page_title: Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion
section_title: 1918
hierarchical_section_title: Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion / History, garrisons, campaigns and battles / World War I / 1918
caption_attribution_description: English: French colonel Paul-Frédéric Rollet Français&#160;: "Le colonel Rollet de la Légion étrangère".
context_page_description: The Marching Regiment of the French Foreign Legion was a French military unit that fought in World War I and World War II. Initially composed of marching regiments from the 1st Foreign Regiment of Sidi Bel Abbes and the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment of Saida, Algeria, it re-formed as the 3rd Foreign Infantry Regiment.
  The Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion was created on November 11, 1915 by merging:
  the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 1st Foreign Regiment, and
  the 2nd Marching Regiment of the 2nd Foreign Regiment
  ...with a strength of 71 officers and 3,315 junior officiers, corporals and legionnaires.
  The Marching Regiment became the first regiment of the French Army to wear the fourragere with colors of the Médaille militaire and one of the most decorated, along with the Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine.
context_section_description: April 1918 – Le bois de Hangard
  The 131st Infantry Division marched against the village of Hangard and cote 99. While not a surprise, an urgent response was present to contain at best. The Moroccan Division launched into battle with no prior preparation. The RMLEo covered the right wing of the Moroccan Division. The objective of the regiment was Le bois de Hangard. The German response was immediate; exchange of fire was continuous. The survivors of the 1st battalion lead their progression charging, followed by the 11th combat company of the 3rd battalion. Legion officers were lost first leading assaults and the legionnaires would find themselves often deprived of their lead. Legionnaire Kemmler, a Luxembourgian volunteer, a medic in the Machine gun section, took charge of the lead. Even though wounded, Kemmler took command of injured legionnaires and despite the environment, managed to dress and maintain the atmosphere around the men. Accordingly, the legionnaires found their lead and made front valiantly until the arrival of an adjudant. Consequently, the assault of the regiment was saved. 
  The nights and days that succeeded until 6 May, revolved around maintaining positions and repelling a series of incessant counter-attacks. The siege of "Le bois de Hangard" on April 26 witnessed the destruction of the 1st and 2nd battalions; losses for the regiment included 822 men out of which thirteen officers]].
  May–June 1918 – La Montagne de Paris
  On 29 May, the Moroccan Division and the RMLE had to block an advancement towards Villers-Cotterêts while taking position on the "Montagne de Paris". 
  The attack was launched at dawn following a storming incessant rainy series of artillery round batteries. Superior in number forces, opposing forces succeeded in reaching the vicinity of legion positions. Forced to economize their ammunitions, Legionnaires endured 47 killed, 219 wounded and 70 missing in two days of combat. Losses for the legion increased to those of the previous month, almost 1250 men. Nevertheless, the RMLE succeeded in maintaining its positions and blocked the German advance in the Legion's designated combat area sectors.
  Until 31 May, on a 5 km stretch, the RMLE, which included Armenian volunteers, along with the 3e BCP and 10e BCP, held the line during six days and six nights, without rear forces support, heavy artillery, air support, and with only one available short artillery battery; the regiment managed to halt all successive attacks.
  July 1918 – Second Battle of the Marne
  The RMLE participated after July 18 in the grand counter-offensive of Marshal of France Ferdinand Foch, in the region of Villers-Cotterêts. The 1st Battalion lost their commander, commandant Husson de Sampigny.
  September 1918 – Hindenburg Line
  In August 1918, the regiment recuperated the wounded and filled the ranks with reinforcements from the depot in Lyon and cadres from Morocco counting 48 officers and 2,540 legionnaires):
  Regimental Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Frédéric Rollet
  1st battalion: Captain Jacquesson
  2nd battalion: Captain Lannurien then Captain Sanchez-Carrero
  3rd battalion: Commandant (Major) Marseille
  On September 2, the regiment launched an assault on the defense line of Hindenburg at the elevation of Terny-Sorny.
  In two weeks of combat, the Marching Regiment of the Foreign Legion lost half the men in the regiment (275 killed out of which 10 officers and 1118 wounded of whom 15 were officers).
  Consequently, the regiment endured the loss of its chef de battaillon Captain Lannurien. Nevertheless, on September 14 the RMLE pushed forward and relaunched the attacks while piercing the front at the village of Allemant.
caption: Colonel
   Paul-Frédéric Rollet in 1919.
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