3rd Light Armoured Brigade (France)


The 3rd Light Armoured Brigade, the previous 3rd Mechanised Brigade, was a unit of the French Army.
The brigade was heir to the traditions of the 3rd Armored Division, an heir of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division.
The 3rd Light Armoured Brigade was dissolved on June 16, 2016.
The 3rd Division was recreated on June 20, 2016 within the cadre of the reorganization of the French Army.

History of the brigade

3rd Algerian Infantry Division

The 3rd Mechanised Brigade is heir of the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division 3e DIA which illustrated capability during World War II under the orders of général de Monsabert puis du général Guillaume.

3rd Armoured Division

The 3rd Division was reconstituted in 1951 at the corps of the French Forces in Germany. This was a grand unit of almost 15000 men covering the Western part of Germany and comprising three brigades:
the division became the 3rd Armoured Division in 1978. Three infantry regiments, two tank regiments, two artillery regiments, one engineer regiment, and one command and support regiment. During the transformation of the FFA into FFECSA , the division was redimensioned and dissolved in 1991.

3rd Mechanised Brigade

In 1999, the 3rd Mechanised Brigade was created within the cadres of reforms of the French Army. The brigade adopted the traditions of the 3rd Armoured Division.
The brigade regrouped six tactical regimental formations with a mission to prepare for engagement in an interarm, national and multinational context.
The headquarter staff of the Mechanised Brigade garrisoned at Clermont-Ferrand on July 1, 2011.

3rd Light Armoured Brigade

On March 18, 2014, the brigade became designated as 3rd Light Armoured Brigade. This formation counted at that date 5 regiments with an effectif of 5000 men.
Following the modeling presentation of the French Army in 2016, the brigade disappeared, the headquarter staff at Clermont-Ferrand was retaken by the headquarter staff of the 4th Aero-Combat Brigade, newly created, and the regiments integrated in the following brigades
- 1er RIMa d'angoulème: 9e BIMa de Poitiers
- 126e RI de Brive: 9e BIMa de Poitiers
- 92e RI de Clermont: 2e BB de Strasbourg
- 68e RAA de la Valbonne:7e BB de Besançon
- 31e RG de Castelsarrasin: did not join a brigade, directly subordinated to the 3rd Division

Composition until 2009

Besides of the 31st Engineer Regiment, the 3rd Mechanised Brigade
consisted of the following units from 1999 to 2009 :

Origin

It was under the signs of Latin traditions that général de Monsabert wanted to place the 3rd Algerian Infantry Division 3e DIA during creation on May 1, 1943.
The insignia of "Victory" of Cirta is supported by three crescents representing the Muslims, which composed the majority of the division, allied to the "métros".
The "Victory" was a Roman Goddess protector of the Emperors that the Legio III Augusta de Cirta particularly venerated. She was found within a search at Constantine in the 19th century.

Emblem & insignia

The units of the 3rd Mechanised Brigade bore the shoulder insignia of 3 tricolor crescents on champ d'azur.
The 3 crescents, formed themselves a styled "3", symbolizing the union in 1943 of the Muslim volunteers and metropole for the Liberation of France.

Motto

The motto of the 3rd Brigade was : "Un seul but : La victoire" which translated to "One purpose : La victoire".