126th Infantry Regiment (France)

• 1795: Quiberon
• 1812: the regiment took part in the campaign of Russia:
  • Smoliany, Borisow
  • November 26–29, 1812: Battle of Berezina where the regiment as a whole covered the unfolding of the Grande Armée.

• 1870 - 1871: Siege of Paris

1874: garrison at Lyon.

• 1881 to 1896: campaigns of North African and Madagascar.
• 1907, the regiment left Toulouse and arrived in garrison at Brive-la-Gaillarde.

Garrison: Brive-la-Gaillarde, 48th Infantry Brigade, 12th Army Corps.
Assigned to the 24th Infantry Division (French: 24^e Division d'Infanterie) from August 1914 to November 1918.

• 1914:
  • Unfolding of the IIIrd Army and IVth Army: Saint-Médard, Florenville (August 22–23), Carignan
  • First Battle of the Marne, September 5 to 13: Châtel-Raould, Courdemanges
• 1915 :

Meuse and Argonne : Regniéville, Réménauville, Wooden Forest d'Ailly

• 1916 :
  • Battle of Verdun - Marre-Charny.
• 1917 :
  • Champagne : Maison-de-Champagne (March 8–12), Auberive (April 17).
• 1918 :
  • Italian front : Austrian offensive of June 15, Piave offensive

The 126^e RI was in garrison at Brive-la-Gaillarde in January 1939, and recalled to apply the "barrage plan" in the Pyrénées-Orientales.

The regiment illustrated capability in June 1940 to halt offensives, while record marching 350 km in two weeks.

The regiment was reconstituted in 1944 from marquis of Corrèze and Périgord and participated in the liberation of Alsace, then entered the Black Forest. In January 1945, the 126th Infantry Regiment was integrated into the First Army, which was first at the disposition of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Free French Division 1^re DFL, where the 126th reinforced the 2nd Brigade during the period of the defensive mounted on Strasbourg, and the surveillance of left wing of the Rhin. Then, with the 2nd Moroccan Infantry Division 2^e DIM, and participating with the 9th Colonial Infantry Division 9^e DIC to campaign battles, combat of Karlsruhe, Ruppur, Rastadt with the 23^e RIC and 6^e RIC.

• In Algeria from 1947 to 1948, the regiment was designated as a center of instruction for that theatre.
• Assigned to the 15th Infantry Division; materials forming in the 1980s were constituted by a number of U.S. American equipment from World War II, including machine pistol types used in Indochina and Algeria.
• Professionalized in 1998, in the respective garrison, the regiment was attached to the 3rd Light Armoured Brigade.
• The regiment was part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in Lebanon in 1984/1985 then also in 1992 with the 5th Chasseur Regiment (French: 5^e Régiment de chasseurs à cheval) of Périgueux.
• Conducted operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina after 1992.
• Conducted operations in Lebanon in 2001.
• Conducted operations in Kosovo in 2011 and 2004.
• Conducted operations in Afghanistan in 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010 at the corps of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF). On February 29, 2008 in Afghanistan: training instruction of the Afghan National Army (ANA) with the 126^e RI.
• Conducted operations in the Ivory Coast in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005 and in 2008 at the corps of Opération Licorne.
• Conducted operations in the Central African Republic in 2006, 2011, 2012, 2014.
• Conducted the mandate PAMIR in Surobi, Afghanistan from July to December 2010 under designation (GTIA).
• Permanence in France at the corps of the Vigipirate.

White Buffalo since 1937, on the background of a blue Cross of Lorraine since 1944.

Lieutenant-colonel Godefroy, regimental commander of the 126^e RI endowed the regiment with an insignia featuring the ruins of Oradour, to evoke the 134th Infantry Regiment (French: 134^e Régiment d'Infanterie, 134^e RI) which was integrated to the 126^e RI in October 1945.

The actual insignia of the regiment was endowed by colonel Mestelan, regimental commander from 1979 to 1981.

The regimental colors of the 126^e RI are decorated with:

• Croix de guerre 1914-1918 with :
  • 2 bronz palms ( 2 citations at the orders of the armed forces)
• Croix de la Valeur militaire with:
• 1 bronz palm (November 23, 2011)
• 1 palm (June 26, 2013)

Fourragere:

• Fourragere with colors of the croix de guerre 1914-1918 and colors of the croix de la Valeur militaire.

• Bérézina 1812
• Artois 1915
• Auberive 1917
• Italie 1918

• (in French) Le 126e régiment d'infanterie sur le site internet www.defense.gouv.fr du Ministère de la Défense