99th Infantry Regiment (France)

On 21 July that year it lost its original status as a foreign-raised regiment and was fully integrated into the French army.

It was sent back to Italy in 1798, fighting in 1799 at the Trebbia, Bassignana, Novi, Fossano and Mondovi and in 1800 in the Var campaign and the crossing of the Mincio.

It was renamed the 24th Light Infantry Regiment in 1803, fighting at Nordlingen and Austerlitz in 1805, Jena in 1806, Eylau, Lomitten, Heilsberg and Friedland in 1807 and Abensberg, Eckmühl, Ratisbonne, Wagram and Essling in 1809.

It took part in the French invasion of Russia and the subsequent retreat, including Borodino, Dresden, Leipzig and Brienne before finally being disbanded in 1814.

In the battle of the Lys (1918) it had to hold mont Kemmel for two hours on 24 April under heavy artillery assault, then at 6am it was attacked with trench mortars by a Bavarian division.

It was then based in northern Alsace from November 1939 to April 1940 before being rested near Poligny (Jura) before finding itself back at Chemin des Dames from 18 May 1940, twenty-three years after previously fighting there.

In November 1954 it was converted into a Marching Regiment, the 99e BMIA, for the Algerian campaign – under that name it briefly also stayed in Morocco in August and September 1955.

On 1 October it was renamed 15th Alpine Chasseurs Battalion, marking the end of the presence of a unit numbered 99 in north Africa.

What was left of the former 99th in mainland France was nicknamed the "neuf-neuf" or the "régiment de Lyon" and found itself demoted to training recruits for Algeria and to supporting the 8th Military Region.