British Military Pictures & Videos

HMS Illustrious returns to Portsmouth Harbour on January 10, 2014 in Portsmouth, England. The ships returns with her 650 crew after a five month deployment to South East Asia delivering Aid relief to victims of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

Paratroopers strengthen French connection

British paratroopers have been training on air, land and sea with their counterparts from the French Foreign Legion as the two units build a closer working relationship.

Colchester-based B Company, 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (B Coy, 2 PARA) has been working alongside 2e Regiment Etranger de Parachutistes (2e REP) at their base on the rugged island of Corsica.

Exercise BLUE LEGIONNAIRE has seen the two units fire each other’s weaponry and practise fighting together in urban areas. The 2 PARA soldiers earned French parachute wings by jumping with French Ensemble de Parachutage Individuel parachutes from a French C-160 Transall aircraft, while jumps from an RAF C-130 Hercules earned 2e REP soldiers their British wings.

2e REP has specialist mountain and amphibious troops who taught 2 PARA’s soldiers survival techniques and climbing on Corsica’s snow-capped mountains and, in the Mediterranean Sea, handling assault boats and attacking and defending beaches.

The two-week long training was part of the Interim Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (i-CJEF) - an operational partnership between the British 16 Air Assault Brigade and the French 11e Brigade Parachutiste, which stands at high readiness to deploy on contingency operations ranging from war fighting to disaster relief.

Major Adam Wilson, Officer Commanding B Coy, said: “2 PARA and 2e REP maintain strong links as sister battalions. Exercise BLUE LEGIONNAIRE has been about us seeing 2e REP on their home turf and learning more about how they operate and live. It has been a huge success in developing the understanding, respect and trust between our two units, which could prove critical in future operations.

“Corsica itself has been an excellent location that has allowed us to train in the air, on the land and in the sea. As airborne troops the sea and high mountains are not familiar environments to us, but it has been rewarding to challenge ourselves and learn new skills.”

Private Davey Clark, 23 from Hull, said: “I only joined 2 PARA from basic training in November, so this is my first exercise - to come to Corsica to work with the French Foreign Legion has really thrown me in at the deep end. It’s been really interesting to learn about French tactics and weapons, with the first round I’ve fired since joining 2 PARA coming from a 22mm cannon in the turret of a French armoured vehicle!”

Corporal Chris Hooper, 26 from Hereford, said: “It’s been a very different experience to see how another army does its business. The legionnaires are a very disciplined and professional outfit and we’ve worked well together because we’ve got the same role and mentality. It’s been a friendly exercise with a lot of war stories swapped – they did an operational jump in Mali last year and we’ve get a lot to say about Afghanistan.”

2e REP’s Captain Pierre-Francois Mitton said: “2e REP is defined by three things – Corsica, the Legion and parachuting. This exercise has been an excellent opportunity to show our sister unit 2 PARA who we are and what our unique capabilities are.

“2e REP and 2 PARA share the airborne spirit and our soldiers have a very similar level of training, discipline and operational experience. After training together we know each other better and are well placed if we deploy on an operation in the future.”




British paratroopers being instructed by a French legionnaire in how to fit a French parachute [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




British and French paratroopers preparing their parachutes ahead of a jump [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]





Image of 2 PARA's Corporal Oliver Stokes (LEFT) and Chief Sergeant Pia Lorenzo of 2e REP (RIGHT) ready to board an aircraft for a parachute jump.




British and French paratroopers ready for a parachute jump [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




Image of paratroopers from 2 PARA and 2e REP coming into the drop zone.




British and French paratroopers approaching the drop zone [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




French paratroopers practise a beach assault [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




French paratroopers storm a beach defended by members of 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




Image of Legionnaires storming a beach defended by 2 PARA soldiers.




British and French paratroopers on an assault course [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




Image of 2 PARA soldier firing the Genreral Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) whilst other 2 PARA soldiers practising defensive and offensive patrol drills in 2e REP's Fighting in Built Up Area (FIBUA) village.




British paratroopers practising defensive and offensive patrol drills in a 'fighting in a built up area' training village [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]




Image of Corporal Chris Hooper (centre) explain to two legionnaires the safety drills for the UK SA80 A2 Rifle to Legionnaire Oskar Trompakajski (left) and Legionnaire 1st Class Jung Jih (right).




British paratroopers training with French army issue GIAT FAMAS assault rifles [Picture: Corporal Andy Reddy RLC, Crown copyright]


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Guardsmen from 1[SUP]st[/SUP] Battalion the Coldstream Guards during the urban assault and CQB course as part of the final events of the Strong VC trophy – January 2014