Company of Light Infantry of Africa

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

The origin of the CILA is the 3rd Company of the 3rd BILA. Battalions of Light Infantry of Africa - Wikipedia

 

After the independence of Algeria, the CILA was sent near Obock (Djibouti) where it occupied the site of a former penitentiary located 500 m from the sea and three kilometers from the village. Its workforce was then reduced to around forty "Joyeux" supervised by two officers, half a dozen non-commissioned officers and around ten "white executives", corporals made available by the marine troops of the 5th Overseas Interarms Regiment (5th RIAOM)19. The conditions of detention at the CILA are denounced by André Ruff, Gérard Simonnet and Michel Tachon in The Bagnes of the French Army (Fort Aiton, C.I.L.A., etc.).

The CILA, the last light infantry unit in Africa, was dissolved on March 31, 1972.

 

Presentation of the insignia of the Company of Light Infantry of Africa* in Djibouti:

* Compagnie d'Infanterie Légère d'Afrique /CILA homologation G 857 Drago Paris

 

- CILA homologation G 857 Drago Paris:

 

 

 

Here is the insignia of the 3rd Battalion of Light Infantry of Africa / 3e Bataillon d'Infanterie Légère d'Afrique homologation G 857 Drago Paris:

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one

[No one]

Dear Gentlement,

 

Here is le last paragraph (an epitaph) of an article about the CILA:

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one