3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment

The 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment (3e Régiment Étranger de Parachutistes, 3e REP) was an airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion which was raised on November 16, 1949 and disbanded on December 1, 1955.

History
The 3rd Foreign Parachute Battalion was formed from the 7th Parachute Instruction Company of the 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment in Mascara, Algeria. The 3rd BEP was established to train legionnaires as airborne infantry for deployment to the 1st and 2nd BEPs operating in French Indochina. The regiment also participated in law enforcement activities in Tunisia in 1952.

On May 25th, 1954 the battalion arrived in French Indochina at Haiphong. It took over the remains of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion, which had been destroyed at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. It was based at Hanoi/Cat Bi until July 21st and was then moved to Cochinchina until leaving for Algeria on November 1st, 1955.

In March 1955, the 2nd BEP made an airborne drop onto the Hodna Plain. When garrisoned at Batna on September 1st, 1955 it was re-designated as the 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment. It was involved in some action between July and November. However, with the re-establishment of 2e REP in December 1955 the Regiment was disbanded on December 1, 1955 its elements being folded into 1er REP and 2e REP.

Garrisons

 * Setif
 * Batna