It is a heavily trained army, but was not always so. The Legion Etrangere or the Foreign Legion. Once upon a time, only people who went nowhere else went there. Now it is a highly disciplined and heavily trained army that mainly intervenes abroad. Just joining the Foreign Legion is not an option. In addition, the lead and lead selection is heavy.
French Foreign Legion
In 2013, the French Foreign Legion existed for exactly 182 years. The French King Louis Phillip founded the legion. On March 9, 1831 he presented a bill and a day later the army was already there. The legion was there to support the French army, the start of which was in Algeria, which was a colony of France at that time.
Second Foreign Legion
The second regiment was founded in 1835. Today that consists of 7699 men. They hold the following positions:
- 413 officers
- 1741 non-commissioned officers
- 5545 soldiers divided over 11 different regiments
Who were in the French Foreign Legion: murderers and criminals
In the beginning, the French Foreign Legion was really a collection of people who did not want to be good. Murderers, beggars and criminals joined the army. Foreigners who were looking for work or had to leave their own country could also go there. Even if they didn’t do it under their own name. Nowadays that is no longer the case.
The Myth of the Foreign Legion
Almost everyone knows the stories of the Foreign Legion where the strangest men fight in foreign countries. Villains, bandits and runaways would find a good home in the army. Yet that is not the reality. Nowadays, anyone who wants to work for the Foreign Legion must be able to prove that he or she has no criminal record.
Tough discipline
Because the Foreign Legion was a hodgepodge of people, also from different countries, discipline became the highest asset of the legion. There is a strict regime that members must comply with. The fact that people joined the army, but did not have a military background, also made this necessary. Furthermore, French is the official language in the Army.
Tough mercenaries
The tough mercenaries of the French Foreign Legion are therefore extremely disciplined and form an enormously trained army. The French used this army for the toughest missions. In 2013, for example, the Foreign Legion went to Mali, where France took action on January 11 to help the weak Malian army against the Islamic rebels in the country. The French fought together with various African countries.
Who can join the Foreign Legion?
Men and women between the ages of 17 and 40 can register for the Foreign Legion. Women can join the army, but they don’t really play a role. They are active in some positions, but they do not wear the traditional insignia. The officers are all French, by the way. The rest of the legion consists of people of very different nationalities. The Legionaries as they are called can make it to the rank of major.
Where is the Foreign Legion located?
The headquarters of the Foreign Legion is located in Aubage, which is just outside Marseille. People who want to join the army must also register there.
In the Foreign Legion
Men who join the Foreign Legion do not have it easy. Moreover, you cannot draw for a while. Legionnaires sign for a minimum of 5 years. This can then be extended by 6 months, three years or five years. Legionnaires can also obtain French nationality.
Jan Cremer was also in the Foreign Legion
The most famous Dutchman who served in the Foreign Legion is Jan Cremer, the writer. However, he left again after 3 months as a deserter. It is also notable that Jean-Marie Le Pen, the leader of the racist National Front, worked at the Legion as an officer.
Legion Patria Nostra
In the Legion it depends on traditions. Below are some of them:
- The motto is Legio Patria Nostra. This means: The Legion is our homeland.
- The uniform is characterized by, among other things, the white kepi. Everyone with a rank above sergeant wears this kepi. Also striking are the red-green epaulettes and the wide band under the belt strap (le boudin, which means black pudding). This boudin refers to the woolen blanket that every legionnaire carried rolled up like a sausage. It is also the name of the song and march of the legion.
The slow marching pace
The Foreign Legion has a slow marching pace. This is clearly visible at the large military parade on the Champs Elysee in Paris on July 14. Other army units march at 110 steps per minute, while the Foreign Legion keeps it at just 88 steps per minute. By the way, there is a reason for this slow pace: It comes from the operations that were held in North Africa. Marching quickly in the deserts is not possible there at all.