page_title: Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers
hierarchical_section_title: Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers
caption_attribution_description: Français&#160;: Insigne régimentaire du 21e régiment de marche de volontaires étrangers
context_page_description: The Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers were temporary formations of the French Foreign Legion organized from Foreign volunteers during World War II. These regiments were formed on 16 September 1939:
  On September 16, 1939, the war minister decided to form special corps of foreign volunteers part of the Foreign Legion. They were part of the Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers.
  They were created at the corps of the French Foreign Legion at Le Barcarès on October 1939 and May 1940. They recruited in principal from the Foreign Workers Companies, essentially Spaniards from the Retirada, who represented 1/3 of formations, while the Foreign Jews who enlisted voluntarily constituted 40% of formations. These regiments were not well equipped and other units referred to them by derision as "twine regiments". The 21ᵉ, 22ᵉ and 23ᵉ RMVE did not have an active central corps, nor did they have Legion reserve back-ups, not even "cadres" from Sidi bel-Abbès, only the exception of a couple of Legion Officers. To differentiate themselves, the traditional colors were inverted and were "Red & Green". Without Legion traditions, they fought and upheld nevertheless the same conviction.
context_section_description: The Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers (French: Régiments de marche de volontaires étrangers, RMVE) were temporary formations of the French Foreign Legion organized from Foreign volunteers during World War II . These regiments were formed on 16 September 1939:
  On September 16, 1939, the war minister decided to form special corps of foreign volunteers part of the Foreign Legion. They were part of the Marching Regiments of Foreign Volunteers.
  They were created at the corps of the French Foreign Legion at Le Barcarès on October 1939 and May 1940. They recruited in principal from the Foreign Workers Companies (French: compagnie de travailleurs étrangers), essentially Spaniards from the Retirada, who represented 1/3 (one third) of formations, while the Foreign Jews who enlisted voluntarily constituted 40% (forty percent) of formations. These regiments were not well equipped and other units referred to them by derision as "twine regiments" (French: Régiments de ficelles). The 21ᵉ, 22ᵉ and 23ᵉ RMVE did not have an active central corps, nor did they have Legion reserve back-ups, not even "cadres" from Sidi bel-Abbès, only the exception of a couple of Legion Officers. To differentiate themselves, the traditional colors were inverted and were "Red & Green". Without Legion traditions, they fought and upheld nevertheless the same conviction. While not being well equipped, these three regiments as well as the 12th Foreign Infantry Regiment 12ᵉ REI deserved the designation of "twine regiments", since they were the works of miracles at the gates of Paris, in Picardy, in the Ardennes and in Lorraine.
  They achieved a mixed success, but like many units during the Fall of France were overwhelmed by the German blitzkrieg. Their regimental honors live on in the 2nd Foreign Infantry Regiment 2ᵉ REI.
caption: Regimental Insignias of the 1er RMVE & 2e RMVE, 3e RMVE[1] which became the insignias of the 21e, 22e, 23e RMVE
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