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Fusiliers Marins
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Fusiliers Marins (also known as Fusiliers de Marine) are units specialised in the protection and defence of key sites of the French Navy on land. They consist of about 1,200 men.
Their deployments include:
- One group in Toulon and another in Brest, with a "Regional Intervention Group" to reinforce the protection of any particular building or place.
- Seven companies scattered around metropolitan territory: one in the naval base of Cherbourg, one in every site of the FOST (Île Longue, France-sud, Rosnay and Sainte Assise) and one on each of the naval air bases of Lann Bihoué and Nîmes-Garons.
They also protect the DOM/TOM where interarm transmission stations are located.
The missions of the Fusiliers Marins are
- missions on shores from the sea
- support of the commandos marine during special operations
- protection of sensitive sites of the Navy
- protection of the ships and security aboard.
In 1627, Richelieu founded the Régiment de la Marine. It was to provide onboard troops capable of fighting on land or on sea, and commanded by the officers of the ship. These troops were part of the crew, and helps manoeuvering the ship.
The base unit was the 70-man company, compagnie détachée de la Marine. It was commanded by a lieutenant des vaisseaux du Roi ("Lieutenant of the Ships of the King") and two ensigns. These companies fought in all French colonies, particularly in Nouvelle France. An anonymous Fusilier de Marine is credited for Nelson's death during the Battle of Trafalgar.
In 1825, a royal decree abolished the Régiments de la Marine and imposed that landing parties should be composed of sailors. The tradition of the Régiments de la Marine later gave birth to the troupes de marine and troupes coloniales of the Army.
As the crews of the ships lacked personnel trained for fighting on land, the imperial decree of the 5 June 1856 created the specialisation of marin fusilier. The marins fusiliers were trained in Lorient. These troops were notably engaged during the war of 1870 in Bapaume and defending Paris ; in 1900 during the Boxer Rebellion; and in 1914 at the Battle of the Yser.
 "Call to fair men; the Royal regiment of Naval fusiliers is recruiting..." Louis XV |
 Musée de la Marine, Paris: Naval Infantry shako, around 1829. |
 Inspections at sea are often carried out by fusilliers marins |