History
Formed in England from the companies of the air, 400 men of the 2nd RCP were dropped over Brittany as part of the Normandy Landings. The unit was used as flank-guard to Patton’s Third army during the Battle of Normandy.
In 1947, the 2nd Colonial Commondo Parachute Battalion was posted to Indochina, where it fought until 1953, being mentioned three times in the order of the army.
In 1955, the unit was renamed 2nd Colonial Parachute Regiment; and then in 1958, the 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment. It served from 1955 until 1962 in North Africa in the 10th Parachute Division. On 5 November 1956, it jumped in the second wave of the French/British attack on the Suez Canal over Port Said and was mentioned in the order of the army.
In July 1961, the regiment jumped over Bizerte and broke the Tunisian siege of the French airport installations. It was dissolved 5 July 1962, but recreated 1 January 1965 in Ivato, Madagascar from the 5th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment.
It was transferred to Reunion in 1973. Since then it has participated in various operations: Djibouti (1993/1994), Comoros (1990), Rwanda (1994) and Comors (1995/1996).
Read more about this topic: 2nd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
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