The Armoured Train of the Foreign Legion (French: Train blindé de la Légion étrangère) was an Armoured train (French: trains blindés) detachment of the Foreign Legion formed in Tonkin. In 1948, the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2e RE, formed one, then two armoured trains to protect convoys from attack by the Vietminh, protect the Transindochinois Line (French: Line du Transindochinois) and support the Army along the rail line. During this military campaign, the Legion formed several armoured trains, which were mounted by the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC and other Legion units.
Armoured Train of the Foreign Legion Train blindé de la Légion étrangère
The protection and escort of supply trains (French: l'escorte des trains de ravitaillement) subjected to ambushes, required the creation of armoured trains.
The armoured Legion train of Nha-Trang (La Rafale)[1] was armed by a regimental company of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2e RE as of 1948. The train was composed of armoured wagons, protected by imbedded metallic plates. The rooftops of the wagons were mounted by mobile turrets armed with heavy machine guns. The walls were reinforced by bricks and cement; with loopholes (French: meurtrières) allowing the men to repel enemy attacks. Two wagons were combat engineer specialized oriented, with no armour, they were in charge of transporting all the necessary material (including train rails) to parry a sabotage and/or reconstruct the railway when needed.
The armoured train of the Legion assured the protection of all the railway networks in South-Annam, the protection of civilian and military convoys as well the transport of operational units. In July 1954, La Rafale was assigned to the Vietnamese Army.
Convoy compositionedit
2 Locomotives;
1 Command wagon;
8 Combat wagons;
1 Armoured infirmary wagon;
2 combat engineer Wagons, one at the front and one at the end of the Wagon convoy, for quick fixes when needed;
2 Pilot Wagons, at the head of the Wagon convoy, charged with detonating eventual mines.
The autonomy of the Armoured Legion Train was 72 hours and the armament (8 twinned machine guns, one mounted 40 mm cannon, one mounted 20 mm cannon, grenade launchers, and two 60 and 81 mm mortars) allowed this rail fortress to sustain a siege when needed. The crew was constituted of a hundred men.
The Armoured Legion Train accordingly resisted all ambushes, halted all sabotages and was the enduring Rolling Symbol during the chartered course duration of French Indochina.
Train insigniaedit
Silver circled steel bandage railway; at the center on a green and red background is detached an Eastern Dragon and a golden grenade with 7 flames, encircled by a golden border with inscription: TRAIN BLINDE - AES TRIPLEX DEO JUVANTE, in both French and Latin. The steel railway indicated the vocation of the unit; the grenade with 7 flames and green and red colors are the symbols of the Legion; the insignia : "Triple Alloy, God is helping", actually means "Showing Great Courage, God is helping", is referring to the armouring of the train. The insignia was created in 1948.
^In the French language, "Rafale" has numerous meanings and designations. In Meteorology, a "Rafale" (French: une Rafale) is a sudden temporary augmentation of the wind. If the wind is violent, it is referred to as "Bourasque". In a similar context and category, a "Rafale front" (French: Front de Rafale) designates a line series of organized violent winds coming out of a thunderstorm. Similarly, a "descending Rafale" (French: Rafale descendante) is an aerial current which descends intensely under thunderstorm, and whose surface crush produces violent, divergent and turbulent winds. In the Military context, the "Rafale" (French: la Rafale) is a sudden short, violent and rapid burst of fire, shot from one Firearm with automatic fire.
Alexis Neviaski, L’audace du rail : Les Trains Blindés du Sud-Annam ( The Rail Audacity: The Armored Trains of South-Annam), Revue historique des armées, no 234, 2004
Source Le Grand Livre des Insignes de la Légion Etrangère de Tybor SZECSKO. Ramuncho.
April 10, 2024
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The Armoured Train of the Foreign Legion French Train blinde de la Legion etrangere was an Armoured train French trains blindes detachment of the Foreign Legion formed in Tonkin In 1948 the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2e RE formed one then two armoured trains to protect convoys from attack by the Vietminh protect the Transindochinois Line French Line du Transindochinois and support the Army along the rail line During this military campaign the Legion formed several armoured trains which were mounted by the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment 1er REC and other Legion units Armoured Train of the Foreign LegionTrain blinde de la Legion etrangereActive1948 1954Country FranceBranchFrench ArmySize1007 Flames Grenade amp Golden Eastern Dragon amp RailTrain Blinde fr Armoured TrainAes Triplex Deo Juvante La Triple airain Dieu aidant fr Triple Alloy God AidingEngagementsFirst Indochina War Contents 1 The armoured legion train 2 Convoy composition 2 1 Train insignia 3 See also 4 ReferencesThe armoured legion train editThe protection and escort of supply trains French l escorte des trains de ravitaillement subjected to ambushes required the creation of armoured trains The armoured Legion train of Nha Trang La Rafale 1 was armed by a regimental company of the 2nd Foreign Regiment 2e RE as of 1948 The train was composed of armoured wagons protected by imbedded metallic plates The rooftops of the wagons were mounted by mobile turrets armed with heavy machine guns The walls were reinforced by bricks and cement with loopholes French meurtrieres allowing the men to repel enemy attacks Two wagons were combat engineer specialized oriented with no armour they were in charge of transporting all the necessary material including train rails to parry a sabotage and or reconstruct the railway when needed The armoured train of the Legion assured the protection of all the railway networks in South Annam the protection of civilian and military convoys as well the transport of operational units In July 1954 La Rafale was assigned to the Vietnamese Army Convoy composition edit2 Locomotives 1 Command wagon 8 Combat wagons 1 Armoured infirmary wagon 2 combat engineer Wagons one at the front and one at the end of the Wagon convoy for quick fixes when needed 2 Pilot Wagons at the head of the Wagon convoy charged with detonating eventual mines The autonomy of the Armoured Legion Train was 72 hours and the armament 8 twinned machine guns one mounted 40 mm cannon one mounted 20 mm cannon grenade launchers and two 60 and 81 mm mortars allowed this rail fortress to sustain a siege when needed The crew was constituted of a hundred men The Armoured Legion Train accordingly resisted all ambushes halted all sabotages and was the enduring Rolling Symbol during the chartered course duration of French Indochina Train insignia edit Silver circled steel bandage railway at the center on a green and red background is detached an Eastern Dragon and a golden grenade with 7 flames encircled by a golden border with inscription TRAIN BLINDE AES TRIPLEX DEO JUVANTE in both French and Latin The steel railway indicated the vocation of the unit the grenade with 7 flames and green and red colors are the symbols of the Legion the insignia Triple Alloy God is helping actually means Showing Great Courage God is helping is referring to the armouring of the train The insignia was created in 1948 See also editMajor France Jacques Servranckx Tonkin French protectorate French Foreign Legion Music Band MLE 5th Heavy Weight Transport Company Passage Company of the Foreign Legion CPLE Disciplinary Company of the Foreign Regiments in the Far East 5th Foreign Infantry Regiment Saharan Companies of the French Foreign LegionReferences edit In the French language Rafale has numerous meanings and designations In Meteorology a Rafale French une Rafale is a sudden temporary augmentation of the wind If the wind is violent it is referred to as Bourasque In a similar context and category a Rafale front French Front de Rafale designates a line series of organized violent winds coming out of a thunderstorm Similarly a descending Rafale French Rafale descendante is an aerial current which descends intensely under thunderstorm and whose surface crush produces violent divergent and turbulent winds In the Military context the Rafale French la Rafale is a sudden short violent and rapid burst of fire shot from one Firearm with automatic fire Alexis Neviaski L audace du rail Les Trains Blindes du Sud Annam The Rail Audacity The Armored Trains of South Annam Revue historique des armees no 234 2004 Source Le Grand Livre des Insignes de la Legion Etrangere de Tybor SZECSKO Ramuncho Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Armoured Train of the Foreign Legion amp oldid 1165254070, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
