FOREIGN LEGION

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18263, 5 December 1933, Page 5

FOREIGN LEGION

TWO ESCAPEES HARDSHIPS IN RIFF WAR LONDON, Nov. 18. Robert Christie, 25, of Sydney, and Leslie Hale, 24, an Englishman, arrived at Gibraltar after escaping from the Foreign Legion. Hale says that he enlisted in the Coldstream Guards, which he left to seek adventure. He enlisted in the Legion in 1931,' and eventually, being anxious to see his parents and sister, unsuccessfully attempted to escape. He was captured and confined for a month in a pitch-dark cell. For two days he was without a bed, clothes, or food. He served in operations against the Riffs in the Atlas region, when 2000 lives were lost in four days. He contracted dysentery, and was sent to the Legion s hospital at Rabat (Morocco), where lie met Christie; and saved enough money to buy mufti. They hired a taxi-cab and made for Casa Blanca on November 3. They outmanoeuvred the Customs officers by describing themselves as tourists. They boarded a British steamer, in which they were hidden by the stokers for eight da vs before sailing for Huelva (Spain), where they disembarked and appealed to the British consul. Eventually they reached Gibraltar, via Seville and Algeeiras. Hale was arrested by British military police at Gibraltar. _ . Hale said : “Life in the Legion is sheer hell. We both stuck it as long as possible; but return to that cuised desert—a thousand times no.” CHRISTIE’S STORY

Christie joined the Legion at Lille in November, 1930, and served in the Atlas region. This was his third - attempt to escape. In an interview, Christie said that his father was ‘a branch manager of the Commonwealth Bank. “I worked my way to Europe in 1930,” be said, as a greaser on the Iron Baron. I was paid off at Bristol, and decided to join the Legion, but I am now glad to be out of it. My only ambition is to see mv children. ' I was imprisoned after previous attempts to escape. Preparations were afoot for a renewal of the French operations against the Riffs in March. 1 am sorry that Hale lias been arrested by the British military police. We have been inseparable pals.”

Mr. Robert Christie is one of the four sons of Mr. R. B. Christie, manager of a branch of the Commonwealth Bank o! Australia. He was left a considerable sum of money by bis maternal grandfather, who owned the McLeod Milling Company, of Gunnedali, and after a somewhat, adventurous career, went abroad three or four years ago in search of further adventure. 11 is family is believed to be living at Googee.