# The French Foreign Legion - the last option for those desperate to escape the UK



## daftandbarmy

The French Foreign Legion - the last option for those desperate to escape the UK
Lost your job, your home, your business? Is the wife about to take you to the cleaners? Is that a county court judgement dropping through the letterbox? Life is getting harder for the poor, put-upon British male. Really, just how many Robert Peston two-ways can a man take? If only one could forget it all and start again. 

By Neil Tweedie
Last Updated: 11:33PM GMT 03 Dec 2008

The elite men-only fighting force draw troops from all over the world Photo: AP 
There is a way, of course – one tried and tested over 180 years. And it’s dead romantic, too. The Legion Etrangere, zee French Foreign Legion. 
As every fan of Beau Geste, March or Die and Carry On Follow That Camel knows, the Legion is an elite fighting force, drawing its men (no women allowed) from all corners of the world and touched by glamour. 

Formed in 1831 by Louis Philippe to enforce French rule in newly-acquired Algeria, it developed into a collective exercise in convenient amnesia, acquiring a reputation as a haven for cut-throats, crooks and sundry fugitives from justice. Few questions were asked of new recruits, making it an ideal repository for the scum of the earth. And with the scum came the romantics, men searching for a way to dull the pain of doomed love. 

Well, that was how Hollywood portrayed it. Cue matinee idol being asked why he has subjected himself to a life of brutal discipline, sand and sunburn. "To forget," says he, drawing on his Gitane and staring longingly into the distance amid a haze of blue smoke. 

Reality is a bit different. France’s colonial empire may have disappeared, save for the odd outpost, but the Legion lives on. Almost 7,700-strong, it still operates around the world and gets into regular scrapes in Africa. While Frenchman make up most of the officer corps, enlisted men are predominantly drawn from outside France. The Legion’s image as a haven for ne’er-do-wells is largely out of date. Now, aspiring recruits are subjected to detailed background checks via Interpol. 
"We don’t accept the hardened criminals any more, the murderers or rapists," says Capt Samir Benykrelef, "so this makes our job easier." 
But there is still a hint of romance: all recruits must assume a new name on joining the Legion. This is because some recruits do indeed want a new start and new identity, and it is fairer to make all new Legionnaires undergo the same process. Soldiers can revert to their real identities after a year. 
So, what does the Legion give the lucky entrant? A hard time, mainly. 

Before being awarded the kepis blanc, the famed white cap of the Legion, recruits must endure a severe training regime which can involve punching and kicking. All recruits have to speak in French – even if they can’t. Even swearing must be in French, and there is a lot of that. 

New recruits get about £1,000 a month and a shiny new rifle, which they are supposed never to leave on the battlefield. One practice popular in the main French army at certain times – surrendering – is not encouraged in the Legion, members of which are routinely expected to fight to the death. The good news is the wine. The Legion has its own vineyards in Provence which provide the main ingredient for regimental get-togethers. 

After three years service, a legionnaire may apply for French citizenship. There is a quicker, more painful way way: a soldier wounded in battle may apply for citizenship under a provision known as "Français par le sang versé" ("French by spilled blood"). 

Some 140 nationalities are represented in the Legion, the motto of which is Legio Patria Nostra (The Legion is our Homeland). Composition changes with time, recruitment tending to thrive in countries experiencing economic and social stress. Traditionally, Germany has been a big provider of legionnaires – somewhat ironically given the Legion’s bloody roll in two world wars. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/3546207/The-French-Foreign-Legion---the-last-option-for-those-desperate-to-escape-the-UK.html


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## daftandbarmy

medicineman said:
			
		

> :rofl:
> 
> MM



Yeah, I caught that. You'd only see a comment like that in a national newspaper in the UK.


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## ex-Sup

daftandbarmy said:
			
		

> surrendering – is not encouraged in the Legion, members of which are routinely expected to fight to the death.


Ah Camerone, the great anniversary of the Legion...what Legionaire doesn't aspire to pull one of these.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camerone


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## The Bread Guy

ex-Sup said:
			
		

> Ah Camerone, the great anniversary of the Legion...what Legionaire doesn't aspire to pull one of these.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camerone



Led, no less, by a guy who had been an amputee (wooden hand prosthesis) for almost ten years at that point.


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## tyciol

The way they teach french (and the military experience) would probably be a big asset if you were applying for the Canadian Forces, especially since the bilingualism is favoured for officer applicants to RMC. Not to mention, during those 5 years you get dual citizensh, get to use their neat weapon (totally different from standard canadian arms), different uniform and march tempo. There's probably a difference between France french and the Quebec french you hear in Canada and the forces, but not enough to cause any extreme confusion right?


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## Proud_Newfoundlander

I contemplated joining them more than once I admit, to get some radical change/excitement in my life. I looked into it, but it seemed to restrictive, adn well, garrison duty seemed rather dull. But who knows, may join someday while Im still young and somewhat idealistic, lol


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## geo

Knew a fella....
wanted to join. Went to France & showed up at their doorstep on the very day they were starting their block leave
He talked to a recruiting Sergeant.... who talked him out of it. He went home & returned the following year.

However.....

Two years later, he packed up his tent & skipped the country (France) late at night.... Something like two years later, the FFL mailed him a less than satisfactory discharge.

Not for everyone


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## George Wallace

tyciol said:
			
		

> The way they teach french (and the military experience) would probably be a big asset if you were applying for the Canadian Forces, especially since the bilingualism is favoured for officer applicants to RMC. Not to mention, during those 5 years you get dual citizensh, get to use their neat weapon (totally different from standard canadian arms), different uniform and march tempo. There's probably a difference between France french and the Quebec french you hear in Canada and the forces, but not enough to cause any extreme confusion right?



Too many things wrong with this statement.  Learning French in the Legion may happen.  The French spoken in France is not the Quebecois spoken in Quebec.  Five years of being "Beaten" in the Legion really doesn't help that much with RMC, but will make the obstacle course so much easier to do.  Dual citizenship can have its ups and downs.  I have no clue what neat weapons have to do with anything relevant.  Different Drill could cause problems.  Two totally different military cultures and would take a lot of adapting.  

I guess if you are outside of your lanes, you wouldn't know these things.  Not to say, that there aren't some beneficial points in it, but for the most part, not that ideal.


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## ex-Sup

George Wallace said:
			
		

> Learning French in the Legion may happen.


Just as a clarification, I'm pretty sure this happens. I couldn't find anything concrete on the web, but I remember watching a program on the Legion and this being specifically mentioned. I guess since you are serving in the French Army, speaking French would be kinda important. It didn't explicitly say, but I would assume that it is incorporated throughout the training process.
http://www.legion-recrute.com/en/chronologique.php


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## Danjanou

I remember taking a peek at the obstacle course at RMC and after 5 years in the Legion one should be able to get through it easily even in the body cast you could end up wearing as a motivator to learn French the Legion way.

Note this is not saying that the RMC Obstacle course is in any way an easy one, just our French brethren have a tad sadist streak in the design of theirs, along with their Language M of I techniques.

But hey OP if you’re set on this, fill yer boots.  

22 Rue D’Ostend Qtr Lecombe Strasbourg, it’s a good 20-25 minutes hike due east form the main Strasbourg rail station near the European Parliament buildings, and not far from the Vauban fortress walls. If you hit the Rhine you’ve gone to far, double back a bit, or just copy the map details they have at the display case at the train station entrance. Can’t miss the building white washed walls with Legion Etrange in big black letters, use the green door.

Hmm amazing what one still remembers almost 30 years later.


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## George Wallace

ex-Sup said:
			
		

> Just as a clarification, I'm pretty sure this happens. I couldn't find anything concrete on the web, but I remember watching a program on the Legion and this being specifically mentioned. I guess since you are serving in the French Army, speaking French would be kinda important. .......



As well as learning several dozen other useful words in several dozen other languages.    ;D


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## daftandbarmy

2 guys from my battalion took off and joined the Legion. They deserted a year later and spent the same time in cells that they had spent AWOL. They said that it was basically trial by fist. They had no formal french language training. They either learned it or continued to be beaten up. Another guy from my company in the Westies joined in the 90s and seemed to enjoy it alot. They may have changed their approach with the decline in enrolment.

But did you know that Rocky joined the Legion?

Here he is in action: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRdR82BOj6o 

Will those bloody epaulettes ever fall off?


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## ex-Sup

George Wallace said:
			
		

> As well as learning several dozen other useful words in several dozen other languages.    ;D


Really? From my experience, people in the military always use polite and appropriate language at all times


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## geo

At one time, recruit platoon of 45.... food provided for 30
Survival of the fittest.  Those that were's fast enough or strong enough would "starve" and be encouraged to bail.
Detention - if you get busted & have to do time, your term of service is "frozen" for the duration of the time you are in detention... and resumes when you are sent back to your company.

Wine with meals.... good thing

Mobile brothels.... those have unfortunately been discontinued


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## 1feral1

Knowing how the FFL treats their men from the get go, and how that breeds loyality, I have no clue, perhaps loyality to one another, but at any time in my life, even as a last resort, thats one place I'd never EVER go.

Have serveral friends over the years who went, and have told me nothing but bad experiences overall.

Cold XXXX Golds,

Wes


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## canadian_moose

Some good books about the Legion are the Naked Soldier and Legion of the Lost, learned a lot from them, I won't lie it has crossed my mind a couple times what life would be like if I were to join.


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## ex-Sup

canadian_moose said:
			
		

> Some good books about the Legion are the Naked Soldier and Legion of the Lost, learned a lot from them


Same here. I've been reading a lot lately about the First Indochina War (Street without Joy/Hell in a Very Small Place-Fall, The Last Valley-Windrow) and of course the Legion is mentioned prominently. Interesting to read about some of their experiences, especially at Dien Bien Phu. The one event that really sticks in my mind is the counterattack launched on April 10, 1954 by elements of 1 BEP. Witnesses recall them walking into battle singing the march of the Legion.
Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1ygBI5iXEo&feature=related
Words:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Boudin


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## Danjanou

Le Boudin is the Legion’s most revered song. Learning it in French early in one’s career as a Legionnaire is mandatory and the motivation to do so often involves the same techniques as used to learn French.

Another fairly good first hand account of the Legion and 2eREP is Mouthful of rocks by 
Christian Jennings. Bear in mind Jennings is a bit of a loser, didn’t like the Legion and (spoiler) deserted so his version of how things are done is a bit shall we say negative.







Simon Murray another Brit wrote a pretty good account of his Legion Service in the 1960s too


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## ex-Sup

Danjanou said:
			
		

> Le Boudin is the Legion’s most revered song.


Which is kinda ironic, considering the lyrics. It's about blood sausage, but not really, and some of it is quite humorous, especially the chorus.

As an addendum to my previous post, Le Boudin is also viewed as an inspiration to many. Following 1 BEP into the counter attack on Elaine 1 were Vietnamese paratroopers of 5 BPVN. Motivated by the Legion Paras singing, they did likewise. Unfortunately, they lacked any motivating marches like Le Boudin. So, failing all else, they sang "La Marseillaise." Sort interesting for Vietnamese, fighting other Vietnamese over colonialism and politics, to sing the anthem of a country on the verge of losing power in the region.


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## tyciol

ex-Sup said:
			
		

> I guess since you are serving in the French Army, speaking French would be kinda important. It didn't explicitly say, but I would assume that it is incorporated throughout the training process.


From what I've read, they do in the least give you access to dictionaries, since one of the book mentioned a room full of dictionaries. If they don't give any other assistance, then presumably they strongly motivate you to study the dictionary very well. People who have trouble with literacy and no french background might be in trouble indeed...

From what the website says, and what might be part of what Mr. Wallace was getting at, is that the French you learn there might not be incredibly extensive. The summary I read said "enough to get by" or something along those lines, which probably means in regards to terms used in military maneuvers, common language regarding food/sleep. Anything beyond that may be left up to individual initiative, I don't really know. My guess is that they'd be more motivated to assist people who show perserverence and talent in other areas with their french, whereas people who struggle in pretty much everything and don't show drive, probably get chastised a lot and their lack of French isn't pitied.

That aside, there are probably less masochistic methods of learning enough French to enter into the officer programs in the Canadian Forces. Maybe night school programs or something like that? Correspondance classes only offer the basic gr. 9 french which most of us have anyway as a high school diploma prerequisite.


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## daftandbarmy

Et voila! A French Foreign Legion online forum, like Army.ca: http://www.cervens.net/legionbbs123/showthread.php?t=7215


This guy sounds pretty angry. Maybe he'd be happier if his recruits weren't so 'stupid'?


"The basic training is exactly what the name says it is. BASIC !!!!!! VERY BASIC !!!!

Basic training is aimed at changing a person from anywhere in the world, into a basic soldier that is capable of functioning in a Legion regiment. With functioning I mean that he is capable of getting up in the morning and knowing what to do, that he is capable of understanding BASIC orders, and execute basic soldering tasks. THAT IS ALL!!!

After basic training you will be able to maintain your weapon (to clean it and understand if it is malfunctioning), to hopefully be able to shoot with it, in other words to operate safely on a shooting range (something that is not always so obvious). You will be capable of doing some VERY BASIC combat missions (the first missions in your miserable career). Se poster and Se déplacer (remember the little presentations I posted earlier??). For the moment most of you guys don’t even understand the meaning of the two little French words. How are you going do be “big Rambos” if you don’t understand the most BASIC of the BASIC missions?

You will learn about radios, but you will not be any transmissions specialist, you will be a standard stupid (that has everything to learn) legionnaire. You will be able to change the batteries, change the type of antenna, turn on the bloody thing before setting a requested frequency, but THAT IS ALL!!

You will most of all, learn to clean and clean again. Simply because that is one of the most important BASIC MISSIONS!!
You will learn how to do your personal maintenance; that means cleaning your ass and your uniforms, as well as how to put them on and what to wear at a given moment.
You will learn how to run and how to walk for miles. Sure you know already, but you do not know how to do it while keeping your mouth shut and without asking stupid questions.

You will NOT learn much about combat, simply because the group (yes the group, you as an individual has no whatsoever value) is too stupid to understand the simplest basics of infantry operations.

Military life starts with BASIC training and a large majority of the future legionnaires (yourself included) are completely incapable of absorbing more than the simple basics for the first 16 weeks.

Forget the explosives, forget the fancy combat missions, forget all the crap that your miserable little brain has seen on TV. 
__________________
LEGIO PATRIA NOSTRA


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## geo

Yowze!!!

I like the way this guy talks.
Telling it like it is - mo sugar coating AT ALL.


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## time expired

Daftandbarmy,surely the aim of basic trg. in any army.
Did not one of the "leg" Legion infantry units volunteer
to jump into Dien Bien Phu without any prior para trg.
and had a lower accident rate than the regular para units?.
                        Regards


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## Danjanou

Time Expired, can't remember off hand if it was a Legion unit or French Colonial Army ( some just as tough as LE back then) or a full unit or a group of volunteers. If I get a chance tonight I'll pull by copy of Hell in a Very Small Place off of the shelf and take a look for you.

As for the Post by the Legion NCo, nice to see that SHARP trainign has not infested La Legion.  8)


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## Shec

Here's a well done and comprehensive site by a Canadian who "escaped" to the Legion about 25 years ago:

http://members.lycos.co.uk/foreignlegiondiary/index.html


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## ex-Sup

Danjanou said:
			
		

> Time Expired, can't remember off hand if it was a Legion unit or French Colonial Army ( some just as tough as LE back then) or a full unit or a group of volunteers. If I get a chance tonight I'll pull by copy of Hell in a Very Small Place off of the shelf and take a look for you.


Actually, I wasn't any full units, just volunteers. Major Cabaribere's entire II/3 REI volunteered, but it was rejected. They weren't sure if they all volunteered, or were "volunteered" by their CO. I guess they were considering it, but then the Major was KIA and they figured without his leadership, there would be too many refusals at the door.
Anyway, from a pool of 1800-2600 candidates, 700 volunteers from various units (infantry, arty, armour, etc.) were dropped.
Danjanou, have you ever read Windrow's "The Last Valley?" I read it after Fall's books, and I find it much more complete. Windrow's is actually a compilation of various sources (Fall, Roy, Rocolle, et al) and has a lot more information (and less discrepancies).


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## Danjanou

ex-Sup said:
			
		

> Actually, I wasn't any full units, just volunteers. Major Cabaribere's entire II/3 REI volunteered, but it was rejected. They weren't sure if they all volunteered, or were "volunteered" by their CO. I guess they were considering it, but then the Major was KIA and they figured without his leadership, there would be too many refusals at the door.
> Anyway, from a pool of 1800-2600 candidates, 700 volunteers from various units (infantry, arty, armour, etc.) were dropped.
> Danjanou, have you ever read Windrow's "The Last Valley?" I read it after Fall's books, and I find it much more complete. Windrow's is actually a compilation of various sources (Fall, Roy, Rocolle, et al) and has a lot more information (and less discrepancies).



No I haven't but will add it to my ever growing list of must have/read.  8)

You're right re who jumped in as reinforcments, just looked through Fall's book. D9er was hogging the PC until now :-[


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## ex-Sup

Danjanou said:
			
		

> You're right re who jumped in as reinforcments, just looked through Fall's book.


Just a slight hijack, but we forgot one group of "reinforcements."
They didn't parachute in (that would have been funny as hell though  ), but what about the Mobile Brothels (Bordels Mobiles de Campagne or BMC)? They actually were there before the seige began, but close enough.
Gotta hand it to those French, even in the middle of a war, they make sure their troops have the most important necessities; whores and booze (Vinogel).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bordels_Mobiles_de_Campagne
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinogel (how's your French?)


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## geo

There was a vast BMC in Saigon known as 'the park of the buffaloes' (a comment on the ladies ???)

in January 1954, a BMC containing Vietnamese and Algerian prostitutes was flown to Dien Bien Phu. Here, the prostitutes became nursing assistants for the French garrison during the siege, though they were sent for 're-education' by the Viet Minh after the French Garrison fell.


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## geo

marine762 said:
			
		

> After 2011, there will be no more fighting for Canadians...



Umm... says who ???

1.  we could quite easily find ourselves still in Afghanistan afer 2011... fighting might not be our main and principal mission BUT, there will be fighting there for years/decades to come.  Someone has to train the locals, someone has to ensure the protection of the PRTs, etc, etc, etc.....

There is also tons of other countries where things have gone bad & the UN is looking for someone to go in there...


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## Blackadder1916

marine762 said:
			
		

> Every Legionaire I talk to say it was the most exciting thing they have ever done. . .



And you know that many of them?  I don't know that many so I can't make a generalization but it is probably a mixed reaction, some enjoyed their time there and some (one specifically that I met) didn't.  It may be natural to assume that all join for the excitement and to get into "fighting".  A few I met spent their entire time in the LE without a single day of combat.  They may have had an exciting time (at least a very hard physical experience and were well trained) and relished tours outside France but their assignments didn't coincide with the well publicized French interventions that continued the legend of the Legion.  

It may be very common at the moment for legionaires to have combat experience, but it is also common for recently serving Canadians since they are going to the same war (Afghanistan).  While France does have a reputation for taking direct action or using their military much more in areas where they have (or want or wish to continue) a political interest and (using the Legion for this purpose), it has not been a string of continuous military adventures with a soundtrack of "Le Boudin".  So while it may be more likely that one may see "action" with them it is not guaranteed.

As an anecdote, I did meet one ex-legionaire many years ago.  He (like your dreamers) joined because he did not expect there would be any more "action" in the Canadian Army which had recently been very busy fighting in Europe (he had been too young to enlist during the war).  He did end up in Indochina, but he said he didn't see much (hardly any) combat - he wasn't there for Dien Bien Phu.  But he did have one special fondness for the Legion - he learned a trade there - barbering.  That's how I met him; he was my barber when I was in Ottawa in the late 80s.  Damn good barber.  He was glad that he learned that and wasn't dismayed that his fantasies of soldiering didn't work out.


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## Ex-Dragoon

Unlocked and cleaned up...keep it on topic or it will be locked again.

Milnet.Ca Staff


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