Division Action
Encyclopedia
The Division Action is the action service of the DGSE
, responsible for planning and performing clandestine operations. It also fulfills other security-related operations such as testing the security of nuclear power plant
s (as it was revealed in Le Canard Enchaîné
in 1990) and military facilities such as the submarine base
of the Île Longue
, Bretagne. The division's headquarters are located at the fort of Noisy-le-Sec
. It replaced the Service Action of the SDECE in 1971.
, often at least from the paras, and some from special forces. Since the early 1980s, the service action is divided in three main parts: commandos, combat divers and air support.
The commandos were originally chunked in the "11e Choc" (11e Bataillon Parachutiste de Choc, 11th Shock Parachutist Battalion, later 11th Shock Parachutist Demi-Brigade), created in 1946. The 11e Choc was disbanded in 1963 because its officers were suspected to be French Algeria
supporters. Consequently, its missions were partly given to military special forces units, especially the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
and the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment
. After the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
, the "11e Choc" was re-raised in 1985 as the 11th Shock Parachutist Regiment. The unit was disbanded in 1993 among other various changes of French armed forces following the end of the cold war.
DGSE commandos are since based in three "training centres" which compose the Centre d'Instruction des Réservistes Parachutistes (CIRP, "Paratrooper Reservist Instruction Centre"):
The commando Hubert
originally included servicemen from both French Navy
and Army. The unit soon split in two, the army soldiers being transferred to the Centre d'Instruction des Nageurs de Combat (CINC, Combat Divers Training Centre, nicknamed Ajax) assigned to "11e Choc". In the aftermath of the disastrous Rainbow Warrior
affair, the CINC was officially disbanded, and the DGSE combat divers were transferred in the CPEOM.
The air support of DGSE operations is provided by a French Air Force
unit, the Groupe Aérien Mixte 00.056 (GAM 56) "Vaucluse", heir of a Free French Forces special duties flight
.
to create the 11e bataillon parachutiste de choc
. In July 1947, Paul Aussaresses
took over command of the battalion and started training his men in "carrying out what was then called 'psychological warfare', everywhere where necessary, and notably in Indochina (...) I prepared my men for clandestine operations, airborn or otherwise, which could range from exploding buildings, sabotage or elimination of ennemies... a little bit like what I had learnt in England."
According to Constantin Melnik, then supervisor of secret services for Michel Debré
, in 1960 alone, the Service Action killed 135 people, sank six ships and destroyed two airplanes.
Direction générale de la sécurité extérieure
The General Directorate for External Security is France's external intelligence agency. Operating under the direction of the French ministry of defence, the agency works alongside the DCRI in providing intelligence and national security, notably by performing paramilitary and counterintelligence...
, responsible for planning and performing clandestine operations. It also fulfills other security-related operations such as testing the security of nuclear power plant
Nuclear power plant
A nuclear power plant is a thermal power station in which the heat source is one or more nuclear reactors. As in a conventional thermal power station the heat is used to generate steam which drives a steam turbine connected to a generator which produces electricity.Nuclear power plants are usually...
s (as it was revealed in Le Canard Enchaîné
Le Canard enchaîné
Le Canard enchaîné is a satirical newspaper published weekly in France. Founded in 1915, it features investigative journalism and leaks from sources inside the French government, the French political world and the French business world, as well as many jokes and humorous cartoons.-Early...
in 1990) and military facilities such as the submarine base
Submarine base
A submarine base is a military base that shelters submarines and their personnel.Examples of present-day submarine bases include HMNB Clyde, Île Longue , Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Naval Submarine Base New London, and Rybachiy Nuclear Submarine Base .The Israeli navy bases its growing submarine...
of the Île Longue
Île Longue
Île Longue is a peninsula of the roadstead of Brest. It is the base of the SNLE, the French ballistic missile submarines, and as such one of the most secretive and heavily defended places in France.-Geography:...
, Bretagne. The division's headquarters are located at the fort of Noisy-le-Sec
Noisy-le-Sec
Noisy-le-Sec is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.-Heraldry:-Transport:Noisy-le-Sec is served by Noisy-le-Sec station on Paris RER line E.-Personalities:*Hassoun Camara,footballer...
. It replaced the Service Action of the SDECE in 1971.
Organisation
The current action division originated from the SDECE's action service (Service Action or SA. Service Action is still commonly used). The action division has a "tank" of paramilitary operatives coming mainly from the French ArmyFrench Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
, often at least from the paras, and some from special forces. Since the early 1980s, the service action is divided in three main parts: commandos, combat divers and air support.
The commandos were originally chunked in the "11e Choc" (11e Bataillon Parachutiste de Choc, 11th Shock Parachutist Battalion, later 11th Shock Parachutist Demi-Brigade), created in 1946. The 11e Choc was disbanded in 1963 because its officers were suspected to be French Algeria
Algerian War of Independence
The Algerian War was a conflict between France and Algerian independence movements from 1954 to 1962, which led to Algeria's gaining its independence from France...
supporters. Consequently, its missions were partly given to military special forces units, especially the 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment
The 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment is one of three regiments in the French Army Special Forces Brigade. Based in Bayonne in the local Citadel...
and the 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment
13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment
The 13th Parachute Dragoon Regiment is an airborne special forces regiment of the French Army. It is one of two regiments in the French Army Special Forces Brigade, which is under the control of the COS...
. After the sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior
The sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, codenamed Opération Satanique, was an operation by the "action" branch of the French foreign intelligence services, the Direction Générale de la Sécurité Extérieure , carried out on July 10, 1985...
, the "11e Choc" was re-raised in 1985 as the 11th Shock Parachutist Regiment. The unit was disbanded in 1993 among other various changes of French armed forces following the end of the cold war.
DGSE commandos are since based in three "training centres" which compose the Centre d'Instruction des Réservistes Parachutistes (CIRP, "Paratrooper Reservist Instruction Centre"):
- The Centre Parachutiste d'Entraînement Spécialisé (CPES, "Paratrooper Specialised Training Centre") in CercottesCercottesCercottes is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France....
for clandestine operations - The Centre Parachutiste d'Instruction Spécialisée (CPIS, "Paratrooper Specialised Instruction Centre") in PerpignanPerpignan-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
for special commandos. The CPIS is the successor of the Centre d'entraînement à la Guerre Spéciale (CEGS, "Training Centre for Special Warfare") - The Centre Parachutiste d'Entraînement aux Opérations Maritimes (CPEOM, "Paratrooper Training Centre for Naval Operations") in QuelernQuélernQuélern is a hamlet in Roscanvel, in the department of Finistère , in western France.-Fortified lines:The Quélern lines defended the entrance to the goulet de Brest against capture from behind the defences of the Roscanvel peninsula. They are 1.22 km long and form the only surviving non-urban...
, which instructs combat divers. The CPEOM is the successor of the Centre d'Instruction des Nageurs de Combat d'Aspretto.
The commando Hubert
French commando frogmen
France has a large commando frogman tradition. Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a naval officer in World War II and helped much to set up France's commando frogmen...
originally included servicemen from both French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
and Army. The unit soon split in two, the army soldiers being transferred to the Centre d'Instruction des Nageurs de Combat (CINC, Combat Divers Training Centre, nicknamed Ajax) assigned to "11e Choc". In the aftermath of the disastrous Rainbow Warrior
Rainbow Warrior (1978)
The Rainbow Warrior was a former UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food trawler later purchased by the environmental organisation Greenpeace...
affair, the CINC was officially disbanded, and the DGSE combat divers were transferred in the CPEOM.
The air support of DGSE operations is provided by a French Air Force
French Air Force
The French Air Force , literally Army of the Air) is the air force of the French Armed Forces. It was formed in 1909 as the Service Aéronautique, a service arm of the French Army, then was made an independent military arm in 1933...
unit, the Groupe Aérien Mixte 00.056 (GAM 56) "Vaucluse", heir of a Free French Forces special duties flight
Free French Air Force
The Free French Air Force was the air arm of the Free French Forces during the Second World War.-Fighting for Free France — the FAFL in French North Africa :...
.
SDECE
After the Indochina War, Colonel Jacques Morlanne used a list of former SOE operatives to create a "Service Action" for the SDECE. In 1947, Morlanne sent captain Edgar Mautaint at MontlouisMontlouis
Montlouis is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A farming area comprising a small village and a couple of hamlets, situated some southwest of Bourges, at the junction of the D15 with the D940 road. The small river Auzon flows through the north of the...
to create the 11e bataillon parachutiste de choc
11e régiment parachutiste de choc
The 11e régiment parachutiste de choc , often called 11e choc, was a parachute elite regiment of the French Army. It used to serve as the armed branch of the SDECE. Its insignia, designed by lieutenant Dupas, features Bagheera in the moonlight and a golden wing...
. In July 1947, Paul Aussaresses
Paul Aussaresses
Paul Aussaresses is a retired French Army general, who fought during World War II, the First Indochina War and Algerian War...
took over command of the battalion and started training his men in "carrying out what was then called 'psychological warfare', everywhere where necessary, and notably in Indochina (...) I prepared my men for clandestine operations, airborn or otherwise, which could range from exploding buildings, sabotage or elimination of ennemies... a little bit like what I had learnt in England."
According to Constantin Melnik, then supervisor of secret services for Michel Debré
Michel Debré
Michel Jean-Pierre Debré was a French Gaullist politician. He is considered the "father" of the current Constitution of France, and was the first Prime Minister of the Fifth Republic...
, in 1960 alone, the Service Action killed 135 people, sank six ships and destroyed two airplanes.
Directors
The action division's directors were:- 1971–1976 : colonel André Devigny
- 1976–1980 : colonel Gaigneron de Marolles
- 1980–1982 : colonel (later général) Georges Grillot
- 1982 – November 1984 : colonel Jean-Pol Desgrees du Lou
- November 1984–1986 : colonel Jean-Claude Lesquier
- 1986 – September 1987 : colonel (later général de brigade) Jean Heinrich
- September 1987 – December 1989 : colonel Pierre-Jacques Costedoat
- December 1989 – ? : Christian Vie