The Legion attends the Battle of Camarón anniversary ceremony

March of the French unit (Foto:BRI II)

Two Spanish soldiers at the event (Foto:BRI II)

The chief of the “King Alfonso XIII,” second in the legion, general Martín Cabrero, and chief of Brigade staff, lieutenant colonel Sánchez-Barriga, were invited to the long-established Battle of Camarón anniversary ceremony, a battle that involved the Foreign French legion in Mexico on 30 April in 1863. The ceremony took place in the French town of Aubagne.

Representatives of the Spanish Legion attended a military parade, an official dinner and they also visited the Foreign French Legion Museum.

The Battle of Camarón was very important for the Foreign French legion because it gave them legendary status. One of their patrols, made up of 3 officials and 62 soldiers under the command of captain Jean Danjou, bravely resisted the siege of about 1,000 Mexican soldiers. When there were only 6 remaining survivors, and there was no remaining ammunition, they stalled their bayonets and attacked, and were injured before surrendering. Mexican general Francisco Milán was so impressed by the detachment that he assigned a guard to escort the remaining members of the battalion for their return journey to France.