54ème Régiment d'Artillerie

The 54th Artillery Regiment looks back on a long and storied history that began in Lyon at the beginning of the 20th century. This volume recounts its past, focusing in particular on the last 40 years since its relocation to Hyères. The regiment performed heroic deeds in the First World War, but its development over the last century has been eventful. Originally a conventional artillery regiment, it was reorganized as an anti-aircraft artillery regiment in Verdun in 1970, where it tested the Roland weapon system. Stationed in Hyères since 1984, it has participated in the successive restructurings of the French Army and is now its only anti-aircraft regiment. The 54th Artillery Regiment participates in all operations of the French Army and has regularly been in the spotlight over the past ten years: its first deployment to Mali in 2013, the independent rotation of personnel in Mali until the withdrawal of Operation Barkhane troops, which it protected up to the border with Niger, the neutralization of a terrorist by a three-person team during an attack in Nice in 2015, the intervention in Paris on November 13, 2015, the night of the attacks, the death of the last French soldier in Mali in 2022, and so on. All these events, as well as the deep sense of duty of the artillerymen of the 54th Regiment, are described in this book, which combines the human side, the experience, the versatility, and the pride in belonging of the men and women who work for the esprit de corps of the 54th Artillery Regiment.