THE FRENCH ARMY

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 12, 9 October 1939, Page 3

THE FRENCH ARMY

Two Years’ Training Compulsory

AN HONOUR TO SERVE

With the introduction of conscription in Great Britain the French army has become a subject of increasing interest to every Englishman, writes the Paris correspondent of the “Manchester Guardian.”

In France a man is not quite a man till he has done his two years’ military’ training, lie is told in his textbooks that his military service is not a duty, 'but an honour —though it is not an honour that can be declined with impunity. Conscientious objectors are practically non-existent in France, and in this country of individualists the army is one thing in the world that is “above discussion.’’ Even the discussions in 1935 for or against the extension of the military service from one year to two years did not last long. The Silent Army . There is a sort of tacit agreement in France between the army and the people'.the army is “la Grande Ninette,” the “Great Silent One,” standing above politics, and it is therefore wrong to drag the army into political discussions. Except for a marked propensity among the reserve officers, of whom there are about 80,000, to join the ranks of the Croix de Feu and other Right Wing movements it is remarkable how completely aloof from politics the active army was during the years of political commotion through which France passed between 1934 and 1937. To serve in the army is an "honour” —a point which is impressed on every young recruit and is also illustrated by the fact that, however short France may be of man-power, foreigners are not admitted into the army (though some exceptions have recently been made to this rule), but are only allowed 10 join the Foreign Legion. The French private works hard, bur. hi,s life is not all work; he rises at 5 or 6 ti.m., according to the season, and is busily engaged drilling and doing various jobs till the late afternoon. Those not on guard duty are then free till 9 p.m. A soldier lias 17 days’ leave a year, though none during the first six months. Alarried soldiers are allowed to be stationed in the garrison nearest, their homes, and to go home two nights a week. Along the Alaginot Line, in particular, a great deal is done to relieve the monotony : kiueimi and theatrical shows are frequently organized. Normally the soldier lives in barracks, in well-aired dormitories with about 20 beds in each and with a corporal in charge. There are libraries and reading-rooms attached to Hie barracks. Food In The Army. Food is a matter of particular interest to soldiers--as it is to all Frenchmen. They eat in refectories, but can buy “supplements” very cheaply at the canteen. Tobacco is also provided free of charge. The j soldier's “pay" is only 3d, a day . The . day begins with large quantities of I while coffee ami bread and cheese. I There are two "principal meals" dur- i ing the day, which are simple but ■ substantial, ami in most eases well ' cooked. If the soldiers do not ap- ■ prove of the food they do not hesi- i tale to complain, rind bad eases (like ; Hie recent ease in Lorraine of low- ■ quality bread) are dealt with with 1 lie . greatest severity by Hie Minister of ) War in person. But on the whole | the French army cooks have a high I reputation. Apart from litiieli ami : dinner, which are usually composed of ■ soup, meat, vegetables, cheese, and I fruit, or jam (on Sundays they get ■ chicken), the soldiers are entitled to i an intermediary meal in the forenoon, I known as the "casse-eroute" —"a light ; but substantial meal.” says the "Ma- , nttel,” composed of bread, butter, sans- j age, sardines. In some companies i there are two cnsse-ermites. one at. 10 a.m. and lhe other at. 4 p.m. With I each "principal" meal he is entitled

to a quarter-litre (roughly two-thirds of a pint) of wine. In winter he is further entitled to warm drinks, like tea and coffee, at more or less frequent intervals, and in summer to cool drinks.

Food Plentiful. The army is a great bread-eater, and nearly all the recruits put ou weight after a year.' Food in the French army is so plentiful that I have lately heard of numerous cases where, on the Italian frontier, the rations were shared in brotherly fashion with the less-well-provided Italian “enemies” opposite.

After passing his fitness test, before a “counsel! de revision,” a recruit joins the army during the year following his twentieth birthday. In towns and villages the new recruits, carrying their little suitcases, are usually conducted to the station in a festive atmosphere, and with the local band playing- military’ music. But not all new recruits are of the same age. _ In numerous cases a respite (“sursis”) is allowed; these are eases in which the recruits can prove that:

1. His only brother is serving with the colours at the same time.

2. That he supports his family. 3. That he is an apprentice. 4. That a respite is in the interests of his academic or other studies.

5. That his presence is required by the agricultural, commercial, or industrial concern for which he works. He can also ask for a respite if he lives abroad. The respite is valid for a year, but is automatically renewed by further periods of one year till the age of 25, or, in the case of students' in medicine or pharmacy, till the age of 27. University students who generally leave their secondary school at 17 or 18 usually join the army after one or two years’ study at the university, though many prefer to take their degree first. If, after their military service, they return to the university, it is to take a higher degree (agregation or doctorat). Valuable Officer Reserve. The officers of the French army come from different places and from different classes of society; from the “Sandhurst” and “Woolwich” of France —• St. Cyr and the Polyteehnique—where they become officers only after a period of training that follows their purely scientific studies; from the ranks of n.c.o.’s who have passed an examination at one of the six recognized schools; from the ranks of reserve officers who have re-entered the army. The reserve officers also come from different places and classes. For instance, all the students of the Eeole Normale, Superieure, the Ecole Nationale de Alines, and five other schools of the same high standing receive compulsory military training (roughly of the O.T.C. standard), and, after at stiff ' examination, join the army as sublieutenants and undergo a further period of training while in the army. But rhe Milk of reserve officers is trained under the system of “higher military training” (also of O.T.C. standard) attached to universities; having completed this, they join the army, not usually as sub-lieu tenants, but as E.O.R.s (elves officers de reA Democratic System. They spend six months without any official rank in the preparatory squad (peloton preparatoire) : the next six months are spent a't tile large reserve officers’ school at St. (’yr (which is attached to the famous St. Cyr school for professional soldiers), or at tile artillery school at Poitiers; they si»end Hie next six months in Hie army as “aspirants" and. having passed the necessary examimrtion. hold the rank of sub-lieutenant during the last six months in lhe army. Generally speaking. a large proportion of the university youth of France leave the army :i> reserve officers witli Hie rank of Miblieulenant. Later they attend 12 lectures a year at Hie “ecoles i’ ( . ;>erf<’etionnement." anil s. rve for a certain I number of "periodes" : anil at the end [ of four years they are usually promoted to the rank of lieutenant. Over tl period of years a reserve officer e:in attain Hie rank of captain :inii even colonel of the reserve. This system, under which a large number of officers is trained over a long period of years, constitutes one of the strongest points of the French army. Such a system eaunot be improvised in a short time; and the French often claim that even in spite of six years of intense militarism. Germany iitrs still "nothing like it." it will also take some time before a “democratic" officer class like this comes into exist- | enee in Britain.