Surnamed also the "3rd Marine", the unit was part of the « Blue Division » which fought at the Battle of Bazeilles on August 31 and September 1, 1870.

A Royal Ordinance of King Louis Philippe I, the King of the French reconstituted in 1831 two regiments of marine infantry (French: régiments d'infanterie de marine) from the 45th, the 51st Line Infantry Regiment (French: 51e Régiments d'infanterie de ligne) and 16th Light Infantry Regiment which was garrisoned at the time in the colonies; a new decree ordinance dated November 20, 1838 created a third regiment of arms (French: troisième régiment de l'arme).

Napoleon III expressed a plentiful of solicitude for the troupes coloniales; a decree of 1854 reorganised the marine infantry by creating four regiments each associated with its home port.

Regularly projected in outre-mer missions (notably Guyana) and Africa (Chad, Gabon, Central) as all units that used to be referred as the "Colonial", the 3e RIMa distinguished capability within Division Daguet during the first Gulf War and the former Yugoslavia, particularly in Sarajevo at the capture of the Vrbanja bridge in May 1995.

Since 2002, personnel of the regiment are deployed six months per year: The regiment is articulated into 8 companies with approximately 1300 men and women: The anniversary is celebrated for combats in Bazeilles, the village which was apprehended and abandoned four consecutive times under orders, respectively on August 31 and September 1, 1870.

This sentence, which became the motto of the regiment is credited to Adjudant Péricard (3e RIC) who voiced on February 27, 1915, to stimulate the troops, during the reapprehension of a fort.