DESERTED THE FOREIGN LEGION

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 104, 26 January 1935, Page 18

DESERTED THE FOREIGN LEGION

Behind a charge of landing at Folkestone without the permission of the 1 immigration authorities preteired at I Dundee against an electrician, Emile Destrobecq, aged 26, a native of Aath, Belgium, was an interesting story. | Just over two years ago Destrobecq I quarrelled with his wife, and in a fit I of temper left home. Crossing from j Belgium into France he enlisted in the I Foreign Legion, and was immediately I dispatched to Algiers. He tired of the I rigorous life of a legionnaire, and when | he heard of the birth of hi;- child he I decided to make his escape and go back to Belgium. Twice lie tried to get awav. but on each occasion he failed, and was severely punished by sentences of solitary confinement in prison. Destrobecq stated through an interpreter that when he decided to make his third attempt to escape be managed to get to the coast, where be stowed away in a ship, ami landed at Port Vendres on the Spanish-French frontier. He then made straight for the Belgian frontier, but although he attempted to re-enter his-native country from numerous points he failed to do so “The Belgian frontier is now so well guarded,” stated Destrobecq, "that a mouse could . scarcely get through without being seen.” Destrobecq then made up his mind to get into Belgian through Britain By

purchasing the return half of a ticket to England from a French rai-way porter for 100 francs, he got across the Channel, landing at Folkestone with £1 in his possession. He added that so far as he could see French railway porters and others transacted a brisk business in selling return-half tickets to England at exorbitant prices. The Belgian said he met another man on tramp in Hyde Park who was able to speak French and a little Flemish Together they decided to make tor Scotland. By getting lifts tn motorlorries and doing odd jobs he succeeded in getting there without being ques tinned by the authorities. As a result of subsequent inquiries, however, be was traced to a lodging-house in Dun dee. Had he not been apprehended, continued Destrobecq, it was his intention to obtain casual employment and save enough to take him to his wife and child in Belgium. The sheriff decided to recommend Destrobeeq’s deportation to Belgium, and ordered him to be detained until arrangements had been made. Destrobecq. on being acquainted of the Court’s decision, smiled to the Bencli and expressed his thanks. And. so, after many adventures, be is to go back to his deserted wife and see. for the first time, his child.