The Foreign Legion is, without a doubt, the most prestigious army corps in the French Army.

The legionnaire’s code of honor, whose motto is “Honor and fidelity”, dictates the behavior of these men on a daily basis, both in times of war and in times of peace.

The values that they embody are represented by traditions shown especially through the details of their clothing, the specific emblems and symbols, the songs and music. On the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Camerone, MATWATCHES was honored to be able to participate in this event by creating two original watches, one was an automatic taken from a prestige series limited to 150 copies and a quartz chronograph with a precision of 1/20th of a second.

The pioneers of the Foreign Legion form a unit of traditions. They parade at the head of the troops during the parade and wear beards, leather aprons and an axe on their shoulders.

It is the only unit of this type in service in the French army.

Certain regiments of the Foreign Legion still use, either habitually or permanently, groups of pioneers, with the most traditional section found in the 1st foreign regiment of Aubagne. It is this section which opens the parade of the Legion’s troops during the Military parade on the 14 July on the Champs-Elysees, in Paris. It is also this section which is used, during the commemoration ceremonies for the Battle of Camerone, on the 30 April, in the 1st foreign regiment to surround the carrier of Captain Danjou’s wooden hand.

If the Legion’s procession is opened by this unit, it is to maintain this tradition of sappers “opening the road”, still in front, with difficulty, as an honor. Moreover, it is also a matter of honor for the non commissioned officers as it is one of these who parades in front of all the Foreign Legion troops.

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