Clik here to view.
Paris, 6 août 1914. Soldats du 5e régiment d’infanterie (“Navarre sans Peur”), Il fait partie de la 12e brigade d’infanterie, 6e division d’infanterie, 3e corps d’armée juste avant le départ pour le front (photo ‘Excelsior’) (Colorised by Luc Heinrich from France) Via WWI Colorised Photos. Click image to big up
Regular French Army poliui of the 5th Infantry Regiment (“Fearless Navarre”) in their beautiful 1914 blue double-breasted wool uniforms and kepis, throwbacks to the Crimean War. Then part of the 12th Infantry Brigade, 6th Infantry Division, 3rd Army Corps., these men are waiting to depart from Paris to the Western Front on 6th August 1914. The 5th Regiments first action was at the Battle of Charleroi, just two weeks later on 21st-24th August 1914 where they were decimated and likely many of these men in the image gave their last full measure.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
The 5th RI traces its roots back to 1558 and covered itself in glory in places as diverse and legendary as Valmy, Fleurus, Castiglione, Wagram, and Antwerp– then was the first regiment to rally to Napoleon in 1815 (where, sent to arrest the Elba escapee they met him with fixed bayonets south of Grenoble and, once the man walked forward alone and with his arms outstretched saying, “If any of you will shoot your Emperor, do so now!” threw their hats in the air and cheered him on).
Clik here to view.
The 5th upon Napoleon’s Return from Elba, by Charles Auguste Guillaume Steuben. Those guys really liked a good Corsican.
The men of the 5th later fought the Kaiser’s boys on the Marne, Aisne and Verdun, fought in the Ourcq and at Lys, survived the Lowlands Campaign in 1940 to become one of the few active regiments of the Vichy Army, then went underground in 1942 (taking its battle flags with it) and joined the Free French.
Clik here to view.
Château de Madrid / December 1944 – Members of the reformed 7th company, 2nd Battalion of the 5th RI, Free French Forces before departure towards the Ardennes and the Vosges and the final push to Germany. Note the mix of U.S. and French gear to include U.S. M-1 steel pots and Mas 36 rifles. Via 5e RI Historical Association Click to big up.
After their Second World War, the 5th was off to the horror of 1950s Algeria, held the line in Metropolitan France during the Cold War, then served UN duty in Bosnia in the 1990s.
In 1997, this long and dedicated service to king, emperor and republic came to an end when the regiment was dissolved and its soldiers split between the 110e RI and the 16e Chassuers, losing their unit identity and casing their flags.
C’est la vie.
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Image may be NSFW.Clik here to view.
