1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company

1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (1re Compagnie Etrangère Parachutiste de Mortiers Lourds)
Company Insignia
Active	September 1, 1953 - May 31, 1954
Country	France
Allegiance	French Foreign Legion
Branch	French Army
Type	Foreign Airborne Mortar Unit
Role	Infantry support
Size	120 men
Part of	Attached to 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion
Garrison/HQ	Quynh Loi, Hanoi, French Indochina
Colors	Green & Red
Equipment	Twelve (12) type 120mm mortars
Engagements	Operation Castor Battle of Dien Bien Phu
Disbanded	August 1954
Commanders
Notable commanders	Jacques Molinier Erwin Bergot Paul Turcy
Insignia
Identification symbol	1er CEPML

Each year, the French Foreign Legion commemorates and celebrates Camarón in its headquarters in Aubagne and Bastille Day military parade in Paris; featuring the Pionniers leading and opening the way.

Members of the 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company in Indochina.

The 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (French: 1^re Compagnie étrangère parachutiste de mortiers lourds, 1^er CEPML) was an ephemeral foreign airborne heavy mortar company of the French Foreign Legion which fought during the First Indochina War at the corps of the French Far East Expeditionary Corps.

History

Main article: List of French paratrooper units

In August 1953, lieutenant Jacques Molinier serves in the 1st Vietnamese Parachute Battalion (1^er BPVN). Accordingly, he is tasked by the headquarters of Hanoi to form a heavy mortar parachute combat company integrated in the French Foreign Legion and based in Tonkin. Created on September 1, 1953 based on elements, mainly artillery specialist of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1^er B.E.P) and 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion (2^e B.E.P); the created combat company is administratively attached to the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1^er B.E.P). The rear base of the company is situated at Quynh Loï, South of Hanoï.

The first operation launched by the 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company (1^re C.E.P.M.L) was to support of the 1st and 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalions. The company also made a combat jump alongside Chef de Battalion Marcel Bigeard's 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion.

On November 21, 1953, Lieutenant Molinier jumped on Dien Bien Phu with the first wave of Operation Castor, at the border Landing Zone (L.Z) Natacha. at 1500, 67 enlisted and officers, as well as 8 type 120mm mortars and 800 rounds of ammunition are dropped on the landing zone. At 1600, the company was in position to fire. This company is the first heavy 120mm mortar unit to be dropped in an airborne type operation. The 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company had packed the mortars in alvéoles type compartments about 3 to 4 meters in diameter. Following the drop, the company received another drop of a supplementary 4 type 120mm mortars to make the total count of 12 type 120mm mortars available for 99 officers, warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and legionnaires.

On March 12, 1954, Lieutenant Molinier is wounded during a recon operation conducted with the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion 1^er BEP on “Béatrice”. Attained by a dozen of mortar shrapnel shells in the back and face, he is carried to the underground hospital of commandant-doctor Paul-Henri Grauwin, who takes the decision to evacuate him by plane to Hanoi. For the officer, the Battle of Dien Bien Phu is over. Molinier passes command of the company to Lieutenant Paul Turcy who is killed on March 14, 1954. Accordingly, Lieutenant Erwan Bergot assumes interim command of the company until the parachute support of Lieutenant Jean Singland. On May 7, 1954, the final assault commenced and the French Foreign Legion launched their mortar response in all directions.

On June 1, the 1st Foreign Parachute Heavy Mortar Company was dissolved. In its eight-month existence, the company fired more than 30,000 rounds and endured heavy losses: 24 killed, 43 wounded. At the liberation of the prisoners from the Viet-minh camps, only 17 had survived. Following the dissolution of the company, Lieutenant Molinier assumed command of the Command and Support Company (C.C.S) of the 1st Foreign Parachute Battalion (1^er B.E.P).

Traditions

The Archangel Michael featured in Mont Saint-Michel and the Insignia of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment.

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  French and Foreign Legion Parachute Brevet.

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  Circled Winged Armed Dextrochere worn on Green Beret of Foreign Legion Paratroopers

Insignias

The insignia of the Foreign Legion Paratroopers of France represents a closed <<winged armed dextrochere>>, meaning a "right winged arm" armed with a sword pointing upwards. The Insignia makes reference to the Patron of Paratroopers. In fact, the Insignia represents <<the right Arm of Saint Michael>>, the Archangel which according to Liturgy is the <<Armed Arm of God>>. This Insignia is the symbol of righteous combat and fidelity to superior missions.

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  1^er B.E.P Insignia

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  1^re C.E.P.M.L

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  1st Vietnamese Parachute Battalion Insignia

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  Co. Para du 3^e REI in the 1^er REP and 1^er BEP
• 

  2^e B.E.P and 2^e R.E.P Insignia

Colonel Paul Marie Félix Jacques René Arnaud de Foïard
(1921-2005)

Company Commander

• 1953 - 1954 : Lieutenant Molinier
• 1954 - 1954 : Lieutenant Turcy
• 1954 - 1954 : Lieutenant Erwan Bergot
• 1954 - 1954 : Lieutenant Singland

See also

• List of French paratrooper units
• Dien Bien Phu order of battle
• Pierre Segretain
• Pierre Jeanpierre
• Paul Arnaud de Foïard
• Hélie de Saint Marc
• Airborne Units of France
• 25th Parachute Division
• 11th Parachute Brigade
• 10th Parachute Division
• 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment
• 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
• 3rd Foreign Parachute Regiment

References

• Braby, Wayne & Windrow, Martin. French Foreign Legion Paratroops. London: Osprey Publishing, 1985. ISBN 978-0-85045-629-5
• Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975.
• Jean Brunon et Georges Manue, Le livre d’or de la Légion étrangère (1831-1955), éditions Charles Lavauzelle et Cie, 1958.
• Pierre Montagnon, Les parachutistes de la Légion 1948-1962, éditions Pygmalion, 2005, ISBN 978-2-85704-940-1.