2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment

2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment 2e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes
Active	1943 - 1946
Country	France
Branch	French Army
Type	Parachute Infantry
Role	Infantry
Motto(s)	« Who Dares Wins »
Engagements	World War II
Insignia
Abbreviation	2e R.C.P

The 2nd Parachute Chasseur Regiment (French: 2^e Régiment de Chasseurs Parachutistes) or 2^e RCP, is one of the most decorated French unit of Second World War. The unit is the only terrestrial unit to have been bestowed with the Red Fourragere during the world conflict including 6 citations at the orders of the armed forces. The French Navy 1500-ton class submarine Casabianca accumulated similarly 6 citations at the orders of the armed forces and deep sail bore the same Fourragere.

The unit was commonly referred to in the British Army as the 4th SAS.

The 1st Air Infantry Battalion (1^e B.I.A) was constituted on July 1, 1943 in camp of Old Dean at Camberley from volunteers and from the 1st Air Infantry Company and 2nd Air Infantry Company (1^e C.I.A, 2^e C.I.A); the 1st Air Infantry Company ^eC.I.A created by Captain Bergé and which notably illustrated capability in Crete, Tunisia and Libya, consequently gaining a citation at the orders of the Air Force; and in essence formed on September 15, 1940.

The battalion, integrated the Free French Air Forces and was entrusted to Commandant Pierre Fourcaud. The battalion counted then 398 men, spread in 4 combat companies. These men were fist parachute brevetted at the Central Landing Establishment (C.L.E) of Ringway.

The unit was redesignated as 4th Air Infantry Battalion 4^e B.I.A on November 1, 1943 and passed over to the command of Commandant Pierre-Louis Bourgoin, a manchot with right arm amputated on February 1943 during a reconnaissance mission in Tunisia. The 4^e B.I.A was joined with the 3rd Parachute Chasseur Regiment 3^e RCP of Commandant Pierre Chateau-Jobert forming the corps of a Demi-Brigade commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Durand.

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