2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

The 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (2e Régiment de Parachutistes d'Infanterie de Marine, 2e RPIMa) is an Airborne regiment in the French Army. It is heir to the traditions of the Free French and colonial paratroopers. As of 2008 it is stationed at Saint-Pierre, Réunion.

History
Formed in England from the companies of the air, 400 men of the 2nd RCP were dropped over Brittany as part of the Normandy Landings. The unit was used as flank-guard to Patton’s Third army during the Battle of Normandy.

In 1947, the 2nd Colonial Commondo Parachute Battalion was posted to Indochina, where it fought until 1953, being mentioned three times in the order of the army.

In 1955, the unit was renamed 2nd Colonial Parachute Regiment; and then in 1958, the 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment. It served from 1955 until 1962 in North Africa in the 10th Parachute Division. On 5 November 1956, it jumped in the second wave of the French/British attack on the Suez Canal over Port Said and was mentioned in the order of the army.

In July 1961, the regiment jumped over Bizerte and broke the Tunisian siege of the French airport installations. It was dissolved 5 July 1962, but recreated 1 January 1965 in Ivato, Madagascar from the 5th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment.

It was transferred to Reunion in 1973. Since then it has participated in various operations: Djibouti (1993/1994), Comoros (1990), Rwanda (1994) and Comors (1995/1996).

Officers and marines

 * Raymond Duc
 * Elrick Irastorza

Lineage

 * 1948: 2nd Colonial Commando Parachute Battalion
 * 1951: 2nd Colonial Parachute Battalion
 * 1955: 2nd Colonial Parachute Regiment
 * 1958: 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment

Flag
''It is, sewn in gold letters in its folds, the following inscriptions:



Battle Honours

 * Indochine 1947-1954
 * Port Saïd 1956
 * AFN 1952-1962

Decorations

 * Croix de guerre des Théatres d'Opérations Exterieures with 4 palms.

Sources and bibliography

 * Collective,"History of French paratroopers, Literary Production Company, 1975".
 * Colonel Roger Fleming, Paras "Free France, Editions Presses de la Cité, 1976".
 * Henry Corta,"The Red Berets, Association of Former SAS paratrooper, 1952".