Photos The French In Indochina

[otomo68]

Legionnaires of the CEPML (Compagnie Etrangère Parachutiste de Mortiers Lourds) on November 20, 1953, first day of Operation Castor

wounded viet-minh

viet-minh prisoners

post of Tu Le

 

[uktabber]

Great photos......you don't get to see French pics from Vietnam too often, thanks for posting!

 

[otomo68]

View attachment 271896

The soldier with the binoculars is named Hélie Denoix de Saint Marc (1922-2013). He is a Resistance fighter and a career officer of the French army, decorated with the highest military distinctions with thirteen commendations, having served in the Foreign Legion, in particular within its parachute units. Acting commander of the 1st foreign parachute regiment, he took part at the head of his regiment in the generals' putsch in April 1961 (Algeria) and was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. Rehabilitated in 1978, he was elevated to the dignity of Grand Cross of the Legion of Honor on November 28, 2011.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

 

[otomo68]

legionnaires of the 2 BEP

viet-minh prisoners

the weapon is a MAC 31 of 7,5mm

mortier de 60mm

 

[otomo68]

char M-24

 

[otomo68]

1st Laotian Parachute Battalion

1st Laotian Parachute Battalion. 1955

boarding at the Seno base

1954

boarding for a training jump of the 1st Laotian Airborne Commandos Company

 

[NebrHogger]

One of the M24 tanks shown above could be in my avatar. When inside I saw on the gun carriage "Chrysler Tank Works, Detroit Michigan, 1953".

It went to the French before being acquired by the Viet Minh who most likely used it until no more spares were available.

It was on static display somewhere near Phu Bai as well as I recall. I also had a pic of a WW2 vintage Stalinets crawler tractor, but that one has gone missing over the years.

 

[otomo68]

bamboo network protecting a post of the 13th DBLE (demi-brigade de la légion étrangère)

 

[otomo68]

Operation Castor, launched on 20 November 1953, was a military operation of the French army entrusted to General Gilles and whose objective was to seize the plain of Dien Bien Phu.

It was the largest airborne operation of the Indochina War. The battle of Dien Bien Phu began four months later.

2eme BEP

 

[otomo68]

Laos

 

[otomo68]

Operation Mouette in October 1953

 

[BravoZulu]

Armoured gunboat from the 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment

 

[BravoZulu]

M24 Chaffee during the First Indochina War. March or April 1954

 

[BravoZulu]

Paratroopers of the Foreign Legion engage Viet Minh guerrillas

 

[BravoZulu]

Commandos Marine with MP40's, issued to selected companies after 1949

 

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Việt Minh Forces enter Hanoi as French Forces prepare to withdraw after the Geneva Agreements were signed between North Vietnam and France - August 1954
LIFE Magazine Archives - Howard Sochurek Photographer

 

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