1822 : Ordinance of the King prescribing the formation of Marine Infantry Regiments (French: Régiments d'Infanterie de la Marine).
The Royal Ordinance by Louis Philippe I, the King of the French of May 14, 1831, created two infantry regiments assigned to the ordinary service of garrisons in the French colonies (uninterrupted direct filiation of the 2e RIMa from that date until the present).
1870 : 2nd Marching Marine Infantry Regiment.
March 1, 1890 : doubling of the regiment : formation of the 6th Colonial Infantry Regiment
1900 - 1942 : designated as 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment 2e RIC, and garrisoned at Brest.
With the 3rd Marching Marine Infantry Regiment of colonel Lecamus, the 2e under the orders of colonel Alleyron formed the 2nd Brigade of général Charles Martin des Pallières. This 2nd Brigade with the 1st Brigade of général Reboul, three batteries de 4, two batteries de 4 and a machine gun of the Marine Artillery Regiment, on engineer company constituted the 3rd Infantry Division commanded by division generalde Vassoigne. This infantry division evolved at the corps of the 12th Army Corps having for commander-in-chief division generalLebrun.
For a first time, the 2nd Marine engaged in combat on metropolitan soil. On August 31 and September 1, 1870, engaged at the corps of the Blue Division, the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2e RIMa disappeared in a heroic battle against the Prussians, until the "last shot" (French: « dernière cartouche »).
1870 to 1914
During the Paris Commune in 1871, the regiment participated with the Armée Versaillaise.
1914 : still stationed at Brest, the regiment was part of the 1st Colonial Brigade of the 3rd Colonial Infantry Division 3e DIC.
Reconstituted more than ten times, having endured for 52 months with daily struggles of nearly 20,000 men killed, wounded or disappeared, the 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment 2e RIC has participated to all the major battles of the conflict. The regiment received 4 citations at the orders of the armed forces as well as the fourragere with colors of the Médaille militaire.
Part of the 4th Colonial Infantry Division (4e Division d'Infanterie Coloniale, 4e DIC).
In September 1939 occupied the German village of Schweix during the abortive Saar Offensive. [2]: 8-9
1940
On 17 May 1940 transferred with the 4e DIC to the region of Amiens.[2]: 11
The 2e RIC defended the junction of the Somme and Noye rivers, holding the towns of Longueau and Boves.[3]: 23
Second battalion largely annihlated during a night action near Remiencourt on 6 June while covering the withdrawal of the regiment, with only about 100 men escaping German encirclement.[3]: 27
First battalion surrounded and destroyed in the Bois de la Morlière while attempting to withdraw under cover of darkness during the night of 8-9 June.[3]: 30
By 10 June, when the remnants of the 4e DIC regrouped south of the Oise, roughly 150 men of the 2e RIC remained.[4]
Regimental Insignia of the 2nd Colonial Infantry Regiment, 2e RIC.
Algeria: the 2e RIC mounted with 3 battalions was sent in full to Algeria sectors Khenchela, El Kantara and Batna (1954–1959), sectors of Orleans Town, Valley Soumman (1959–1962).
At the cease-fire on March 19, 1962, in Algeria, the 2e RIMa constituted among 91 other regiments, part of the 114 local forces. The I/2e RIMa was a local force of the Algerian order of battle, 442°UFL-UFO and la 443°UFO, composed of 10% metropolitan military and 90% Muslim Military, and which during the transition period were at the service of the executive provisional Algerian authority, until the independence of Algeria (Evian accords of March 18, 1962).
The regiment garrisoned in the Sarthe in 1963: a part in Le Mans, a party to Auvours.
During the first Gulf War, the regiment was cited at the orders of the brigade on May 10, 1991, this citation included the croix de guerre des TOE with bronze star.
Ivory Coast - 2003 and 2004 : the regiment was deployed in the south-west of the republic and assured the return of the refugees while pushing back rebels that terrorized the region. Stability required two months. Accordingly, the regiment was sent to center of the country. The mission was to assure the neutrality of the confidence zone. The regiment endured the loss of the 3 Marines at Bouake on November 6, 2004.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: the 2e RIMa illustrated capability on May 27, 1995, by retaking an observation post point of the FORPRONU. The regiment was the last French regiment to arm and command the Franco-Spanish Battalion. The mission was to collect the detained arms and facilitate the reorganization of French forces in the zone.
Tchad in 2005, the regiment composed with a squadron of the 1er RIMa, the terrestrial group of French elements based in Tchad.
In 2006, the 2e RIMa was engaged in Lebanon in the evacuation of French personnel and the containment of populations in danger.
500 Marines of the 2e RIMa reinforced elements of other regiments (infantry, artillery engineer, armoured cavalry, aerial means) formed officially the Tactical Interarm Group (GTIA or battle group) Richelieu since November 25, 2010. This groupment joined Suroni in Afghanistan a couple day later for a mission of 6 months. ( The 2e RIMa, reinforced by the artillery of the 11th Marine Artillery Regiment 11e RAMa as well as 110 sapeurs of the 6th Engineer Regiment 6e RG, the Régiment d'infanterie-chars de marine RICM, small complementary units of the 92 Infantry Regiment, a detachment of the 132nd Infantry Regiment, then 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3e RIMa) middle of June 2011, the marsouins were relieved by the battle group of the 152nd Infantry Regiment. On July 7, 2011, battalion Richelieu would be dissolved.
The regiment endured the loss of 2 marsouins in Kapisa on April 20, 2011, resulting from a mine explosion which wounded three others.[5]
On May 18, 2011 Marsouin 1st Class Cyril Louaisil died, and four others were injured following an accidental explosion in eastern Afghanistan.[6]
Ceremony of the enacting of battle group Richelieu of the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment.
Regiment Insignia of the 2e RIMa, Tactical Richelieu Group, GTR 2012-2011.
Ceremony of dissolution of the Tactical Richelieu Group/Battalion on July 7, 2011, following the return from a mission.
6e compagnie de réserve - 6th Reserve Infantry Company
12e compagnie de réserve - 7th Reserve Infantry Company
Compagnie d'éclairage et d'appui - Support Company
Compagnie de commandement et de logistique - Command and logistics company
Traditions
Museum of the 2e RIMa.
The anniversary is celebrated for combats in Bazeilles, the village which was apprehended and abandoned four consecutive times under orders, respectively on August 31 and September 1, 1870.
Et au Nom de Dieu, vive la coloniale !
In the Name of God, vive la coloniale !
The Marsouins and the Bigors have for Saint, God. This war calling concludes intimate ceremonies which part life in the regiments. Often also at origin as an act of grace to Charles de Foucauld.
Motto
"Fidelitate et honore, terra et mare" translates to "Fidelity and honor on land and sea".
Insignia of the 2e RIMa
Insignia of the 2e RIMa
« A Frigate firing broadside, featuring the coat of arms of Fleur-de-lis and Ermine. The frigate plaque rests on a golden Marine anchor, featuring « 1638 » dated on the stock. A military inscribed « 2 » surmounted of three chevrons brushing on a diamond on the crown of the anchor. The arm of the anchor is inscribed with "Fidelitate et honore, terra et mare" ».
^Philippe Chapleau (30 September 2012). "The 5,000 deaths of the 2nd RIMa gathered in a book" (in French). Retrieved 1 May 2017.
^ a b"La 4e division d'infanterie coloniale dans la campagne de France (1939-1940)". Revue des troupes coloniales (282). November 1946.
^ a b c"La 4e division d'infanterie coloniale dans la campagne de France (1939-1940)". Revue des troupes coloniales (283). December 1946.
^Deschesnes, Charles (1990). "Les troupes coloniales dans la bataille de France (mai - juin 1940)" (PDF). L'Ancre d'Or: 29.
^"A soldier of the 2e RIMa killed and nine wounded in Kapisa". 21 April 2011. Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
^"One dead and four wounded after an explosion" (in French). 19 May 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2017.
^"Le marathon guerrier du 2e RIMa au Mali" (in French). Le Mans. 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2022-08-14.
^"Decision 12350 / SGA / DPMA / SHD / DAT of 14 September 2007 relating to the inscriptions of battles on the flags and banners of Army Corps troops, Armed Forces and Armed Forces Service". Official Bulletin of the Armed Forces (27). 2007-11-09.
^"Arrêté relatif à l'attribution de l'inscription AFN 1952–1962 sur les drapeaux et étendards des formations des armées et services (A) NORDEF0452926A". Michèle Alliot-Marie. 2004.
Sources and bibliography
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 2e régiment d'infanterie de marine.
Yohann Douady, Bruno Héluin, D'une guerre à l'autre : de la Côte d'Ivoire à l'Afghanistan avec le 2e RIMa, Nimrod, 15 octobre 2012, ISBN 978-2915243505
Erwan Bergot, La coloniale du Rif au Tchad 1925–1980, imprimé en France : décembre 1982, n° d'éditeur 7576, n° d'imprimeur 31129, sur les presses de l'imprimerie Hérissey.
