Urban combat exercises of the Spanish Legion and the Foreign Legion in France

The Spanish Legion (Legión española) maintains its constant training missions with two different exercises. On the one hand, the urban combat exercise of the «Colón» Combat Group of the Legion Brigade, integrated with the 1st French Regiment of Engineers of the Foreign Legion (Légion étrangère), has been carried out, an exercise lasting more than 2 weeks at the CENZUB instruction from Sissonne (France).

Urban combat exercise of the “Colón” Combat Group of the Legion Brigade, integrated with the 1st French Engineer Regiment of the Foreign Legion

The Spanish Legion and the Foreign Legion fight in urban combat in France

The missions of the «Colón» Combat Group are usually destined for conventional combat operations and combat in urban areas, all within a hybrid environment, against potential hostile threats of equal technological capacity. In this sense, high intensity exercises with live fire are common.

On the other hand, the Transport Company of the II Logistics Group of the Legion, following the instruction and training plan, carried out an individual weapon shooting exercise, Fusa HK G36, to improve the instruction of the shooters in the handling of the weapon.

On the other hand, approximately 600 soldiers from different units of the King Alfonso XIII Legion Brigade have participated in an exercise at the National Training Center (Cenad) of Chinchilla de Montearagón. More than 100 vehicles participated in these maneuvers, of which 40 were High Tactical Mobility and Medium Armored Wheeled Vehicles (Vamtac, BMR) and the rest were logistical. The exercise was supported by a sapper unit, an artillery fire support unit, an air defense unit and a logistical support unit.

In another vein, the mayor of Lorca, Fulgencio Gil Jódar, has inaugurated the 'Plaza de la Legión Española', a tribute to the military body that recognizes the close union between the Legion and the city of Lorca, and that will remain engraved in stone.

The entrance to the city, in the Apolonia neighborhood, is now dominated by this square, in which a stone monolith stands out, with said inscription headed by the city's coat of arms. The event was chaired by Fulgencio Gil himself, together with the General Chief of Brigade Alfonso of the Legion, among others.

During his speech, Fulgencio Gil highlighted the strong union between the military corps and the city of Lorca. «Since 1996, a third of legionaries from the King Alfonso XIII Brigade escort the Santísimo Cristo del Rescate, from Paso Blanco, in the Holy Thursday procession. Since then, the union between legionaries and Lorca has become increasingly stronger and more evident; «and this tribute is a recognition of this relationship, but also of the mutual support we provide.»