DESERTERS PUNISHED.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVII, Issue 59, 11 March 1909, Page 7

DESERTERS PUNISHED.

«< FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. LONDON, 10th March. Twenty-five Germans who deserted from the French Foreign Legion in Morocco in December last have been sentenced to terms ranging from two to twenty years' penal servitude. , By the recent Casablanca affair between Germany and France, involving desertions from the French Foreign Legion, much attention has been called to the composition of that heterogeneous organisation. It is composed of disappointed men of every country — political refugees, military fugitives; in iact, all varieties of the world's restless citizens go to make up this wonderful mongrel lighting machine. "No questions asked" might well be the regimental motto. Each man signing his bond of seryice sells his soul for five years, at the wage of 1 sou (about £d) a day. The officers are French, but the men hail from everywhere and nowhere. Under various names the French Legion has existed since the eighteenth century, and was finally constituted as at present in 1830. It consists of twelve battalions divided into two regiments, mustering a total strength of 12,000 men. Eight thousand are kept in the Far East, the remainder serving in Northern Africa. In the early days the regiments were divided hi to "national sectionh," men from the same country being kept together. This resulted, however, in continual racial disputes, and each company, consequently, was given a cosmopolitan composition. Since its formation the officials have guarded closely against desertions, and, as the legion only serves in French colonial territory, where the centres are remote and transportation is difficult, a successful desertion is a rare feat. However, in December last, fortyeight German members of the Legion succeeded in getting away from one of the military posts in Algeria, and, led by one of the part}* diessed as a lieutenant, succeeded in reaching a railway station, where they "commandeered" a train, and made the driver reverse his engine and take them to a certain station, whero they disembarked. They were subsequently aiTested.

'A special passenger train will bo run. to Trentham on Friday in connection with Ilia yjao eiMunplottfthln, FusUcttkru-ara advertised; in this iseue.