ESCAPE FROM LEGION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 29 March 1930, Page 8

ESCAPE FROM LEGION

NEW ZEALAND EX-SOLDIER MASQUERADE AS TOURIST HARDSHIPS IN NORTH AFRICA FAILURE OF FIRST ATTEMPT The following grim but enthralling narrative of life ill the: French Foreign Legion, and of his escape from it, is given, by .Mr Harry Keighley, a New Zealand ex-soldier, in the "Leeds Mercury." Mr Keighley was well known as "a former leader of the Morley, Leeds, llllgby Union Football Club. I got back home wanting to do the only one thing—forget all about, the French Foreign Legion, said Mr Keighley. I was born al .Morley, and just before the: war went out to New Zealand. When, war broke, out i joined the New Zealand Forces and came back to France with them early ill 1916, and went up to Armenlieres with them before going down lo the Somme. With the 22nd Army Corps we later went up to Nieuport, and after securing leave of absence: when my father died at home, 1 went on to Cologne: at the: finish of the war, and was from (heir discharged.

Back I came: to Morley, intending lo settle down, and I helped to found the Morley Rugby Union Club, but the spirit of adventure in my case did not easily die clown, and in a fit of dissatisfaction. 1 went to France in August, 1920, and joined the Foreign Legion. SIIIPI'EI) TO ALGIERS ' With other men of many nationalities Germans were in the greatest numbers, for things were bad in Germany—we were assembled at Fort St. Jean at Marseilles, and shipped to the Algerian depot of the First Regiment. There each man received 250 francs, which was half of his engagement fee—the fee is now 1000 francs —and we entered on a stiff course of four months' instruction at Sidi-Bel-Abbcs. The spirit of kindliness was not very obvious in the sergeant-instructors, but I quickly discovered the way to make life tolerable was to do as one was told, and never, in the strange medley of races, to "throw one's weight about." Prison was no joke. Prisoners had to carry about a sack weighing 601 b, and for breaking prison regulations one had to stand facing a wall like a naughty boy, but here in the fedl blaze of the sun. The consequences of trouble with one's fellow-Legionnaires were different, but not always more pleasant. The French and the Germans did not get-on too well with each.other, and last Armistice Day two Frenchmen, foolish enough to taunt five Germans, were severely mauled. That night five Mills bombs were thrown into the room: where the tiermans were sleeping, hut only two exploded, and the only injury was a slight one to the car of one of the Germans. LIFE IN THE LEGION. Rut lo get back lo my first months with the Legion. The routine at Sieli-Del-Abbcs was not too bad. Reveille was at six o'clock, and after a cup of coffee the men cleaned up their rooms and their equipment, and went on to parade at seven. Instruction went on until 10.30, and again in the afternoon from 1.30 lo 5. We had a meal at 11 in the morning and another at 5.30 in the evening, which consisted of soup, meat, a dried vegetable, and a cup of wine.

I was posted to Ihe Sports Company, and played football with the team, but contracted dysentery twice, and was sent to the. infirmary. I was inoculated, but the hospital authorities seemed to have no way of curing the disease, and although fbecame weak and ill, I determined to desert the Legion. s It was surprisingly easy. I got down to Oran, there bought some civilian clothes, and took the train to Algiers, and crossed to Marseilles by boat as easily as from Liverpool to Belfast. From Marseilles I went to Paris, and while pondering the greater difficulty of crossing the Channel, visited a restaurant on the Boulevard de Montmartre. Unluckily the police made, a laid on all cafes and restaurants in Paris that night, looking for Communists and antiFascists. I was caught in tiie net, and at the police headquarters was crossexamined.

I told them I was English, and fought in France during the war, and I denied any knowledge of the Foreign. Legion, But I overlooked (he fact that 1 had given my right name, and an officer, looking down a list of deserters from the Legion, found it there, and into the. cells I went instead of to .Boulogne. CONFINED IN TOWER, ' Escorted hy two gendarmes I was taken hack to the fort at Marseilles, and there for a month was confined with other deserters in the tower. We had no soap, and within a fortnight we were all verminous. Eventually we were sent back to Algiers, Oran and the depot, and once again I was ill with dysentery. After a further three months of detention 1 was sent down, to Oran for a court-martial, and got off with a six months' sentence. The most serious pact of my crime seemed to be that I had destroyed my clothes ! The remainder of my term of prison was not nearly so had as it might have been. Within the limits of the regulations an Englishman ~was treated with sonic consideration, and I taught the Governor's son English. .My term finished. I went hack to headquarters, and volunteered for Morocco. 1 was sent through Oudjhn and Fez lo Marrakosh, and thence out into the wilds to outpost about 200 kilos, away. Aral) night attacks were, frequent, and once when with a paily I Weill out lo meet a convoy, 1 saw three dead comrades, and had firsthand experience of the, fate which betel a Legionnaire it' In l fell into Arab hands. Once more 1 determined lo desert, and carefully planned the venture, with lh" knowledge T gained on my first attempt. Burdened with all the food I could carry and some wine, I walked away from Ihe outpost in ;i snowstorm. The weather turned to vain, and during the day I slept and sheltered, walking al night through the wild country. FOHOED DISCHARGE PAPERS Luckily again I met a Friendly Arab, who took mo to his shelter, gave me food and dried my clothes, and later escorted mi' on the way to Mnrraknsh. [low, f will not say. hut 1 had secured some forged discharge papers and had no fear in entering the town, which has a population, mostlv A rati, of nearly 200,000. Equally important. I had money, and through another Aral) was provided with the garb of a tourist. Thus dressed, and showing .as 1 hoped, a tourist's interest hi everything, f travelled by stages to Algiers,'bnl to \-u<hu-v risk-; snatched sleep on the trains and passed the nights in cafes or wandering about. Profiting from my earlier experience I had been careful lo take on another

name, and was now Mr de Trafford., Again there was no difficulty in crossing from Algiers to Marseilles,, and this time I did not stay in Paris, but made a quick journey to Boulogne. Thus 1 had leached the last but trickiest stage of the journey. 1 do not want to give details, for others may want the help I eventually found, but finally, with a throbbing heart, 1 found myself on board ship. Part of my trick to get aboard was to tell some incoherent story about a trip to Boulogne, a spree, lost papers and a hearty remorse. I did celebrate, as a mailer of fact, but not until 1. once mure found myself in England again, a free man Flies and mosquitoes are dangerous to health. Kill them with Flytox. Obtainable from all stores.