4th Marine Infantry Regiment

4e Régiment d'Infanterie Marine
Regimetal insignia of the 4e RIC Regimental insignia of the 4e RIMa
Active	August 31, 1854 to June 30, 1998
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	troupes de marine
Role	Infantry
Garrison/HQ	Toulon et Fréjus
Motto(s)	« J'y suis j'y reste »(Fr) Here I be, here I stay (Eng)
Colors	Red and blue
Anniversaries	Bazeilles
Engagements	Crimean War Franco-Prussian War World War I World War II Algerian War
Battle honours	Sébastopol 1854-55 Saïgon 1859 Bazeilles 1870 Tuyen-Quan 1885 Maroc 1907-1913 la Marne 1914 Champagne 1915 la Cerna 1916 AFN 1952-1962

The 4th Marine Infantry Regiment (French: 4^e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine, 4^e RIMa) was a French marine regiment of the troupes de marine within the French Army. This regiment was part of the « Quatre Grands » of the Marine Infantry along with the 1st Marine Infantry Regiment 1^er RIMa, the 2nd Marine Infantry Regiment 2^e RIMa, the 3rd Marine Infantry Regiment 3^e RIMa, however was dissolved in 1998. Along with the 1st Marine Artillery Regiment 1^er RAMa and 2nd Marine Artillery Regiment 2^e RAMa, the 4th Marine formed of the two brigades of the Blue Division. On June 14 2001, the GSMA of Mayotte, heir to the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment, received the color guard of the regimental colors.

Creating and different nominations

• The origin of this regiment is the Royal Marine (French: Royal Marine) founded by the Sun King Louis XIV in 1669.
• The 4th Marine Infantry Regiment was created from elements of the regiment of Brest.
• The 4th Marine Infantry Regiment of August 31 1854 until December 31 1900, traditional garrison of Tolulon.
• In 1857 : the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment had 22 companies in Toulon, 5 in the Reunion, 5 in the Senegal, and 2 in Gorée.
• In 1870 : 4th Marching Marine Infantry Regiment.
• On January 1 1901 : became the 4th Colonial Infantry Regiment 4^e RIC.
• In 1914 : the regiment was part of the 2nd Colonial Division 2^e DC under orders of général Leblois. At the end of the war, the regiment was part of the 16^E DIC.
• 4th Colonial Infantry Regiment 4^e RIC until April 30 1923.
• On May 1 1923 : became 4th Colonial Tirailleurs Regiment 4^e RTC by designation change.
• 4th Colonial Infantry Regiment on October 15 1939.
• Recreated at Toulon for the campaign.
• July 1940. The regiment was part of the 2nd Colonial Division, général Maignan: 4^e RIC with various constituents.
• May 1 1947 to 31 March 1949: 4th Colonial Infantry Battalion 4^e BIC.
• May 1 1949 : 4th Colonial Infantry Regiment 4^e RIC.
• November 30 1958: regiment at Toulon.
• December 1 1958 to January 31 1959 : 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4^e RIMa.
• February 1 1959 : 1st battalion of the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment.
• At the cease-fire on March 19 1962 in Algeria, the I/4^e RIMa created among 91 other regiments, part of the 114 local forces. The I/4^e RIMa was a local force of the Algerian order of battle, 420°UFL-UFO at Canrobert, composed of 10% metropolitan military and 90% of 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).
• At Toulon on June 15 1962.

left arm insignia, with anchor of the marine infantry.

• June 16 1962 : center of instruction of the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment
• June 30 1972 : at Toulon.
• July 1 1977 : 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4^e RIMa.
• July 14 1977 : The regiment left the garrison at Toulon to join Fréjus.
• During garrison at Toulon, the regiment consisted of the Corniche Bournazel prepatroy class to the Ecole Spéciale Militaire de Saint Cyr.
• The regiment was separated in two in 1980, one half of the regiment joined Perpignan where they incorporated the forming effectifs of the 24th Marine Infantry Regiment 24^e RIMa dissolved. The other half of the regiment was founded at the corps of the GITDM at Fréjus which became the depository of the regimental colors of the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4^e RIMa.
• On July 1 1986 : the regiment at Perpignan and marines joined Fréjus while the 24th Marine Infantry Regiment reconstituted formation in the original respective garrison of the 24^e RIMa.
• On June 30 1998 : the regiment was dissolved after 144 years of presence.
• On June 14 2001 : the color guard of the regimental colors was entrusted to GSMA of Mayotte and that of the 6th Senegalese Tirailleurs Regiment 6^e RTS, whose color guard regimental colors were entrusted and transferred to the 21st Marine Infantry Regiment 21^e RIMa.

History

1870 to 1914

• Insignia of the 4th Colonial Infantry Regiment, 4e RIC.
  Insignia of the 4th Colonial Infantry Regiment, 4^e RIC.
• 
  Garrison of the marine infantry at Toulon.

Post World War II

• 
  Camp Robert in 1964.
• 
  Another view of camp Robert in 1964.
• 
  Mosque in front of camp Robert at Fréjus in 1964.

Algerian War

After 1960, the garrison lost the African detachments, which the last left Puget on September 1964. The camps of south-east were composed of almost 12000 men, then four hospitals, cemeteries were created (annamite cemetery, African cemeter of Baume). Accordinly, the military domain was restrained, camps were left over (camp Galliéni, camp Robert, Camp Caïs). These lands in 2011 are today occupied by a sporting complex and by the Memorial of Indochinese Wars (French: Mémorial des guerres en Indochine).

At the cease-fire on March 19 1962 in Algeria, the I/4^e RIMa created among 91 other regiments, part of the 114 local forces. The I/4^e RIMa was a local force of the Algerian order of battle, 420°UFL-UFO at Canrobert, composed of 10% metropolitan military and 90% of 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 would be at Toulon until 1979.
• In 1979, the regiment garrisoned at Fréjus (camp le Coq), in 1978, the regiment was part of the 5th military region, 53rd territorial military division.
• Then in 1980, the regiment would be at Perpignan.
• In 1985, the regiment as a whole would come back to Fréjus.
• On June 30 1998, the regiment was dissolved.
• The 21st Marine Infantry Regiment

(* Initially referred to as camp de la Lègue, baptized following the second world war after an officer mort pour la France in Indochina on Mars 1945. Having served in Soudan and Mauritania, colonel Le Coq was referred as the Grand Méhariste and Compagnon de la Libération.)

• • Filiation of GITDM : (French: Groupement d'instruction des troupes de marine).

• In 1954, the Extrême-Orient center of organization of the French Expeditionary Coprs (CEFEO), by designation change of the instruction groups of troupes coloniales in metropole (GTIC Métro).
• In 1958, by designation change of the instruction groupment and transit of troupes in outer-mer (G.I.T.T.O.M.)
• In 1961, by designation change of the instruction groupment and transit of troupes de marine (G.I.T.T.D.M.)
• In 1965, by designation change of the instruction group of troupes de marine (G.I.M.T), dissolved in 1970.

• 
  Insignia of the instruction groupment of troupes coloniales in metropole (G.I.T.C.Métro).
• 
  Insignia of instruction groupment and transit of troupes in outer-mer (G.I.T.T.O.M.).
• 
  Insignia of instruction group of troupes de marine (G.I.M.T).
• 
  Garrison Lecoq of the 4^e RIMa.

• On June 14 2001, the adapted military service groupment of Mayotte GSMA, inherited the patrimony of the 4^e RIMa and received the color guard of the regimental colros.
• The detachment of the SMA in Mayotte was created on January 1 1988.

Traditions

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.

Regimental Colors

Decorations

The regimental colors of the 4th Marine Infantry Regiment 4^e RIMa is decorated with:

• Croix de guerre 1914-1918 with:
  • 2 palms

Fourragere:

• with colors of the croix de guerre 1914-1918 awarded October 1919.

Honours

Battle Honours

• Sébastopol 1854-55
• Saïgon 1859
• Bazeilles 1870
• Tuyen-Quan 1885
• Maroc 1907-1913
• la Marne 1914
• Champagne 1915
• la Cerna 1916
• AFN 1952-1962

Regimental Commanders

1854 : Colonel du Château 1855 : Colonel de Cendrecourt 1855 : Colonel Reybaud 1856 : Colonel Brunet 1859 : Colonel Cappe 1864 : Colonel Reboul 1867 : Colonel d'Arbaud 1877 : Colonel de Maission 1879 : Colonel Bégin 1881 : Colonel Biriet 1882 : Colonel Laurent 1883 : Colonel Bourchet 1884 : Colonel Ligier 1886 : Colonel Voyron

1888 : Colonel Dodds 1889 : Colonel Pernot 1890 : Colonel Badens … 1900 : colonel Vimard (1850-1934) 1902 : colonel Lalubin July 12 1914 - August 6 1914 : général Gadel … … … … … … …

1956 - 1958 : colonel Grimaldi 1958 - 1961 : chef de bataillon Hogard 1961 - 1963 : lieutenant-colonel Braquet then lieutenant-colonel Cames (Toulon) 1963 - 1964 : colonel Le Flahec 1964 - 1965 : colonel Gérard 1965 - 1967 : colonel Jeanblanc 1967 - 1969 : colonel Descheyne 1969 - 1971 : colonel Robecat (Toulon). 1971 - 1973 : colonel Marion (Toulon). 1973 - 1975 : lieutenant-colonel De Buyer (Toulon). 1975 - 1977 : … 1977 - 1979 : colonel Paillard (Toulon). 1979 - 1980 : colonel Metayer (Fréjus). 1980 - 1981 : colonel Metayer (Perpignan).

1981 - 1983 : colonel Alain (Perpignan). 1983 - 1985 : colonel Paveau (Perpignan). 1985 - 1987 : colonel Léonardi (Perpignan). 1985 - 1987 : colonel Pirson (Fréjus). 1987 - 1989 : colonel Messaoudi. 1989 - 1991 : colonel Ronde 1991 - 1993 : colonel Trélaün 1993 - 1995 : colonel Moreau 1995 - 1997 : colonel Gilles 1997 - 1998 : colonel Fugier

Notable Officers & Marines

• Joseph Gaudérique Aymerich, chef de battaillon in 1897.

Sources and bibliography

• 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.