Régiments de marche de volontaires étrangers

Régiments de marche de volontaires étrangers, also known as RMVE or Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers were temporary formations of the French Foreign Legion organized from Foreign volunteers during World War II . These regiments were formed on 16 September 1939:

On September 16, 1939, the war minister decided to form special corps of foreign volunteers part of the Foreign Legion. They were part of the Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers.[1]

These regiments were not assigned Legion "cadres" from Sidi bel-Abbès to the exception of a couple of Legion officers, however crests carried the Legion Colors inverted and they celebrated Camerone day. These legion regiments had large numbers of Spanish Republicans, essentially Spaniards from the Retirada (French: Retirada),[2], foreign Jewish volunteers and other foreigners from Nazi Germany, Austria, Poland and Czechoslovakia. These men were considered volunteers for the duration and many who escaped the fall of France were allowed to join their respective national armies before the Liberation.

They achieved a mixed success, but like many units during the Fall of France were overwhelmed by the German blitzkrieg. Their regimental honors live on in the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2e REI.

Sources

  • Porch, Douglas. The French Foreign Legion. New York: Harper Collins, 1991. ISBN 0-06-092308-3

Bibliographies:

  • Le livre d’or de la Légion étrangère (1831-1955), Jean Brunon et Georges Manue, éditions Charles Lavauzelle et Cie, 1958.
  • Livre d'or du 22e RMVE : 1939-1945 par amicale des anciens du 22e Régiment de Marche de Volontaires étrangers.
  • Naissance, vie et disparition du 21e RMVE en 1939-1940. Édité en 1961. In 8 de 75 pages. Képi blanc

References

  1. Porch, Douglas. The French Foreign Legion: A Complete History of the Legendary Fighting Force. p. 445.
  2. Evelyn Mesquida, La Nueve, 24 août 1944. Ces républicains espagnols qui ont libéré Paris, Paris, Le Cherche-Midi, 2011, collection « Documents ». ISBN 978-2-7491-2046-1, p. 60


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