Editing French Foreign Legion (section)

==== Generals' putsch and reduction of Foreign Legion ====
{{Main|Jean Olié|Paul Gardy|Hélie de Saint Marc}}

[[File:Monument aux morts legion para.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[1st Foreign Parachute Regiment|Marche ou Crève]] and [[2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment|More Majorum]] for Legion [[List of French paratrooper units|Officers]], [[List of French paratrooper units|Sous-Officiers]] and [[List of French paratrooper units|Legionnaires]] of the [[List of French paratrooper units|CEP]]s, [[2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment|BEP]]s and [[2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment|REP]]s of the [[List of French paratrooper units|Legion]]<ref name="auto2">{{citation |url=http://2rep.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=110&idA=23&block=16&idA_SM=22&titre=le-chant-du-2e-rep |work=Official Website of the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment |title=Traditions, Chant du 2e REP |access-date=5 August 2015 |archive-date=13 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150613063637/http://2rep.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=110&idA=23&block=16&idA_SM=22&titre=le-chant-du-2e-rep |url-status=dead }}</ref>]]

[[File:CSPLE-tenue-parade.jpg|thumb|Tenue of a Legionnaire of the ''[[Saharan Méharistes Companies (méharistes sahariennes)|Saharan Mounted Companies of the Foreign Legion]]'' (CSPLE). Often blue or red and worn by all the soldiers of the [[Army of Africa (France)|Army of Africa]]; the Legion however, officially adopted the ''Ceinture Bleue'' (blue sash) in 1882.]]

Coming out of a difficult Indochinese conflict, the Foreign Legion reinforced cohesion by extending the duration of basic training. Efforts exerted were successful during this transit; however, entering into December 1960 and the generals' putsch, a crisis hit the legion putting its faith at the corps of the Army.<ref>Comor André-Paul, ''"La Légion étrangère dans la guerre d'Algérie, 1954–1962"'', Guerres mondiales et conflits contemporains, 1/2010 (n° 237), pp. 81–93.</ref>

For having rallied to the [[Algiers putsch of 1961|generals' putsch]] of April 1961, the [[1st Foreign Parachute Regiment]] of the [[List of French paratrooper units|10th Parachute Division]] was dissolved on 30 April 1961 at [[Zeralda]].

In 1961, at the issue of the putsch, the [[Saharan Méharistes Companies (méharistes sahariennes)|1st Mounted Saharan Squadron of the Foreign Legion]]<ref>Note that in the French language, the designation of "Mounted Company" ({{langx|fr|Compagnie Portée}}) means mounted and could be applied for both Motorized or Mounted by other means. The designation of "Motorized Company" ({{langx|fr|Compagnie Motorisée}}) would be strictly limited to being motorized which is not the word being used even if it was motorized. The referral of "Mounted" Saharan Companies ({{langx|fr|Compagnie Saharienne "Portée"}}) is used instead of motorized strictly, even if these units were motorized, to also describe the packing of [[Canon de 75 modèle 1897|artillery]]. The companies could be described as Motorized Saharan Companies of the Legion; however their strict French limitation to motorized only in terms of translation and function would be incorrect as they should be referred to as "Mounted" which would apply for both Motorized or mounting other means.</ref> ({{langx|fr|1<sup>er</sup> Escadron Saharien Porté de la Légion Etrangère, 1<sup>er</sup> ESPLE}}) received the missions to assure [[military police|surveillance]] and [[military police|policing]].

The independence of Algeria from the [[French Algeria|French]] in 1962 was traumatising since it ended with the enforced abandonment of the barracks command center at [[Sidi Bel Abbès]] established in 1842. Upon being notified that the elite regiment was to be disbanded and that they were to be reassigned, legionnaires of the 1<sup>er</sup> REP burned the Chinese pavilion acquired following the [[Siege of Tuyên Quang]] in 1884. The relics from the Legion's history museum, including the wooden hand of Captain [[Jean Danjou]], subsequently accompanied the Legion to France. Also removed from Sidi Bel Abbès were the symbolic Legion remains of [[Ranks in the French Army|General]] [[Paul-Frédéric Rollet]] ( [[Foreign Legion Command|The Father of the Legion]] ), [[Foreign Legion Command|Legion officer]] Prince [[Count Aage of Rosenborg]], and Legionnaire Heinz Zimmermann (last fatal casualty in Algeria).

[[File:Prince Aage.png|thumb|upright|[[Foreign Legion Command|Legion Officer]] [[Ranks in the French Army|Lieutenant-colonel]] Prince [[Count Aage of Rosenborg]] (1887–1940)]]

The Legion acquired its parade song "[[Non, je ne regrette rien]]" ("No, I regret nothing"), a 1960 [[Édith Piaf]] song sung by Sous-Officiers and legionnaires as they left their barracks for re-deployment following the [[Algiers putsch of 1961]]. The song has remained a part of Legion heritage since.

The [[1st Foreign Parachute Regiment]] 1<sup>er</sup> REP was disbanded on 30 April 1961.<ref name="2rep.legion-etrangere.com"/> However, the [[2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment]] 2<sup>ème</sup> REP prevailed in existence, while most of the personnel of the [[Saharan Companies of the French Foreign Legion|Saharan Companies]] were integrated into the [[1st Foreign Regiment (France)|1st Foreign Infantry Regiment]], [[2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment (France)|2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment]] and [[4th Foreign Regiment (France)|4th Foreign Infantry Regiment]] respectively.