In 1840, the first ten battalions of light infantrymen were created by the Duke of Orleans, and the number increased to twenty under Napoleon III. The chasseurs battalions, the blue devils, distinguished themselves at various contemporary campaigns: in Algeria during the Sidi Brahim battle against Emir Abd el Kader, in Crimea , in Italy during the Solferino Battle as well as during the 1870 War during which their number had risen to thirty.
6 février 1840 - Conquête de l'Algérie - Défense de Mazagran
Les chasseurs des capitaines Lelièvre et Magnier
repoussent l'assaut sur les murailles de la ville
Château de Versailles
During the First World War, the number of Chasseurs battalions had gone up to seventy-eight. The enthusiasm and bravery with which they fought made the Germans to nickname them the « schwartz Teufeln »- black devils. They paid a heavy price for victory.
In the course of the XX century, with the advent of modern sophisticated equipment, weapons and devices like tanks, aircrafts and missiles, the role of the various units of the armed forces changed remarkably. The Light infantry and cyclist chasseurs units became modernized and mechanized.
In addition to the motorized chasseurs, which are still found in the infantry today, there are the specialized units of mountaineer chasseurs and parachutist chasseurs.
It was in May 1943, during the Second World War that the 1 st Parachutist Chasseurs regiment was created, under the command of Squadron Leader Sauvagnac, within the framework of the Air Force. In 1944, it participated in the liberation of the Elbe Island .
This «light reconnaissance troop», having been integrated into Lattre’s forces, took part in the Vosges campaign, followed by the Alsatian, at the end of which the quasi-totality of its men were put out of action…
From 1947 to 1954, during the Indochina War, parachutist chasseurs, who then had been merged into the army, made a real demonstration of might during some of the fiercest battles: Cao Bang, RC4, Lang Son, Dien Bien Phu …
From 1949 to 1961, parachutist chasseurs were once more in action, this time in Algeria . During a series of operations in the Djebels, precisely in the Aures and Constantinois, these « raptors » again distinguished themselves as utter dreadful predators.
Since then, parachutist chasseurs have always been called up to serve in almost all regions of the world within the framework of overseas campaigns.