The 11th Parachute Brigade () is a unit of the French Army, predominantly infantry, part of the French Airborne Units and specialized in air combat and air assault. The brigade's primary vocation is to project in emergency in order to contribute a first response to a situational crisis. An elite unit of the French Army, the brigade is commanded by a général de brigade (Brigadier General) with headquarters in Balma near Toulouse. The brigade's soldiers and airborne Marines wear the red beret (amaranth) except for the Legionnaires of the 2ème REP who wear the green beret.
The 11th Parachute Brigade, originally the 11th Light Intervention Division (11e DLI), was created from airborne units of the 10th Parachute Division 10e D.P and 25th Parachute Division 25e D.P, both dissolved following the Algiers putsch of 1961 during the Algerian War.
Creation and different nominations
On May 1, 1961; the 11th Light Intervention Division () was created from dissolved airborne units of the 10th and 25th Parachute Division. On December 1, 1963; the 11th Division was created by merging the 11th Light Intervention Division and the 9th Brigade 9e B.D.E. On April 1, 1971; the 11th Division became the 11th Parachute Division (11e DP). In June 1999; the 11th Parachute Division became the 11th Parachute Brigade (11e BP).
Origin and history
11th Light Intervention Division – 11e DLI
the 11th Light Interventtion Division was created on May 1, 1961, from airborne elements of the 10th Parachute Division and 25th Parachute Division, both dissolved following the Algiers putsch of 1961, and from the 11th Intervention Division (11e DI), set at the time to create a total of three airborne divisions. The division commanded by General Marzloff returned to mainland France on July 1, 1961. On August 1, 1963, the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment leaves the Division and takes garrison in Lorraine at Dieuze and Nancy.
Order of battle
Since creation the 11th Light Intervention Division comprised the following:
Command and Support Structure
61st Headquarters Company (61e CQG) 61st Transmission Company (61e CT) French Army Light Aviation (ALAT) Platoon Transport Group 513 (GT 513) 61st Airborne Engineer Company (61e CGAP) 61st Repair Division Company (61e CRD) 61st Medical Company (61e CMA) 61st Provision Section (61e SRI) Parachute Infantry 1st Parachute Chasseur Regiment (1er RCP) 9th Parachute Chasseur Regiment (9e RCP) 3rd Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (3e RPIMa) 6th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (6e RPIMa) 8th Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment (8e RPIMa) Parachute Artillery 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment (35e RALP) Parachute Cavalry 1st Parachute Hussar Regiment (1er RHP)
At the time, there were no regiments of the Foreign Legion in the newly enacted division. On October 1, 1963, the division integrated the BOMAP (Airborne Operational Mobile Base).
11th Division – 11e DIV
On December 1, 1963, the 11th Light Intervention Division merged with the 9th Colonial Infantry Division and became the 11th Division. From July 1966 and excluding elements of Division support, the division activated and consisted of three Brigades: the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade at Saint-Malo, the 20th Airborne Brigade (20e BAP) at Toulouse and the 25th Airborne Brigade (25e BAP) at Pau.
A support battalion, the 61e BS, was created on February 1, 1964, at Auch. The 61e BS supervised health services and provisions in the Division. In March, the 61st Airborne Signals Battalion (61e BTAP) steps in at Pau and absorbs the existing signals and communication companies.
In July 1966, the 11th Division reached 16,000 men and consisted of two brigades (the 20e BAP at Toulouse and the 25e BAP at Pau) with five parachute regiments.