie de combat - 3rd Combat company
 * 4e compagnie de combat - 4th Combat company
 * Compagnie de réserve opérationnelle (CRO) - Operational reserve company

Officers and marines

 * Maurice Amiot

Lineage

 * 1951: 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion
 * 1952: 8th Colonial Parachute Group
 * 1953: 8th Shock Parachute Battalion
 * 1954: Dissolved
 * 1956: 8th Colonial Parachute Regiment
 * 1958: 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

Battle honours

 * Indochine 1951-1954
 * AFN 1952-1962

Decorations

 * Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations Exterieures with 3 palms.