25th Parachute Division (France)
| 25th Parachute Division 25e Division Parachutiste |
|
|---|---|
25eD.P. Shoulder Arm Insignia featuring
Golden White Winged Spear |
|
| Active | 1956–1961 |
| Country |  France |
| Branch | French army |
| Type | French Parachute Division |
| Anniversaries | Saint Michael, September 29 |
| Engagements | Algerian War |
| Insignia | |
| Indentification symbol |   |
| Abbreviation | 25e D.P |
The 25th Parachute Division (French: 25e Division Parachutiste, 25e D.P) was an airborne division of the French Army, part of the French Airborne Units. Consisting mainly of air infantry specialized in airborne combat, air assault and established in 1956; the Parachute Division took principle part only in the Algerian War.
Contents
Creation and different designations
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- June 1, 1956 : Creation of the 25th Parachute Division
- April 30, 1961: the 25th Parachute was dissolved
- In 1961 : following the putsch, the 10th Parachute Division and 25th Parachute Division were dissolved and formed on May 1, 1961 with the 11th Infantry Division (French: 11e Division d'Infanterie), the 11th Light Intervention Division,[1] which would later become the 11th Parachute Brigade.
Constitution
On June 1, 1956, the 25th Parachute Division was created in the 5th military region from the 25e DIAP and from the Colonial Parachute Brigade.[2] Accordingly, the Parachute Division included 5 Airborne Infantry Regiments, 2 Airborne Cavalry Regiments and one unit of Parachute Artillery:
- Command and Support Structure
- 75th Headquarters Company (75e CGQ)
- 75th Transmission Company (75e CT)
- French Army Light Aviation (ALAT) Platoon
- 513th Transport Group ( GT 513)
- 75th Parachute Engineer Company (75e CGAP)
- 75th Repair Division Company (75e CRD)
- 75th Medical Company ( 75e CM)
- 75th SRI
- General Command Staff of the 1st Brigade
- General Command Staff of the 2nd Brigade
- Airborne Infantry Structure
- 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP) (1956-1961); former 2nd Foreign Parachute Battalion 2e BEP (1948-1955).
- 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1er RCP)
- 14th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (14e RCP)
- 18th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (18e RCP)
- 8th Colonial Parachute Regiment (8e RPC), created February 28, 1951 in Hanoi as the 8th Colonial Parachute Battalion 8e BCP; recreated on May 1, 1956 as the 8th Colonial Parachute Regiment; renamed on December 1, 1958, the 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (8e RPMIa)
- Parachute Artillery Structure
35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (35e RAP)
- Parachute Cavalry Structure
During tenure, the Division witnissed changes amongst :
- On July 1, 1957, the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment was reassigned and attached to the 10th Parachute Brigade.[3]
- On April 1, 1960, the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (9e RCP) relieved the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1er RCP) part of the 10th Parachute Division.[4]
On December 1, 1958, the Colonial Parachute Regiments (CPR) underwent a designation renomination to the Marine Infantry Parachute Regiments (RPIMa) while conserving their number regimental designation.
Division Commanders
- 1956 - 1956 : General Jean Gilles
- 1956 - 1958 : General Henri Sauvagnac
- 1958 - 1960 : General Ducournau
- 1960 - 1961 : General Autrand
History
Battle of the Frontiers
Two of the five airborne infantry regiments of the division; mainly, the 8th Colonial Parachute Regiment and the 14th Parachute Chasseur Regiment; participated from January to May 1958 in the Battle of Frontiers. Accordingly, General Raoul Salan, superior commander in Algeria, delegated all five airborne infantry regiments to General Paul Vanuxem; commander of the zone est-constantinois (ZEC). The battle took place at both the Morice Line and Challe Line and lasted for about 5 months.[5]
Traditions
Except for the Legionnaires of the 2e REP that conserve the Green Beret; the remainder of the French army metropolitan and marine paratroopers forming the 11th Parachute Brigade wear the Red Beret.
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Circled Winged Armed Dextrochere of French Army Metropolitan Paratroopers
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Anchored Winged Armed Dextrochere of French Army Marine Infantry Paratroopers
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Circled Winged Armed Dextrochere of French Foreign Legion Paratroopers
The Archangel Saint Michael, patron of the French paratroopers is celebrated on September 29.
The prière du Para (Prayer of the Paratrooper) was written by André Zirnheld in 1938.
Insignias
Just like the paratrooper Brevet of the French Army; the Insignia of French Paratroopers was created in 1946. The French Army Insignia of metropolitan Paratroopers 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. The French Army Insignia of Marine Infantry Paratroopers is backgrounded by a Marine Anchor.
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Insignia of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
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Insignia of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment
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Insignia of 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment
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Insignia of 14th Parachute Chasseur Regiment
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Insignia of 18th Parachute Chasseur Regiment
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Insignia of 35e Régiment d'Artillerie Parachutiste
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Insiginia of 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment
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Insignia of 1er Régiment de Hussards Parachutistes
See also
- Airborne units of France
- 10th Parachute Division
- 11th Parachute Brigade
- Pierre Côme André Segrétain
- Pierre Paul Jeanpierre
- Barthélémy Rémy Raffali
- Paul Arnaud de Foïard
- Hélie de Saint Marc
- Georges Hamacek
References
- ↑ Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975. In Histoire des parachutistes français (History of French Paratroopers), page 544
- ↑ Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975. InHistoire des parachutistes français(History of French Paratroopers), page 449
- ↑ Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975. In Histoire des parachutistes français( History of French Paratroopers), pages 512 and 513
- ↑ Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975. In Histoire des parachutistes français(History of French Paratroopers), pages 496 and 541
- ↑ Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975.In Histoire des parachutistes français(History of French Paratroopers), pages 501 to 508
External links
Sources et bibliographie
- Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975.
- J. Baltzer et E. Micheletti, Insignes et brevets parachutistes de l'armée française, Histoires et collections, 2001, ISBN 2-913-903-118.
