Saharan Companies of the French Foreign Legion

On November 1, 1940, the Automobile Company of the 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1^er REI) became an autonomous unit, designated as the Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (Compagnie Saharienne Portée de la Légion, CSPL).[lower-alpha 1] The company first garrisoned at Tabelbala then Aïn Sefra from March 1944.

On March 15, 1946, the company formed two new companies being the 1st Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (1^reCSPL) and the 2nd Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (2^eCSPL). The 1st Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (1^re CSPL) garrisoned at Fort-Flatters in 1955 then at Ksar El Hirane in 1960. On January 1, 1961, the 1st Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (1^re Compagnie Saharienne Portée de la Légion, 1^re CSPL) became the 1st Mounted Saharan Squadron of the Foreign Legion (1^er Escadron Saharien Porté de la Légion Etrangère, 1^er ESPLE).

Equipped with light armor (French: Véhicule militaire blindé), the squadron was assimilated to a unit of the Armored Corps (French: Arme blindée et cavalerie) within armament.

This unit formed a corps and was independent at the same title of an actual regiment, much as its equipment as well as its missions. The squadron was stationed at ksar El Hirane, near Laghouat and mounted police patrols in the desert as well launched raids on spotted positions of the enemy.

In 1961, following the generals putsch, the 1st Mounted Saharan Squadron of the Foreign Legion was charged with guarding arrested civilian and military participants, before their repatriation to France.

In August 1962, the 1st Mounted Saharan Squadron of the Foreign Legion (French: 1^er Escadron Saharien Porté de la Légion Etrangère, 1^er ESPLE) lost three men in action, including lieutenant Gélas. These were the last French fatalities of the Algerian War.

Stationed at Reggane and at Aoulef since July 1962, the squadron was dissolved and integrated into the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2^e REI) on March 1, 1963. On this date the newly integrated squadron became the regiment's 7th mounted company (French: 7^e compagnie portée).

Commandants of 1^re ESPLE

• Capitaine Gaud: January 1, 1961 - May 18, 1961
• Lieutenant Lajouaine: May 18, 1961 - end of June 1961 (interim)
• Capitaine Vonderheyden : End of June 1961 - March 1, 1963
• Capitaine Sukic : May 1, 1962 - March 1, 1963

The 2nd Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (French: 2^e Compagnie Saharienne Portée de la Légion, 2^e CSPL) was created on March 15, 1946 by doubling the Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (CSPL) and garrisoned at Ouargla, then in 1948 garrisoned at Laghouat.

In 1954, the company intervened in Gafsa in Tunisia then participated to the war in Algeria.

Dissolved on March 31, 1963, the company became the 1st mounted company of the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment (4^e REI).

The 3rd Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (French: 2^e Compagnie Saharienne Portée de la Légion, 3^e CSPL) was created on February 1, 1949 in French Algeria at Sidi-bel-Abbas and garrisoned at Fort Leclerc near the oasis of Sebha where the latter was charged with the surveillance of Fezzan until 1956 before rejoining the department of the Oasis.

The unit was dissolved on March 31, 1963 and the company became the 7th then 3rd mounted company of the 4th Foreign Infantry Regiment (4^e REI).

The poet Pierre-Eugène Bourgin (French: Pierre-Eugène Bourgin) who signed his work under the pseudonym Von Palaïeff, served in this unit.

The 4th Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion (French: 2^e Compagnie Saharienne Portée de la Légion, 3^e CSPL) was formed on January 1, 1956 at Ain-Sefra from the 24^e CPLE dissolved during the same date. The unit garrisoned at Colomb-Béchar since 1957.

Dissolved on March 31, 1963, the company became the 2nd mounted company of the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (2^e REI).

Tenue of a Legionnaire of the Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion, 2^e CSPL

These chest insignias do not include the beret, military patches and artillery batteries insignias of the Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion.[2]

• 
  1st Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion, 1^re CSPL
• 
  2nd Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion, 2^e CSPL
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  3rd Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion, 3^e CSPL
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  4th Mounted Saharan Company of the Legion, 4^e CSPL
• 
  1st Mounted Saharan Squadron of the Foreign Legion 1^er ESPLE

At their creation in 1902 these companies consisted of infantrymen mounted on mules. They were originally recruited from indigenous Algerian tirailleurs. Separate units of méharistes consisted of locally recruited (Arab and Berber) personnel mounted on Arabian Camels or Méharis) When created during the 1930s the 5th CSP was motorized, making use of vehicles specially adapted for desert conditions.

The various Saharan Companies varied in size and numbers according to their differing roles and personnel (i.e. French, Legion or indigenous). They generally included a command platoon and two to four sections, making up a total formation of 142 to 178 men.

All five of these companies were organized within the same structure:

• 1 command section
• 1 platoon with light armored wheeled vehicle (Automitrailleuse)
• 3 mounted sections of Fusiliers-Voltigeurs
• 1 section of artillery cannon type 75mm (mainly the Canon de 75 modèle 1897)

They counted 195 men with light armored vehicles M8 Greyhound types, 4x4 types and 6x6 type wheels amongst others.

• Saharan Annex Groupment of Algeria

In Algeria, four Saharans Annex Groupment constituted police forces assigned in support to the posts south of the territory. They were in general stationed at Touggourt, Colomb-Béchar, Laghouat, Ouargla, and counted each 320 men.

• Saharan Groupment of South Tunisia

This groupment which consisted of a command peloton, three méharistes platoons and four motorized platoons, counted almost 720 men, all ranks mixed, plus 100 Arabian Camels and 80 vehicles.

This unit was created by France after the Second World War to control the former Italian colonies. The unit was stationed at Sebha and counted 300 men and numerous vehicles.