11e régiment parachutiste de choc

The 11^e régiment parachutiste de choc ("11th shock parachute regiment), often called 11^e choc, was an elite parachute 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. The motto is Qui ose gagne ("who dares wins"), in continuation of the tradition of the British Special Air Service.

The 11^e choc was meant from the start to constitute a reserve of soldiers available to the French special services. The 11^e choc was initially composed of one single battalion, the 11^e bataillon parachutiste de choc. From 1 September 1946, it was stationned in Mont-Louis.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, an "action service" of the SDECE was created by Jacques Morlane. It grouped veterans of the Second World War having served in the Bataillon de Choc of 1936, in the 1^er bataillon de choc (founded in 1943), or as SOE agents, as well as veterans of Indochina.

In spring of 1947, Morlane sent R. Mautaint in Mont-Louis to train the new unit. Mautaint had authored numerous reports on SOE training that inspired that of the French services.

In July 1947, as the complement of the 11^e choc grew, Morlane nominated Paul Aussaresses to replace Mautaint. Aussaresses described his mission as "perform what was by then called 'psychological warfare', wherever it was necessary, notably in Indochina (...) I trained my men for clandestine operations, airborne or otherwise, that could range from building demolition to sabotage or elimination of enemies". From 1952, elements of the 11^e choc were sent to Indochina to lead and train the Groupement de commandos mixtes aéroportés (GCMA), though the 11^e Choc did not take part in the conflict as a unit.

Back from Indochina in 1952, Aussaresses was tasked to assassinate supporters of the FLN. Morlane "was convinced that a Soviet invasion was imminent, and had been busy constituting secret weapon caches all over the territory so that, when time would come, a resistance could be organised".

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