The "compagnies montées".. The Old School Legion Elite.....

[Chris Boonzaier]

Before Paratroopers became the elite of every army, the Foreign Legion had compagnies montées ... Intitially in Morocco, then Algeria as well the Companies consisted of selected legionnaires and composed of "Binom"... 2 Legionnaires with one Mule. During the marches one would walk, one would ride, and they would change every hour. It really upped the pace of Legion Columns... Later the compagnies montées became Compagnies Portees and were mounted on Dodge trucks and jeeps....

 

Here is the large Version of the CM of the 2 REI, the very short lived 4CMP of the 2REI and the CM of the 3 REI

 

[Chris Boonzaier]

The 4CMP above only existed from November 1940 until April 43... only Compagnie size makes it a very scarce badge. It was a motorised unit which fought in North Africa.

Here is another very scarce one... but mot as scarce as the 4CMP... the Mechanised mounted company of the 4 REI, existing from 1934-1940...

[Chris Boonzaier]

The baggy pants and sandals of the Mounted troops of the 50s....

[Chris Boonzaier]

A scarce mid 130s badge for the Compagnie Montee of the 1 RE

[Chris Boonzaier]

The badge of the 3 REI CM was adopted by the 4th REI and us now the badge of the 1st Basic Training Company of the 4th RE. This is the eraly Version of the 3 REI CM badge made by AUGIS used from about 1935-1943 if I undestand correctöy. The AUGIS ones are the very early one. Then the badge for the Compagnie Portee de Kenifra of the 4th REI, used from about 1953-1955. The Compagnie Portee were motorised and you see Cogs on some of their badges

[Chris Boonzaier]

The large and small 2 Legion Regiment Compagnie Badges...

 

[Trooper_D]

On 08/05/2021 at 17:59, Chris Boonzaier said:

[...] and composed of "Binom"... 2 Legionnaires with one Mule. During the marches one would walk, one would ride, and they would change every hour. It really upped the pace of Legion Columns...

 

Thanks for these interesting posts, Chris, but I am puzzling over how having one of the two Legionnaires mounted would improve the pace of a Legion column. I would have thought that the column could go no faster than the walking men, thus it would be no faster than if they were all walking.

 

Unless this is about saving the energy of the man who is mounted, thus ensuring that the column could march for longer in the day, even if not faster, than if they were all walking. 

[Chris Boonzaier]

9 minutes ago, Trooper_D said:

 

Thanks for these interesting posts, Chris, but I am puzzling over how having one of the two Legionnaires mounted would improve the pace of a Legion column. I would have thought that the column could go no faster than the walking men, thus it would be no faster than if they were all walking.

 

Unless this is about saving the energy of the man who is mounted, thus ensuring that the column could march for longer in the day, even if not faster, than if they were all walking. 

Hi, Apparently the 1 hour on one hour off gave a column a few kms more per hour than a pure marching column... the rest apparently did wonders... and added to that, all their kit, food, water etc was carried by the mules, so no heavy carrying.

 

Obviously not as fast as a galloping cavalry troop... but better than the poor bastard marching with all his gear.

 

 

[Trooper_D]

23 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Hi, Apparently the 1 hour on one hour off gave a column a few kms more per hour than a pure marching column... the rest apparently did wonders... and added to that, all their kit, food, water etc was carried by the mules, so no heavy carrying.

Thanks for the confirmation and further explanation. Yes, I can quite see that not having to carry the heaviest of your kit would put a spring in your step

[Chris Boonzaier]

Apparently with a bit of experiance the hour on the mule could also be used to catnap

[Trooper_D]

19 hours ago, Chris Boonzaier said:

Apparently with a bit of experiance the hour on the mule could also be used to catnap

 

The more I hear of this system, the better I like it

[Chris Boonzaier]

The Badges of the Compagnie Portee of the 4th Foreign Legion Infantry Regiment. The Compagnie Portee from the 4th REI badge from about 1950-52... The unit moved to Khénifra in 52 and was called the Compagnie Portee Khénifra wearing the badge with the cogs... from 1955 the Company becaame the 1st Comp Montee of 4 REI... in the end there were 6 Comp Montee in the regiment. Compagnie Portee were a more modern Version of the Montee, initially with Dodge trucks....