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General Calvert inspects the 2e and 3e RCP of the SAS Brigade at Tarbes, August 1945.

3e Régiment de Chasseur Parachutistes

Page Created
May 7th, 2022
Last Updated
May 10th, 2022
Additional Information
3e 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 1942
Disbanded
August 6th, 1945
Theater of Operations
Mediterranean
* Crete
North Africa
* Egypt
* Libya
* Southern Tunisia
Northwest Europe
* France
* Belgium
* The Netherlands
Foundation
During the last few months of 1942 Capitaine Jean-Marie Bouvier “O’Cottereau” and Capitaine Fournier, started assembling men from the Forces Françaises Libres (FFL) in Cairo to form a new Parachute Unit. The first part of this unit was formed in Rouïba, Algeria. From here it was transferred to Tripolitania (Nowadays Libya) and from there it moved to Mena Camp in Egypt. By the October they moved to the Camp near Rouïba in Algeria again. By now it had a strength of approximately six hundred men.

Jean-Marie Bouvier O'Cottereau
Capitaine Jean-Marie Bouvier “O’Cottereau”

The unit was officially formed on June 6th, 1943, as the
3e Bataillon d’Infanterie de l’Air (3e BIA). The Battalion arrived at Camp Camberley camp in Great Britain on November 7th, 1943. By now the unit was reduced to around three hundred men and commanded by Capitaine “Conan” Château-Jobert.

Here the 3e Bataillon d’Infanterie and 1e Bataillon d’Infanterie which has just been renamed 4e Bataillon d’Infanterie, were grouped together in a Demi-Brigade, under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Durand, a former member of the Corps Franc d’Afrique.

From here on the Demi-Brigade was integrated into the British Forces. By that time plans were made to create a real Special Air Service Brigade. Since predecessors of the 4e Bataillon d’Infanterie had been attached to L Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade in North Africa, it was not more than obvious that the Demi-Brigade would join the SAS Brigade as soon as it was formed.

This step gave the unit the chance to use the training centres used by the British Special Forces. The Commando Training Course at Largo, Scotland, the Parachute Training Course at Ringway, Chesire and the Obstacle Course at Cirensester in Southwest England. The Special Air Service Brigade was officially formed in Ayrshire, Scotland in January 1944. The unit was transferred to Scotland around that same time period. The 4e Bataillon d’Infanterie was redesignated as 4 Special Air Service Regiment. On April 1st, 1944, it was redesignated as the 3e Régiment de Chasseur Parachutistes, 4 Special Air Service Regiment. The unit remained under command of the Brigade until its disbandment.