HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 114, 16 May 1931, Page 22

HUNDREDTH BIRTHDAY

1 The French Foreign Legion was ,100 years old on 9th March, it having been created by a vote of the French Parliament on 9th March, 1831. The famous fighting organisation is popularly supposed to have been conceived in the mind of King Louis Philippe, and its original members wero mostly Poles who had conspired in a revolution in Warsaw, together with a large number of Germans from the left bank of the Rhino who were displeased when the Congress of Vienna took that province from France. ' In any event, the Legion was actually recruited and sent to action in Morocco in August, 1831. The major celebration of tins colourful military unit's birthday took place in Algeria, which always has been its headquarters. M. K. Nazarc-Aga, of Paris, president of the Foreign Legion veterans' organisation, journeyed to Sidi-bel-Abbes to attend the ceremony thero and to represent all the former Legionnaires now scattered over the earth who were unable to bo present at tho rounion.

In Paris the hundredth anniversary of the founding of the Legion was observed at a banquet given by the Trench and Air Association of tho American volunteer combatants in the French Army from 1914 to 1918; General Daugan, who commanded tho Foreign Legion in France and Morocco, was guest of honour and the principal speaker. He recalled his experiences as Military Governor at Marrakeeh, which many of his hearers shared with him, and also traced a great deal of tho history of the Legion's first hundred years. General Bernelle was the Legions first commander, the speaker said. Bosides the Poles and Germans who were, in the majority, Belgians, Spaniards, and a famous group of Swiss guards were enlisted to fill up the ranks. There was another colourful factor in the general organisation in 1831—a group of officers who fought under Napoleon and whom the new authorities in France did not believe they could trust: Bevolutionaries and adventurers from all countries havo sought the j>roteetiou

FOREIGN: 'LEGION CELEBRATED

and the anonymity of tho 'Foreign Legion since its foundation. Foreign volunteers are admitted without any restrictions, the only qualifications necessary being a willingness to fight and die. . , • Tho Legion has distinguished itself, not only in the World War,, when ',it was always at tho-forefront of»the_atr tacking troops, but in all foreign wars since its creation. Fronr. 1914 to 1918 there wore more than 42,000 men in the Foreign Legion who came from ,100 countries, according to official records. About 11,000 of these foreign-born soldiers died fighting under the Tricolour. There were few Americans in the Legion-'s ranks, however, before the World War began. But between 1914 and 1918-moro than 600 American citizens fought as infantrymen or artillerymen or' in the flying corps. To-day, according to the best available information, there is no American in tho Foreign .Legion. The organisation is now said to bo composed of 51 per cent. Germans and 15 per cent. Russians, while tho remaining third of its roster has nearly a score of nationalities represented. With tho sounds of marching and revelry, the men of the French Foreign Legion made the desert ring in celebration of a centennial.

,Irii Sidi-bel-Abbes the First Eegiment passed in review to the blare of bands and the tunes of the Legion 's famous marching songs. The short and stocky-. Colonel Eollett, his bright red whiskers streaked with gray since he led his legionnaires on the Western Front more than a dozen years ago, read the. Legion's roll of ' honour. ,In Fez, Marrakeeh,. and other outposts other regiments marched in review. From noon on the day belonged to the men, and they used it until midnight in lusty commemoration of the Legion's deeds from Mexico to Madagascar. With tho zest of millionaires, men from almost, twenty nations, banded for adventure under the flag of France, squandered money iv toke ( n of tho gala occasion.