Marche de la 2ème DB | Lyrics [English + Français]

Paroles en français-
couplet 1er:
Apres le Tchad, l'Angleterre et la France
Le long chemin qui mene vers Paris
Le coeur joyeux tout gonfle d'esperance
Ils ont suivi la gloire qui les conduit.
Sur une France, une croix de Lorraine,
Ecusson d'or, qu'on porte fierement,
C'est le joyaux que veulent nos marraines,
C'est le flambeaux de tous nos regiments.

refrain:
Division de fer
Toujours en avant
Les gars de Leclerc
Passent en chantant.
Jamais ils ne s'attardent,
La victoire n'attend pas
Et chacun les regarde
Saluant chapeau bas.
Division de fer
Toujours souriant
Les gars de Leclerc
Passent en chantant.
D.B. Vive la deuxieme DB !

couplet 2e:
Ils ont vecu des heures merveilleuses
Depuis Koufra, Ghadames et Cherbourg.
Pour eux Paris fut l'entree glorieuse
Mais ils voulaient la Lorraine et Strasbourg,
Et tout la-haut dans le beau ciel d'Alsace
Faire flotter notre drapeaux vainqueur
C’est le serment magnifique et tenace
Qu’ils avaient fait dans les heures de douleur.

English lyrics-
verse 1:
After Chad, England and France
The long road which leads to Paris
The joyful heart swells with hope
They followed the glory that leads them.
On a France, a cross of Lorraine,
Badge of gold that we proudly wear,
It's the jewel that our godmothers want,
It's the torch of all our regiments.

chorus:
Iron division
Always in the lead
Leclerc's lads
Pass by singing.
Never do they linger,
Victory does not wait
And everyone is watching them
Saluting hats off.
Iron division
Always smiling
Leclerc's lads
Pass by singing.
D.B. Long live the 2nd DB!

verse 2:
They have lived wonderful hours
Since Kufra, Gadamis and Cherbourg.
For them Paris was the glorious entry
But they wanted Lorraine and Strasbourg,
And all throughout the fine Alsatian sky
Fluttered our victorious flag
This is the magnificient and determined oath
That they made in their hours of pain.

La Marche de la 2ème DB is the military march of the French 2nd Armoured Division, the most celebrated and famous military formation of the French in the Second World War. Composed in 1944 it recounts the epic journey of the division to liberate their homeland.

The 2nd Division Blindée was an armoured division formed in 1943 and led by the famous Phillipe Leclerc, one of the first people to answer Charles de Gaulle's call of resistance. The division, as part of the French French Forces initially fought Axis forces in Africa in order to help liberate their occupied country. After its first victory at Koufra in Libya, Leclerc made the famous "serment de Koufra" in which he vowed to never cease fighting until the French tricolour once again flew over Strasbourg cathedral. The division later took part in the liberation of France with heavy fighting in the Normandy landings and lead the drive onto Paris. In November of 1944 the vow would be realised when the division liberated Strasbourg from the Germans occupiers and raised the French flag for the first time in nearly 4 years. By the end of the war they had advanced deep into German territory with some sources crediting elements of the division as being the first to reach the famous Eagle's nest

The song was performed to Leclerc in 1945 at the Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye. It is played on anniversaries of Strasbourg's liberation.