9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment
9e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes
Regimental insignia
Active9th Infantry Regiment
(1562 - 1956)
9e RCP
(1956 – 1999)
CountryFrance
BranchFrench Army
Type9th Infantry Regiment

IV/18eRIPC

French Airborne Regiment (1956)
Part of10th Parachute Division

25th Parachute Division

11th Parachute Brigade
Garrison/HQQuartier Capitaine-Beaumont, Pamiers
Motto(s)Normandie, en Avant ! (Normandy, Straight Ahead !)
AnniversariesSaint Michael, September 29
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Jean Bréchignac
Abbreviation9e RCP

The 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (French: 9e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes, 9e RCP) was an airborne unit of the French Army that was part of the French Airborne Units and all three histories of the 10th Parachute Division, 25th Parachute Division and the 11th Parachute Brigade. It was formed during the Algerian War and fought its most notable engagement at the Battle of Frontiers in 1958 at Souk Ahras during which the sacrifice of Captain's Beaumont 3rd combat company earned naming the garrison of the 9th Parachute Chasseur in his honor. During the Algerian War, the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment relieved the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1er RCP) and became part of the 25th Parachute Division.[3] The regiment did not take part in the 1961 Algiers Putsch. The regiment took part in numerous overseas operations before merging in 1999. The regiment was the heir to the traditions, battle honours and decorations of the 9th Infantry Regiment (French: 9e Régiment d'Infanterie, 9e RI) created during the Ancien Régime.


History since 1956

The 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment was created on 1 June 1956 in Algeria from the 4th Battalion of the 18th Choc Parachute Chasseur Regiment 18e RIPC and received the standard from Division Commander General Henri Sauvagnac (1956-1958) in Batna on 11 November.

The parachute regiment did not take part in the 1961 Algiers putsch and after the end of the Algerian War, the regiment moved to Toulouse on mainland France. The regiment later took part in numerous operations in Lebanon. The parachute regiment served extensively within the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFL)[1] and the Multinational Force in 1983 where the regiment lost 3 paratroopers during the 1983 Beirut barracks bombing.[4] Three years later, the parachute regiment was quick to take part again in the United Nations Interim Force Lebanon in 1986 and 1998-1999 while also participating in other foreign operations. The 9th parachute regiment merged in 1999 as part of a restructuring of the 11th Parachute Brigade of the French Army.

Timeline

Traditions

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

Except for the Legionnaires of the 1er REG, 2e REG, 2e REP that continue to wear the Green Beret; the remainder of the French army metropolitan and marine paratroopers forming the 11th Parachute Brigade wear the Red Beret.

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.

The paratroopers of the regiment wear the red berets with the FourragèreFourragère aux couleurs de la Croix de guerre 1914-1918 with colors of the Croix de Guerre.

Regimental Colors

9th Parachute Chasseur Regimental Colors

Regimental Song

The regimental song is "En avant Normandie".

Decorations

Honours

Battle honours

9th Infantry Regiment
9th Parachute Regiment

Regimental Commanders

NameRankTenureNote
BuchoudLieutenant Colonel1956-1959Operations with
Pierre Jeanpierre and 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment 1er REP
Jean BréchignacLieutenant Colonel1959-1961
DefertLieutenant Colonel1961
CordierLieutenant Colonel1961-1965
AudemaLieutenant Colonel1965-1967
BarthezLieutenant Colonel1967-1969
LironLieutenant Colonel1969-1971
LartigueLieutenant Colonel1971-1973
GuichardLieutenant Colonel1973-1975
GrangerLieutenant Colonel1975-1977
NameRankTenureNote
BechuLieutenant Colonel1977-1979
De CourregesLieutenant Colonel1979-1981
LoridonLieutenant Colonel1981-1983
PormenteLieutenant Colonel1983-1985
GodinotLieutenant Colonel1985-1987
PinatelLieutenant Colonel1987-1989
ChamptiauxLieutenant Colonel1989-1991
AmargerLieutenant Colonel1991-1993
ObertoLieutenant Colonel1993-1995
BuchoudLieutenant Colonel1995-1997
ServeraLieutenant Colonel1997-1999

See also

References

  1. 1 2 United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon Peacekeeping in between the Blue Line
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Badges by company and mission of the 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment
  3. Collectif, Histoire des parachutistes français, Société de Production Littéraire, 1975. In Histoire des parachutistes français (History of French Paratroopers), pages 496 and 541
  4. Archived 2015-04-02 at the Wayback Machine Official Website of the 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1er RCP); list of fallen and injured paratroopers by rank and regiment including 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (9e RCP disbanded 1999 and merged with 1er RCP)
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