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r-Kt::NCH FOREIGNLEGION 1914-1945- ,--

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\I.\RTI,\; \VINDROW MIKE CHAPPELL

SERIES EDITOR: LEE JOHNSON

FRENCH FOREIGNLEGION 1914-1945

TEXT BY

MARTIN WINDROW

COLOUR PLATES BY

MIKE CHAPPELL

m:mmMILITARY

F~.t put>Osned III Grea1 &naon In 1999t>y Osprey Plr.'""'~9. EI"", CoL>1,

Ch~ Way, Botley 0.1<lrd 0)(2 9LP UMed I<n{j(lom

Emao! i~IO."""eypubllStIIIlg oom

~ 1999~ PUbUh,ng uo

....1'9"'* _ Aport IrQn ...., la~ d....ng '''' 1"" purpose of PI'",ale Sludy.

","""",h c,~.".m"'..- "" """",ned U_l"" Copynghl. o.s;grrsaodP81enlS 1>D.. 1988 no 1*1 ot _ pUbhc,",_ may be nopn:>duced sfOfed In a

rea-aI SYSlem, '" IrllI15I1>Ued n any Ionn '" l>y ""Y..-os, "I"clmmc.ftcVoCaI. c'..,..ucal r'l'IIdIaocal. 0I)lIClll. Dhotoeopyong. ""'ording or ClltIenoI.....

wrIl'1Oul I,.,. pnor wnn.... l*"'\ONIOfl 01 II-. 0Q9\'r'lllht .........~ shouIcI be__IO_~

IS8N I 85532 761 9

_ ....."""*'o..sq>. - Spat~ n Chr>IIr'oOugI'l WOld PnnIllCl

ClngnM.oon by Flrlnalt&lnce s.:...r-

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F"".Go\f~0" «IOO.SI'\a.8EO.. o.tooEv ","""",",...~MO I'O'I"'-UoSI_"lt:lO

The~~. Osprlry" [)Qc:l USA.

PO Boo 130 SIeoto>g~ MI 483110(11 30. USA.

Email nlo.~oom

The MarUwi& Manager. Osprey [)Qc:l UK.

POBol< 140~~NN8~ZA.--E...... nlo.~INClCO.-,

TITLE PAGE Morocco, earlv HI30s:

posed gfOUp of :k RElI~ionnaires

wearing wh"e <:ap coven., M 1920 khalU

wool unilonna and lhe regimental

double fou~re. ICourtesv JohIl Neal)

Dedication

This book is dedicated, with respecl1ul affeclkln, to the memories of

two IIIICien /ftgIonnBlres to Adludam-Chef Charles Milass,n of lhe

Aulomobde Mounled Company/4e REI. RMLE. ancl211 REI, whose

geoorOSlty made poMIble much of whal I nave wntten on the

subtecl 'Of nearly2Q~; and 10 Geo<ge Fromm of the 22e RMVE.

whose c:ornp.:my 01 eoch Comerone is greatly~

Acknowledgements

In pIarnng the colour p1ales we have drawn heavtIy on resea-chpublished lrt Unlfom1es and Mohtana maglIZIIle$; and on the work 01

the Keeper of the L.egoon l..II1Ilorm Museum al Puy\OubIer M.

Raymond Guyacler. published in the magazHle$ Utwtormes and Kep.&Inc over many year$. and recently in hos book Cited in the

Bibliography. Author and artlSl WISh to recon::l thelr debt to thos

.....aluabIe pnmary 1llS8aIf'Ch.. The author also WIShes 10 thank Gerry

Embleton, Ron Ha-ns. John Neal. Franl;oos Vat.rvilIIer, Rosemary

WeeIdsy. Jim V'Ibrden and John Rober1 Vou>g lor th.- _tarw.:eWllh~1OO$

Publisher's Note

Readers may WISh 10 Study this trtIe on~oon WIth !he lolowlng

Osprey publications:

Elite 6 French For8fgn Legoon Pararroops

MAA 286 The FffIfICft Afmy 1914_ f8

MAA 300 French FCXfHiJfI LBglOfllnfamry & Cavaty sonc:e 1945

MAA 312 The AJgerian War 1954-62

MAA315 TheFrendI Afmy 1939·45 (I)

MAA 318 The French Army 1939·45 (2)

MAA 322 The French Indoc/JJr'la War 1946·54

CAM 3 France f940

Author's note

ConSISle<1Cy ,n spelling Arable place names is not clrumed: I have

geoorally Iollowed French Iransltteration, bUt different sooroos vary

- e.g. Dje~ $agho or Sartlro. The same is true of tribal names:

French accounts spell the Berber tribe 01 the tar eastern High Atlas

as Ait TSIlmlUChOO, more r&Ce<1t sources as Ait Seghrushin.

French units and ,anks are capitalised in the English style.

As standard histories (see Bibiiograpl1yJ cover the campaigns 01

Leg,on unilS in the World Wars, I have limited some passages here

to note form in order to save splICe for material less accessible

elsewhere 10 English·speaking readers - e,g. some of the LegiOfl's

Moroccan battles, and fUIi commentaries on the unifOfm plates.

Artist's Note

Readers rTllIy care 10 note thaI the original pa,nhngs from whoch

lhe colour plates in this book we<e prepared are available IOf private

sale. All reproductlOll copyrIghl whalsoever is relatned by the

pobIisher. AU enqUIne5 ahould be ackWessed 10:

M'M Chappell. 14 Downlands, Walmer. Deal, Kent CT14 7XA UK

The publisher"s regret that lhey can ....Ier Irlto no correspondence

upon this matter

FRENCH FOREIGNLEGION 1914-1945

3

THE LEGION IN 1914

II !!H4 the Ugion ~:lI<mgprt>con,is[L'd olllH: ~jx·ballalion I('r and 2cRegirnt"llt:. [trang(-p;;, wilh headquarters re:.ptTli\d~ at Sidi IX'I Aboc...ami S<lidil. Algeria, The 41h IlaU;llion of Ihe lei Rt: (IV ieI' RE) and

V 12t, RE \\(:-r~ in French Indochina, Each IhnuS:Uld-slfong baualioncOll,i,tt'd of four lilk cOIllI)anic<;, nUlllhered con:.cclIli\'ch (i,e, Ist-hhin I It,,, RE. 5th--8th in II IeI' RE, (-'IC,): ,llll! ;11 \':.lriOll:. daln one or IWO1Il11!e-!xlrnc MOUlllt·d Comp,,,nic<; W('l"(' al'\() affiliatt·d 10 t'i1ch n:gimcnt,though 01X'r.lling (ktached.

Siuce bt'fore the lllnl ul the cClllllry ,ht' Frt·lIch Anm had beennihhling ;\1 thc dc'\o\;lte and di'plll{·d :-olllh(>rll frontier Ixl"eenFrance'" colony of Algeria ami ill{\CpCIlCkTll, chaotic \Iorocco. Thisunofficial \I':.\r of r.lid. rt-pri"kll alld U11,lllthtlri.,t·d cllcro,IChmCIII. Q;.l:.i.s bvt).a:-i~, W,L" choreog"I':.lphcd for thc Frcnch b\' tht, ,·i'lionan· Col. L'':.IlHt·y.commanding Ihe Ain Sefr.l sector ami lalt;r Ihe Oran di,·i'lioll.

Since 1907 open im':.lsioll from bolh Ih~' t\lb.mic coa"! ancl Algeriahad extended France'" mililary control 01 \Ion 1(-(0, nominalh' in suppor!01 Ihe almO"1 I)()\\"er!e<;." Sultan. These: 111;!jt,r opcralion" had led in \ larchIYl2 10 lhe dedaralion of a formal FrCllch proleC\(,,'ate on'r \Ioroccounder Cell, l.~alltc'\· as Re..idt'nt-Gcllcml. Tribal n;: ..i,taIlCt'" rnlollhlnl:but b} i\la\" IYI4 1ll01"(' or le~s Fn'lldl-cc)Illrolll'd corric!()t.., hac! Iwelll'stablishcd ill lhe north 1X'l\H?t"1l GlsahlallGI. Fe/, Tal.a, Ol~da and theAIg-l'ri;\I1 I'rol1licr. and a Illlrll!x'r of ~Irat('g-k pO~l.s lwd !wen planted inthl' far from p:lci/it'd south. "1"11(' flurhn',lk of \\'urld \\',11' I found rW()Rt:g-iml'll1s dc .\larche ('fnarching regimclll". It'lIlpOl<lI} t:lsk force~) ini\'lorocco, drawn from Lht· Ier RE (II, III &: VII, plm t\\"o i'\,lolllltcdCompanic'l) and 2e RE (Ill! &: VII, pillS Dill' i\I')\lntcd COlllp.nly).

Mohi Ii~at ion in Franec broug-h t :1 Iide I ,I' i(k:lli~l if f"o!'l;il411 "olllilleersd:nnouring to enlist under Lhc lriculollr. 11 I,'a~ derided to allow LIIClllto ~igll \1P for the d\1ratioll of"hostilities, but on I}' in till' FOI"\.;ig-n Leg-ion.The)' would form 'ICCtl1ld r-.Ltreil iIII{ Regi Illelll~ of Ill\' I('r a nd ~c REs ill1\'kt ropol il;lIl France, each of four let H;red b:lltal iOIl~: :. h:\t'khollC \l'Oll IIIlx' prol'ided by \·t'"Iemns - cxcludinl{ c.:t'nll;1I1~, t\u.'lriam. Turb, etc.- from the ~orlh African hallalioll~. Thc' 2~' Ri\l/kr RE ami 2eRM/2e RE wert" formed Oil .-10 per CCllt \ ctt'rill I c.::tdr{·.~ and u':.lillec! ati\ I:lilh-1c-Ca11lp in SeplemlX'r-OClolX'r 191 L

III the e\"t"nl ,ht" numlwr., Of\'O!lIl1tl'Cn- led to lilt: mising at I{ellillr.l';u';'I. ofa thrcl'..bat1aliun ~k' R~I/kr RE Iarg-dy flOlll Iklgian~. Ita!iall~.

GrLocks alld RlI~ialls: iL had Ie,,' \('t('I~Il1". and Ihe cadre "~I~ drawn fromIhe Gendannclil' ;lI1d the I'aris lire brig;lc!e. Si11ltl1tallt'ull:.l~ the lIuet"­battalion k RJ.\l/ler RE (almosl cnlin,h It;lli,lll) "~IS fOllllt"d al Kimesand i\lonldimar.

-",__'ire, 2e Etran,er, Algerb,

2- Enlisted lot' 'i....-year.... was jNlid 5 centimes •

toughly" per cent the pay• contempofllry Brittsh Ann)'

He could march In 'ull

8nd equipment. minimum, kftI ;I day _ ....ry day 10.

if nec...ary - under Ihe

African lun, on two yerydall'y meals. He was a welt-

marksman, but hisIt was lairty ""dlmeotary

_ _. lhla was not demanded.

.....fashion.d heavy

_ ........an could be trusted to

unhullatlngly Inlo the

in ranks unlhaken by

fiN and, In defence, to-': to Iha last man and the

-one cartridge. An Iron_ ...... WiI. uerc:lsed by

-.d .djudant, lwarrant

in garrison offic...

_I. tigur••• but In_ onen risked their

... /llrint In an OHIeM's body

... The pre-war

::::~.. great vic•• wereS, and olten h.are­

.uempts ., desertionold $Oldierl might bot

__.. t.irty indulgenllvl.

4

•

Legionnaires of the RMLE in thetrenches, probably In summer

1916 before the Somme

offensive.

En\llll~ia~Lic foreih'11 \'01­unteer~ are good for national!Ilorale, but m I_JractiGlltenns tlley can lx' a tllli~'lllCl:.

Few of thc.:se ideali~t.'i had amilitary background; theirellthusia~m was generOllsbut their cxpert:ltions llnre­ali~lic To edurated politicilliberals lhe bruwl re<1litiesof old-bshiolled militarylife rame as a shock, Thel.egioll had a grim repu­lation - fostered by prl....warGerman propagallda - a~

brutalised colonial merce­naries recruited from thescum of Enropl:, and many

\"Ollinleers resented lkillg cOlllpelled tOjOill their r.mks.The \"ollilltecrs' integration was harnperc.:d by the French Army's

shortage of suitably experiellcc.:d cadrc.:~. The lllc.:n posted to le'ld thesevolatile l11ultin,ltional \Il1its WlTc.: ulic.:n unc.:Cju.ll to the challenge tlwyposed, being ageiu/{ TnrilOriah or resl:r\-i~t~ of rigid outlook. ("nder thespecial circuttlstances of 1914 (including the olwiollS prohlt'm oflanguage) lar/{c.: g-toup~ of ~ingk nation,llitit's wert' allowed to senetogether - a llliMake which the Legion h:1(1 :woided since the I 830s, Thissoon caused tc.:tlsion~ between com pan it's, ,md t'ncollr<tged nationalgroups 10 make cOlH:crted demands for special treatment.

A.'i damaging was lilt' gulf betl,'een the new lolunleers and the l\orthAfrican n:teram. These rock-hard old drullk,lrds regarded the duration"only volulHeers a.s whining civilians unworthy of the proud status ofl(~gionn<lires whirh dwy themselves had earned tltroug-h hard years in.\Ioroc.o; the \'ollinteers resented and feared the African veterans asunromraddy brutes, Exposure to the new realities of warfare wouldwf'ld the Sllrvi\'ors together soon ellou/{h.

THE WESTERN FRONT 1914-18

:\'lole detailed ballle histories will be fOllnd in 1,0 I.illff' If'Q,. :lIld partic­ularly ill Garros (sec bibliugraphy): the following nOles ;]re a basicSUtlllll~lrY only:

2e RM/ler RE :\IO\'ember 1914, four batt;llions posted to I'rllnaysector, Champagne. ,vby 1915, committed to Artois oOensi\'f' withl'VIOf(KGlll Di\"isi(lll near Neuville-Sainl-Vaast; OI~t'Cli\"{:s were OllvragesBlancs and llill 140 on Vimy Ridge. Ass<lult bunched 9 I\by. I.ed byspecial t.eam with grenades, wire-euttcrs, signal flags .wd white clothjXlck-nwers visible to artillery ohscn<el"S, regimen I :ld\'anced 3,000 yards:!Cross open grollnd under heal)' lire. C"l.slI<11ties I,900-plus out of 4,000,Ill ranks; objeni\-es taken, but lost to cOllllter-alWck, Ib-li June 1915,1\\"0 Slllyivi ng bat lal ions <lu<lcked Hill Jig Ileal' SOlicheL: oJ~jeeti\e takcu,but 10S1 to .ollnter-alla.k; 650 C<lsualtics.

.lul>' 1915, fo.luruccan Di\'. resTed in the Vosges:2e Rf\! rC<:('in:d H97 l"Cin!l)l"c('men1.S from dis--- ~

b.'1ndcd 3c lUI/lt:r RE. September. retllrned 10ChampaJ{l1t'. 28 Sq)l',:1llher. attack near N:I\~r;n

farm; CIll"llly wire illlac!. (127 ,III mnk~ 10.'>1 for nogain. Octobl.·r. out of l;ne in \\'intcr qllarlers.

3e RM/lcr RE 1'0."led 10 Somme frOlllDecember 1911. ;nto line twar hise. G('nel~llIy

malronlcllt ulli .. reduced to 1\\0 balLlliun.'> ;\larch191:-, hy lram,fi.'rs to 0\\11 natiOnal armies. July]91:-,. di~ballded ami u.'>dlll remainder posted to~e R;\l ler RE.

4c RM/ler RE Garibaldi Urig.ule - bore lhalrille and the $;1\0\' ~Iar 011 l.·uluur.... Posled lOArgonne, Deccmber 1914: fOllghl al Mai-.on­for('~lii-f(·. Boll;lllle W(JO(h 011 Cllli.'>tma.'> night.and :11 r.ollrte~-Chau"~cl> and Four-de-Pari" 5pUllan 1915. "Ilpponing 10th Colunial Oiv.: 101...'11dead fA3tl. 5 M,lrch 191.?, di:.b;:lIlded al Itah'sR'que"l. mrn;1 Jliunivof" joining Italian A..nn\'.

2e RM/2c R£ Four hallahons at frolll lJdoreCr.10IllW tlIirl-Ol.'Celllht:r 1911 with 361h Oiv.:mo\{.·d Ma\' I!)J:-, 10 Rhdlll ... hdd \,lriou'S seeIUl~. July. re:.ted in tht'\"O">~e,,: OIle hall,llion (li."~IIl(kd and Russians. Bel!-,>ian'S alld Italian:.lr.ln"terred 10 nalion;,1 annies: rq.,'iml.'llt joilK'd 2e R;\I/Il.'r RE ill}{orOl.can Di\., Ch,lI11P,I~pU."

22; September 1!)1.·I. 11'mpor;.lI'ilr altachn! (0 10th Colunial Oi\ ..assaulted Wagram and 1'f('~h"\Irgdefences north of N;:I\,lrin Farm: 1001..5tH'I,tI lrench ~r~tl.'lll~ alld manr prisoners: when neighbouring

IClwpolilan unit fell hack 21' Rl\1 re~l(Jred line: ~20 Gtsuahil.':'.In October 191~) Ihl' Moroccan Oi\'ision was pulled oul of thc lillc.

and it wa~ decided. in vi('w of the casuahies - and lIw shortage ofR'Cnli11> as mol'C counlril'~joinl.'clthe war - 10 merge all sllrvi\'ol'.'> iuto aanglt' lll!'l:~e-baualion I{Cgill1t'l1l cle ~Iarche de Ia Leg-ion Elr;ltlgCt'c

R.\ILE). 11Iiti:lll) ((I1ll1l1:lI1(kd hy l.t. Col. Cot, witl1 71 ofliccrsalld ~t115

men. Ihe RMLE C:llllc into lwing on II NOH'lllher 1915.

The RMLE 1915-18On 4.July 1916 dllrittg- the Anglo-French SOlllllle oO'ellsin' (h(' IU\'ILE.

wched to ~{nl Culottial Di\,., attackeclthc fonifi('r! village of Bdluj'--t:tt.ntern.:. Ad\'<tttl'ing' in the fain OWl' open fielels of long gra~s. under

Wan cnliladt: machine gUll tire. the legionnaires lOok 111(' villagC' (and;3Q priSOlll.'r.'» and hdd it unTil re!ie\l·d on lhe nighl of tlH' :llh-61h;asualti('s. 2:, onker>; and 84-1 tnCll. Thc:y \\C:111 in again a( Chan('('lkr Oil

July. "ufTcring: allot Iter 400 ca.'>lIallic:s bUl making no progrc:s~..\fter a hrief re."1 Ihe reA'imc1l1 \\'elll back i11l0 the lrenches, holdingeral S('ClOrs Ihrougholll winl.er 1916-17: cOl11mand pa~t:d to 1.1. Col.riel. In ;\Iarch 1917 th<: Cenll;ms pulled bal.·k from:l hup;t: salit:nl

l\\t:t:n Arra.~ ;111<1 Soi"'son... and Gl.·II, :'\i\elle's lIIueh-\,;1lI1Ued Aprilcmi\l.' fcllun Iheir lIe\\'I)' prepared Siegfried Lint-' ddclIct:'s.:\1 da\\'n fill 17 April lhl' ~IL[ ;:Illaekcd lhe ruins of Auocri\'c in lheppe" \'alky during the I'o-<:allcd baltic of ~Ioroll\illiel~.U1l lhe righl

Adjudant-Chel Madel", LL Col.

Roll.t, and RMLE colour party at

Boi,.I'ElfflI_, 27 September'917 _ probably the most famous

Legion photograph of all, The

colour was decorated wtth the

Le-gion d'Honneur aner theflMlE's sldh citation; person<ll

awards were .1-50 made to Ihese

oth.r Ihre. soldie..... COrpol"ab

Rocas, Dleta and Leva. RoUet ­

on. of whose eccentricities wasalways to wear his pale khaki

Alrican uniform - wouldcommand the 3. REI until 1926

and Ihe ter REI un1i11931,

when he was promoted

brigadier-general and became

the Legion's lI....t tnspector. Hts

tireless efforts on behalf of his

corps esrned him the undisputedtitle 'Father of the legion'.

5

•

llank 01" Ihe Chelllill (k~ Dalll("~ oflellsin;, The lenibkk~SOl1~ of IqJ:l-Jli had heeu learned to some CXlc.;nl. and,,~s:tI1hs wc.;re nnw a good dC:l) tllure sophi~,licated.Artilkryprc.;p:u";lIioll \\"a.~ tar more lhurough: c:-ell !Janalion had il~

o\\"n machine g-uu l.Onlp:l1lr; .:aell platoon had it.-> OWII

mall-porlablc lighl maehillc gUll: the IllCH wcre trailK'd indreeti\"(.' minor tactic~ 10 co-ordiu:lte the IIrc andIlIU\'enK'tU of tIIl11ually '<llpporLing machine gun le;ml'<,rille· and h:md1-\"n'l1:Lde ~(Iuad~ ;1Ilt! rinl.'lIIcn: and a~~allib.

tried 10 illliitrate n,mpal1k~ octWl..'ell :.tubbolll pu:.itioll:'r.uher Ih:1II allelllilling a sillgk-w:l\"l.' ach-.lIIce. Despitt.' :111Ihis, the Ni\"dk~ ol1t:n:.i\"(: \\~l:' a disa:'ll.T for mO:.t of tin:di\ i~ion1> c()lllmltled,

Aher Ihree (1.1\":0> of clawing" their \\";1\' from 1>hellhole 10

shdlholc' ill rlc'l'p IllUri thc Icgionnilirl.':' took thc mainellenn trench lim' at Auherin.', though figlujug continueduntil tlw 221)(1: lht, n'gimclll IL-.crl more lhan r.,o,(X)(Jgrenadc", in tlu'''t' fl\{, da\~. The lcgendal') A(ljudalll-Chef.\1:I(I,'r, of (~erTllal\ hil'lh, won the 1.egion d'l-lonrwurfor drhing hack lIlosl of a company of Saxon infant'') *":md laking a h;l1len of six guns, al Ihe head of jU,,1 Il'l\legio,\n,lirl".

,\fIl'r reClllx'I~lli<}IIal .\Iaillycluring :\b.~ comrn~nd pas'\(.·d 10 LI. Col.1';ull Rollel, a \,'II.'I";ll\ olll\e de'>CrI !\IOtllllcd Comp~nic,.Thc1>c \1l....C dlcmonlh, \\'IK'I\ 5-1 Fr,'nch di\·i~i(ltl' II"C!"t.' shaken b} Illlliinil's amo"g mcndri\ en Ix·} Olld thc limil' or elldllrancc: Illan~ units declared IIIell11>C·h·c)\Iillillg lo ddl.'Ild their linc'~ 10 lhc cnd, blll "01 10 allaek. and il tooktilllt.' luI' the nellll appoil1lcd GCll, Petaiu 10 lead Ihelll back to theirdUI}. Yel Ihe lon:igller~ ollhc ItI\ILE were rock-:otl.'adr, ami ou 11.1111\Rollel kd all hOllour gu:ud lo I';tri" fur Ihe Rl'olLE colour to hedCCOl";lt(.'d - IItliqltd~ al that dale - wilh the .\lCdailie l'olililail"(' (~t'{'

C'UIIIIIIl;lIlar\" 10 Plait.' (;3),Oll YO-:ll AUg"II";\' at Cunlil.'rn Oil the Verdun front. tilt' R:\Il.E

adl':lIIced l:lr ahe;\d or ~d1Cclulc, rL"~i~ted counter·attacks and ht":l\')' airstraflllg", alld thcll cxplniled their ~llcce~" al short noti("{, al Ilill Yti!'"J.Tlw)' lwld lInril rdined Oil 4 SqJtcmht:r. taking fiHO pri"uner~ :lIld 1'1gl1m al lht, rdali\dy light ("{''>it of,~3 dead and 271 1\"OI1nderi. (~CIl, I't'r:lill!"l'I'i('\\'t'r11ht, Iinit while il t'e'>iwd nl';lr V:1llrolll('l1rs on 27 Scplciliber, Hclold lhe Ri\'II,E 111;\\ 1'01' Ihi~ ~ixth riLltion h(" h;ld h<td lO ill\("lIl a IlCW

derorarion 1'01' Ihell) - Illc n·d 1:H1yard or the l.egion d'Hollllc.;ur - bUIlhal lit, II'a~ (I"ill' happy 10 go 011 illl'cniing: rewards a" long: as thcy kepiOil lig:hlillg::t.~ IIH') h:td al ClIllliC:·rcs.

From Octoher IVl7 lo.JalllJ;tr~ 1~t181he unil W<lS in lrenchn inlheFlirey '1.'('101", lIIakillg" alluther ~\Iccnsful allack Oil 8 .Ialluat): on theItlh. lIc':n-ily 1)\)lllb:tl'ded wilh g:1' ... 11<::11<;, the r<::gilll(~IHal HQ and 1\\0

cOlllp:mies ig-nun::d order.<; to withdraw. The R..\ILE \\~IS r<.'sling al Iheclld of ~lardl 1918 I\hell the lasl great German ollcmin: pUllched lheA.llies !>aekwar<h, aud Ihe unit "~l~ fll"hed lIonh to the Amicns .'>CClor ofIhe reeling Ikilbh Irout.

ThL'\' attacked Ihe nallk of the c'nelll}" push at H;IllJr-lrd Wood on 26April. :Uh~lIlcillg Ihrough fog inlo a 'ihdl-ehurncd chaos swepl b~ themachine j.{llll~ 01 Ihe (;enn:lII 191h Di\-ision. The banalions .....ef"(:

Workl War I saw numbers of

foreign ~untee... granted

commissions in the Legion.Lt, Col, AJbert de Tschamer, a

S_otficer in Ihe Swiss

Ann~. joined Ih. RMLE as acaptain in 1916, laking thoelirsl of his ......n wounds at

Selloy·en·Santen1l, He served

in Morocco with tM 3e REI,commanding the 1I/3e for

.....en ~••rs from .June 1925.

In this perIod several chefs de

batall/on .tamped their strong

pclrsonalitles on their battalionslike old·fashioned regimental

proprleto...; the unit. led b~

these chllrlsmatlc caids became

wldel~ known as e.g, 'Sataillon

d. Tscharner', 'Nicolas' or

'Melr.' rather than b~ theirnumbers,

RIGHT Legion ca...alry In

Morocco; c.ptloned etsewlMtre

•• dating 'n;>m t925, this photowould In th.t C1Ise show IIl1terREC In the Tac:hoe de Tau.

-

The Legion alwil1S spent ;IS

lftUt;h ti.... in b;lek·b...ilkinll

"bour as in f"'llhtlng, and it W;lS

tjgionnalres who blJilt man, of

North Africa" roadL~ of this

scnzlf)' gang wean. slrip.ed

undershirt issued from FrenchMval sl-. at Oran,

I

commitTed one aftcl" another. each pll,hing' lorward ,L' iL'i prcdccel',ol"wa, pilllwd down: British 1~lllks GIlIIC up ill .:!IUppOlt. but the fil"t" was 100hf'a\"'i for infantry to follow Ihem. The hallie la.:!lled ulllil the ~8th: IheR~II.F. Iwld tht" rClaken grolilld 1111<ler IH.':l\1.· :-hl'lling ;llld fi\{" COtlllll'r­allad..:., al a CO'i1 of wille R[,O ca.,"altics: the 1 R_\ILE \\~l.:!l n.:duced 10 oneon-icer and lSi men.

III late ~Ia~ lhe 7\loroccan Di\, \\~I'i mlihl'd 10 he~ld oIl ~I threalSOlllll-\\eSl of Soi~01h: on 30-31 1\la\ the IA'giol1 'iIIO'erl'c1 100 casuahies

\\hi1c hulding lilt' MOl1ta~llI.: de I~al"i:.

rid~e a,gailhl l'qwaled attacks.Reduced 10 1.200 dTt'cti\'c~, thl'R~ILE \,<1" "hined ililo Ihe path ofSl.'\·cl~11 olhl'" t'lH,,'tll> iniliative" ill carlv.Junc, nUlahl> at Sailll-I\ardry. TheiropenLliollS l>el\\c(:11 ~.:; April and 12.Julie co:.1 the RI\ILI:: a tOlal or 1,2.,0cl'iualtic'i,

L:lldt~r a raging siuntr on llw nightor IR.lllir rile R.\ILE ;Idv;[tlced 011 the[)ullll11ins pblC;11I south of SOi.llSOIlS,wirh Ill. prl'liminal")' hOJllbardJJJt:Jll

to alcn rill' t'l1Cl11}', Supportnl byl{enaul1 lallb :tJ1d till.: slndltlg ufthe lO,k E'icarlrilk (Ie Cha'ise, theLey,-ion rc;u:hcc! tht, Soi'ison'i-CII:lleauThinr)' mad on ~O.lllly. TIll' hutcher'"bill w,," anuth('1' iBO all ranh.

The R~ILE'" final opel~ltion was anat\;lck OJI Ihl.' Hil1denburg Lim' nearLa/Tam; 011 2 Seplcmber 1918. Theregiment g:lilletl all their objecli\'t"",finalh lakin~ Alkmanl (and a bal·talion of Ihe Prtl~~bn 131'0 Regimelll)on I:') Septemher. TIIl'\' \\l,:rt" re1ie\'l,.'d 7

that II ig"h t aftcr [3 day,~ and II i~'11 ts of vin ually COil tillllOliS ligh lillg; thcyhad ,",onc inlo hanle with ~.5li:{ "II l';:lIlb. and came Ollt wilh 1.130. ThcArlllbticc on t.he third alillilc'....lr) uf Ihe rcgilllelll'~ lorlll;ttioil fuulIdthe Icg:itJnnaires in a Cjuiet seCtor Ilear Champl::noux.

I.cg:il,n record~ show Ihat ·l~.~~ 11Iellllc'....ed on Ihe \\·c"tl.:nl FrOil1 inIhc :\larching Reginwnb of the ler and 2e RE ami the R:\ILE - 6.239Frenchmen and 36.644 lurcil{lIc,.... Of Ihese 5.172 I\l·re listed killed inaction, anrl ahoLlt 25.000 woulldcd or mis~ing (mam of Ihc 1;ll(crIlllc!nllhTedh- heing fut<llitiell): GlslIaltics were IhllS around 70 pl.;r cent orthe 10t.11 \\ho sc.... ed. III ?\o\'clllbcr 1918 Ilw R\II.E W,b tile "CCOlnt mosldccor,ucc! regiment ill the Frl'nch .\rIll'.

The Dardanelles, Serbia & Russia, 1915-19In Februar~ 1915 lhe kr Reg-illll'nt de \larch...• (rAJriqlle \l'a." formedfrom til 0 battalions uf Zou;w("" alld 011,· of IcgiUllllaire.. - 1111· III/Ri\IA(Ll. Col. ?\icl{er) - wilh 1\11' ,ompallit"s each from Llu; kr and 2\" RE.T;(killf{ part will, The French I:Wllll ]}i\'. ill the Allied Lmdillgs around(;allipvli. lhe lllliTbnd ....d al Sedd 111 [\;lllf Oll 27 April. Durillg the !lextlIille 1ll0lllhs the Allies ~l1frl'rl'd v<..;ry higlt (asuallie~ lI'hilt' penned,(hIlO~1 imlllobile withill Iheir ~lll;(lI. IOcky beachheads. Blond)' fi~lilillg

illlhc r:l\'illcofKcrp\'cs Ikrc rcduced (IIC Ill/RMA hyJllllt· to al>OllliOOCtl1i~t('d men lerl by !\(UlId:llH-Chd Leun. By AllgllSI. whcll 700n:illforcemcllIs fina[1\' arrhcd IrOlll Illdnchina. the hallaliOIl had ahlloslcea'iCd In exist and mam llICl! ill Ihe line were reccnl[~ Ifl·'lIedWC)llllf!t·d.

Tlu· 1!"'Olh Oi\,. W:'b trall~ferred 10 Salonika in OClolX:I' 191510 ligllltil(" Rolbr.Jfian~ in Serbi:.l. ;U1d Ihe RMA endured a \lr...·tched willieI'n'lreal. In aulumn 1916111e dwindling hallalion rought at ~Iollas!ir. amiin "pring 1917 at Tr;ma Stell:.l. WiTh onll' <;ome 200 dTeCli\e" left Ihe[II Ri\IA was dillbanded in Octohc'r 1917, mo~t ~tlryi\-c'l1> e\en!lIall)

jl)illinl{ the R..c\ILE.fU, pan ohhl.-· Allied illle....·cntion rorre~ dliling the RlISlli:11I Civil War

8 a batlalioll llolllinallr aITili:l1c.:c! 10 IIw IeI' RE "'<tS rccruiled locally

Rare Morocco action photos:the Mounted Company, 2e REIin SeptembM 1932 nearTaUgZ.ltOusl in lhe Hi9h Atlasduring the .d........ on thePlat"u des LIles. They canyM1S92116 carbin" .nd WearM1901 Colonlallth.ki drill{_ Plate C21. Kepi cove......rss.ued • cre.my unbleKIMIdshade, were ordered dyed paleIth.ki for lICti..e service; bLltmemoi..... sU9901lt that lorreason$ 01 '$prit de corp$most legionnaires $ported the

fortlldden while-bleached cOl/ers.tn c.1928-30 lhere was ttIIen a..ogue in e.;. lhe 4e REI .nd

1er REC for eddin;" cut_outred 9renade to the cower.(Courtesy Jim Worden)

This alpine terrain gives an idea

why such high casualties were

suffered when advancing against

the determined Berber riflemen

01 the Moroccan highlands, The

soldier on the rock parapet at

near right is Legionnaire Bobby

Lincoln, who brought these

photos back. (Courtesy Jim

Worden)

<lfOU11d An.:h;lng-d in autulllll 1918: a slTlali Leg-iult Gldle from FranceW<lS e\'(:nLu~l11y COmlll~U1(kd by Cdt. :\lollod. One machine g-un andlhree rille companies wellt into the line g-radually between October19H~ aud July 1919. The Allies evacuated in October 1919. thl: localpel'sollllel passing- into various \Vhite Russian units complete with theirFrench uniforms and equipmc11l.

COLONIAL CAMPAIGNS 1914-1939

Morocco 1914-1919[II Aug-usl 1914 Gen. Lyaurey, st ripped of most of h i~ rroops. was ordered10 withdraw the resl into qff" coasul cuclaves. I)ererrnirwd to pr('~cn'f"

whal had taken so long to win, he Plll'~IlCd insread an exh:ltlsting" four..year campaig-n wirh rhe reS01l1Te~ lell to him. Somc 20 hallalion~ ~

lCg-ionnain:s. criminals of thc Baraillons d']nfanlerie Leg(:rc d'Afriqtlc,Tirailkurs Sellt:gabis. French Terrirori<ll reseryisrs - aud local itTegularl,'(J!lmil'fI slrugg-led to hold and supply thc remotc pOSh planted amonghostile trihes all o\'er this \'a~t country. \"'hile the \\'orld\ altentiOll wasfixed on 111(' Western Frout a dwindling" force of mainly Germall andAustrian k'giot1naires fought mall) despenl1e, forgotten aClions.

A purt.'ly defensivc pOSllIr(' would have been f~u<ll: mobile columnshad ro circulate through the wild 1l10\lnL<lin letT<lin of lhe .\liddle Atlasin n0r11wl'Il and centr<lll'vIOfocco, while MOUtHed COtlipallies patrolled

'0

Bobby Uncoln" hon_rllbtedischarge ..e"ifieale, issued

iilt Mel<nes on 6 september1935 after fi"e ,ea... Hrvke,

and si9ned by Lt, Col. lmhau.,2e REI, (Courte., Jim Worden)

till..: t'j01hilb and pl;lill~ al'Olllld the huge. I;lrgelyunp.u:ified oa~i, eOlllplt'x uf Iht' 'I',Jlibl1 in the~ollthern de~ert. TIl(' siralegic nunllenl curridorfrom llf"adqllarler~ al h'l t'a'I\\~lnl lo 'I';l/a (ill Iht'celllre or lhe 'o<"lkd 'behe de Tala,;, t1oloriollsl)hO~lilt~ mOllluain rq.:ion). and bo;.·)olld to AJgeria.had to he ck'ared limo;.· ami again. A sublle anddU"ive leadtc'r named ,\bd d Maid.. :\leheddill W,lscOllslalllh ~lilTing up Ihe nunht'rn nib...'S. The dis­sidellls In'n: armed b' Gt'rman ag:ellls, and Iret· toCOlllt' and l{o Irom '.lle rcluge' in the Alias I,mg:t·s.O\('r tilt' border ill SI':lIli~h ~Iurol(:o and in theTafilah,

These ;lCliulIS \Iere uot :Ihl'\\s un a small scale.On 13 ~o\l'llIber I':JII. at EI !-IelTi ill Ihe ~liddle

Atlas. Z,lia II,llTiul~ \\"ip...·(\ out a Freud, column fromKJll'nilra l..illillg:;\;\ uOice'" and {lOO men. The \'1/2el{E marcht'd with tht, rdkf column ,elll from :\lrirltu Khenih.. ami fought at EI Ilammarn and on theQum er R'bia: in IIII' imlllt'diate afH'nmuh all thr('cIeI' RE 1."lIl..lliol1s had 10 he commilh'r! af.,raiml tJilx"Saltackinl.(" the T.Il',1 corridor from lilt' '\Olllh.

Of Ihe uniu inilialll ,I\';lilahlr (see.: al)O\e, TheLel.("ion in 1914) Ilw \'1 2e I{E \muld lx' broh'n uplate in Ihe \\,11' 10 rl'illl(IJ'('(' thc' (l!la'l"s. :\ Mixt"dIbualion from !\lgC'ria \\:1$ po~ted to Bou Denibwhell llIlre't broke.: (lilt tIn Ihl' (k~t,rt lJ'olllier in

e:lrl~ 1916, COIl!>isling of 1\\0 cOllipanie' eaell of kl.("iOllllaircs and:Jon~lIx' from the /lall (rAt ,hi.\- tOO was disbamkd ill 1919. Starn::d ofrep1acenwnl.~, [he I.c..·gioll in .\Iurucco wa.' dUWll to :111 en"t'Clivc LOlal.~Ir('ngth ofaboul "ix companie.:s by llle elld ufWodd War I.

Allhough all thest.' on'l-.;trl'lcltl'l1 ltllil~ saw hard marching andfighl ing (particularly d [Iring lhe.: fUllr-year funning: balilc to fighl convoy~IIlrotlgh lO Khenil;,;\, which involw:d alllhl' llurthern battalions in [Ilrn).II It' iIldependelll ,.,1 oUllte.:d COlllP;\llil:~ pI 'rllaps delll:llid 'pecialmentiotl.With onc mule In c\'cr) l\l'o lUCIl, rider ;11\(1 lllarcher changing placese\cry Iiour, thcy could cO\'l.:r ,i'iOkm, ()Lc:,,~i(ln;ll1y lip to iOkm, in 24 hours,This valuable Illobilily condemn('d IIH;m [0 [hc mosl exhauslingopcrations ill lhe T:Ii':a c:orridol', 1111' Alb~ ;1l1d IIH' SOlllll('rn dcsert, Thcyspcarllcaul.:d mobile coil ltllll~, scizi llg lilt' crests on eit her f1an k; ('sconedVUllll.:l'lbk COI1I"O)"; and fnITt'-t1l,lrclwd 10 lhe re,cue of dcspcralcg-.llTi~OIl', in choking Sllmmer heal ;\lld icy \,inter "lin and mud.

Fur Spa(T rca.\ollllS a single I>ng:agemellt mllSI ,erye to Sllggl.:.\ol Ihl.:flavour of t111.:se missions: that fOllgll t hy tllC 2e Compagnie 1I,IOlltCI.:/ IcrRE on 9 August 191 R at GaOlI/, a village be{\\'cen the Oucd Rheris andGeud Ziz in Ihe Tafilalt, A war part)' - probablv of Ait Khabbash Berbers- h:ld heen inlercepled and p"t to flight al ncarb\ Sefalat bY:I mixedcolumn. Thi~ was di\·ide.:d in twO to givc ch:bC; CdL Pochdu led:l mixedTllni~i:IIl/SenegalescTiraillCllr battalion and the 2c C:\1j IeI' RE (C,"lpt.Timm) inlO the palm groves ofCaou/- a lal'&c, thickl) grown plantation\\'ho<;(" Ire(':. :.hadO\lcd \cge.:table gardcns divided b\ <I maze of irrigationditches and lllud \\';llb,

Legion marc:hing c:amp in

Moroc:c:o. The office... tit at

mess; between the piled ann.

and the grazing mules al right,

note the dryslone parapet. TheLegion always buill then

murai'hts d'Alrique around nlghlenc:.....p...... ts wl>en on adl",e

service.

A legionnaire (note lunic 01

darker kJlaki drill shade than

Ioose·c:ut troU""') hands a spitof siming meat _ a jNIrapet to

his officers; 3e REI, Morocco,earlv 1930s..ICourtasy .tohnHeal)

I-Iea\)' firing" g"reeted theTinli1lcul'>: mall)' kIf. amI theLeg"io1l came up in supportlx:tWCt-'ll lIn: Tunisian amiSt,tlt'l-folk~cc11l1panies. Fil;llg:n·;l.~ed ;", tilt-, ellelllY fellhilck, The Tir.lilleur~ a{h~U1­

n'd al-folill. \\;Ih the 2e Cr.1IX'hind t1wm; hili ant-T abolll:1U minuh':- they ran ill10Tllllch Ilt'a\'ier rt'~i~lallce. TheSt:llegal{'~(' on Ihe rightrt.'("()ile<l; tIll: 2(' (;.\1 charged,md I'('-e:-tabli~h{'fl a line.'Illt~ lkl'lx'r~ ;tnacker! again.infilll,lIillg: the Senegalese;allotlu'r Legion b3~oncl

lharg:l' dro\(: tlwlll bacL. 'l1wTuni~iam, Wl'r(' l,iTlllt:d downII\' Cllelll\ lire: ami Illllkr

furfher pres.~lIrc the Seneg:ale<i(· ~ll(lrlcnl\' hruLe.The 2e C.\l's alllom,uic Wt'apon, had all jammcd (:'lIg:g:t-·~tillg: the

~1191:; Cll;lllchat I.\IC: mIller than the reliahle ~119111Iotchki1>S).andtIl(' last ten rine grenacle~ wert· fin·d. Tht-' ('IlCIlI~ 110\\ infiltratt-'d tht-·Ttlni..ians on the left. \..ho al.;;o fell back: till' I~giollnairc:"made a thirdb;1\Ollet charge while the SeneRa1c:-e \\crt' 1~llli('(ll)('himltlwlll.At aoom~{ p,lII. a bullet broke Capt. Tilllm'~ left arm. I.I..Iol'c1 look 0\"('1'. only to1:,,11 ill his tunt; Ikrbers ~\\'arlllcd lurwanl 10 filli~h him orr with kni\'c",SuIlYh, Frcycon gr.\blxd a carbinc :llId ddcllded hinN.'lf lik(' a ligerulltil hc tou \\'<1:' killed by a bullet ill Ihe head.

SC11cl-follcse. Tllllisiam. ami Ikrbc..T \\~11Tior~ hccame mixc'd togetherill chautic hand-to-hand lig:htiu).{. Olll} the i\lulltltcd COlllpan~ heldtog:clher u11der lhe leadership of i\(~juda1l1·ChcfRoqlll.'ptrul and uf theb;ldly wounded Clp!. Tin1l11, who had hilll"clf Ikd inlo thc :.addle of amille. A second bllllctstrllck him ill the bn', bllt he l"t-'I11ililled cOll~cio\ls

ilnd controlled a disciplined n'treat arou1Id whieh the survivi11g:Tirailkllrs r;ll1icd. TIlt' [\{'rhcr", ('agl'r 10 1001 till.: dC;ld, ~topped onccthe)' rt';1('I1('d tht' ,'dge urthe palm Ir('c'~, A ~alldslunll bkw IIp;lI around:, p.I11., con:ring the painfld four-flollr n:ln';ll 10 Tif.(hillarl post. Leg-io11lo~"('s Wl're IWO orficers and .I'll) NCOs ilnd mCll d(';ld, with SC\Ttl sur­\-iving WOllIHkd (Ihc Tirail1curs 10sl ;l hllmln'd),

On 10 Septcmber lhe comp;ll1y was recalled to T:17:1, IwinJ.\" replacedal 13011 Denib b} lhe:: ltore:: eM/ltr RE. The chicftilin who had mauledlhell1 paid lor it 011 15.1anuary 1919 at i\teski. allhe hand~oftlw I\lixedl},lltaliull froll1 BUll Denib.

Morocco 1919-1924Although lhe Armistice hrouKht a 1I00d 01 enli:.tll1ellts the LA'giOll illMorocco faced a difficult period. largely due to lite short;'g:t-' of l'\CO:.ami olTiccl-" \\ith solid experience of colonial :-oldieling:. ;lIId tht-, reI)'different t~pe of recruit compared \\-jth the touKh hilt obedit-'nt prt-'-warvolullteers. 11

NEAN SEA

."~I;11.I

Mritl_ • El Harrrrnarn

~,.

,!f,'U'-1"-1

12

"'hik JX'g-illllillg" lill.: painful la~k uf rc-<-'stahlishing: <:OIuml illnorthern Morocco the corp~ I\~l~ cOlllpkldr rcorgalli~cd. Thl' 1f'1" REbecame the l<-r REI - 'Rq.;:illlclIl of Fureign InEmery' - and II hit!,lielding' im\hidll:d hallalion~ illilililkd central (kpo! rune,iom al Sidihd Ahh.~<;. Tile 2(' REI rnon.:d from Saida to i\lorncfo \\·jlll thrt'{'hallaliom. A ~illg"k h;l1lalinn of the Ri\lLE shipped hack 10 MoroccoIWC;lIlW lilt"" hasis fn!' a IWW ~e REI in :\O\'f"mher 191~, rakillg 0\'1..'1' tIll:111'0 1\'!olll1l('d Cnlllp:Hli('~ ill Ill(' north. The hallalioll'i or til(> old il'1'

and 2e ~Iill ill Mol'O((,o and dw i\'!ollll(ec! Company al I~ou Ikllibfornu:d the -I(> REI ill ~u\(:lTlber 1920: til(' IV/ ::lnd V/'k wen,: rai~cd

later.Durillg' tlte 'prillg/sulllllll.:r cIlllpaigning se,lSOllS all-anlls ,\Iubill.:

GlOups wuuld dril'l.: IlI.:W roads inlo till.: T,Khe de 'Ell.a ami the r-.liddlcAda,. 1.:11<:irdilll{. cOllwining .old fighling llieir way illlo lht: lribalIK"artbll<l, of llll" dis~idl.:lll~. A~ lilt: roads crept illlO tll(: 1110Ullt<lill~. pustshad lO be built W H'llard 111t:1l1. III wililer the POSLS had Lo 1.)(: l{arri~Olledh)' disper,,(:d COlllpallles. alld this fr.l!{ile infrastructure had 10 hl" kl.:plsllppli<:rl. Trih\.:1> Ihill "ublllined had 10 be proleclt:d. ;lIld 1~lidl"I""

pursucd and punished. DozellS of uH'ly linle hattles were fought; agolin.space allow" ouh :1 represelllalin: example.

On fi !\I,I\ I~}22, dllring :"Iobile Group operations soulh of T:.u..a. \.cll.!\'kol.as wilh :\00 llwn of hi, 1I1/3c REI W.lS ordered to occupy the rockypblt":UI of -r;ldoul somh-l'il"l of Scoura. "'hen scollting g,(lIIl11if'l:~

S«etch map 01 part of northern

and eastern Morocco; only major

leaturel are named, to locateIitel of lome mentioned Legion

actlonl. Frontiers, river COUrsel,

and limits of mountain ranges

are appro.imate only. Northern

Morocco's valleys a.e oftene.tremely IUlh and the Atlas

ranges well wooded; even In

the louthern delert fringe themajor watercOUrlell - e.g. the

Oued 0'1111, Rheris, Zil. end Guir- Rill lined with many densa

palm Oalel. However, much of

the fighting In the 1920s-30s

took place In the more arid

mountain refugel of the tribes,in a.tremel of aummar end

winter climale.

reported enemy approaching lhc 1~[;i(lnl1airt·~ 1001.. (I)\"er amid s,rllhand rocks on a lighlly wooded slope, ;1I1d 11'('rt' M)OIl ;11l;},ked hy1,200-1,:.00 well-armed and shocking-I} dl'l(;l'lllincd Ail Seghrll~hin

Ikrhcrs, who came quickly to hand-Io-hand I":lng<' Wllh lIlt:" ~'e Cie. on111<' righl nank. Ground I,'as 1o,1. bill r(·t:lk(;11 Ililh lht'" ba~o!le1. The\Ioroccans fell back only -;lighll\'. bringing IIw whok pO'ilio!l underlwaw and accurate lirt:" which pin1led the hall:,lic)ll dOl11l Ilhik Ihe~

infiltrated Ihrough cmer 011 each It\llk.Arter '('\eral hours· \-:lin \\~lil for rdicf :\ie-olas \1~lS prep;lrillg" for the

dangt'rOLls manO<::U\Tt:" uf di"C-'IIJ.::'g"l·IIIt.:1I1 lludc. lirt.: Whl'lI thc ge Cil'.was !:>llddeJlI~ oulll:lllk".'d and beatt.:lI b;.ck \Iith h".'an lu~~. illdudillg­<'~"l.pt. Duchit'"r. Tht'" olher lWO cOlllpanic<; ,hudek-red. ;Iml lhl' HQplaloon·s ~lI1all COlllHlT-auack rt:"~l'l"'\l' \\~L' MUToumkd and lIearhm("rrunl>t:'fun.' 'upponillg-lirl' frolll ne:ub\" ,1I1il1en and lI1i1chilll: g-linsbough I tllt:"IU a liule tillll'. Nicolas e"'l.icalell his <;lIIall battalion'IKcn,.,full~ under rdcllIlcs<; pn~.'S<;ur(': thi<; hallk of ScOtll~. 1:\.<;ll'(l 12hour!:>. and lost 36 dead and 61 woulICkd.

Half a dOll·ll Lq.,.-ion ll<lIl;llion<; lOok pan in upt:r.llillll' '>Outh of Ta/';:lin 1923 ;I~ i\lobi1c Crolll)~ pClwlralcd ('XlrCllll'h· difficult 11l011lllainIl·'Tail' ag-;:.in,>t .. tllbborn rt:",>i~I;lnc(':"ircrart, allillulrcd c;lrs and arlillt· .....\\l·n..' of limitl'C1 me in thi.... 10rlUrt·d l:lIId!\("apt·. ,\ 1);11'(' li~t of a fewen/«'1{t:lIIt:"nL~ m:l~ gi\e Ill{' tempo. Tht' " ,~, REI (Cdt. N:wgt'lin)disti'l1{llished itself dearing [kni hOll Zen \\~.rrior" holding: Ilw 'Ilmmitof \11. Talr;.ll1t on ?J \1;1\. The I ~. (Cdt. Ibrrii:n') "",1\1' h;lrd fighlingalr-.im! the Ait Scghmshin al BOll "halliouclj 011 9 .Inll€': ami again.along<;ide the 2e REl"s three hall:.lion<; and \lcllllllNI C.ompanv. at EI\kr" 011 2lJune. On 2fi.-27.Jllllt' the \'lIkr (Cdl. "1';11/"'1'1) amill/!Wck!wl'{1 lheir \\~'Y on to the plaleau of T,.r1olll. \\'hich h,ld delied theBalaillon Nicolas the year h,,·fon·. The ('n,ampu\t'1lI of 1I1l' 1/21' REI(Cdl. Bll'>chellSchlUl). <;upp0r!el! hy a pl:ll'}()ll of tht' <:\1, held oIT aheal" altad at Ail Joolaklollf on 17JIlIy. Tht· I/:lt' ( :dt. Sll.. ini) and [II/'ll'REI (Cdt. .It::noudel) headed 111"0 COltllllll<; all:lt'king thc ~bnnollcha

trihal stronghold on the [llllllOlI/('r phl1t':lll 011 2:l .lilly. rlw brterlo~illf{ 2?) dead and 49 \1·0l11lded. On I I t\1Ig"1I~1 rhe II/'ll' REI (Cdl.Janson) lo<;t 22 dead and :,1 1,'oUIl(kd on till' l~jd)('1 Ihlanc: Iwarhy1IH' 1I1/2e \\'as heal'ily cOUlller-<ltlackc·d ;11 dlJSc' rangt' ;l1ld 10Sl 12killed ;llld IR \\·0l11lded. One of rhe lalter \\'a .... <:dt . ./"'nouck-t, I"t'pl<lcedhy Cdt. /-.birf': the 11/2(' remained to estahlish 11('11' pmL<; lin Lilt:'[~jl'b\'llhl;}nc. and the Groupes r-.lobilc~ Illoved (.n. Hy rhe cnd of 1929til\' whole Tichoukl massif \\'a<; surrounded with nt'w pnst~: hilt L1w~t"a~Oll had cosr lh(" French Arlll}' at Iea~t 100 ()nicl·r~ and :-1,000 Illendt';ld.

A lull in m:ljor opel-:ltioliS 1"ollo\l't.'<1 ill t~I~·I: hUl the le~iollnaires

~caltcn:d in do/ellS obmall :lmlll1tcrlr dl',olalt· pOSl~ could Ilel'er relax.Ft:"11 I\el"t:" ~ub!:>laJlli:ll forI!:>: 1I10,t wen: lillk mOl"l.' 111;111 ~Iorilied vlIlgars

01 piled roeI;.-,. g-ra\"d-lilkd oil drulll.'> :uld a lillk· barbed wire. Thc\­h;,d to b<.· buill hig-h. for good lidds of firc: Ihat mcant the littleJ.::uTbol'.'> had 10 scnd OUI reg-Illar \\~ltl.'r ami fircwuod p;U·til·S. The~mall po~ts lIenled fre(lllClH rc!<oupply b\" \"Ilh'cl~.blc <.·oll\"0Y.'> along­~1I;,killg lIIolllHain tracks. Since the lribl.'~UIl'II "'cre maMer" ofcOllcc·akd approach and ambush tht.: Frellch !<oullcred a Me·ad\· d'-'lin ofGlslialtie·~. 13

\ \)

\

.BmlMdlal

G

~.•-

14

Morocco 1925-1935A ranor ill I,\~mle, ':,,> caklllalioll~ was always his poroll.~ llorllwrIl rrolllkrIl'jth lhe (0;15Ial strip of.he Sp;Jl1i.~h ProleCl.Orate.

All Ik.-bel' Il'ilX'~llll'lI \H'n" dangerous t>llcrnif"s; lho~c> or lht' Rif!\[oulilains weI'C.' cOl1lpamhlt.· in COil rage, flf'lflrrafl and cruelty \0 lhi'

!'athall' of the Indian/Afgh;l1l horder: [n July 1~121 Wltlc 13.000 ofSpain':,,> lH..:/-{kclcd and ill-kd garri~on had been bUldwrcd l.X:l\H-C1lfo.lt:lilla and Allowd by half [11;\1 many lighl1y armed Rifs. led by ~t 11'1.'11­cducau.:t! ;lIld far·sig-hll·d former Spani~h colonial fllllC1ioll,l1)', Abd dKrirn urlhe lklli Urriag"hcl. His dauling" I'lelory illspircd a pan-tribal W,lrof imkpclldcllcc; ,1lHI Abd d Krilll [lintel! his volatile.: coalitiOtl uf dallSinll1 ,til ilnn}' willi ,~l)llll: (Iq~rcl: (J[ fOnlll:d Ullils. ratlks. paid \Jnic(;['~ alldSP('Ci;lli~l~ :lnr! h:t~ic IOj.(i~tic~. Thl: booty of AtlOllal inc!mkd 20.(J(J()f\bltsel' rin(·~. 400 11(J1Chki~~ Ill:tdlilH.; g-UIlS and Illure than 120Schlwid('l' artilkry pi('(,l:~, ami the Rils hircd EUropl':1ll illSlrttt'1()r~

(including. nOlOrio'I~I), Ill<' J..<"g-ioll dCS<-TlerJosd KIl'mm!'».Sp:lin·.~ political anarchy hampered her response: grottnd \\'a~ won

ami lost, hilt lile Rif" kepI Ih(> illiti:lli\·c. and innicted furlller huge C<l.'U­altil:' durillg thl' Spani,h ft.'lreal from Chaollen in f)pCt'lnber 192-1.;\1:u"lIal L}~lIlle}' k!'ww Ihat the Rif rising would Im'lilably ,pill imoFrench :\Iorocco. hill his appeals for n'inforcelllenl1> \H:re igllored h}1>;lIis. The lla1>hpoint \\~IS a French a(h~tnce norlh of the Ouerghla Ri\t.·rill ~Ia}' IY2-1. to ilblall a lille of pOSlS br:lITi.soned b} Tirailleurs ill tht.:di1>J>IIlI·d "TJ~lililallds of the lkni Zel"\l'aJ.

ABOVE Sketch mllp of PlIrt of

southem and e.stem Morocco.

TM legion's area of operations

In the 1~30s Is too ".eat to

Inclu.de at this scale: e."., theVlhr REC ba.. at Tata is off the

mep so.... 160km south-west of

OUllll1[az.erte. The Saha,"n base

at Tindouf Is pertlaps 400km

south-south-west of Oua'uzlIrte

and Tabelbala, patrol blll$e of the

CAller REI, Is about 280km

south 01 Sou Oenlb.

RIGHT Compagnie Montee,

probably of tM 3e REI, marching

past In Morocco, earty- 19305.

Hllif tM men march on foot,

rl"ht, followed by the mountedofficers and warnnt ollicers and

the mule-mounted h.alf of the

company. Under magnification

the Iegionnai..,. can be seen to

wear darllish khaki jKke15 and

Ii"hter bllfly trousers "atheredat tM ankle; they CllrTy'

M18~21'6 carbInes. (Courtesy

John Nellil

Man; Volokhoff, a former Tsarist

officer, may stand for the many

foreigners who found new lives

through the Legion.

Commissioned in the 3e RM/1erRE in December 1914, he fought

in the Dardanelles and Serbia

with the III/RMA and a Bosnian

battalion from Augu"t 1915 to

September 1916; in 1917 he

qualified as a military pilot.

Joining the RMLE in February1918, he was badly wounded

and won the knight's cro"s of

the Legion d'Honneur while

leading an MG platoon in the

night attack on the Dommie....

plateau on 18 July 1918. In

1923-25, while a lieutenant in

first the 1er, then the 3e REI, hewas on detached flying duty with

the 31th Aviation Regt. in

Morocco. A captain from Man;h

1925, he flew throughout the

Rif War, being wounded again

and twice decorated; One

citation mentions his gallantry

In low-level bombing runs overBibane on 13 May. Granted

French citizenship, he retired

In 1930 but wa" recalled in 1939

and "ent to Baca..e" to help formthe 22e RMVE; the photo date"

from that period. Dismi""ed early

in 1941, he was arrested for

Resistance activities In January

1943, but survived the war, anddied aged 93 In 1979. (Courtesy

Ro"emary Weekley)

On 13 April 19~5 ~Ullle

8,000 I{ib laulldled cOlllTrtedatlacks on Ihe French line: andthe combination of inLdligentleadership. great hranTy,guerrilla skills ami a degree ofmodern f"lrepowcr prm'cd de\'­"staling. PUSIS \\"('re rtll orcheavily ~hl'lIpd or mortarpd,and Ihen sLormed withIllediev;l! ferocity; dozens ofheroic laSt SLand~ ;l11(f ghasllymassacres ras~ed into FrenchArrllY legend. Hig-hlr mubile.the sep;n',Hed Belbel fUIlTSdismantled the French line inddail ami fluuded thruugh theg-ap~. By 27 April ~Ollle wereonly 20 Illik~ from Fez. and 39of fiG po~ts had been o\'CITUIlor ab'll1dont'd.

i\'lust Legion units were tied down in the Tache de Tal.a, bUI ~onw

were rushed north to help skill the lidc inclllding thl' 11/, VII andV[I/ kr REI, 11/2(' and Ill/!k. Ag'lill.:1 rouple (If cxamples mUSI standfor allihesc anions.

The m,~or POSI al I~iballe changed hands rour times during I'vlay aL a100ai cost of more th;ll1 400 Flench dead. The fourth aClion was itsreraplllrcon 2.-) May brthe 1[/lel (Celt. Deslandes) anel line RU (Cdr.COlel). Successive assaults welt pillnec! down by heavy fire; filially CdL.ne~lande~ ~ummoned his I"tlll;lining- ~e\tll oHictrs. ill\'iled thelll to cupyhim in slinging OIl ha\'tI"Silcks full of glel1ade~. and kd them ami hismen in <1n up-hill charge which LOuk Lite ul~jecLi\'l' Verdun-slyk. The costthat day was 103 dead ;md IIIOIT tli;)]) 300 wuunded. On :; .JUIlC theBerbers rttook L\ibane yel ag;lin. and hdd it until finally bum bed outthat September. Deslandes was killed on IR .July at Bab llaceine ncarOuezl.an. In the same area the Mounted Company/4c REI wassurrounded while eO\'ering the e";lrtl,uion of fkni ROll her pos!. elll off

•15

irllho.: Illiddk of'lht, t'IH'm},the [('frihly \\"(l(lIHled

LCg:iollllain: Si"g"cl n':tl"(~d

up ;u](1 hllrled hb c<\rhilH'0\('1' Ilwir Iw:!cb [0 hiscOIllI';ldt'~ so lhal lht"1~... r1wrs ,houlrl no[ lake ilIrolll hi~ corp;w.

The dian 01 Cdt.C'II..aban', \'1 ler REI ill'I;n-June 192~1 COlI\l'" ,hl.'prc"Ulc Oil lill"'C lltliL~.

bcn :luioll imohl'd IU:;I\...lighlillg" ag.lin'l ClIl.'lIlie,who h.ld a proud Ir:'l<li,iUIIuf' lllarl..,mall,hip: who had.tdclt:cI a J.{uud lltunlx'r 01llMchille glln~ and j.:n'n:lde" to Iheir rifle.;; and kniu-'s; \\ho IH~n.-' e,lgl'r 10come 10 hanft-In-hand: and Ilho tre:tte<1 wounded and pri'>Ulle.....h;'trll<lrou"h, On I :\Ia\ IIw h:lltalion relie\ed Taounal POSI ag;lin'l there.;;islance or .;;onw 1..-,00 I\(·rl)(-'r.... On Ihe .-,Ih lhe\ C(}\l'rl,d Ill('e\~lcualion of n,lh ~hane: on tht" 61h-71h Iht"\ reJie\ed and l ....lcll.lIedBah 11I)1l ,\nd,lr: and almosl claih missions rollO\\ed from lhl' 9lh to till'22ml. 011 lIMI dah' 111('\ el.\CLl:I[I·d the garrbon of OUl'd Am lOll, ,lIId

ariel" a d:I\'" flllIning h;tlde ,,[oorl on a nighl attacl.. 011 tlu.. ir (,lIllp.launching a <;IICCt.''l>fLlI coun[er-altark oUlSide the perilllt'Lcr, 011 -1.JulIelh(', !"l.'-lK"cupit·c1lhe ,lballdOlwd 1)0<;':11 r\st.:lr. lighling Ihd. I\a\ ill ,111(1lIoldint(" il 10 rowl" Ihe (·I<KLlalion or .warb~ Sker, lx:lon." lig:btillg: lhd.way out again on 111(' ~llh ull(kr Iwa\'~ lIlachine gUll fire,

On the niJ.{llI or 10-11 .June Cdt. G:\laban calk'd lor \·OhUll(TI.... to

bre;.l.. lhroug:b ;ll1d 1;.'\<I(:lI:1le a despo.::r:.tte g:arri~oll al till..' airlicld orMcdiolll1<l. It i, r('corded Ih;u men quarrtc'"Ut·d mer pbu'~ ill 11K' re~cllc

pan)', 1"<.1e("[('" ~oldiers ~Iippill,l!; inlo lile .'l1lk~ under cover 01 d;lrkl1e~~,

Machine gun platoon, CMAl4e

REI, Foum el Hassan, 1937

(_ Plate G3). This ....rd-bitten

c..w show wide variation in the

shades of their uniforms lind

cap cowers.. lCourtesy Charles

Milassln)

Part of 2.e Peloton, Vll1er REC,

the Legion's first motorised

.quadron. raised In 192.9 OIl

Colomb Bec:har. It patrolled from

Taghil in 1932, fOU9ht in the

Djebel Samro in February 1933;

and In 1934 both V and VIEscadrons MOlorisees look pari

In the occupalion of Tindouf.

In October 1934 the VII was

di,banded; the VIler REC

remained at Tata. Equipment

wa' very mixed - Renault and

Citroen reconnai,sance cars, a

few Whlle-Laffiy armoured cars,

troop-carrying, lanker and

sl9nal, trucks. etc. _ bu1 about

15 of lhese Berliet VUDB 4 JI 4

armou..d patrol cars formed Ihe

baekbone. eaeh with a erew of

three and a mounted FM24/29

LMG, With a 40tlp engine the

4-ton ear was grossly under­

powtlf'ed, and the chassis too

weak lor the weighl of the

armour. ISIHLE)

Light platOOfl, CMAl4e REI,

Foum el Hassan, mid·t930s;

o;;omoulLage finish is French

Army green and $and. Thi. "the troop-canyi"$ cOrt\le",ion

of the Pannai'd AMD t651175

TOE armoured car, with turret

removed and a Hotchkissmounted beside the driver.

Motorised Mounted CompanieS

had 280 all ranks, with a

command and urvk:es pl..ItOOfl,

a 120-strong Iorried Infantry

element. and lighl and heavyarmoured pgtoons with

turrelless and turreledPanhards. Mounted Companl••

took to their primitive,

uncomfortable armoured ca",

with greal reluctance; Ihey were

less mobile, more fragile and

more demanding than mules.(Courtesy Charles Mitasslnl

It seems lhat they fought their way in IllnJllgl1 lWO lines oflrenrh('~. andstarted back wilh the garri~on'~sllr\,il'ors before beil1g" o\'erwhelmed; thebodies of the four officers and 60 llwn were l1t:ver found.

In 192G a massil'e FCl1lco-Sp:llli~h dTorl (including eight I.egionb,llWliolH from the lee 2e, ~e ami 4e REb.) broughl !inal \'iclOlT in lheRif. and Alxl d Krim surrendered 10 Ihe Frendl Ih,1I ~Iar B} this lime~Iarshal I'elain had 300.000 men ;n the licld, amI French Aml} dead- 1101 ollicially admilled for 20 years - tOlalkd at leasl 12,000,

Till' Frel1ch lurned immediatel" 10 Ill(' filial n:ducliol1 of lilt." r\IIaSr.mge:.. Irl.lUllt" 19261he \\hole 3<.. REI fOllghl 011 IIll: olilhingTichoukll11a.'>sir. dde:tling Iht" Ail ~ lohand and Ail Seghrllshin. Thc.'y \\'l:l"e joillt"db\ lhl: 1/ alld \'l/kr and l/ and II/'k for llll' .lui} opC..'I~lliol1. \\hichC;lptllfl'd thl: maill ranges, Successi\'e :ul\"l1lct:'- in 1927-29 \\l:ft" nOl,,'ilhoU! cost; the 1I/3e REI lOok ... ignilkanl casuahil's dd"l:1ll1illgEl Bor(!j allli Ail Yakollb in June 1929, lht' C~I kr in an :Ullbll~h

at Ojihalli that OClolx.... the It":-re CM/2e againsl the Ail Ihullmou alT<lrda-Tadij.;"llOlist ill AlIj.;"lISI 1930, :tlld Ihe 2(' REI :u TazigL.;uHISl whill­;uhdllcing on the Plateau des Lac.'> ;11 Sq)lernlll'r 19~2.

In the 'ffilltherll deSl:rt the stubborn T;llilalt 1\':1:. finally IJ;(cified. Earl)in 1913 inEllury, C;l\-;:lh~· ;lI1d Ihe ~loLllHed ('.omp:mies or Ihe In, 2e alld1e REI ....\W h:lrd fij.;"hting ill Ihe Djdx:l S.II'hm. ill'affland of the Ail AlI:lHerhers, who h:ld domina led the .'>vulh for CCIlI urics; :Iml the 2(' :\Ild IeWt'ft'" slronglr repreSl:ntcd in opefativn;; Ihal ,unUl1('r which forced the...hi('f Ouskollllli and his last w;:lrrior~ 10 finalh slIbmil at ~It. B:lddou.The p:\Cific:uion of ~Ioroccowas cOlllp1t:tcd b\ a final push through lh('Allli-,\tlas far 10 Ihe s0ll1h-We~1 in early 19~-I.

Cavalry, armour and artilleryDespite> some misgi\ings on.... the..' increa.~l'd opportllnilit'~ for desertion\\ hich \l"el"t' olTered hI' pUlling Il!giollllaire~on h(II'S('S, Ill(' I"... RCl{imcll1~:tnmgt'r fit'" Cl.\'aleri~ started fonllitlg at s.m,sl", TlIni~ia, in 1921. The

17

The Mounted Companies

Nov. 1920 2e CMller R£ bocamo 28 CMI3e REI, baS<ldGoolTama, Jan. 1922 20 CMi3e REI became CM!3e REI,1933-40 based Ertoud. Nov, 1940CMi3e REI became Be Oe,Mixle Montool3e REI

Ier REC had mimr former \Vhite Russiancavalrymen. some sel"ving in ranks far morehumhle dun lI1f'y had achiewd in the TSilr'ssen'lce.

During the Ri f crisis the 111/ leI' REC rough tinthe Tache de 'Iaza; the 1/ and 11/ were reduced tocadre, men being transferred to reinforce the IeI'REI. The regiment's first llli~jor mounted senicewas the IV/leI' REC's tour in Syria in 19~5. TheIll/leI' !lIO\nl south to Bou Denib in 19~6 andsa\1" sottle brisk dashes during- escorts and patrols.The other squadrons rotated through thesouthern station in succeeding years; and the IeI'REC was aniYe in the final penetration campaignsof the eitrly 1910s. In 1929 t.l1f' regiment formed6th and liHer 5th r-,·lOlorised SfJlladrons, withreconnaissance Cilrs, trncks ilnd a few ilrmOllredrill'S.

[n January 1930 the first fel\' trucks werec1eli\'Crecl to the 2e Compilgnie .\-loll\(~e/~e REI atOt~jda. This began a gradual process of lllotori­sation which by 1934 \I"ould see mixed'u'uck/armoured car units taking o\'(;[" the role ofthe old mule companies in patrolling thesouthern wilderness. The 2e CM/2e REI wasredesignated i\lolOrised (later, Automobile)Company/ler REI. In January 1932 it saw action

against a war parly led by one Bdkacem at Mecissi; and in F'ebn.lill!, 1911its CO Lt. Brenklc and II men were killed at. Bon C,afer in the DjchclSarhro (the same banle which cost the life of the famous Homme Houge,Capt. Ilenri de Bourtlilzel of the Spahis). With improving equipmentand practice the armoured ilnd motorised cavall"y and mounted unitstook part in all the main operiltions of rhe later ~1oroccall pacificationperiod.

The li~ of these lrits IS C01tLlSed by me.-gEl<1;. ;nter­regme<11al transfers and many changes of titko AJI !hlJ lo1Jo'wing

mfamnc::oes am trom vaoous artdos in K$pi Blanc;

1913 146 CMl2e RE bec<Jme 3utooomous CompagrwMontood'N~ Jan, 1922 CM d'AattachOO to ter REI: tookover il1f'..age of all eMs in tllfJ SucHJmnais sil'ce 1881 J,JIy1931 28 CMi2e REI became OOIN Cie, MotOlisOO/l81 REI:retitled Feb 1933 Gte. Automoblle/le< REI, based Boo Den1b,laler Tabehala, 1934--39. eM d'A baseo Khenche!a. Jan.1939 eM d'A became CH'i. Portoo/le< REI

1913 3e CMi2e RE became autonomous ~eMontee du Maroc, NaY, 1920 eM du M became lere CM/30REI. Jan. 1922 ,e.e CMl3e REI became eM du M attached to26 REI. OCt, 1923CM du M became 1~ CW2e REI: ~N 2eCM/2a REI tWffld. Jan. 1930 2e CMl2e REI at Ouida roceNedfirst II€ttms, OCI, If!3(hJuly 1931 20 CM!211 REI becan'le Cie/IAltOllsOO/ler REJ: lere CM/2e REI became CM/2e REI,1934-37, CM/2e REI based Kzar es Souk. OCr. 1940 CM/2eREI became 12e Cil:!. Mixfe MonfOO/3e REI

Sept. 1920 lore CM/1or REt becarnB CM!4e REt, basedSou Dmib, Aprii 1933 CMl4e REI becane CM Automobi1e!4eREI, May 1934 CMN4e REllxJi" "rXl occupied JX)Sl at Foum~ Hassan Nov. 1940 CMN4e REI becan-.e 12e Cle. MlxtoMootoot"2e REI.

Legionnaires probably of the 2e

REI serving an M1897 75mm gun

in Morocco, 1932-34; they wear

M1914 khaki drltt uniforms,

brown three-pouch equipment

and slun9 M1892116 carbines.tn May 19321he 2e formed a

four-gun, 60-man 8atterle de

Man;he d'Artillerle at El Hajeb.

The battery wore red-backed

collar patches untll1935, tater

replaced by a scartet diamond

with btue 9renade and doublebtue ptping to the upper edges,

worn on the teft steeve. Anotherbattery formed the same month

at Ouarza>:arte by the 4e REI

supposedly wore a steeve patch

from the start. Both units fought

throughout the tater Moroccan

campaigns. Redesignated

Batteries Portees, both were

attached to the 4e REt from late1939, soon forming a third. All

three were dispersed along the

Moroccan coast from November

1940, affiliated to the 2e REI until

AprH 1943, then to the 3e un11tdisbanded in February 1944.18

Sidi bet Abbes, 2 MardI 1MO:

1er RElvet~namong the draft

Ieavi"ll lor France to fonn the

lV13e DB de Marche. He wears

the M1926 helmet, M1920

grealcoat, and leather equipment

with HI34 modification.; ltMtchkhe and medill. give a

propert, d;oshing air -ltMt Legion

h.as alwa,s been concerned to

appear to best lldvanlil9" In front

of lesser troops. (ECPAJ

LeKiull lI11i!~ llsualh 0JX:l~\I("d ill Morocco in all-anns column.;includillg Colonial anilkf); bu! an 80mm IllUlI1l!ain"'b'llll seclion formedin I\LI}" 1925 hy !he It-r REI saw action OIl Ih(' Oller! Cuir ~l11d OuedZOllsf;1I1a, In 19~ I it tI1()\'I;U 10 Ihe High Atlas, pa 1'1 il"ltlarl~' UiSlilll{uishil1l{iLSeif 011 Ih1-' Oued Imcdrh;:L~ on 22 Jill) 1933, ami -..'cil1J.; anion thaiAUh'lIS! ,II ~h. 1\.1.ddon. In OCl()h(:r 1934 it became lilt" ~IG Company ofIll/Ier REI.

In ~Ia}" I~tt? hoth the 2(' :"Illd 4(' REb fOl"l1ll.:d 7:CJ1l1l11 l{1l11 h;:ltIcri('s

II'hich ~:"IW aniol] in The.: laler \!ororCIlI campaig"lls; carly in World \Var[I furthe.:1" Saharan balleric~ \\'('re fOl"llll.:d, as \I',IS a full battalion hy the6c REI ill S\Ti:t, 19

20

SyriaAfter 1918 former Turkisll possessions in Syria and ].ebanon passedunder French m<llldalc. The IV/4e REI landed :11 l~f'inll in \olarch 1921

as part of the new garTison. followed in AUgllSI by the V/ 4e and later bythe lV/leI' REC. French rule was tiercely rcsenled by the warlike Druzctribes of the inland hills; bUI for lhe first three YC:lrs French columllsand posts were not seriollsly attacked, amllhe IV/4e REI was disbandedin November 1924. InJuly 1925 a major rising broke 0111 in the DjebdDruzc.

On Z! July Capt. Normand's company of the V/4c sllrrered Il.lcasualties Lo an attack on Kafer south-casl of Suueida. the main base inthe wuthenl qjcbel Drll~,e. SOllcida was Cllt olT, and a relief column waslhrown back wilh heavy loss on 2-3 August. The rising spread;meanwhile a seconu relief column set. ofT for Soueida, led by the V/4eREI (Cdl. Kratzert) alld lV/leI' REC (Capt. Landriau), plus a Glv:llryannoured Glr squadron. \V,\rned when Iw re;lChed the old walled villag..of ~'lollsseifre on I () Scptcmber Ihat some 3,000 Druze wereapproarhing, Kratzer! set his legionnaires 10 slrerq';lhening theperimeler for defence; llnknown to them, many rebels were alreadyinside the village.

A pre-dawn prohe on the northern wall was beat.en ofT, but first lighton the 17th brought heavy attacks from all sides. The infilt.rators openedfire from the rooftops, am hushed lCgionnaires in the alleys as t.hey ranto lhe perimeter, and h\Hchered 1llost of the REC's t.et.hered horses.Eventually improving light enabled'the armoured C:lr gunners to dear

France, 1939-40: equIpment

issue. The recruits, above,

wear M1930 kepis and darkish

blue denim fatigues; at ri9ht

foreground note M1918 khaki

bonnet de police, and the brown

fall-collar M1936 jersey. (ECPA)

138 DBLE otrlCf!t" in 1he 1ren<:1as

at Sir Hakeim. In 1he unl_ of

May-.June 1942 the Fr.. F..~h

Brigade repulsed repeated he.."

attacks by Rommel's 90th Ughland ttall8fl Ariete Diyislons

supported by air raids, and the

B.en carrie.s of the 111113e

Ipellme..ded the succeSltul

break-out on the night ot

10-11 .Iune; the 'Ilglment

suffered Ilbout 30 pe. centea_tU.. in all. ldentilied by a

yet~n as a 'Cdt. Babonneau'

tpossibly Cdt. Sablan, who took

command after El Alameinl, this

major wears an M1931 off;,;.....

keplllnd Brttistl banled.eu with

tokt-on-khaki collllr patches end

gofd-on-black rank slides. (TheFre~h commandant is tM rank

equiyalent to major, but when

appointed to comm..nd 0' abaU.. llon he is styled chef

de batail/on.)

the roofs. Successi\'e anacks wcre beaten oil during me lIlorning; theafternOOIl broughl French air support. and Ihe Oruze "ithdrcw le:wingsome 500 dead. Legion casualties were 47 dead and R3 wOlllu.led.

TIlc other Jll<90r Legton action W,lS the dcfence of Racha)~1 by therv/ler REC and a squadron from tht-, I~e SI)''1his on 20-2·\ Novcmber192.). Auother old. labyrinthine ...tone \illagc, It'1chap. OlleR'f! no dear!)dcfillCd perimeter: during Ihree day... and nights of attacks the Dru7.e oftenpenclr.ucd parlS uf the defencC'>, leading to tk~l>erate hand-tn-hamlfighTing. LHldliau's troopers were down IU their la~t lew rounds ;mdpreparillg- 10 'do a C;lllleronc' when. on the 2'lth. "ircmf! and the 6cSp:lhi~ Cl!lle to the n.;~elle, The l.egion squad run lost 58 dead amiwOlll1ded,

Th<:.' I)nli't: revolt petered Ollt, and sllccnsh'c Leg-ion uaualion~ hada n:lati\'cl)' <juici life in ~arri,\()11. III October 19!J9 thosc cUTTently in theLevant -1/, IVI ami VII kr REI illld 11/2{' REI - were iunalhr.llllatcd intothe 11(:\\ lX- REI.

IndochinaTht-, Le/{iun bran;wn \\~l.' reduced dllrin~ and withdrawn inullcdiald}aflcrWorld War I. In 1920 lilt' rv/ler REI rt;wmed; in 1921 thc IV/:!e,rede"ignaled IXI Itr in 192(1: in 1927 the VIII ler: and in 19!\O till' Iller.In St:'ph-'mb('r 1930 till:' laSlthr('c hattaliom were amalgamalcd into thenew .le REI. Apart f"(J1ll occasional expeditiom against ·pirates·(bandit~), and the brief bill hloody Conllnlllli~t-lcd rising in Yen Itlrprovil1Ct· in 19RO. life for tile Legion in lndodlina wa~ peaceful. II, wasregarded a~ a luxull' posting' for men with good IT('ords; pay anrlallowanc('s w(>re generoll~, hard physical work was inli-eqllcnr, andchanning f('male campan> \\~IS plclltiful,

CAMPAIGNS 1940-42

The prt-'·wal legion garri'lnn'l rem;linl'd in :\'onh Africa. Ihe lc"ltlt alldIndochilla. but the} prmided cadres and btxc drafts for a number of

lit'\\' Llnil~ Ihm \n:rc cOl1l11liuc.;d tu com hat against the Axis. As ,,·ithWorld War L space al1u\\"~ oul)" brid nOles hen: on campaig-ll~ welldncLllllt"llted in standard hi<;tork1>:

Narvlk\Iarch 19"'0, ht Fn.:ndl Light Di\'. (Cen. BCthouart) ..hipped to:"IIon\';I\ illduded 13c Ocmi-8rigade de la Legion Etrangerc (1.1.

Col. Magrin-Vt::rnert-'\' - 'Mundar'), a t\\o-b.tttaliull ullil miser! fromAfric.1Il g<trrisolls. lr..tinccl :tnr! equipped ill Fr..mcc fur moun lain\\~ll'f;lI·e. Landed HaafjdrlC't llf'ninsLlla 6 \Ia~·: att:tckcd Gcmlan troopssucccs~fully al ~jc.;nik. l~ \I;-n. and :\'anik. 28 ~lay: 2(' (;it". losl all

22 onicers and 60 men: (;t'"rm;-lI1~ pu~hed b..'ld. to Swedi~h from ieI'.

The .tart of th<t 13<11 DBLE's long

journey: Gen. de Gaull. inspects

a guard 01 honour In Whl1ehall,London, In .July HMO. The

Ieogfonnal... w.ar M1926 and

MHI15 helmeb, the shirtand 'goff' trou..... 01 the

French ,,""y Ml lt38 unifonn,

brown mountain boot. and

whit.·o......khakl double socks.

The cl'tkhe and blu. ush are

the only Legion touch...

75mm c_ 0' the Battene

S;tharieflne Portee. probablv atOutJl"llIa, Algeria. wt>ere it wa.

formed in October t 940; • 2.

8SPL was formed at Fort Flatters

in April 1941. TheV _ar M1930

kepis and khaki 9reatcoats with

'ulkut ..fOCI" desert IroYse..In khaki drill, and the traditional

red·brown leather bandoUer

equipment of Saharan units. The

B$PLs fought with the Allies in

louthern Tunisia In winter

1942-43, disbandln9 InDecember 1943,

In January 1941 the 6e REI

tormed a Groupe Autonome

d'Artil'erie du Levant. with three

tOU"1lUn 75mm batteries;

person.....1wore red-backed

collar patches. They fought

courageously against~ Allie.

in June t 941, suffering some

25 per cent casualties. The 13e

D8LIE took over four 0' theirguns and used them against

enemv armour at 8ir Hakelm,

transporting them en port".On Ford 3-ton trucks.

Division withdrawn at 11('\\" of German blil::Jm'rg in France. illlcIH!c:·d10 reinforce Renncs. Britlanr: arri\'ed Brest 100 Iale: 13c DULErc-~mb.'1l'kcd wilh full C<llliplllelll for UK.. 30.June. unil ,uht.cs~d

by Gen. de Gaulle. then alTllo~t unknown FrCt· French It-arlcr, f\bullihalf of I~ opterl for rqlatrialion 10 I\loroc(;u, remaind('r to lighton with British. (Free Frellch unit hrif"nv redc:si~natcd 14e DOLE.rC:Slllllillg" Ilwnbcr 13(' in NO\"l'lllber 19--10.)

The Battle 01 franceCnil~ r:dsl,.'d in J\letropolil<l1l FralK(;' included Ill' REI (Nu\'elllbC'l' 19:i9- ~,.100 \'olunlt'ers from 1.q.(ioll garrisons. plus !'lOO Frcnch rC~('I'\'ists

with r01"1nCr Le~ion service); amI 12c REI (F(-hrllary I~HO - mU~llr

ex-lh~·iolJllairc French f('~('r\'ists pIllS 400 lWW \·ollliltcers). llniL~

re;lwnahly well C(luippeo, moslly \\itlL pre-Ifl~!, material. 1("1' ami2e KE(' provided 673 all l';lllk~ for Groulle de Reconnaissance

Damasc:.... summe.. 1941:

an officer of the 13e is decorated

by Gen. Catroux. Note British

khaki drill clothi"!l 1'0..... iss..ed;and cont...st between offICer's

M1$31 .nd sokIie..'$ M1930 kepi

proportions. (Imperial War

24 M.......m)

Oi"isionnairc 97 (Fdllllar)' 19·\0 - one mUlIllted. one lon'jedillf:mtrr, one Ilrc support :'>qllarlroll, with 11lolOrqcle elclll('llt).

Ahoul 6.000 ncw \'Ullll1l(:cr~ were ~uTt'pted 'lur the duration', mO~1

..en·ing with 21e :UH.1 22c RCl,olmcllts de l\brche de VolOlltaircs El.rangers(O('tol)("r 1939) ami 23c RMVE (l\b}' 19-10): 111;\11\ Spani'lh r:i\'il Warrefugee'l rcrruited ;11 l-{rim I\acart-s int<...mtl1cI11 (';1I11\> in Ill(' P\'l'clle(':>.;lIul lllany [;:LSlelll EllropC.';Uh At lirst neglcl·tcd. Ilw R~I\T~'l r('C(";\l"dIWller clothing in ...-\plil I~ ..W. (. \Ithollgh a(kquatch armed, t"(luipmclIl\\':1 .. lIlll"leU - 22e R.\I\"E 1'';1.. nicknamed 'the lotring rt'gimcnl', as ahnuslcompktc bll: of equip11lt'1lI lotl'lpS fOrCl"d men tu impro\'i:.c all lolil1g~

frOIll curd.. )lIe REI (CuI.. Roh""l"I) with 61h (N. African) nil. I,'hen German

olkll:>i\'C.: ulX'ned 10 1\la> 19-10: IIIU\'('(llu Stena\ h('lwC('n R.. l\lell:>e andR.. Chin..: 27 ~lay" holdillg I~oi:> d'll1ur when enemy :11'J'ill"ll. Held outunder repeated attack.. ulilil ordered to n:ln'al 11 June: It! .Julle ..

2

•

,

1: LegiQflllaire, en. C, 2e RM/2e RE; France. OCt. 1914

2: Lt. Col., 4l!! RMller RE: Franee. Nov. 19U3: Porte-tanlon, 8n. C. 28 RM/ler RE: France, June 1915

A

B

t: klvalid, 4e RM/ler RE: Ltons. SJlrin9 19152: Capclf'3l. RMLE; Wesll!'fn Front, .arty 1916

3: LMG learn No.2, RMLE; assault o.-der, Aug. 1917

, -

1: Legionnaire, 1I1/RMA; Dardanelles, spring 1915

2: Capoi'"al, 2e CMI1er RE; Morocco, Aug. 1918

3: Sergent, RMLE; Lorraine, Nov. 1918

3

c

1: Legionnaire. Vll1er REI: Morocco, June 19252: Legionnaire 1/1re cl" V!4e REI; Syria, Sept. 1925

3: Brigadier, IV/ler REC: Syria, Nov. 1925

D

1: ClIpitaine, 1er REC: Morocco, c.1930

2: Sergent, CM/3e REI; Morocco, early 19305

3: Capt. Prince Aage, 11/3e REI: Morocco, earty 19305

3

E

E' Meknes. summer 19341: Bugler, 1I1/2e R I, er 19323e REI' Fez, SUmm2' Drummer, , 37

. I ~- REI' Hanoi, (:.193: Capora, "" ,

-I '

~!IV ,.,

'.l

"- ,,

I!

/1I

-1

I\

F

II

lIII!"'-

3

II

)

1: Legionn<We, t3e DalE; NOfWay, May 1940

2.:~ tere ct... 12e REI; France. June t940

3: UgiolVlaire, CMAl4e REI; Morocco, t937~t

G

1: Sergei'll, 13e DBLE; Rome, June 1944

2: Adjudal'll, ler REC: Germany. April 19453: Sectiol'lleader, RMlE: Alsace, Jan. 1945

2

H

North Africa, 1943-44: the

1er REC parade in their new

American armOUr - an M8Howitzer Motor Carriage (1!5mm

tu......t On Stuart tank cha"ls) 0'the tire support eklmanl, and M8

Greyhound ar~redcars. The

HMC has a green Legion grenade

painted on to the 58 08 sign on

the side of the engine. (ECPA)

encircled;1I Sailu..('oermaiIH;ur-Mcusc: II I il- \;nually wiped OUl, Pulled1,.,d.lol\'ardsToul. lie REI had 1;lken iO perceI114:a~t1ahic~ h, cea<;("-lire011 ~2June,

12e REI (Col. Iksson) with 8th Oil'. ill S()h.~)IlS :-ector when lir...tallad.ed G June. CoullIer.auacking. 11I/12c I\'i)x'd nut ill tCIl hour~:

rc..'maillder or regiment encircled hv nightfall on ;th: r.500 menmanaged to brcak out: (,300 ~l,ill with 12c Ilcar Lim0J.;i's at armistice of

22.1 une.GRDI 97 (LI. Col. L.combe de la Tour) \\~I~ recce clement of ;th

(N. African) Oi\".; fighting on Somnle "olllh of I"i'mnlle 011 IR l\.lar alldthercaftcr in slllbborn ITtre:,t ul1lil22JlIne. Ihis IInit di~tinglli'ihcd ilSt-'lfin haifa dozen conly dcfensi\"c haulcs a~rain~t heavy ()(hk The coloneldied among the rearguard cO\"L'rill!{ lhe cro...~ing .. of the Oisi'. and only262 all mnks sul·...i,·ed al the alllliMin',

21c RMVE (LI. Col. Debuiss),) hea...ily ,ul:I.ckcd 011 9-10 .June alB1I7.ancy-I('-~lort-1101ll1llc and LI-Gr';l1Ig-l'-:tll-Boi~ in Ardennc~: sa\\' 110further action.

22c RMVE (1.1. Col. Vil1iers-\lor) made \'ig-uruu~ coutller-aWI,k alVilliers·Carbonnel Ilf'ar Ppronne on 24 May; look, IU~1 and retook village.bUl t:\'enlu;\lIy on:'rrun by German l;\llb ;,lkr impn..:ssi\'c resislance,

23c RMVE (Ll. Col. AlIllloillt') 111;1I1a~l'd to <lela>' (;CI"IU;\l1 armuurfor 1\1'0 days at 1'0111-sur'Y0l1nc sOlllh Ors(Ji~SOIl~ 011 1!'>-IG.lulle.

The 13e Deml-Brlgade, 1941-42

Thc Edl of France condCllllwd lhe 13(' to <I 10llely exile as the only1.l'g-iul1 unit ;\mong Ihe Fighting French, hut ill lhi' proCl'SS the)' \1'011Lliliquc pre~lig-e.

After the snows or Nor\l';\Y 'heir ncxt liJ.;ht alollg-~ide lhe British wasamUll!{ Lhc baking: rocks of Italian Erilrea in r:';l~t Africa, The I:k landedal Pun Sudan 011 15 Februal"): iiI(') captur{'d f.nghiahal 011 27 .\Iarch,elltcrinl-: Kt:rell the next da} alld l'lking l\!onteClll1o 011; April. In (he~e

actions ;u\{1 II Ie subseqllt-'Ilt c;'plllrt: 01 j\ lassa\l~1 tilt· l:k look more thall15.000 prisoners.

There now followl.-'d a 11~IKic episode when I<'gionnaire foughtlegionnaire. On 8.June 1911. alonbrsidc n,.ili~h ;In(\ AlI~II~llian force~. the 33

I;k DIKE nos~ccl [he frontier from Bri[ish-held Jorcl;lll ill[o Syria.which was Iwlrl hr Fn'nch troops lopl [0 Vichy - inciliding Ihe IX: REI.Both units fought I,'i[h courage. discipline alld decene). alld lo~se~ I'eresi~nilicallt, The arlllistiCt~ of Saim:leall-(rAcre f'nded hOSlililic~ 011 1·1.Iulr: the IX: w('re allowed to choose repatrialion or eniisuneill. ,lIldahou[ 1,000 jOill('d Ill(' l.1e DBLE. which formed a third batt:\liOll. Till,;re~[ relul'll('d t'\'t'ntlt:lllr to Norlh Africa, mosl reinforcing lhe deplcledIeI' REI.

Commanded from Augusl 19... 1 b> Ihe Ge.·orgian priUll.' Lt. Col.Amilakxari. Ill(' l.1c' OI\l.E mo\'ed 10 Empt late in 19... 1 to sene.' uuderthe Rrili~h Rth Anm: [Iley reprl'~ented halfthc infalltl"} ~tretlg:lh OfGt.'ll.Koenig's ht Free Frellch I~rigade. The 11/ and 111/13<..· grc.·atl\' dblin­guished Ihell1~'h'e, in lht.. epic defence.' ofBir I-Ia~eilll (27 \la\,-I0.JulH·19"'2) al thf' '>Olilhern end or tile Ga";lla Line ddcIICC~: tlli~ b;lltlC \\~l:- adefining 1I1t)lIlelll for lht· Frce French GHI~.

During the EI Alalllein fighting in hue Oetolx.. r 1912 Ihe I~' "~IS

commillcd to ,I cO"II) all;lC~ al [I J-1i1l1cimat 011 the BI;tish left nan),.: ('.01.

Ami!.I),.".ri was among' the fallen. LI. Col. Babloll kd the l:k duringl\lolllgorner.·~ pur'Suil 10 Tllllllii<t: the 1st Fn:e Frellch Hrig;ult' w:t~

upgraded to di,;~ioll<ll slallls (I~re DFL) while the 131.: "ere r(',ting;1ITobwJ....

CAMPAIGNS 1943-45

TunisiaSillC(' the fall of F'-.lllce the j.pn;som. in \'ichy-gm'ernecl 1'\onh AfriC<1had beell stan'ed of recruits and equipment. and sll'~ected to pcriodichal";\::.Mlll·llt br Ge.'l"lll;l1l ;lllthorities Irring 10 repatriate theirnalioll;ll~ and hUlil down allli-Reich c1emelll_~ in tilt' L('gion's 1";l1lls.

There ,,'ere ~Ol1W ugly epismks il1\'Oh-ing 'c1llr:l.lion only' recruits: ;lItdlip to 2,000 German legionnaire.~ \\'ere forcibly remo\'ed, llIallY later~t."l...'illg under Ronunel in the \\'ehnnadll'S IlIj Ugl, Afrika (11/01) JM.Ikfore lon~, ho\\'('\'('r. [he I.egion became adepl al poslinA' vulnerablemen 10 far-nllng gar1"i~ons hefore the illspt'C\ors arri\ed.

The it'r REI had relllailwd ill i\lgeria, the leI' REC i11 Tunisia, the 2\;,mel ;~(A REI ill .\olol'oc(o, The 2e IU:C and 'Ie REI (l1lillll~ il:; AlllOmohikC()lllpaIlY) had h\'Cll di:.b;uHh.:d in 1940, tlte oc REI ill 1941: bill a n('w

'Ie DBI.E was raised ill August 1941 <lnd shipped 10 Senegal III Fn'nch\VeSt Africa. Ell' fl'Ol1i prying Germall eyes.

After Some bl'id' rl'~istance the Attglo-AmeriGlll bndings in FrellchNonll Afric;, ill i\'\JI'l;mbe.'I' I~H2 allowed I·A.nnce d'Afri(jlle II) join IheAllies ill time fur the cl111paigtl in Tlltti~ia. From December mriulls tiddtorce~ - llalidiGlpped br their old-EL~hiont:(1 \n~apons alld Il<\n~port ­"'cre hurriedlr [hrOIl'II into action ag;linst lhe ,~till-fonnidableHIII::.J'ffll'l/IlY'

Afriha, All three hatlaliollS oflhc so-called.1e REt de ~larche ~lltlcred \'erylIean I,~e, (anel, hridlr. [he cherished regilllemal colour) on tht· qjdx:1l\lall~Ollr in lIIid:lallu,1I1' 19"'~: a ~mal1 mOlorised foret' from the ler RECdid \l'dl at Foom d COllafel. In April Ihe 2e REI lI'a~ di1>hallded. il1>r....maining: drecli\('~joillillg the .1e. The IeI' R.EI de :\Iarche (frolll lhe1/ ler REI and .It- DBI.E) fought :I[ POIl[ du Fahs ami z:'lghou;m in :\1;1\'

19... .1. ~lc;lI1\\'hik lilt' 1;\... Dm.E. coming up the coasl from Lib\~I, 1'ollgl1t34 al Djehcl Card on 11-12 ~Ia}.

Men of the 13e DBlE and one of

the non.European units of

Koenig's Free Freno;h Brlgllde litfhe Well of fhe Dog _ Blr Hakelm,

llb~a, ear1~ -.pring ti42. Freno;h

kepis, field equipment andweapons were used with

o;omplete British dothlng ls_.

Note the Mt914 Hoto;hkiss MG

o;arried in the 3·tonner; the neart

indK:ates 1st Compan~ IIWM)

" ,~."..-' .-'.

. - '.

Reorganisation, 1943-44Victon in :"onh Africa allowed 11u- reorg;lni'l;:llion and whoklo.'1I('rL"-ecpliprnenl of Ill(' French garTi"Oll w'ilh lJS mal<'rial, to lake part inIhe Allied liheratioll of Europe the folll)\\'ing }<,ar. This ("xerciseIr;msfonned lhe L.egion for the fil"'ltime into a modern lighting force.TIlt" main IInil wa~ Ill{' lhrcc-ballaliotl K~II.I'.. rc\,i\'ing Ill(' lille of191:)--18 and formed from the formcr 2c. :lc. 4(.' and {it' KEls at Sidi!lel;\bbe~ in Jul~ 1943. Destined 10 prmidc the armoured infantry of lhenell' 5th Armoured Di\'isiun (JC DI~). it wa!'> ol"!{'llri"<:d. equipped andlmincd along US lines. The ler REt:. with all I [Qsqll<1dmll, a light lanlsquadron and fOllr ;ll"lllOUl"cd (,n' S(llladroll~. was thl' divisionalrecce regiment. Till.' 13c DHLE abu el\jop'd a l"C~(, l"l·tl~lillillg ;UllJJ"t'-(:quippillg- with US lll;lIl.'ril.'l. There was SUllll.' IIlutU;ll war-illessbc1wl.'crllhc [3e and thl.' ex-Vichy III\it~.

Italy and North-West EuropeThe [~e DBLE (C:dt. de Sairignt·) [al\(kd ill ha[y in bIt' April 1944.taking pan in the forcillg or the Garig-Iialll) and fighling al \!onlePcncio hefore hypassillg Rome. TIl\' I/l:k \,'011 a srnal1 bill hril1ianlhall[e at Rarlicofani on 18 .lulle, dirnbing a rocky hill IlIleler [](';1\,' UrI"rrOlll :, German company dllg inlo the old ca.'llt' 011 lIlt' summit withanil1l;n' and lank support.

TIl(' lere I)FL (later renamed lCrt' 1)[\1. bot r\10tori'cd Jnf:mtryDi\-ision) was soon withdrawn and cOlllmilled to lhe t\lli('d [anding.. insouthern Fr,U1ce: lhe 131.' DBLE di'ell1l)arlt'd l1l'lU S:lillt.Tropt:1 iII mid·Allgllsl Iy+t. Tilc 5..., DB also lallded in Proll'lln: ill Illid·SCpl .... lllbcr. TII('initial ad\'allce jwailicd the Ilicknallle 'Ch;ullpa/-;Ile C.ullp:'i/{Il·: bUI alllhrl'l' Legion regilllclI~ saw 1'1.'1) hard lighting- in I,'inter 19--14-'-15 illAIs<ICC'. Tile 13<.' fought around Strasbulll1{ :1I1l1 Cullllar. ,llld ill till' laM\\·cek.s or Ihc war in the AJps around bola. 35

36

Beards we..... wQrn in the field by

many men of the 13e; this

splendid legionnai..... at Bir

Hakeim is identified as an NCO

by his uncovered midnight blue

and red kepi with a gold grenade

badge, and gQld chevrons Qn

shQulder strap slides. BefQre

cropping the phQto showed that

he still carried the M1892118

carbine. (IWMj

The squadrons of tilt' REC (Col. fdicluel) and the battalions of theR~"LE (Col. Tritschler) - divided belween US-Slyle Cum bat Commandsgrouping- half-tr<lck inf<lIlTry. tanks aud arlillery - were heavilyengaged in IIw Vosges thl"Ougholll November. In .1;lllllilry andearly Fehruary dwy saw biller fighlinK in tlle snow-bollnd COIITl;lrPocket. assaulling stubborn Cermall positions In one village afteranoTher.

C:ol. Tritschler died of sickness; Col. Olic led Tlle' RMI.E inToGerm;myon 19 ~'larch. and in a raging: advance all tIle' way 10 AUSlria.They crossed lhe Rhine all ~ April. The NecLir at Tllhing('n on the 1Dlh,reached SIUllg,H"t all lhe 21st. lhe Danube;1I TutTlingen on Ihe ~3rd,

;md lhe Arlberg: fvlounlaills ill the Tyrol by I 1\:by.

IndochinaThe main European uniLs In garnson were lile' 0e ,lnd I It- RcgilTlen~

d'lnbnlelie Colonialc and the three-halL1Eon 5e REI. In September1940 lhe 1I/5e saw action when J<lp<ln bunched a surprise allack OIl

Frelleh posts around Ling SOil e1mf> 10 Ihe Chinese border: bUl <I lreatysoon obliged the French colonial aUlhorilies to co-opel,lle with Japan.The [/ and [11/5e saw action wlle'n. with Japanese encouragemenLThailand auacked the westf'rn borders of the colony betweenSeptember 1940 and .lantJ:lry 1041. Japanese Iroops ,Hid airliekls wereinstalled in Indochina, 'llld the lightly equipped French garrisons,thoug-h left in place, were limited to operations againsl bandil gangs.

In l\bn:h 194.1) Japan dema nded the disarming ,\lId illten uuenl of allFrench troops. The refuS:ll of this ulTimatulTl triggered siulldlalleoLlsauacks on most French posts on:J March; hundreds were killed in Iheirdefence or massacred after c:lplilre. 1.uckily the three field ballalious ofthe .I)e REI were on column up counlry around TOllg Phu Tho on theRed Rin~r: IInder command ofCen. Alessandri lhese and ulher ref\lgee~

made an epic lIghting ret real 01'800 km lhroughjung:le and mountains,crossing the C:hines(' frOlltier 10 safety aher .::i2 day~.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Dunn. Ross L, Heli:>laf/c( in lI'I'I)(:.lI:rl, Croom Helm. 1977Carras, LL Col. Louis (cd.), La L(1!;ir)J/ Itfrtlllf.,l"h"(', \'/"{lIIdl'lll" & SI'TJlilude.

Hislorailia magazine, Hurs Serie 3. 1967Geraghly. TOllY, Morcll or Dil'. Grafton. 1986Guyader. Raymond. La Lrgir)J/ Iflrflngi:rl' 1831-1945, Regi'Arln, 1907La Livrf' !lVr (If: itl IJf(ion Itlrtlllgh"(', 1931Lfl Lilli,' dVr til' lf1 Ugion It/mngh"(', Ch;lrles·L:l\"dllzf>lIe, 10S1l\bkros. Christian, Imigun tie Ifll.rgion hmngh." Kepi I~bnc. 1981Porch. Doug-las, Tltf "',"('nrll Ffm'ign '-I'gion. Mannilbn, 1001Windrow. \bnin, & Ch<lppeiL i\'lichael, l./nijonll.s (lIlhl' 1'l1'lIlh FOI'l'igll

I.fgiol/ 1831-1981, Blandford, 10S1\o\'oolman, David S., Hl'hd~ in Iltf Hif Oxford Universil} Press, 10({)KI;J!i Blal/r magazine, passimMililflr1a magazin(', passim1/lIiJonllf'~ Illag:lzine, p:lssim

THE PLATES

Note: These plates and commentaries correct. wherepossible. errors in our book French Foreign LegKJfI Uniforms1831-1981 (Blandford Press, 1981).

Throughout, the term 'khaki' has its European meaning ofdrab mid-brown as used lor wool uniforms (US equIValent'olivil drab', French moutaroe): the BntJSh lerm 'khaki drill'means IlQhlweight cotton uniforms in pale sandy shades (USequlV3lenl 'khaki' or 'suntan', French khaki claire or khaki,.".,).

Pattern dates, e.g. M 1920, refel" to the authorising order orfirst offICial description, usually predating actual issue bymonths in wartime or years in peacetime while previousstocks were used up. Later- modifications were otteo orderedwithout changes of designation. so in any particular casedifferent sources may attach different dales: e.g., the khakidnll tunic equivalent 10 the M1920 wool version is usuallytermed the M 1921, although neither appeared in numbersbefore c.1927; but the half-breeches - changed only in detailsfrom those ordered in 1914 and issued In 1915 - are termedin one important French source 'M1915127'. The point of thislaboured explanatioo is to warn readers that absolutely rigidpattern/date identifications are rare. They should alsoremember that soldiers often disobey ollicial regulations.either through failures to Issue the ollicial pattem Items orthrough simple defiance.

A1: Legiomaire de 2e classe; Bataillon C, 2e Regimentde MarcheJ2e Regiment Etrallger; Mailly-Ie-Camp,October 1914Volunleers were outfitted from french Metropolitan storesexactly like Line infantry. though with a red cloth grenade forthe front of the '-11884 kepi. and the LegIOn's blue sash !ofwear over the greatcoat 00 parade. In fiekI order. with theM1912 kepi cover in bleue-mecaniclefl ('wOOOTlan's blue'),only the red collar l'lOOlbefs on the M1877 greatcoat in gris defer blecJte identified the unn. Red Ml897 trousers were wornWIth Ml893 boots and '-11913 garters; bell and bracessupported three M 1888 cartridge pouches. one central at lheback. and the frogged bayonel; the Mt892 haversack(etui-musene) and one-.-litre 1877 waler bottle were wornslung - lhe African ve!Elrnns brought their field equipmentfrom Algena, so had two-litre bidons. The black leatherM1893 knapsack was initially stowed only with spare boots Ina bag, M1852 mess-tin (angled back to allow prone firing),and one 01 the squad's tools and cooking uteoslls. The riflewas the 8mm bolt-action M1888/93 Lebel With eight-roundmagazine. (From a photo of the American volunteer and laterair ace Killin Yales Rockwell, courtesy Paul A. Rockwell.)

BELOW RMlE recruits receive rifle Instruction behind

the lines. A date of 19161s suggested by the ml~ture ofclothin9 worn: the light colour here is hori:ron blu.e, the

....rker shade mustard-kl>aki. Note both kepis (second from

left shows the M1914 shape well) and bonnets de police

worn Indiscriminately.

37

A2: Lieutenant-colonel, 4e Regiment de Marche/1erRegiment Etranger; Mailly-Ie-Camp, November 1914The red and black kepi is the so-called Saumur style - therewas also a shorter, more rigidly cylindrical 'Polo' shape. Thelace rank stripes are in infantry sequence (gold/ silver/ goldlsilveri gold), above the Legion's grenade in gold. TheNoriolk-style field jacket, which officers were ordered on 8October 1913 to acquire. is in one of the tolerated shades of'blued-iron grey', supposed to match the troops' greatcoats;the collar bears the Legion officer's large gold-embroideredgrenades. and the sleeves full-size rank galons. The redculotle with 45mm black seam stripes were worn with eitherthese laced gaiters and ankle boots (with spurs for mountedfield officers). or dark blue or blue-grey pultees. (From aphoto of Lt, Col. Peppino Garibaldi; regulation sword belt,M1892 revolver holster. and Galilee military binoculars arereconstructed.)

A3: legionnaire de 1ere classe, porte-fanion; 8ataillon C,2e Regiment de Marche/1er Regiment Etranger; Artois,June 1915The French Army ordered 'horizon blue' uniform in December1914, but the quantities required meant that the Legion didnot start receiving it until June 1915. The greatcoat hadpriority; this is the M1914, single-breasted with two breastpockets; note that rolled shoulder straps (for keepingequipment straps in place. and sometimes worn on the right

38 only) were not always of matching cloth. Yellow collar patches

LEFT Reconstruction of an RMLE legionnaire, 1916, withoriginal items: khaki-painted M1915 Adrian helmet, lightkhaki stock, khaki M1915 greatcoat with green collarinsignia, the Legion's 4.2m blue sash worn outside the coatfor parade, brown leather equipment, M1893/14 grey-greencanvas knapsack with heavy stowage, Croix de Guerrelanyard and personal medals. See Plate 82. (CourtesyFranlj'ois Vauvillier)

were ordered in December 1914, with green distinctions forthe Legion, but as the yellow was ordered changed to horizonblue in April 1915the Legion probably never wore them. Rankand trade badges were ordered in green for the Legion fromMay 1915, and forearm ranking was reduced to 35mmdiagonals. The simplified M1914 kepi is made of an importedcloth called 'English blue-grey'. Since late 1914 the redtrousers were covered by salopettes in toile bleue­mecanicien. Puttees were made from anything available.Rolled blankets. tent section, pegs, cord. etc. had now beenadded to the knapsack; the M1879 spade is one of thesquad-issue tools and utensils divided between the men.

In this unit national companies and even national flagswere tolerated; after one was made for a Polish company bythe ladies of Bayonne the Czech volunteers asked the mayorfor one of their own-it survived the war, and is illustratedafter E. Fort in Le Passepoil (although we have reconstructeda different uniform for the bearer for this date). There isevidence for a Swiss company fanion carried within the RMLEas late as April 1918.

81: Invalid, 4e Regiment de Marche/1er RegimentEtranger: military hospital, Lyons, spring 1915This convalescent's Legion sash is the only wholly regulationitem worn. He has added an Italian cockade, and an unex­plained pom-pom, to the M1884 kepi. The barracks dressveste is virtually unchanged since the 1860s, but instead ofregimental numbers he wears red collar grenades. In 1915-16much clothing in non-regulation fabrics - e.g. brown or greycorduroy and 'moleskin' - was issued throughout the Army;these grey corduroy culottes are confined by puttees of oldgreatcoat cloth. Note the (unexplained) brassard edged withthe Italian cOlours and bearing a misspelt ARGONE, in ref­erence to the sector where this regiment fought the previouswinter. (Published by Boisselier in Le Passepoil.)

82: Caperal, Regiment de Marche de la LegionEtrangere: marching order, Western Front, early 1916The M1915 helmet was issued in time lor the Champagneoffensive of September 1915, painted in general issue horizonblue, A khaki uniform for the units of the Army of Africa hadbeen prescribed in the December 1914 orders, arriving withthe RMLE piecemeal from January 1916; greatcoats camefirst, and it was several months before the RMLE were com­pletely in khaki with repainted helmets. Headgear, ordered inMay 1915. was officially a plain khaki M1914-style kepi; butthe troops preferred the khaki bonnet de police. A new cut ofgreatcoat was described in October 1915: double-breasted,without breast pockets, but with a deep fall collar. No specificcollar cypher was ordered for the RMLE and at first 1er and2e RE veterans kept their respective numbers; but beforelong '1' became standard (the RMLE had taken over theregimental colour of the 2e RM/1er RE). Until early 1917 the

ABOVE Portrait autographed In 1('23 b~ allOYs-lieutenant

of the 1er REI, who still wea... the double lanyard of the

wartime RMLE on his khaki ,",,,,Ic:e dren tunic:; the

<Semi-san c:ollar bea... g<>kI grenad... on gold-piped khaki

patc:hes. Infuriatingly, the In"",rlption i. onl~ Pillrtly legible;

it SU9985ts that this offk:er Is an English 10........ Ro~al Navy

IieYtenant-c:ommal'der. (Court...,. R.C.Harris)

patches remained this rectangular snape: thereafter theybecame lozenge-shaped to match tM collar points. This oldsoldier has personal awards of the Croix de Guerre and apre-war MadaHie Coloniale.

M1914 modification brown leather belt, pouches andbraces were now appearing: the M2 gasmask is eanied in arectangular tin. The M1914 canvas version of the M1893knapsack has the usual heavy stowage. including hen:! theblankets rolled in a personally acquired black rubbensedgroundsheet. The rifle is an eany 8mm Berthier Ml907I15,loaded with three-round charger clips. (After- reconstructionusing original items by Laurent Mirouze & Franc;:ois Vauvillief.)

83: 1er poorvoyeur, CSRG light machine gun team,RMLE; assault order, Yffdun-Cum.eres, August 1917By mld-1916 the introduction of the M1915 CSAG (Chauchat)light machine gun - although unreliable and inaccurate ­helped transform infantry tactics. The nfle company's tourplatoons now each had support from the 'walking lire' of one.later two LMGs rTlOVlng into the assault WIth them. By mid­1917 the LMG section had a corporal, three rif\e-greruKllE!fS.and a three-man flt8 leam: tJreur (gunner), premier pour­voyeur (fIrSt ammo number), and deuxieme pourvoyeur.Officially the first ammo number carried eight magazIneS in aspecial knapsack and fOlK in a specl3l haversack; this soldierhas dumped the heavy. awkWard knapsack as soon as It wasempty. The gUfYler and first ammo number each carried a .32Ruby semi-automatic pistol and magazines in an enlargedcartridge pouch on the back of the bett. From October 1917the platoon had two LMGlnfle-grenadM!f sections, one handgrenade section and one rille section.

In warm weather men went into action in the M1914 tunic- single-breasted. with rounded stand collar. five frontbunons. two real" vents. plain shoulders. and inlemal orvisible skirt pockets with rectangular flaps. The small greenchevrons on the left sleeve were introduced in April 1916 tomark service at the front: the first 'sardine' for 12 months andone for each six months thereafter - sometimes they werealso worn on the upper right sleeve to denote wounds. TheDecember 1914 order had specified yellow seam piping onthe culottes. but this was not always present.

A 'lightened' assault order was in use by June 1915. theknapsack being replaced by a tent cloth roll. The addition ofa second haversack and second water bottle to carry neces­sities for a day or two of unsupported fighting: two M2 gasmasks (one in the ready position. one in a tin box): tools likean M1909 folding pick/shovei: extra ammunition andgrenades, and sandbags for consolidating the objective - allthis still made a heavy load for even strong men to lug acrossNo Man's land under fire. (Reconstruction from photos oforiginal items.)

C1: Legionnaire, III Bataillon, ler Regiment de Marched'Afrique: Dardanelles, April/May 1915The Legion battalion seems (from a photo published with amemoir by Gen. Jean Regnaull) to have landed with theMl886 colonial helmet With its separate khaki cover. the palerkhaki ventilator being removed and replaced through thecloth; the kepi with pale khaki cover was also carried. TheM1877 greatcoat bore red reglfTlE!f1lal numbers of the 1er or2e RE; thiS veteran 01 Morocco also has a marksman's redbuglehom badge on hIS left sleeve. Other clothing was khaki 3.

- •

ABOVE The white bourgeron fatigue blouse and matching

trousers dating from 1882, worn here with the blue sash by

No. 2388 Legionnaire de 'ere classe Robert LinGoln, aLondoner who served with the 28 REI from 1930 to 1935.

(Courtesy Jim Worden)

drill; later photos show the uniform worn by Plate 02, but it isunlikely to hove been available by the unit's embarkation inMarch 1915, and the M1901 Colonial outfit was probablyissued. By spring 19161he unit wore the same as the RMLE inFrance. In a battlefield emergency this man is carrying one ofthe battalion machine gun company's M1914 HotChkiss guns.

C2: Caporal, 2e Compagnie Montee, 1er RegimentEtranger; GClOU~, Morocco, 9 August 1918The Livre d'Or (1931) mentions that Vivien Bessier rifle­grenades were used in this action. A bulleted round projected

40 these from a discharger cup fixed to the muzzle of the Lebel,

and tripped a live-second fuse This corporal has snatched adischarger rifle and haversack of VBs lrom a fallen man; hisown M1892/16 carbine - an increasingly popular alternativein the CMs - is slung. The Mounted Companies wore a varietyof clothing, but normal field dress at this time was either theMl901 Colonial khaki drill tunic and straight trousers or theold white fatigue blouse and trousers: the M1877 greatcoat;and either the covered M1884 kepi or the M1886 colonialhelmet. In this reconstruction we follow group photos sincec.1910, showing junior NCQs wearing the M1901 Colonialtunic (with buttoned-on ranking) with the white trousers whentheir men were in complete white fatigues. In the field thestand collar, with patches removed, was worn folded open.

C3: Sergent, Regiment de Marche de la LegionEtrangere; Chateau-Salins, 17 November 1918Six days after the Armistice the RMLE made a ceremonialentry as liberators into this town in Lorraine. This sergeant (acomposite reconstructed from photos, drawings and sur­viving items) has just come off duty: his field equipment wasnot worn on parade and he has swapped his khaki-paintedhelmet for the bonnet de police. For parade he wears his blueceinture de tradition over the M1915 greatcoat: note hissingle 90ld rank stripe and the four green chevrons marking

BELOW Trooper of the 1er REC, late 1920s to early 1930s,

wearing khaki drill M1921 uniform with khaki bonnet de

police and green Insignia on khaki wool backing; his left

sleeve bears a marksman's crossed rifles badge.

ABOVE 1er REC on mounted par.tde in winter, SouSH,

Tunisia, early 19305. Note red-badged M1930 trQ09$' and

taller, sit'ler-badged M1920 SOCs' kepis worn uncoYttred. Onthe M1920 tunic REC ranken wore dat1l bh.1fI collar patches

wIth. green '1' over a green grenade. NCO. wore a larger

Illver grenade only _ note men at lett and third left; they

allo have silver chlnitrapi worn up and second, silver­

bordered black straps WOrn down when mounted. The

mnr'chal des logis chef, left, has three sliver cuff chevronsot 'scooped' M1931 shape. (Courtesy R.O.Harrls)

lWO and a half years altne front HIs personal awards are theMedaille Mihtaire and a CrolK de Guerre With two citations.Buttoned across hiS chest In parade POSitIOn IS a doublefouf'ragiJre Of co!lectlVe unit crtation lanyard. in the nbbon coIoorsof the Legion d'HorvletK and CrotK de GuetTe. The systemwas instrtuted in April 1916. Two crtatlOflS in Army ordersbrought the Croix de Guerre IaflYard (the RMLE had threebefore its formation on 11 Nov. 1915); the fourth, one in thecolours of the Mooaille Militaire (RMLE. 27 Aug. 1916); thesixth. the red Legion d'Honneur lanyard (RMLE, 20 Sept.1917): and the ninth. the double lanyard illustrated (RMLE. 10Oct. 1918).

Infantry ranke~' uniforms c.1918-27:Until the late 19205 uniforms Wafe so motley that general reg­ulations can hardly be quoted. The Freod1 Army faced aneconomic crisis; the European war had forced major changesin Legion uniforms, yet the bulk of the corps was nowreturning to North Africa; and recruits were flooding to join theLegtOfl at a time when pre-war uniform stocks were low.'Nllile a commission dIscussed future uniforms the Army wasordered to use up wartime stocks. Units and indMduals wereoutfitted on an ad hoc basIS, and many local practicesevolVed. From published documentary and pholo research(particularly by Guyader) we may geoef8lise as follows:

HeadgearThe kepi, universal throughout the Army in 1914. had been

replaced as the rankers' headgear by the bonnet de police.

ABOVE MQruc:co, early t930.: posed group ot 3e REllqion­

nalres wearing white cap covers, M1920 khaki wooluniforms and the regimentel double tourragere. (Courtesy

John Neill) 41

ABOVE 1(1.8, .. SoYtt, Morocco, Mareh 1935: the white

regimental walklng-oul dl"eH ollne 3e REI 1- Plate F21.It ra worn here by, lett, No. 3254 Leg, de 1ere cl, Albert Neal,

and hi. comrade Cyril Conway; they enlisted togethe, at

MaraeiUes in FebRlary 1931. Neal won the Croil( de Guene

TOE in Mareh 1935, and wa. promoted sergeant shortly

bet~ his discharve in May 1lt3G. [Courtesy John Neal)

Red and blue M1884 kepis, with pale khaki covers for fielddress only, had been retained in Africa but were now in shortsupply; many rankers wore only the khaki bonnet de policeuntil at least 1923 (sometimes even with a neck flap tuckedunder the back when in the field), or the M1886 colonialhelmet. Legion colour parties, honour guards, etc., receivedkepis 01 various types - M t 884, M 1914 khaki or horizon blue- achieving uniformity by now adding the pale khaki cover forall orders of dress. In practice this was almost invariablybleached white - the first use of the kepi blanc for other thanfield dress.

In about 1923 large stOCks 01 M 1914 khaki kepis arrived inMorocco, and the (non·regulation) use of the whitened coversoon became almost universal. Since the Legion was the onlyFrench corps whose rankers were still wearing kepis, this wasthe foundation of lhe Legion's specifIC, exclusive associationWith lhe white cap,

In June 1926 the repeated appeals 01 its senior officersbrought the Legion a new midnight blue and red kepi, the softcrown slightly higher at lhe back Ihan lhe front, without sideventilators. wilh a 20mm cut-out red grenade badge, and a

42 two-piece cover and neck flap issued in unbleached conon

{though the Ilap was hardly ever used}. Late in 1927 a secondpattern was ordered: this was more cylindrical with a flatcrown, the blue band now two-thirds of the total height. Thisis usually termed the 'M1930' in reference to a confirmationof these changes published on 9 April 1930. In April 1932 thegrenade badge was enlarged to 3Omm.

CoIcJ woother uniformsThe M 1914 mustard-khaki tunic and half·breeches were usedalongside large stOCks 01 surplus US JVmy olive drab M1912and M1918 unifOlTlls. Both displayed green-on-khaki collarpatches and sleeve insi9nla; full-size 90-degree rankchevrons replaced wartime diagonals in 1920-21. The M 1868green and red fringed epauleftes de tradition were retainedonly by the tete de coIonne 01 the ter REI, and the blue sashwas also rarely seen: even Legion buttons were usuallyreplaced by plain half-ball types lor most of the 1920s. Thekhaki greatcoat was the all-seasons field dress - eitherM1915, or Mt920 (with belt loops both sides and two-buttonslul1 pocket tIaps) - usually worn over a blouse or undershirt.

Hot weather uriformsFor fatlgUe5 the M 1882 white /xlurgeron blouse and trouserswere stll issued, and often seen WIth the blue sash. Therewere two malO khaki driM uniforms. The Ml901 Colorl1a1

BELOW The U$e 01 ....tal brent badge. began unofficially,

at unit e.pense; the earliest Legion eKample was sup­

posedly that ollhe 3e REI, $Bid 10 haWl originated inMorocco In 1928 (_ Plale E31, Si......r apart lrom the red­

painted C8flIl"e 01 the bomb, It resembles a death's-head

made up 01 the l.eglon 9renade, lhe regiment's doublelanyard, and a aablmander, the motto is L81Iio Palria Noatra:

'Tl>e Legion i. Our Fatherland'.

pallero had six front buttons, SQuare stand col~. patch skirtpockets with or without rectangular naps, and shoulderslraps: ItS origtnal straight slacks were now recut as haIf­breeches. Thefe was also a light dnI ver5ior1 01 the December1914 muslard-khakl unIform (see Plate 02), as worn in theDardanelles and Macedonia; some photos seem to show thISwith shoulder straps.

01: Legionnaire, VI Bataillon, 1er Regiment Etrangerd'lnfanterie; Ai' campaign, Morocco, June 1925A composite reconstruction: though we choose to place himin the Batailloo Cazaban Ihis legionnaire could stand for anyof the Rif War unIts. His M1914 khaki or honzon blue kepi hasan unbleached cover (codfe eave): against the chill of nighthe wears his M1920 greatcoat over Ml901 Colonial khaki dOliuniform. By the Rif War infantry on o~bons replaced theknapsack wrth the barda - their blankets and spare clothIngrolled in the tent section. His nfle is a late Berthler M1906115wilh straight bolt and a needle-bayonet without quil!ons: thistook five-round clips. After the Great War hand grenadeswere used enthusiastically in the Legion's Moroccan andSyrian battles: this soldier flings Fl fragmentation grenadesduring a dawn bfeak-oot charge. This battalion was awardedthe red-flecked pale blue fourragere of the Croix de GuerreTOE ('lor external theatres of operations', introduced July1925) for actIOns dunng this campaign.

02: Legionnaire de 1ere classe, V Biltaillon, 4e AegimentEtranger d'infanterie; Mousseffre, Syria, September 1925The troops sent to the Levant wore the Ml886 colonialhelmet. with or WIthout the separate cover; and the khaki drillversion of the M1914 uniform with the usual regimentalpatches for stand collars. His greatcoat is rolled in his barda,which has the mess-tin strapped high on the back. This bat­talion was awarded the fourragere of the Croix de Guerre TOEfor the action 01 17 september. (After Guyader.)

03: Brigadier, IV Escadron, let" Regiment Etranger deCavalerie; Rachaya, Syria, November 1925The REC wore vanoos uniform IIams in 1922-1939 (seeGuyader, Unifotmes no. 45 and Kepi BJanc nos. 454 & 455).but during the IJnJze nSlng their field dress was apparently asIllustrated for this corporal. The M 1886 helmet was issued butunpopular; the khaki M1918 bonnet de police was preferred.Cold weather tunics were either surplus US Army olive drab(illustrated) or French M1914 mustard-khaki: khaki woolChasseur d'Afrique breed1es with dark blue seam pipingwere wom with M 1916 three-buckle gaiters and M1917 bootsfilted WIth spurs. Hot weather mounted dress was the Ml901Coloniallunic or. for fatigues, the while Ml882 blouse. bothworn wrth the khaki wool breeches. Collar patches were bluewith green pipings and regimental number. In the~ theloose linen gandourah (mentioned in orders of September1923) was ollen worn over the uniform, with ranklrtg on abuttoned chest lab. Leather equipment was standard, withthe frogged bayonet for the Ml892116 carbine. At this datekepis were seldom seen: by about 1927 they were morecommon, complete with cover and neck flap. A pale khakicMche or desert scarf became popular. worn in various waysat the commander's whim - either looped round the neck,crossed on the chest. or wrapped all round the head andneck a la Tchet1cesse.

ABOVE Sgt.. Chartes Mi....in of the CMAl4e REt wearing

khaki drill walking·out drns at Tindouf, Moroccan Sahara,

December 1939. Note the caree' NCO, kepi and fou ....

pocket tunic wom oPtln ove' a while shirt and black tie,

with double gold chevron" hooked 10 the forea,m".(Courtesy Charlea MII.nin)

The squadron consisted 01 a command and servicesplatoon, and two sabre platoons each dIVIded into twogroups, each of two SQuads. One squad were scouts, oneman c:arryng a VB grenade disctlarger. the other squad

served an LMG carried on a pactdlofse. The 4th Squadronhad been cited for rts behavIour at MoosseIh'e Ifl September,and a second citation brought the Croix de Guerre TOE four­ragere for its desperate defence of Rachaya on 20-23November. (Composite reconstructed from notes and sur­viving items, after Guyader,)

Infantry rankers' uniforms c.1927-39:Although a new uniform was ordered in July 1920, with adetailed recapitulatIOn In September 1923, it was about 1927 43

44

before deliveries allowed the beginnings of uniformity. M1920cold and M1921 hot weather tunics were cut the same, inkhaki wool and pale khaki dnll respectively, the latter havingall Ir1SIgnla detachable lot' Iaunderlng. Bolh had Ioose-cut fallcollars wrth rounded pomts, seven lront buttons, slurt pocketswrth rectangular flaps, and an upward-buttOOlng belt loop onthe left side (wool tunICS allen had brass belt hooks let intothe seams Instead). They were worn With wool Of khaki drillpamaJon-eulotte basically unchanged Since 1915, puttees.and M1917 boots. The wool unliOfTTl came from the manu­facturers in various darker or lighter, yellower, redder orgreener khaki sI1ades-to the lury of commanding officers.Lozenge-shaped, green-piped collar patches bore green reg­imental numbers, sometimes (particularly in the 3e and 4eREI) above a small disc In blue, red, yellow or green indicatingI to IV Bataillons respectively; a green grenade instead of thenumber was worn by Ihe central depot at Sidi bel Abbes.From c.1925 lhe blue sash became more common again forparade and walking-out, but hardly ever for oper.ltions; inmost units (except the 3e REQ the tunIC was tucked IfIto thehalf-breeches and the sash wound round on top.

NCOs' unifcxms:Ser1Kll" NCO ranks were sergent, sergent-foomer and sergent­major until 1926: thereafter, only sergent and sergent-ehef.

ABOVE 4e REI, Morocco, 1938: a Htre ctasse _ ..ring

M1921 khaki drilt .ha..lng .. m ..te wearing the khaki

greatcoat. Unde.. mltgniflc:atlon the I..tter .....al. green

piping al cuff lop. lind ellch side of Ihe epaul.tt. loops,

and a battalion-colour spot under the collar patch number.

ABOVE Walking-out dress, 1er REI, late 1930s; oddly, the

soldier al left has breast pockets although not apparently a

care.r NCO. The ..eteran " right sports the MedailleMllitalre, two campaign medals and three seNice che..mns

on his M1921 khaki drill; note tunic skirts tuck.d Inside the

halt-breeches under the sash.

The Army had two categories of senior NCO. but the Legiononly one: career NCOs (until 1928. SOA, soos-officiersrengages; thereafter. SOC. sous-officiers de carriere). Insigniawere. before 1928. respectively one 9O--degfee chevron of8mm button-colour lace above !he cuff; one chevron plus adiagonal on the upper sleeve: and two chevrons. After 1926the sergent wore two 55-degree chevrons, the sergent-ehef

"'....After 1921 these ranks were authorised a special unifonll

resembling that of officers and adjudants: the seven·buttontunic had fOlir pockets and a stand collar. In time it becamefaShionable lor saCs to have stand-and-fall dem;-Saxecollars; from the mid-1930s these were sometimes wornopen over a collar and tie. Straight slacks were worn forwalking-out. panraJon-culotte with puttees when on duty. Forremarks on the SOA/SOC kepi see under Plate E2 below.

E1: Capitaine, 1er Regiment Etranger de Cavalerie;Morocco, c.l930In !he field offICers ollen wore the gandourah; this personalexample, with added pockets and green bfaidlng, survives inthe LeglOO UMOfTTl Museum. Rank was worn on a chest lab,and the hanging end 01 the cheche was often slipped behindthiS and/or !he belt. On operatIOns the kepi often had a pale

khaki cover, WIth inSIgnia exposed by a hole cut in the frontmotoring goggles were also popular with all ranks. ThisM1919 officer's kepi. With its characteristic 'pushed up frominside' look, has silver cavalry lace. The officer's M1921stand-collar tunic in light khaki cotton has (hidden here)

ABOVE 12e CMMI2e REt (formerly CMAl4e REI), Foum el

Hassan, December 1941; part of a group wearing the khaki

drill tenue d'eltercise d'ete _ (see under Plate 031, (Courtesy

Chartes Mllassin)

midnight blue patches With silver grenades and greenpipings, Pale twill riding breeches are worn With Chantilly·type boots; the M1918 officer's belt supports the M1876t93holster for the regulation M1892 revolver, and a mapcase: abinocular case could be slung or worn 0fI the belt. In the fieldboth officers and men carried the straight 1822/83 lightcavalry sabre uOOet" the left saddle flap. (Reconstrue\lOfl from

SUrvMog rtems - see Guyader-l

E2: $ergent with company flag, Compagnie Montee, 3eRegiment Etrangef d'infanterie; south-east Morocco,earty 1930sFrom 1920 this taller, sliffer kepi was the Anny-wlde headgear01 the SORISOC - see above. It was midnight blue WIth a redcrown. one 3mm royal blue piping round the top, a 20mmbutlon-colour grenade badge and a 1Omm bunon-colour lacecI1instrap (a 1933 order adding a 2mm bulloo-colour pipingbe!1eath tna royal blue strip seems nol to have applied in theLegion). Normally it was worn uncovered as an NCOs' dis­tinction; but the subject photo shows non-regulation whitecovers on both troops' and NCOs' kepis In this unit.

The M 1915 greatcoat is worn over the half·breeches 01 theM1921 khaki drill uniform. Abandoned since 1905, 9O-degreeservice cheVrons on the upper lett sleeve were reintroduceduniquely lor the legiOfl by an order of september 1929, ingreen for pnvates and corporals and butlon-colour lor seniorNCOs: one marked six years' service, two 11 years, and three16 years. Note two 55-degree rank chevrons. regimental collarpatches, and 3e REI double fourragi!re WIth tour de breis.

His men wear puttees and black boots; this mounted NCOhas acquU'ed leather garters (non-regulaflOll tor hiS rank); theSOC's offIcer-style belt supports hiS holstered RubyautomatIC. The cMeIle is W<lm crossed by 8V8fYOOO in thesubject photo.

Legion units 'formrng corps', i.e. independently deployedbattalions and some companies. had lhelr own faJllOflS,

normally in I/arious green and red designs incorporating thegold seven-flame grenade. This company bore the lineage 01the old 2e CMll er RE; the flag was awarded a Croix deGuerrewith palm for the action at Gaouz in August 1918, anda Cl'OIx de Guerre TOE for another at Taslert 0fI 14 July 1927~ note both medals pinned slantwise to the tncotour canton.(ComJX)Slte from photo and survIVing flag. Guyader & Kepi

Blanc 355)

E3: Capitaine Prince Aage of Denmal1l., II Balaillon, 3eRegiment Etranger d'lnfanteOe; service dress, Fez,Morocco, ealty 1930sA legendary figure, Prince Aage of Denmark, Couol ofRosenborg, was inspired as a boy by tales of the formerDaniSh Royal Guard officer LL Selchauhansen, killed at EIMoungar In 1903 With the 22e CMI2e RE. Prince Aage (pro­nounced Oo·weh) was commissioned Cap/tame a tifreetranger into the 2e REI in December 1922; he setIIed inMorocco lor most 01 fhe rest of his life with the 28 and 3e. Hewas promoted chef de balaillon of the 11/3e, aged 47, in March1935; and died of pleurisy at Taza in February 1940. UponAlgerian independence in 1962 his body was moved from Sidibel Abbes to lie - with those of Gen. Rollet, and LegionnaireZimmermann (the last legionnaire killed in Algeria) - in thecemetery of the legion's retirement home at Puyloubier.

His service dress Uniform (from a pholo and survivingitems) IS conventional. The M1931 officer's kepi was essen­tially the same rigid design wom today; officially the grenadehad a regimental number in the 'bomb' from 1931. By 1935the regulation khaki had become darker than the old'mustard', and the long"poInted collet a I'aig/otl was replacingthe shorter demi·5axe; the midnight blue patches bear theLegJon infantry's two green pipings and regunentaltynumbered gold grenades; for field use the cuff rank stnpeswere replaced by short bars. The tunic, W<lm WIth pale mashcbreeches and brown nding boots, dIsplays the 3e REI'sdouble fourraghe and - Pinned to it in the s1yle of the panod- the eal1iest known example of a Legion unit badge III melal,dated by MaJcros to as earty as 1928 (see photograph 00

page 42), Most of Prince Aage's ribbons were Danish andforeign orders awarded In compliment to hiS royal blood, buthis Legion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerra TOE were earnedthe hard way.

F1: Clairon·trompette, III Balaillon, 2e Re9iment Etrangerd'lnlanterlej summer parade dress, Meknes, 1934The run-up to the corps' centenary in 1931 was used in manyimaginative ways by Col. Rollet, commanding the ler REI, 10

enhance the Legion's image. in November 1930 he got autho­risation lor lhe legion - uniquely - to reintroduce lor paradeand walking-out the fringed epauleltes; from thiS dategarments with shoulder straps had them replaced bytransverse brides (retaining loops). ceremomal wasencouraged, and uml commanders introduced specialUniforms for their lilIes de coIonne_ For mUSicians handsomeIIlstrumenl banners were produced, III the red and greenwhiCh the legion was qUIetly making ItS 'traclilior'lal' colours(from the epaulettesj, Designs varied, but aI featured thegrenade: a badge WlCleIy used for generatIOnS by many typesof French 1roOpS. this, too, was soon to appear in a desfgnspecial to the Legion - WIth seven flames. lhe outer pair hor-izoota! or recurved. 45

ABOVE Beni9ni drawin9 of a soldier of the 5e REI inIndochina, 1938. This is the M1921 khaki drill with M1931sun helmet, M1892/16 carbine and full marching pack. Intheory this is the outlit wom on column; in practice soldiersin the exhausting heat and humidity of tha Far East usually

46 had coolies to carry their packs. (Livre d'Or)

The buglers of the 2e carried both a bugle and a trumpet. Thissoldier (after Benigni, and Guyader in Kepi Blanc 378) wearsM1930 kepi and summer-weight M1921 uniform, its cOllarloose over a pale khaki stock. A single green service chevronis hooked to the left sleeve, and strips of musician's tricolourlace are sewn to the cuffs; only bandsmen wore a green lyretrade badge on the upper sleeve. The absence 01 even a first­class private's chevron during his second enlistmentsuggests that this legionnaire has had disciplinary problems.The battalion is identified on the grenade of the trumpetbanner; and by the fourragere of the Croix de Guerre TOE,marking the 11i/2e REI's second citation for the battle of DjebelIskritten in May 1926. The 2e and 3e REI heads of columnused whitened leather equipment. He has a slung M1892/16carbine.

F2: Tambour de 1ere classe, 3e Regiment Etrangerd'infanterie; summer parade dress, Fe:t, 1932White walking-out dress was introduced in North Africa bythe 1er, 3e and 4e REI in the early 1930s, and was also wornas summer parade dress by musicians. Details varied; the cutof this drummer's uniform generally resembles the M1905Colonial troops' whites long worn in the Far East. Officially.from 1931 rank (but not service) chevrons were made from12mm rather than 8mm wide braid. and were shaped en ferde lance - slightly 'scooped'; but these did not appear innumbers before 1933. Note the parade arrangement of theregiment's double fourragere. (After Guyader, Kepi Bianc 482& 483.)

BELOW Syria, May 1940: a corporal bugler in M1920 wooluniform with parade epaulettes and his battalion's Croix deGuerra TOE fourragiJre - note U6e REI identification on thebugle banner (and cf. Plate F1). Just visible above the leftcuff are two green diagonal rank braids above one ofmusician's tricolour lace. The cuff top is piped dark green;ordered in 1935 for tunics and greatcoats, this is seldomseen in photographs. (ECPA)

ABOVE Sergent, 13e DBLE, Bir Hakeim, spring 1942. The

khaki wool beret of Fortress Troops, Issued before Narvlk,

bears a numbered gold 9renade cut from an officer's oradjudant'!. dark blue collar patCh, alld two diagonat 90td rank

bars; shoulder allde ranking is double gold cheyrotls. (lWMj

F3.: caporal, 5e Regiment Etranger d'inianterie;walking-ollt dress. Hanoi, c.1937In tndoctllna the Legion had long been permUled a whitewalklng-oul uniform of 1895 Colonial cut. and in the interwaryears this evoIv9d 10 match the style of lhe 1.41920121uniforms. One difference is the doser cut of the collar, wiIhouIa VISible stock Of shirt and tie; in NOOh Africa the collar of theM1920121 uniforms was becoming progre5S1vely more open.Insignia are green on khaki; note the rank chevrons en fer delance, and a green strip added to the while epaulette loops.The white 1.41931 colonial helmet has a 13Ige brass badgelr'Ilroduced in 1935 by Col. Despas. (Aeconstrucllon fromnotes and photos, Kepi Blanc nos. 453, 486 & 487.)

G1: Legionnaire, 13e Demi-Brigade de Marche de laLegion Etrangere: Narvik, May 1940Various protective clothing and alpine equipment was dis­tributed to the 13e for the Norwegian campaign, but notconsistently. Less often illustrated than the sheepskin cana­dianne. the dark khaki M 1935 veste d'automitrallleuse or thedark khaki hooded pullover pal1\a (bIouson avec capuchon)was this reyerslble khaki/white cagoule, here With a blackfield recognition band added. These garments were all wornover the French Arrrr{s new Ml938 khaki wool uniform Thecanvas overtrousers (salopettes M1938) covering his'pantalon golf, puttees and heavy white ovefSOCks certainlyreached some companies of the 138; and snowshoes werestandard Issue. TlIlted goggles were not; the LeglOl1's leg­endary sk~1 at SCfOUfIQu'lQ no doubt provlOed these, as well as

RIGHT Ltilionnalre, Bir Hakelm, 11142:. good profile 01 theM1830 k'pt TIMI collar p.atch on his British 80 Is. green

cut~ut grenade on khaki. (lWMj

the overboots, aflOther scarce item. HIS helmet has an issuedrawstring cover. and he wears a khaki wool toque andtrigger-mittens. His eQuipment IS old apan from thehaversack lor the ANP31 gasmask.: the M1892116 carbinerather than a MAS.36 nfIe suggests a member 01 an MGplatoon. (After photos, Militaria 20)

G2: Legionnaire de 1m classe, 12e Regimeflt ElTangerd'infanterie; SoisSOrts, June 1940This North Africa veteran in sfandard French IVmy marctuogorder be'ongs to the only wartIme-raised Legion regimentwhich seems to have beefI issued the M1935137 leatherequipment and 7.5mm MAS.36 nile. The 11e and 12ereceived the 1.41938 uniform In dark khaki wool. featunng aslK-button tunic with a wide-cut fall collar eKposing a palekhaki bullon·down shin and tie; long, straight 'golfingtrousers', and shorter puttees. The greatcoat IS the M1920;officially the collar patches wem supposed to be coverable bya small coat-cloth flap sewn along the outer collar edge andfastened across by a small button, The M1926 helmet ispainted dark Khaki. The bonnet de police was often dec­orated with non-regulation grenade badges, or evenregimental numbers. The new haversack and water bottle areattached directly to the belt, and flOW in reversed positions;the MAS.36 needle bayonet was stowed under the barrelrather than in a frogged scabbard. The ANP3t gas-mask isslung benealh the pack. sleadied by a web waist strap.(Composite, after Guyader, Kepi Blanc 459, & Vauvillier.Mllitana 20.)

G3: Legionnaire, Compagnie Montee Automobile, 4eRegiment Etranger d'lnfanterie; Foum el Hassan,southern Morocco, 1937-41In t935-38 the new khaki drill tenue d'exerclCfJ d'ete reachedAfrica: a short-sleeved 1"JI\over shirt with open notched collar.shoulOer straps and breast pockets. worn With shorts andlong khaki socks or puttees. Arab sandals were popular Indesert-based units. Hem the shor1s are worn With hiS oldM1921 khaki drill tunic, the cheche. and a M1930 kepi with akhaki cover in preference to the iSSue khaki drill M1931Colonial helmet.

47

48

T r ,

The M 189211 6 carbne had increasingly replaced the Lebeland Berthier rifles as the standard pet'SOOal weapon dunngthe 19305, at first in the Mounted Companies and later IIIseveral infantry units. This sectIOn light machIne gunnercarries instead the fM.24129 in a canvas and leather pr0­

tective cover: his left ammunillon pouch IS replaced by aholstered Ruby automatic. He is dressed for duty close to thefort: on palrol the waler bottle, haversack and tentroll bardawould be carried on the man or the truck. (Composite fromphotos courtesy the late Charles Milassin. & Benigni.)

The units thaI saw action in 1941-43 (the 6e REI inSyria/Lebanon, and the REIMs in Tunisia) wore pre-waruniforms: M1926 helmet, greatcoat. M1920 khaki wool orM1921 khaki drill tunic and half·breeches, M1935 shirt andshorts. with some late 19305 general issue items like a brownsweater With fall collar. khaki Ioog-sleeved shirt with button­down collar. ele. Equipment and weapons were also 01pre-war vintage.

H1: Sergent, 13e Oemi·Brigade de la legion Etrangere;Rome, June 1944When the 13e DBlE exchanged British for US Army clothingin 1943 it proudly retalOed the regllT'l8fll's khaki beret ofFortress Troops' panem: here thIS bears the gold diagonalbraids of his rank_ US Army 'chInO' stull and slacks are womWI!tl Ml923 web rifle belt and M1938 leggmgs: Itle FrenchExpeditlOOalY Corps in Italy also made much use of US her­ringbone twill fatigue clothing. The standard weapon was the

LEFT Moroc:co 1944: Sgt. Charles Mllassln, RMLE, poses

'01' a portrait during the regiment's wol1dng-up phase,

wearing the taller kepi of the CJlrQr NCO with a cut-out in

ils while cower 10 show the gold grenede, Hi. US Army shirl

and lie are sel off by the regiment's double Lanyard, and

non· regulation pin-on b""ss chevrons, Mil"sin had been..Iiousty wounded in Tunisia, iH>d would be ;l9ain in Alsace.(Courtesy Ch.artes Milassin)

US PH nfle. For the parade to wek:ome Gen. de Gaulle toRome on 28 June photos show colour party NCOs weanngthis Cross of lOlTaine sleeve patch. now the insignia of the1ere DIVIsion Fran<;aise Ubre; and a fOlJrragere in the redflecked with light green of the CI'OIX de Guerre 1939-45.separation from the central adminislratlOfl had not preventedthe Free French forces awarding decorations and citatiOns.and the 13e certainly wore this lanyard before being up­graded to that of the Mooaille Mllitaire (of which this NCOwears a personal award).

H2: Adjudant, 1er Re9iment Etranger de Cavalerie, 5eDivision Blinde; southern Germany, April 1945The crews of the 'Royal Foreigners' armoured cars and tankswere issued the US Army ooe-piece herringbone twill worksuit. 'M1941' olive drab field jacket and standard webequipment (but not the tanker's winck:healer jacket). Whilethe US Ml942 armoured crewman's helmet was slandardissue photos also show a number of these French M1935steel and leather motorised troops' pattern. Out-Qf-actionheadgear included some kepis but also a vanety of bonnetsde police. Like many items acQuired 01' improvised at unitlevel by l8gionnaJres in 1943-45 these followed no rigidpattern. SurvMng examples wom by the REC are in vanousshades of dar1<; green wrth dafk blue top folds or dar1<; bluepiping. ThiS one (from the stores of the Vichy youthmovement Chantiers de JetJnesse. whICh also provided Itlegreen neckties thatltle RMLE started to wear 101' parade andwalklng-out in 1945) is in emerald green Wlltl a blue-pipedtum-up folded 00 the right front: our warranl officer hasadded at left front a silver grenade cut from an old collarpalch. sewing a complete collar patch to the left sleeve wastypical of French troops of this date. A photo of the crew ofone REC Me in a quiet moment shows two white-coveredkepis, one bonnet de po/ice, one French M 1935 and one USM1 helmet. (After Guyader,)

';13: section leader, Regiment de Marche de la legionEtrangere, 5e Division BUnde; Alsace, January 1945The RMLE were equipped as US armoured infantry oft942-43: M1 helmet (note painted insignia of 5e DB in non­zantal presentation, applied to both sides), 'M1941' lieldjackel. 00 wool trousers, greatcoat and/or raincoat. webequipment and leggings. A suNiving jacket has this Legiongrenade left sleeve patch. In winter 1944-45 the urnl wasissued these US overshoes. which they packed with strawand tied around WIth knotted cord. The P17 remainedstandard, alongside the MtA1 Thompson, BAR. M1 carbineand M1911A1 pcstol. The RMlE bonnet de police was greenwith a red top fold: when wom, the kilpl's white cover oftenhad a clfCUlar hole at top centre. tightened wrth a drawslnng.through which Itle red cloltl of the crown was exposed. (AfterGuyader.)