THE FOREIGN LEGION

Hokitika Guardian, 29 April 1929, Page 7

THE FOREIGN LEGION

So many novels have been written around the Foreign Legion of France during the past year or so. that people arc asking what the Legion really is, bow it functions, and In.-.v it treats its rank and file. The following facts culled from official so m-m's. give an accurate description of t 1 is famous organisation.

I \\ tiie year 1831, a Belgian, who styled himself Huron de Boegard collected round him some four thousand soldiers of fortune and set sail foi Africa after swearing allegiance to I l 'ranee.

They wen* so po->r and ragged tha! the Arabs called them the Bedouin from France. They gave such a goo-T account of themselves, however, that n royal edict dated March 10, IF3I. sane tinned their incorporation in a Foreign Legion under the title of L Legion Etninwro in the pattern o! the Legion d’llolienlobe, which fougli at the time of the Restoration. Thr was the beginning of that l’amou band of adventurers, the Frond Foreign Legion. Popular fancy pic turns the regiment of strangers as tin last refuge of the waster and the criminal. This is tin* generally accepter view in Germany. The reason for the is not far to seek, for the proportion of German recruits exceeds that ol any other nationality (except tin French). They have also to their ere dit the largest number of deserter 1 from the Legion ranks. These mer have returned to the Fatherland with harrowing tales of suffering and illtreatment endured while serving un dor the tricolour. Most of those stor ies nro deliberate falsehoods put aboiU to gain a little cheap sympathy. At the same time, it may he stntod that lifo in the regiments is not exactly i bed of roses.

Discipline is severe in the extreme The training tests a man to the limi of his endurance and the pay—when compared with the that of other armies—is infinitesimal. What, then is the lure of the Legion, you may ask. There are many explanations. A Fai greater number than one would imagine join because of some affair of the heart. Others through pure love oi adventure. Some to regain the loss of their self-respect. A small proportion are undoubtedly ‘there through some offence against society, for no questions are asked about a man’s past when lie becomes a Legionnaire. But there is no better school in which to learn the job of soldiering, for the corps is always on service. 'l’he Legion remained as a scparati entity until 1864, when a decree was passed bringing them into the armies of the French Empire. In an unpretentious building in the Rue St. Dominique, Paris, the head recruiting offices for both regiments are housed. There, when a man presents himself for enlistment, he will be surprised to find that lie is not received with open arms. He is told by the grizzled veteran who presides, to go and think it over, If not frightened off, the would-be recruit will return, and having passed the doctor, will be sent to Oran, in Algeria, where the recruits are assembled.

The atmosphere of Oran is far more Spanish than either French or Oriental. For centuries it was a Spanish outpost and convict settlement, and at the present time a large proportion of the inhabitants are Spaniards. On their arrival at the fort, the newcomers are mustered for particulars of identification. They are asked their name, age, nationality, profession, and if any of them are musicians, the reason for this being that the Legion has a hand ranking second in point of merit among the armies of France.

Recruits are given the choice of joining the First Regiment, stationed at Sidi-bel-Alilies, or the Second Regiment, located at/ Saida. The former is easily lirsl favourite with the young soldiers, for Sidi-bel-Abbo’s is a gay place, with calcs and dance halls, and wine, too, is cheap in Algeria. Mere, the great baracks of the Isi Regiment cover more than two acres of ground. The city of the Legion has a population of thirty thousand. It is fifteen hundred feet above sea-level, and is embowered in gardens, trees, and vineyards. Its fertile fields in a wide valley are watered by the river of the Mekarra.

On their arrival at the barracks, Lite recruits arc greeted with shouts of derision -from the old Legionnaires. “Hero conie v ‘Los Blcus,’ ” they call out, and pass scathing remarks on the newcomers’ personal appearance. All this is simply meant as chaff and banter, and must lie accepted as sucli. f

On the second or third day after their arrival, the recruits are served out with new kits. The “fitting” of each man is a source of amusement to the old hands, who are ready to p nmee on the discarded clothes, and sell them to the' Arab dealers for a few francs. There are two meals a day for the Legionnaire, and the deadly monotony of the food is a source of constant irritation to the men. The new Legionnaire signs on for a period of five years. The most trying part of the life at the beginning is learning how to march; lor marching is a religion in the Legion. The recruit starts hv covering short distances, carrying only his arms. Gradually, this is increased until he is able to carry at least seventy pounds’ weight on his hack, and cover twentyfive to thirty miles day by day without interrupt i ni. at a pace of five kilometres an hour under a broiling African sun. This is the time when a man regrets the *la.v he set foot in the Lcd'Ui. Socks are not worn, hut the hoots supplied are. excellent, especially for marching. After a time the recruit

get used to these marches, and ceases to wish himself dead.

iron discipline is oniorced, anil the punishment meted out is unbelievably severe. “Ordinary arrest” is dreaded by every Legionnaire. Those undergoing one form of it are kept in confinement all the time, except when they are brought out to do six hours’ punishment drill daily. This consists of going round the prison-yard at the dull -Ic, with a bag containing thirty pounds of sand strapped 1 to the shoulders. The prisoner has to halt for a minute or two, and g) down on one knee every time be g ies round. It is rot a pretty sight to watch the agony of men undergoing this awful ordeal. The strongest collapse under it. The Legi n types are as interesting a-s they are varied. Home are not. easily forgotten.