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| life in the french foreign legion: Life in the French Foreign Legion Evan McGorman, 2010 Forget all your preconceptions about the French Foreign Legion. Many of the legends you grew up with no longer apply, so whatever you've heard probably does not reflect the reality of service today. Evan McGorman explains in detail how to apply to get into this elite corps, what to expect if accepted, and how to make the most of the experience. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Legionnaire Simon Murray, 2007-12-18 “A pleasure to read and nearly impossible to put down.” –Army Times “Embodies an experience that many have enjoyed in fantasy–few in reality.” –The Washington Post The French Foreign Legion–mysterious, romantic, deadly–is filled with men of dubious character, and hardly the place for a proper Englishman just nineteen years of age. Yet in 1960, Simon Murray traveled alone to Paris, Marseilles, and ultimately Algeria to fulfill the toughest contract of his life: a five-year stint in the Legion. Along the way, he kept a diary. Legionnaire is a compelling, firsthand account of Murray’s experience with this legendary band of soldiers. This gripping journal offers stark evidence that the Legion’s reputation for pushing men to their breaking points and beyond is well deserved. In the fierce, sun-baked North African desert, strong men cracked under brutal officers, merciless training methods, and barbarous punishments. Yet Murray survived, even thrived. For he shared one trait with these hard men from all nations and backgrounds: a determination never to surrender. “The drama, excitement, and color of a good guts-and-glory thriller.” –Dr. Henry Kissinger |
| life in the french foreign legion: The French Foreign Legion Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage, 2007-12-25 This book gives the reader a straightforward and continuous survey of the history of the French Foreign Legion. By outlining the Legion's vicissitudes, victorious campaigns, epic marches, heroic and sometimes hopeless stands, dirtiest combats and dramatic defeats, but also by briefly placing the Legion back in the historical background of France, and by describing its development, organization, uniforms, equipments and weapons, the author hopes to dispel myths, and try to give a true and accurate picture of what the French Foreign Legion has been from 1831 until today. There are well-researched, detailed line drawings throughout. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Diary of a Legionnaire Gareth Carins, 2007-10-01 After finishing university but not ready to settle down, Gareth Carins joined the French Foreign Legion in 1996 and served for five years in their elite Parachute Regiment. He experienced at first hand the extremes of human nature, witnessing both the brutal cruelty shown by some Legionnaires in the name of tradition, to the personal sacrifices shown by others. Along the way he met many of the fascinating characters that come from all corners of the world to serve in the ranks of the Foreign Legion. Diary of a Legionnaire is a candid and eye opening insight into this mysterious army, told through Gareth's exciting and at times humorous adventures during the first eighteen months of his service, as we follow him from the brutality of basic training, to the realities of combat in the jungles of West Africa |
| life in the french foreign legion: Mouthful of Rocks Christian Jennings, 1991 |
| life in the french foreign legion: The French Foreign Legion Douglas Porch, 2010-11-01 The French Foreign Legion is a complete, captivating study of the famed fighting force, from its inception in 1831 to modern times. Historian Douglas Porch chronicles the Legion’s involvement in Spain, Mexico, Indochina, Madagascar, WWI, Vietnam, and Algiers (to name a few) and delves into the inner workings of legionnaires and their captains. Known for draconian discipline and shrouded in mystery, the secrets of the Legion are guarded by those who have gained admittance into its elite society. In this thoroughly researched and impressive account, Porch reveals the mysteries surrounding a Legion of “unparalleled exoticism, pathos, and drama.” |
| life in the french foreign legion: Fighting for the French Foreign Legion Alex Lochrie, 2013 A rare and graphic insight into soldiering with the famous French Foreign Legion. A contemporary account covering active service with the Legion in Iraq, Bosnia and Chad. |
| life in the french foreign legion: The French Foreign Legion Douglas Boyd, 2010-01 The French Foreign Legion is an extraordinary and unique army, specifically created for foreign nationals wishing to serve in the French Armed Forces, but commanded by French officers. For nearly two centuries, adventure seekers or men on the run from all around the globe have found a home in the Foreign Legion and shed blood for France. In this book, author Douglas Boyd has been given unrivalled access to the Legion to tell its story from its inception in the 1830s, when it was primarily used to protect and expand the French colonial empire during the nineteenth century, but it has also fought in almost all French wars including the Franco-Prussian War and both World Wars. The Legion is today known as an elite military unit whose training focuses not only on traditional military skills, but also on its strong esprit de corps. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Legion of the Lost Jaime Salazar, 2016-01-19 Revised edition, with a new foreword and afterword from the author. 'From an air-conditioned Chicago office, Mr. Salazar took the express elevator straight to hell. Legion of the Lost is his story, the improbable, very funny tale of a sensitive, bookish child of Mexican immigrants who walked away from a promising career and, for romantic reasons, threw in his lot with a motley assortment of thugs, drunks, drug abusers and desperate refugees from the far corners of the earth. And those are the ones giving orders.' New York Times 'A story of horrifying institutionalised cruelty and incredible suffering, tempered with extraordinary camaraderie and mind-boggling fortitude. Legion of the Lost lays to rest romantic myths about the French Foreign Legion forever.' Google Books 'After about a year in corporate America, Jaime Salazar realized he wanted more in life. He wanted more than a big paycheck and a BMW. Salazar is a born adventurer and romantic and was not content with his job with Siemens in Chicago, where he was part of the technical sales teams. His ideals led him to the French Foreign Legion.' The Purdue Exponent 'A colorful, detailed, and brisk account of the blood, beatings, binge drinking, racism, and occasional satisfaction and pride from his time with the Legion. Salazar's prose marches along like a fit Legionnaire, largely un-ornamented yet getting the job done quickly and effectively, with all the dirt, swearing, and gunpowder one would expect from a military memoir. Legion of the Lost should prompt serious reflection about commitment, discipline, meaning, and purpose in life.' Good Reads No army is more surrounded by mystery, romance, and admiration than the French Foreign Legion. King Louis Philippe II created the Foreign Legion in 1831 as a way to rid France of penniless immigrants and others considered a liability to the French establishment. The Foreign Legion still exists today as an elite army of modern mercenaries from around the world, in the service of la France. Considered a haven for the dregs of society, joining the Foreign Legion was rumoured to be simple, but it wasn't. Getting out of the Foreign Legion, as Salazar soon realised, proved impossible. So what was an engineering professional doing in the Legion of the Damned? For those Dostoevsky calls the insulted and the injured, men of character who seek adventure in the most obscure places, the Legion offers refuge. After surrendering his passport, and with it, any human rights, the Legion gave Salazar a new name and life. Even after finishing four months of what the Legion calls instruction, Salazar realized that his existence wasn't like that of Gary Cooper in Beau Geste. It was more a primitive life of beatings, marches, fanatical discipline, and sadistic NCOs. Idealists looking for a new beginning come to the Legion, but only the toughest, and cruelest are left to wear the Legion headdress, the kepi blanc. Once enlisted, there are three ways to leave the Legion: finishing one's five-year contract, disability, or leaving in a box. While serving a term in Legion prison, Salazar came up with a fourth solution - escape. |
| life in the french foreign legion: My Camp J. R. Lawrence, 2017-07-14 Follow the story of a young man, who, through a chance encounter in prison, leaves his life of crime and joins the ranks of one of the world's toughest fighting forces.J. R. Lawrence served in the 3rd company of the parachute regiment (2REP) from 2007 - 2011.The author served in the Foreign Legion during the War on Terror period and the book includes a chapter on the war in Afghanistan. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Voices of the Foreign Legion Adrian D. Gilbert, 2010-04-06 The French Foreign Legion has established a reputation as the most formidable of military forces. Created as a means of protecting French interests abroad, the legion spearheaded French colonialism in North Africa during the nineteenth century. Accepting volunteers from all parts of the world, the legion acquired an aura of mystery—and a less than enviable reputation for brutality within its ranks. Attracting recruits from all over the world, these new soldiers explain in their own words why they submitted themselves to such brutal training. Voices of the Foreign Legion looks at how the legion selects its recruits, where they come from, and why they seek a life of incredible hardship and danger. It also analyzes the legion’s strict attitude toward discipline, questions why desertion is a perennial problem, and assesses the legion’s military achievements since its formation in 1831. Its scope ranges from the conquest of the colonies in Africa and the Far East, through the horrors of the two World Wars, to the bitter but ultimately hopeless battles to maintain France’s imperial possessions. |
| life in the french foreign legion: French Foreign Legion 1831–71 Martin Windrow, 2016-12-15 Concluding his bestselling series on the French Foreign Legion, Martin Windrow explores the formation and development of the Legion during its 'first generation'. Raised in 1831, the Legion's formative years would see it fight continuous and savage campaigns in Algeria, aid the Spanish government in the Carlist War, join the British in the Crimean campaign and fight alongside the Swiss in the bloody battles of Magenta and Solferino. With the ever-changing combat environments they found themselves in, the Legion had to constantly adapt in order to survive. Taking advantage of the latest research, this lavishly illustrated study explores the evolution of the uniforms and kit of the French Foreign Legion, from their early campaigns in Algeria through to their iconic Battle of Camerone in Mexico and their role in the Franco-Prussian war. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Marching with the Devil David Mason, 2011-09-27 `Since its creation in 1831, the French Foreign Legion has become the stuff of myth, fiction and dreams... Anyone thinking of joining up would be well advised to read this book first? - The Sun Herald A real-life boy's own adventure, Marching With The Devil is an account of David Mason's five years in the infamous French Foreign Legion. David Mason graduated from the Australian National University with a law degree and an honours degree. Like those around him, he could easily have settled for a life of share portfolios, good suits, new cars and big houses. But David wanted more ? he wanted a challenge, an adventure, something beyond the ordinary that would test him physically and mentally. He looked around to see what he could do. Working in an open-cut mine . . . done that. Running a marathon . . . hmm, not hard enough. Climbing Everest . . . maybe? Joining the French Foreign Legion . . . perfect! Marching With The Devil is the gripping true story of what happened when an Australian lawyer left his comfortable existence and joined the legendary French Foreign Legion. He stayed for five years and served time in the elite Parachute Regiments. With the motto 'March or Die', the legion has a history of pain, grief and glory. David Mason takes us behind the myth to reveal exactly what happens: the adventure, the danger, the drinking, the fighting and the lies that sustain the legend.fore the final choice must be made. `Remarkable... It's hard not to think it a shame that a man of such obvious gifts should have wasted them on the legion, just so as not to have to feel like a quitter, even if this book was the result? - The Age `Marching with the Devil quickly turns into an insightful and honest account of an unpretentious Aussie's experiences in one of the most ramshackle and soul-destroying military organisations on Earth? - Courier Mail `A strangely compulsive read about one man?s quest for self knowledge? - Men's Health Magazine `Mason left a comfortable life in Australia to test himself in the crucible of the legion, and he writes about it 20 years after his service time necessary to give himself the distance and context he needed to write about an extraordinary and painful experience? - Sunday Mail Brisbane |
| life in the french foreign legion: Beau Geste Percival Christopher Wren, 2020-09-28 In the first place, there was the old standing trouble about the Shuwa Patrol; in the second, the truculent Chiboks were waxing insolent again, and their young men were regarding not the words of their elders concerning Sir Garnet Wolseley, and what happened, long, long ago, after the battle of Chibok Hill. Thirdly, the price of grain had risen to six shillings a saa, and famine threatened; fourthly, the Shehu and Shuwa sheiks were quarrelling again; and, fifthly, there was a very bad smallpox ju-ju abroad in the land (a secret society whose secret was to offer His Majesty's liege subjects the choice between being infected with smallpox, or paying heavy blackmail to the society). Lastly, there was acrimonious correspondence with the All-Wise Ones (of the Secretariat in Aiki Square at Zungeru), who, as usual, knew better than the man on the spot, and bade him do either the impossible or the disastrous. And across all the Harmattan was blowing hard, that terrible wind that carries the Saharan dust a hundred miles to sea, not so much as a sand-storm, but as a mist or fog of dust as fine as flour, filling the eyes, the lungs, the pores of the skin, the nose and throat; getting into the locks of rifles, the works of watches and cameras, defiling water, food and everything else; rendering life a burden and a curse. The fact, moreover, that thirty days' weary travel over burning desert, across oceans of loose wind-blown sand and prairies of burnt grass, through breast-high swamps, and across unbridged boatless rivers, lay between him and Kano, added nothing to his satisfaction. For, in spite of all, satisfaction there was, inasmuch as Kano was rail-head, and the beginning of the first stage of the journey Home. That but another month lay between him and leave out of Africa, kept George Lawrence on his feet. From that wonderful and romantic Red City, Kano, sister of Timbuktu, the train would take him, after a three days' dusty journey, to the rubbish-heap called Lagos, on the Bight of Benin of the wicked West African Coast. There he would embark on the good ship Appam, greet her commander, Captain Harrison, and sink into a deck chair with that glorious sigh of relief, known in its perfection only to those weary ones who turn their backs upon the Outposts and set their faces towards Home. Meantime, for George Lawrence--disappointment, worry, frustration, anxiety, heat, sand-flies, mosquitoes, dust, fatigue, fever, dysentery, malarial ulcers, and that great depression which comes of monotony indescribable, weariness unutterable, and loneliness unspeakable. |
| life in the french foreign legion: French Foreign Legion Martin Windrow, 2013-08-20 Men of action and elite soldiers with a young and dynamic spirit, the French Foreign Legion are capable of doing their duty anywhere anytime. Martin Windrow's superb text examines the history of this famous force from the end of the Second World War onward. This first class addition to the Men-at-Arms series not only contains the usual wealth of accompanying photographs and illustrations, including eight full page colour plates by Mike Chappell, but is extended by a further 16 pages, allowing the author to display the full range of his expert knowledge, including 11 pages devoted to uniforms. |
| life in the french foreign legion: The Naked Soldier Tony Sloane, 2006 This powerful look at the French Foreign Legion exploresnbsp;the authors'nbsp;experiences with the brutalities, adventure, destruction, danger, and criminal encounters over his five years of service in this dehumanizing regime. Well known as the most notorious, bloody, and ruthless band of mercenaries in the world, in 1998 the Legion accepted Tony Sloane at the age of 18, inviting him as an elite member of this secret and mysterious fighting force. The legend and the myths of the Legion captivated Sloane and he quickly learned that life as a legionnaire was not just about physical training, but also about pledging mind and soul to the missions and operations. |
| life in the french foreign legion: The 88 Laws of the Masculine Mindset John Winters, 2018-08-23 Powerful Mindset Principles Combined With Real World Practical Information To Transform Your Life: The 88 Laws of The Masculine Mindset This book is not like other books. It is written and designed to be practical and useful. The Problem with most self-help books is that people get bored and don't finish them. This book can be started at any chapter and can be read as you see fit. The book is a collection of the most important mindset and personal development laws or guidelines for men. The laws are listed from 1-88. The format allows you to load up 88 important ideas into your mind very quickly. This book is designed to be an introduction to all of the most valuable personal development ideas I have used to change and improve my own life. If you had 1 hour to find the most important ideas to change your life, then this book will help you achieve that goal. We live in a world that is out of balance and one big reason for that is the lack of mindset control. Your mindset is the software you load into your mind. If you don't take conscious control over that then you might find yourself ending up at a place you did not want to be. Most people on this planet just go with the flow and have no idea that they are going in the wrong direction in life. They are being affected by outside influences and don't even know it. When you understand and accept this reality then you can change it. You can take your power back. You can start living life on your own terms. So if you want to change your life or improve your current position then this book will help you get there. Inside this book You Will Learn: The Masculine Approach To Living The Most Important Choice Of Your Life How To Take Control Of Your Mind How To Change Your Current Reality How To Start Winning In Life The Things You Have To Change To Become Successful How Your Habits Control Your Life Why You Have To Believe In Yourself How To Live With Purpose How To Transform Your Life How To Live Free Much, much more! |
| life in the french foreign legion: Hidden Soldier Padraig O'Keeffe, Ralph Riegel, 2013-08-16 Pádraig O'Keeffe joined the elite and secretive French Foreign Legion at the age of twenty, seeking a challenge that would absorb his interests and intensity. He served with the Legion in Cambodia and Bosnia, then returned to civilian life, but military habits would not allow him to settle. His need for intense excitement and extreme danger drove him back to the lifestyle he knew and loved, and using his Legion training, he became a 'hidden soldier' by opting for security missions in Iraq and Haiti. In Iraq he was the sole survivor of an ambush in no man's land between Abu Ghraib and Fallujah, the most dangerous place on earth. An intense, exciting and vivid account of extraordinary and sometimes horrific events, Hidden Soldier lifts the veil on the dark and shadowy world of security contractors and what the situation is really like in Iraq as well as other trouble spots. This bestseller also includes photographs taken by Padraig O'Keeffe while he was a Legionnaire and when he was in Iraq. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Love, Life and the Legion Allen Stokes, 2017-06-24 This is a selection of poetry from my time in the hospital and the experiences that led me to be admitted to the hospital, i.e., childhood abuse, the French foreign legion operation desert storm, Operation Desert Shield in Iraq in 1991, and my depression and mental illness and post-traumatic stress disorder following these experiences. |
| life in the french foreign legion: A Soldier of the Legion George Manington, 1907 |
| life in the french foreign legion: The Legion of the Damned Bennett Jeffries Doty, 1928 |
| life in the french foreign legion: Wayward Legionnaire James William Worden, 1991 |
| life in the french foreign legion: The Making of a Legionnaire Bill Parris, 2007-04-01 A British soldier reveals what it takes to serve in the elite French Foreign Legion Penniless, divorced and AWOL from the British forces, Bill Parris volunteered for the French Foreign Legion in the early 1980s. Unlike many British volunteers to the Legion, Bill did not desert. He endured a horrendous training regime and, despite a fear of heights (!) joined the elite Foreign Legion Parachute Regiment. This is more than a war story - it is a personal journey too, as Bill comes to terms with his own inner demons. His five years' service included brutal combat in Rwanda and Chad, events that still trigger nightmares. But he emerged as a man at peace with himself, and with a story to tell. |
| life in the french foreign legion: French Foreign Légionnaire 1890–1914 Martin Windrow, 2011-08-20 As France emerged from the Franco-Prussian War she embarked on a period of active colonialism, acquiring territories in South-East Asia and Africa. By the turn of the century much of north, west and central Africa was under French control. In order to police all of these territories, the French needed an army and so the French Foreign Legion was born. In this book, world-renowned Legion expert Martin Windrow analyses what it would have been like to be a member of the French Foreign Legion and how the experience, equipment, tactics and training of the Legion developed in the 80 years between their foundation and the outbreak of the First World War. He investigates their glory years in North Africa and Indochina, and draws extensively on memoirs from two British legionnaires, peppering the text with extraordinary first-hand accounts of the French Foreign Legion. |
| life in the french foreign legion: In the Foreign Legion Erwin Rosen, 1910 |
| life in the french foreign legion: The Tigers of Tonkin Andrew Mitchell, 2019-07-04 Told here for the first time in English is the story of the French Foreign Legion and the part they played in the colonial campaigns in Tonkin in Indochina between the years 1883 and 1945. The book weaves the complexities of the initial colonization campaigns of the late 19th century, the battles against the Black Flags and Chinese before moving into the early 20th century which saw the legion involved in actions against pirates, rebels, nationalists and communists. The book goes on to cover the daily life for the Legionnaires as well as their restructuring and enlargement. Also, covered are the building works undertaken by the Legionnaires including roads, summer stations and barracks. The 1941 war with Thailand and the Lang Son incident are told in great detail as is the Japanese coup in March 1945, the subsequent battles involved which virtually destroyed the 5th Regiment and finally their retreat into China. Packed with over 70 unpublished photographs. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Here is Your War Ernie Pyle, 2004-01-01 A wonderful and enduring tribute to American troops in the Second World War, Here Is Your War is Ernie Pyle?s story of the soldiers? first campaign against the enemy in North Africa. With unequaled humanity and insight, Pyle tells how peopleøfrom a cross-section of America?ranches, inner cities, small mountain farms, and college towns?learned to fight a war. The Allied campaign and ultimate victory in North Africa was built on blood, brave deeds, sacrifice and needless loss, exotic vistas, endurance, homesickness, and an unmistakable American sense of humor. It?s all here?the suspenseful landing at Oran; the risks taken daily by fighter and bomber pilots; grim, unrelenting combat in the desert and mountains of Tunisia; a ferocious tank battle that ended in defeat for the inexperienced Americans; and the final victory at Tunis. Pyle?s keen observations relate the full story of ordinary G.I.s caught up in extraordinary times. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Soldiers of the Legion John Bowe, 1918 |
| life in the french foreign legion: Life in the French Foreign Legion Evan McGorman, 2007 Known for its austerity and discipline, deprivation and sacrifice, the French Foreign Legion is perhaps the most intriguing and famous fighting force in the world. Five years is a long time to commit to anything - especially when your life is at stake. In Life in the French Foreign Legion, Evan McGorman writes about his personal experiences between 1989 and 1994 during his time with the elite corps. He discusses every aspect of Legion life including the pros and cons of desertion. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Tomorrow to Be Brave Susan Travers, 2000 Susan Travers dreamed of an adventurous life, but had little chance of it until the Second World War destroyed her cafe society world and freed her from the bonds of her privileged but stifling upbringing. Leaving her peripatetic, party-girl lifestyle behind her, she drank a last cocktail at her friend Gladys's chateau, locked the door behind her and walked into history. Here for the first time, the life story of the only woman to fight for the French Legion is one that few dare to even imagine. Born to a life of privilege, Susan spends her childhood longing for excitement. After being expelled from finishing school for being too interested in men, she signed up with the Free French in 1940 and sailed to Africa where she traveled the country fighting the war and taking on lovers, eventually becoming a driver to General Koenig of the Foreign Legion. He was to become her lover and the man for whom she would risk everything. A military leader of Olympian detach, he was in private a sensitive soul, sharing poetry with Susan, including the piece from which the title of the book is taken, Tomorrow To Be Brave. He was also the man who helped change the face of Rommel's North African campaign. At the great siege of Bir Hakeim, the general's troops were surrounded for fifteen days by Rommel's Panzer division. Susan refused to leave the General's side and evetually, at the wheel of his car, led the convoy of vehicles and men across the minefields as part of a daring mass breakout. Hailed as the heroine of the night, Susan was rewarded with the love and loyalty of the legion with whom she served as its only official female member ever. In 1997 in a simple ceremony attended by the few remaining survivors of the corps with which she fought, the Legion presented Susan Travers, now a frail 88 year old, with the Legion d'Honneur--their highest award for bravery. She lives quietly to this day in a modest nursing home outside Paris where only a very few know what circuitous and fantastic a path led her there--until now. |
| life in the french foreign legion: The Bugle Sounds: Life in the Foreign Legion Major Zinovi Pechkoff, 2012-04-03 No military unit - not even the SAS - has been more glamourised, fictionalised, or been the subject of more myth-making than the French Foreign Legion. But despite the hype, quality first-hand accounts of life in the ranks of France's cosmopolitan elite colonial force are relatively rare. This is one of the finest of that select group. It is the work of the adopted son of the famous Russian writer Maxim Gorki. Pechkoff served in the Legion during the Great War, and later in North Africa. He was on peacekeeping duties in Algeria, and fought in the Rif Wars of the 1920s against the forces of the great tribal guerilla leader Abd-el-Krim. This memoir is based on the author's diaries, and was written while he was recovering from wounds in a hospital in the Moroccan capital, Rabat. Pechkoff gives vivid accounts of his rough, tough Legion comrades, and of fierce military action. He was one of a special 'Group Mobile' assigned to relieving Legion outposts besieged by the Rif rebels, and his accounts of the fighting pays tribute to the heroism of both sides. A first-class military memoir which gives the truth behind the romantic 'Beau Geste' image, this book has a foreword by the famous French writer Andre Maurois, a map of Morocco, the music for the legion’s anthem 'Marche de la Legion Etrangere', a frontispiece drawing of a Legionairre, and an appendix giving a brief history of the Legion from its foundation in 1831. A 'must-have' book for all lovers of the Legion and its literature, and for all students of desert and guerilla warfare. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Devil's Guard George R. Elford, 1995-03 |
| life in the french foreign legion: Our Friends Beneath the Sands Martin Windrow, 2010-04-29 The gripping true story of the French Foreign Legion in the Sahara. Ever since the 1920s the popular legend of the French Foreign Legion has been formed by P.C. Wren's novel BEAU GESTE - a world of remote forts, warrior tribes, and desperate men of all nationalities enlisting under pseudonyms to fight and die under the desert sun. As with all clichés, the reality is far richer and more surprising than this. In this book Martin Windrow describes desert battles and famous last stands in gripping detail - but he also shows exactly what the Foreign Legion were doing in North Africa in the first place. He explains how French colonial methods there actually had their roots in the jungles of Vietnam, and how the political pressures that kept the empire expanding can be traced to battles on the streets of Paris itself. His description of the Berber tribesmen of Morocco also reveals some disturbing modern parallels: the formidable guerrillas of the 1920s were inspired by an Islamic fundamentalist who was adept at using the world's media to further his cause. Martin Windrow's previous book THE LAST VALLEY received fabulous reviews across the English-speaking world. This unique book, which is the first to examine the 'golden age' of the Foreign Legion has followed suit. |
| life in the french foreign legion: The White Kepi Walter Kanitz, 2017-06-28 Heroic figures galloping across the loose sands of the Sahara, their flowing white kepis a symbol of the highest romance and adventure...or murderers and human derelicts, rejected by society and hunted by the police, seeking escape from prison in the ranks of the Légion Étrangère? Neither picture—so commonly held by the general public—is even partially accurate, writes Walter Kanitz. During World War II, Walter Kanitz fought with the Foreign Legion in Africa. He has done a vast amount of research and reading about the Legion, and has made every possible effort to check his facts. His book represents the first comprehensive and objective history of the French Foreign Legion since its inception in 1831 by the royal decree of Louis Philippe. For the better part of its history, the Foreign Legion, remote, fascinating, somewhat sinister, has been shrouded in mystery. It has been called everything from “Desert Carrion” to the “Legion of Beggars.” It was often said that “dogs bark when the Legion passes.” Yet, in battle, the Légionnaires are famed for a courage and heroism that knows no fear of death. They are considered by most professional soldiers to be, as a unit, the best fighting force in the world. When a new recruit applies for enlistment, he is made to wait 24 hours to reconsider his decision. The ranks are made up of men of all nationalities—Germans, Poles, Czechs, Slavs, Spaniards, Americans. It is the only army in existence today made up of mercenaries who have voluntarily signed to serve five years for the government of France. The discipline is harsh and the pay meager. The call to battle has taken Legion units from Mexico to Norway, from China to Morocco. Outside of battle, life consists of infinite boredom broken only by alcohol and an occasional woman. And yet, says ex-Legionnaire Kanitz, “Qu’importe, quand la Légion passe, que les chiens viennent aboyer après d’elle! Vive la Légion!” |
| life in the french foreign legion: Memoirs of the Foreign Legion Maurice Magnus, 2022-12 Maurice Magnus was 39 years old when he enlisted in the French Foreign Legion to join the fight against Germany in World War I. Magnus was an American expatriot living in Rome-a theatrical agent, tutor, newspaper correspondent, writer, editor, and literary entrepreneur. He soon discovered his error-the Legion he found consisted largely of German exiles, prison-avoiding felons, and contemptuous French officers. Magnus spent about six weeks training in North Africa before a transfer to southern France provided the opportunity to desert and flee back to Italy. The Memoirs recounts his brief disenchanted tenure as a Legionnaire. After his military service his various enterprises had little success, and in 1920 a run of bad checks caused him to skip from Italy to Malta. Traced there eventually by the authorities, he faced extradition for charges of fraud and in desperation committed suicide. His acquaintances Norman Douglas and D. H. Lawrence prepared his Memoirs of the Foreign Legion for publication, hoping to clear the debts he left behind, and Lawrence wrote a long unflattering introduction. In the present volume the Memoirs is printed first, so readers have an unprejudiced experience of the text with Lawrence's essay following for additional context. Magnus's narrative contains offensive language. Some passages in his manuscript describing homosexual incidents that were excised by the original publisher are restored in this edition. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina, 1927-1945 Andrew J. Mitchell, 2020-09-29 A Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina offers a rare insight into the Legion in Indochina, and with captions, captures the seldom seen way of life of the Legionnaire in Tonkin. The photos cover the companies, maneuvers, the support units which help the battalion function, the barracks and finally, colour plates of the insignia and uniforms worn by the Legionnaires in Indochina. |
| life in the french foreign legion: A Moi la Legion Paul de Pierres, 2016-08-31 Service details, anecdotes, photos and documents of Australians in the French Foreign Legion 1850-2010 |
| life in the french foreign legion: The French Foreign Legion Jean-Denis G.G. Lepage, 2016-04-18 This book gives the reader a straightforward and continuous survey of the history of the French Foreign Legion. By outlining the Legion's vicissitudes, victorious campaigns, epic marches, heroic and sometimes hopeless stands, dirtiest combats and dramatic defeats, but also by briefly placing the Legion back in the historical background of France, and by describing its development, organization, uniforms, equipments and weapons, the author hopes to dispel myths, and try to give a true and accurate picture of what the French Foreign Legion has been from 1831 until today. There are well-researched, detailed line drawings throughout. |
| life in the french foreign legion: Wayward Legionnaire James William Worden, 1988 |
The Dark Romance and Grim Reality of Life in the French Foreign Legion
Nov 12, 2012 · It’s the dark romance of the French Foreign Legion: haunted men from everywhere, fighting anywhere, dying for causes not their own. Legionnaires need war, …
Life in a regiment / Permissions and family life
Under what conditions are spent the first years at the Foreign Legion? LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The legionnaire is a fighter ready to go on a mission where France will …
How the French Foreign Legion changed my life
Dec 25, 2020 · Four short stories about how the French Foreign Legion changed my life. My story had begun in 2012, when I decided to make a little break between high school and university. I …
Life in the French Foreign Legion: My First Two Years as a …
May 10, 2023 · If you've ever wondered about the French Foreign Legion, or simply looking for a story that takes you on a journey like no other, this book is your ticket. Jump in and see what …
French Foreign Legion - Wikipedia
The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion étrangère, also known simply as la Légion, "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow foreign nationals into French service. …
Life in the French Foreign Legion - Archive.org
Apr 26, 2022 · Many of the legends you grew up with no longer apply, so whatever you've heard probably does not reflect the reality of service today. Evan McGorman explains in detail how to …
The Life and Times (and Guns) of a French Foreign Legionnaire
Sep 17, 2020 · Learn all about the French Foreign Legion from its history to selection, enlistment, and engagements. And don't forget about the guns!
I’ve passed a couple of years in the French Foreign Legion ... - Reddit
Mar 29, 2020 · I’m learning each day since I joined the French Foreign Legion, but the most useful moments are when I‘m not in the regiment. It was true, especially at the beginning. Each field …
Life after the French Foreign Legion – Opportunities and …
Apr 19, 2020 · Explore life after serving in the French Foreign Legion. Discover job opportunities and challenges that await after 5, 8, or more years of service.
Life after the Legion | a French Foreign Legion Forum
Dec 5, 2018 · Look at the bright side of things: you learnt French and you'll have some stories to tell your police buddies. I've always said that you get out of the Legion what you put into it. Live …
The Dark Romance and Grim Reality of Life in the French Foreign Legion
Nov 12, 2012 · It’s the dark romance of the French Foreign Legion: haunted men from everywhere, fighting anywhere, dying for causes not their own. Legionnaires need war, …
Life in a regiment / Permissions and family life
Under what conditions are spent the first years at the Foreign Legion? LIFE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The legionnaire is a fighter ready to go on a mission where France will …
How the French Foreign Legion changed my life
Dec 25, 2020 · Four short stories about how the French Foreign Legion changed my life. My story had begun in 2012, when I decided to make a little break between high school and university. I …
Life in the French Foreign Legion: My First Two Years as a …
May 10, 2023 · If you've ever wondered about the French Foreign Legion, or simply looking for a story that takes you on a journey like no other, this book is your ticket. Jump in and see what …
French Foreign Legion - Wikipedia
The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion étrangère, also known simply as la Légion, "the Legion") is a corps of the French Army created to allow foreign nationals into French service. …
Life in the French Foreign Legion - Archive.org
Apr 26, 2022 · Many of the legends you grew up with no longer apply, so whatever you've heard probably does not reflect the reality of service today. Evan McGorman explains in detail how to …
The Life and Times (and Guns) of a French Foreign Legionnaire
Sep 17, 2020 · Learn all about the French Foreign Legion from its history to selection, enlistment, and engagements. And don't forget about the guns!
I’ve passed a couple of years in the French Foreign Legion ... - Reddit
Mar 29, 2020 · I’m learning each day since I joined the French Foreign Legion, but the most useful moments are when I‘m not in the regiment. It was true, especially at the beginning. Each field …
Life after the French Foreign Legion – Opportunities and …
Apr 19, 2020 · Explore life after serving in the French Foreign Legion. Discover job opportunities and challenges that await after 5, 8, or more years of service.
Life after the Legion | a French Foreign Legion Forum
Dec 5, 2018 · Look at the bright side of things: you learnt French and you'll have some stories to tell your police buddies. I've always said that you get out of the Legion what you put into it. …
