France Bataillon Colonial de Commandos Parachutistes

[Simon F]

Hi Guys

Here is a very nice uniform jacket that is a recent addition to my collection following on from my new found love of Indochina/Vietnam collecting.

The jacket is a small sized "Blouson mod?le 1946" made in 1949 and is for a "caporal-chef" (enlisted man) of a "BCCP" (Bataillon Colonial de Commando Parachutiste) all the insignia is era sewn. On the right shoulder you can see the "Lapin ? Gilles" the slang name for the dragon of the Marines Airborne Infantry.

A very nice part of the jacket is the airborne insignia, with a low number made by Drago/b?ranger , rue olivier metra (this number is for a certificate given in 51

My understanding is that this could be for a member of 5? BCCP because in this period (1951) a member of this regiment did their 6 qualification jumps in Vannes/Meucon and had numbers around 53000.

A lot of this information comes from the respectable source where I bought the jacket but I would welcome any other information/observations.

The very nice maroon 3 part beret is for display but did not belong with this uniform.

Thanks

Edited June 7, 2007 by Simon F

[Simon F]

"Lapin ? Gilles"

[Simon F]

Para Badge

[Simon F]

Number

[Simon F]

Closer look at the fine three part beret

Edited June 7, 2007 by Simon F

[Chris Boonzaier]

A very nice set.... does the guy you have it from know the origin?

Best

Chris

[Simon F]

Hi Chris

The only info I have regards origin is:

The jacket comes from Brittany, near lorient. Nothing about the owner, only information about regiment, the guy should be in 5? BCCP (This is to do with the numbering of the badge).

Regards

Simon

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Simon.

Thank you for showing these articles.

The book "Histoire Des Parachutistes Francais" vol. 1 -1975 edition gives the following data on the short history of this battalion:

-created 25.Jun.1948 and deployed to Indochina (Cochinchine),

-as of end of Jul.1948 until Sep.1949 ops in Annam, (Tourane and Hue area);

-Sep.1949 deployment to Tonkin (Hanoi);

-Ops in some difficult areas in Tonkin;

-Jun. 1950 return to metropolitan France.

-Jul.1950 Dissolution of the battalion.

Two Unit citations: both Croix de Guerre T.O.E at army level (A l'ordre d'Armee).

Therefore it seems unlikely that someone was a member of this unit in 1951.

Bernhard H.Holst

[Simon F]

Hi Bernhard

Many thanks for the information, I miss-read the articles I had come across on the net and thought it was around 51 that this unit dissolved. I actually dont know how to date these jump badges, having no references to them. Still I love this jacket though and would suspect that its owner may have seen Indochina.

[iffig]

What you call a jump badge is actually a "Brevet Militaire de Parachutisme" ; it was instituted on june 1 st 1946. Numbers just follow the attribution rank (the first parachutist ever to get a Brevet got a Brevet with number one, the second a brevet with number two and so on). In fact those who had got jump badges before and during WW II got the low numbers. 53653 is a fairly low number and is compatible with early 50's. "Lapin ? Gille" is a pun. I try to explain: It was the sleeve badge of the 1 e DBCCP (1st demi-brigade de commandos coloniaux parachutistes). The officer in command's name was Gilles . "Lapin ? Gilles" means "Gilles'Rabbit" (the dragoon being humoristically lowered to a rabbit's rank); but phonetically it can be understood as "nimble rabbit" ("agile" in French meaning "nimble").

In the same way, the brevet is familiarly called a bicycle number plate (because of the attribution number). But of course it is a type of derision only to be practised by insiders. I suppose it must be the same thing in the British army.

[PKeating]

One similar British insider humour gag comes to mind in the case of a airlanding brigade in the 1960s whose flash was identical to the normal maroon and blue Pegasus airborne forces flash but with a yellow Pegasus on a blue background. It was known as the "Yellow Donkey". Oddly enough, I landed at Meucon recently when my pal and I flew his 1955 Cessna to Brittany. I didn't know it was an airborne training establishment. Can the Brevet be attributed to an soldier through the issue number?

PK

Edited June 18, 2007 by PKeating

[Paul L Murphy]

The number does correspond to the number on the qualification certificate and hence could be traced to the recipient, if only the French would release the information into the public domain. Until recently they had not done so and I believe it is still restricted information. The best you can do at the moment is to trace it to the year in which the award was made, unless you have the accompanying certificate as well.

[Simon F]

Out of interest a couple of translated links mentioning Vannes/Meucon as having a monument to 3600 paras and the second one mentioning a training centre for the elite.

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...NA_enGB224GB225

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...NA_enGB224GB225

Edited June 19, 2007 by Simon F

[PKeating]

I'll have to visit the monument to the 1er DBCCP men the next time I'm in Meucon. I wonder where exactly it is.

Au cours de la guerre d'Indochine les 1er 2e, 3e ,4e,5e,6e,7e et 8e BCCP vont ainsi se succ?der l?-bas, certains d'entre eux effectuant plusieurss?jours apr?s remise sur pied en m?tropole ? l'issue de chacun d'eux. Plus tard sera inaugur?e ? Meucon, une st?le ? la m?moire des 3.600 parachutistes de la 1er demi-brigade coloniale de commandos parachutistes tu?s ? l'ennemi en Indochine de 1946 ? 1954.

PK

[Simon F]

PK you may find some info here?

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=e...4GB225%26sa%3DG

Here is the pic of the monument.

[PKeating]

Thanks, Simon!

PK

[bab]

Hi,

The number MAY be for a guy of 5? BCCP, but it is not 100% sure, it could also be for a 3 GCCP soldier.

Some of my friend try to list al the number they could find with history behind, they made a list wich shows some numbers match with some regiment..see pic :

about 5 BCCp it was in indochina from june 48 to july 50 and from august 51 to august 53 see pic ..

Herl

[Simon F]

Hi

I dont know why I hadn't seen this reply before but thanks for sharing this information

Regards

Simon