Chasseurs alpins

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French Army

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French Foreign Legion
Chasseurs alpins
List of current regiments
Structure of the French Army
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The Chasseurs Alpins (Alpine Hunters or Alpine Chasers) are the mountain infantry and an elite unit of the French Army. They are trained to operate in mountainous terrain and in urban warfare.

1 Modern unit
2 Unit origins
3 Ranks
4 Important figures
5 Gallery
6 See also
7 External links

[edit] Modern unit

Chasseurs alpins wear a special wide beret called "tarte" (= "pie").

Since 1999 they have been (with other units) part of the 27th Mountain Infantry Brigade (Brigade d'Infanterie de Montagne), and are currently organised into three battalions:

7th Battalion, Bourg-Saint-Maurice
13th Battalion, Chambéry
27th Battalion, Cran-Gevrier (Annecy)

All three battalions are based in cities in the French Alps, thus the name of the units.

Training includes climbing, cross-country skiing, plus winter and summer mountain leadership and mountain guiding skills. Traditional training included mountain survival skills such as to build an igloo shelter and to sleep in by temperatures around 0°C. Modern troops may be transported in all-terrain VMBs VACs or untracked VAB personnel carriers. Personal weaponry includes the FAMAS assault rifle, Minimi machine gun, FRF-2 sniper rifle, PGM Hecate II heavy sniper rifle, and LGI light mortar, while group weapons included the M2 machine gun, LLR 81mm mortar, and vehicle-mounted 20mm autocannon, plus AT4, ERYX and MILAN anti-tank missiles.

The Chasseurs are easily recognised by their wide beret (when not in battle uniform), named tarte (= pie). The British Army adopted the wearing of the beret in the 1920s after having seen similar berets worn by the 70th Chasseurs Alpins (now disbanded).^{[citation needed]}

[edit] Unit origins

Until 1859, Italy wasn't yet an unified state but a sum of kingdoms and independent republics (Kingdom of Naples, Venician States, Papal States, etc.). The situation changed since 1859 with the help of Garibaldi and Cavour trying to create an unified and solid nation. This geopolitical change was seen as a possible threat from the other side of the Alps border, partially as the Italians were the first to have mountain warfare specialized troops. The French solution was to create its own mountain corps in order to oppose an Italian invasion through the Alps. By December 24, 1888, a law is applied about the creation of a troupes de montagne ("mountain troops") corps. 12 out of the 31 existing Chasseurs à Pied ("Hunters on Feet" or "Chasers on Feet") battalions are selected to be converted. These first units are named Bataillons Alpins de Chasseurs à Pied ("Hunters on Feet Alpine Battalions") which will be later shortened to Bataillons de Chasseurs Alpins ("Alpin Hunters Battalions").

[edit] Ranks

Increasing.

1er Cul (1st ass)
Capo (Corporal)
Capo Chef (Corporal-Chief)
Sergent (Sergeant)
Chef (Chief)
Adjudant (Adjutant)
etc.

Note: the common warrant officer ranks Brigadier and Maréchal des Logis are not used in the Chasseurs Alpins corps.

[edit] Important figures

General Alain Le Ray, first military chief of the Vercors maquis.

[edit] Gallery

Dress uniform	Soldiers in Summer uniform	Chasseurs alpins in battle snow camouflage, with FAMAS rifles.	The VHM special high mountain armoured vehicles.