French Foreign Legion

[dimond]

cause there not french , there basicaly a legal merc army, why send ur own troops into battle when u can send the undesirable of other countrys to fight for u. for every legionnare who dies thats 1 french mother happy knowing its not her son.
( example: hitler would have proberly won the war if he could have convinced the jews to fight for him insted of trying to wipe them out, he could have used them as disposable troops on the front line, if they lost the battle or won hed still have been happy, hed have freed up the troops running the camps and still have a force large enough to hold us back. )

[BenChug]

The legion doesn't muck around once applying you know within 24 hours whether your accepted or not, its just tests, physical, medical in or cut team. Then you go and become a psychopathic tool for the frogs, boo-yah.

[Midshipman786]

yeah how do u know whos what? half of them probably murderes and rapists on the run for all u know...

mind u i suppose if ur on the run thats what ud do as well

[stinkypinky]

legion first,france second,everyone else distant third. then again you do get wine with your meals,sign me up (then again i am scottish and like a bevvy)

[Jock Love]

Loyalty is to the Legion.
Only lost one tooth(to the dentist).

Don't forget Flby smk wp 3 rds amc ffe.

[Oakers]

I knew quite a few lads who had come from the Legion into the Corps. Usually pretty good blokes as well. There was one lad Mossop who was about 4ft tall and 5ft wide, perfect gentleman, hard as nails and had more medals than the his training team when he was a nod!

[harry hackedoff]

Hello Mr Love nice to see you again.
Their motto is "Legio Patria" which means the Leg iron is my Country.
There have been a few Royals who went to/came from( or both) and we have been here before. Use search, give me a minute and I`ll post a link.
General idea is that the Deuxiemme Regiment Etranger, Parachutiste, are bloody good. They would be,given the high percentage of ex Marines and Paras who make up the bulk of NCO`s. The rest of them, less so. They do firmly believe in "Once in, never out" to an extent which puts the MoD to shame.
Back in a mo

[harry hackedoff]

Here is one link, there are a few others
viewtopic.php?t=558&start=0
On page two I posted,
Evening all,
as promised, I visited the Legion`s museum at Aubagne just outside Marseilles. This used to be the last unit on French soil that recruits stayed at before embarking to Sidi-bel-Abbes and the Saharan desert.
The museum is in a part of what is now their admin H.Q.
Entry is free, but they do have articles for sale most of which were shite, no offence.
I did purchase their version of the Globe and Buster which is named after their famous white hat. Called "Le Kepi Blanc", it was an eye-opener, but more about that later.
In the car park were several vehicles, the most interesting( to me ) were a Panhard armoured car,a White Half-track of 1944 vintage and an unknown A.P.C. based on a Sov T55 chassis. All of which looked like they had been abandoned there and certainly are not being maintained. Which is a pity as the "White" looked in pretty fair nick. The Panhard was one of the rare successes of the French tank industry, armed with a 75mm gun in a fairly low turret and capable of a high cross country speed. What was unusual on this vehicle was two, of it`s four axles, carryed metal road wheels and the other two axles had rubber tyres which could be re-inflated whilst on the move. Point is, if I didn`t know this already, there was nothing to tell me what it was that I was looking at.
Inside, at the sales desk I struck up a conversation with a Sous-Serjent from Vietnam. Seems the Legion are suffering from the same under manning that affects everyone else these days. This kid had been in for twelve and was staying as long as they would let him. He had all of his familly in France and had married a local girl, they lived in quarters on the base. Imagine the Legion having married quarters!
Went round the rest of the museum and found it all pretty un-interesting(rather than boring). Looked everywhere for the wooden hand of Lofty Danjou. Saw loads of paintings depicting the action in Cameroone,Mexico, for which this guy is famous. But not a sign of the box with his mit in. So, off downstairs to me new mate, (who`s first name sounds like" G`dungg")for a bit of help.
When I mentioned "le main de bois de Capitaine Danjou" this guy`s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He was astonished that I knew about such a treasure. Of course, I told him how all Royal Marines are taught the famous story from an early age( ) and he agreed to show me the box containing the wooden hand of our hero. Abandoning his post at the till with a defiant cry of "Firme!" he led me back upstairs to one end of the museum to a room containing all the names of the (French) officers who have died serving in the Legion. There, eight meters away behind the security cordone, was Danjou`s hand in it`s box.
G`dungg and I smilled knowingly at each other, he thought he was being inscrutable but it was yours truly who was truly inscrutable. For it was I who was thinking" what a load of shite, grasshopper"
All the time we were in the museum, they played a selection of Legion hits. You didn`t know there was such a thing? Bien sur m`sieur, starting with "Contra le Viet" in which our heroes got spanked at Dien Bien Phu in 1957. Basically, for not reading Tzun Tsu and his first rule of guerilla warfare, " never fight your enemy where he may win, but always fight him where he may lose" The Legion didn`t see the "come-on" for what it was and poured more and more guys into the biggest defeat in it`s history. The Viet- Minh of course, were happy to let them.
All this stuff is years old in my mind, if you are interested there are plenty of accurate books around.Ever present was Edith bleeding Piath with "no, non regret, Je regret ne rien" tell someone who gives a shit, you whining bitch, er no offence again.
The magazine had pics of 2REP in Norway looking very much like day trippers and not in the least professional. There were phots from their Commando course, yawn.What is obvious, from the mag, is the way that the Legion really do believe that "once in, never out" is the way it should be. Our Corps could learn something, here.
One thing that made I larf, in the Gulf War section they have a picture of Norman Storeman. The message on it says thanks boys or good luck or whatever.
It is addressed to "The Forran Legion."
Kermit hasn`t noticed this

Not in the same league as our museum, by a long way

Aye, Harry

[jonboy]

edit

[BenChug]

Well first off its my understanding that legion isn't exactly into taking in murders, rapists and bank robbers, like most fairly sensible people they understand that after the 4 years or whatever giving a repeat offender a new name and a free go at it in France is a bad idea. A criminal history may be overlooked if the offenses are minor but there are no guarantees.
Essentially meaning if France has a treaty to turn wanted men over good luck bailing out as legionaire. Its a hard life, they still have Corporal Punishment, but you'd have a good go.

[Midshipman786]

Well first off its my understanding that legion isn't exactly into taking in murders, rapists and bank robbers, like most fairly sensible people they understand that after the 4 years or whatever giving a repeat offender a new name and a free go at it in France is a bad idea. A criminal history may be overlooked if the offenses are minor but there are no guarantees.
Essentially meaning if France has a treaty to turn wanted men over good luck bailing out as legionaire. Its a hard life, they still have Corporal Punishment, but you'd have a good go.

hold on how do they know about ur past anyway?

[BenChug]

Well you still have to get into the country somehow, I don't know as i've never been to France, I'd imagine they'd find out who you are when you cross the border, or do a criminal record check under your original name as it doesn't take that long unless you check what the little red dots mean.

[Jock Love]

Well I never tell anyone to do anything these days. But I would recommend for some of you to go and see for your self what it is like in the Legion.i.e. Enlist.
The deuxime bureau check on all who join.
No murderers,thieves or political dissedents accepted.
It must have been sometime since you visited the museum.
Veitnam was some time ago now. Most couldn't give a toss whether you knew about 1831 or not.
I seem to remember that the museum was a ground floor as such access to the public.
I last visited there in 1978.
I was a Cpl. at RILE.
Legion Hits is very apt they teach you the Marching songs in the depot, hitting you till you know the words, and can sing in tune.
It maybe Shite in your eyes, but I don't think that you are qualified to comment being as you only visited on a single trippers day pass.


Ps while I was there my best mate was an ex Royal Cpl.Woody Kay.
My other mate Kelton was from 29 and he and I set off to join together.

[Sticky Blue]

the Marching songs in the depot

Saw the Frenchies at Birmingham. They marched off singing the song at a and slow regal pace. I don't have a clue what they were singing about but they marched tall and were full of pride. Hairs on the back of my neck were stuck right out. It is an awsome sight but an even better sound!

[harry hackedoff]

It maybe Shite in your eyes, but I don't think that you are qualified to comment being as you only visited on a single trippers day pass.

I was refering to the museum. It was shite and I don`t think I could manage a whole day.

It must have been sometime since you visited the museum,I last visited there in 1978.

Yes it must be nearly twelve months ago.
I know the Legion`s involvement in Vietnam ended late fifties, the Sgt manning the till in the shop was Vietnamese.
Aye,