THE MOST FAMOUS REGIMENT.

Mataura Ensign, 20 March 1909, Page 5

THE MOST FAMOUS REGIMENT.

The French "Foreign Legion,'' about which .mi much "is being heard just now. is probable the best-known regiment in any of ihr wviid's armies. Nevertheless there is a let of misconception conci'iiung it. due |iriucipally to Otiida, who drew an altogether liincv picture of it in 'Tudor 'Two Flags?' As a matter of l'acr the life of an ordinary private of the legion is about as hurt! ami monotonous a one as it is possible to conceive of. Discipline is enforced with pitiless severity, death being the oniv punishment, for most oll'ences. .Moreover, the officers are till Frem-h----iueu, t'J that no "ranker'' can iv. ■: h.mo io earn a commission, no mailer liow much merit or bravery ho shows. Although usually termed a regimen', it is really niaro in the nature ol what we -houltl call a brifi-ide. for it muni", rs . oiite lL'.CiOf) men of all ranks. More • hail half of Hies..' are Hermans, de--crler.s from the Ktu.er's tinny, or .i.itives of Alsace-Lorraine. The remainder i.. 'largely made up ut the ritfrali' and ortscourio;;.- of Europe, with a ■pnnkling of well-born adventurers who have, enlisted into the Legion "for the Un of the thing" and because they know they are sure of reeing some fighting. Amongst llmse latter are usually i" be found a small percentage, of Englishmen, one of whom, George Manning:nii by name, published ill book form the hes! account, in our language of the legion iroiu within. The force, it may be mention.-.1 dates baek no further ii:;u the \ear when it was raised i,,i ni the iheu newly-conquered