The dragon, a clawed legendary animal with wings and a snakelike tail, used to be the emblem of the small light cavalry groups, which were created under the reign of King Francis I, towards the end of the XV century.
These troops who fought on foot or on horseback became an arm under the reign of Louis XIV.
During the 1st Empire, Napoleon continued to deploy them both as cavalrymen and infantrymen, and increased their strength considerably to thirty-one regiments, including the Imperial Guard. Dragon regiments participated in all contemporary battles and made spectacular heroic charges for which they will always be remembered.
Under the reign of Napoleon III, at the beginning of the XIX century, Imperial Guard Dragons became christened the Empress’ Dragons regiment, which later on, during the 1870 War, became known as the 13th Dragons regiment.
In the course of the First World War, dragons were involved in the most devastating battles, notably at Ypres , in 1914, and Verdun , in 1916.
During the 1940 campaign, and then later on from October 1944, dragons fought fiercely until the liberation of the national territory was achieved.
After the Second World War, the Dragons, as a component of the Armoured-Cavalry arm, kept on fighting and consolidating their legend. Meanwhile in 1952, the 13 th Dragons regiment became a parachutist unit called the 13th RDP.
Equipped with armoured cars, dragons regiments, for a period of five years, took part in the Algerian War, particularly at the Tunisian border to defend the Morice line, and also in Kabylia and in the East of Constantinois.
Nowadays, the 2 nd Dragons Regiment, the oldest armoured cavalry regiment, perpetuator of the dragons traditions, is stationed at the De Gaulle neighbourhood, Fontevraud l’Abbaye, in the Saumur region, while the 5 th RD is based at Valdahon, in the Haut Doubs. Thanks to their operating capacity, the Dragons can intervene at any moment within the context of Overseas Operations .
Une patrouille en forêt,
de dragons à cheval
armés de leur
mousqueton de cavalerie
Année
1927 -
12ème régiment de dragons - Région de COLMAR Source
: Brigadier André CERUTTI au 2ème rang,
2ème à gauche sur la photo
Photo-souvenir, prise au quartier
Année
1927 -
12ème régiment de dragons - Région
de COLMAR
Source : Brigadier André CERUTTI
au 2ème rang, 2ème à droite sur la photo
Une patrouille de reconnaissance motorisée
Année 1927 - 12ème régiment de dragons -
Région de
COLMAR
Source : Brigadier André CERUTTI
Brigadier André CERUTTI
année 1927
12e régiment de Dragons de Colmar