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Members of the French Squadron of the SAS (1st Parachute Chasseur Company, 1ere Compagnie de Chasseurs Parachutistes, 1 e CCP) during the link-up between advanced units of the 1st and 8th armies in the Gabes-Tozeur area of Tunisia. Previously a company of Free French paratroopers, the French SAS were the first of a range of units 'acquired' by Major Stirling as the SAS expanded.

2e Régiment de Chasseur Parachutistes

Page Created
May 6th, 2022
Last Updated
May 8th, 2022
Additional Information
2e Régiment de Chasseur Parachutistes
Order of Battle
Commanders
Operations
Equipment
Multimedia
Resources
Interactive Page
Badge
Badge of the Special Air Service
Motto
Qui Ose Gagne
Who Dares Wins
Founded
September 15th, 1940
Disbanded
September 30th, 1946
Theater of Operations
Mediterranean
* Crete
North Africa
* Egypt
* Libya
* Southern Tunisia
Northwest Europe
* France
* Belgium
* The Netherlands
Foundation
In the beginning of September 1940, General Charles de Gaulle, the leader of Free French in Great Britain ordered the raising of a parachute unit. The unit was raised on September 15th, 1940, as 1re Compagnie d’Infanterie de l’Air (1re CIA) the under Captain Georges Bergé. The unit underwent it’s training at the Parachute Training Centre at Ringway in Great Britain.

Georges Bergé
Georges Bergé

On April 10th, 1941, the unit was attached to the French Army (l’Armée de Terre) and redesignated as the 1re Compagnie Parachutiste. One month later the unit performs its first mission, Operation Savanna.
In May 1941, the unit is again sent into battle now for Operation Joséphine B. That very same month, two sections of the unit are moved from Great Britain to Beirut, Lebanon. They leave Great Britain on the July 21st, 1941. On September 25th, 1941, the unit is attached to the French Air Force (l’Armée de l’Air) and renamed to Peloton Parachutiste du Levant. Only to be renamed again on October 25th, 1941, to 1re Compagnie de Chasseurs Parachutistes (1re CCP) des Forces Aériennes Françaises Libres (FAFL), the free French Air Airforce.

On the January 1st, 1942, the unit is moved to Kibrit near Cairo and attached to L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade under Major David Stirling. Until the end of the war in the North Africa the unit performs operations as part of the Special Air Service Brigade. In May 1943, when the last Italians and Germans surrendered in North Africa, the unit is detached.

Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling
Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Archibald David Stirling

The unit returns to Great Britain and is stationed in Camp Old Dean in Camberley, Surrey. Here it joins the 2e Compagnies d’Infanterie de l’Air. Together, on July 1st, 1943, it now forms the 1er Bataillon d’Infanterie de l’Air (1er BIA). In November 1943 it is again redesignated, now as the 4e Bataillon d’Infanterie de l’Air (4e BIA). By the end of 1943, the idea is formed to build a Special Air Service Brigade. In January 1944, the idea is approved, and the Brigade is formed in Ayrshire, Scotland. The 4e Bataillon d’Infanterie de l’Air is again redesignated to 3 Special Air Service (3 SAS) On July 1st, 1944, it becomes 2e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes (2e RCP) or 3 Special Air Service (3 SAS). It remains part of the Brigade until the end of the war.