Warriors of the French Foreign Legion

[WindReaver]

Came across a nice documentary on google about the FFL for those interested in such things:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...x3gYqoA6v03MIM

Thought I would share.

[Edcognito]

Worst A** beating I ever took in my life was from a FFL guy...

We were in Marseilles, France in '82. We had just collided with the USS Seattle:

http://www.navysite.de/ff/ff1081.htm

On 8 June 1982, the frigate steamed out of Charleston on her way across the Atlantic. In spite of damage she suffered in a collision with fast combat support ship SEATTLE (AOE 3) during underway refueling operation, AYLWIN continued on to Rota, Spain, and arrived there on the 19th.

That link doesn't say it, but we stopped in Marseilles for repairs, and we were there for three weeks. While there, we partied!

One night, while sitting at a bistro with five of my friends, we overheard a heated discussion going on a couple tables away from us. Little swarthy guy and some chick really going at it in French. Well, he hauls off and knocks her right out of her chair! Being full of "LIQUID COURAGE", I jumped up and said something along the line of "HEY A**HOLE! YOU CAN"T HIT A WOMAN WITH ME AROUND!"... When I started towards him, he started towards me . . . Thats all I remember, but my friends tell me I got one good whack in on him, and then he pounded me into the dirt...

Turns out, what they found out from the Gendarmes when they showed up, was that the guy was in the FFL - and had just got back from overseas... and Marseilles is a recruiting station for the FFL.....

Oh well - only thing really badly hurt was my pride... AND restricted to the ship for 15 days w/15 days extra duty...


Ed

[ALS]

The retired FFL guys are into making wine.

You don't usually think of fashion and wine-making as part of the soldier's life and especially that of the French Foreign Legion. It was touching to see a contingent of légionnaires at the Saint Roch church for the funeral of Yves Saint Laurent yesterday [my newspaper story]. The honour guard was there among the glamour crowd because Saint Laurent was a Grand Officier de la Légion d'Honneur, the second highest rank in the state decoration (the two legions have no direct link).

On the wine front, the Foreign Legion has just announced that it is to sell to the public the product of its magnificent vineyard at Puyloubier, in Provence. The 40 hectare estate, home for 100 invalid legionnaires, is on the slopes of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire, known to the world from Cézanne's paintings. The old soldiers produce 300,000 bottles a year of red, white and rosé under the Côtes de Provence appellation. Until now these have supplied Legion messes around the world. One of the traditions of the corps is that the men dine well, even in the toughest conditions. I discovered this at dinner with Legion officers during the siege of Sarajevo in 1993. We were served the legion wine in fine regimental glasses while mortar shells were exploding nearby (that was three years before Hillary Clinton's fantasy sniper episode).

The wine, being sold under the label Esprit de Corps, is the product of "the cult of the mission and the love of a job well done which is dear to all légionnaires," says the Ministry of Defence. Income will help the estate care for its residents, former soldiers who are physical invalids of have difficulties in adjusting to civilian life. Explaining the existence of its estate, the Legion quotes one of its sacred rules: "Tu n'abandonnes jamais les tiens, ni au combat ni dans la vie -- you never abandon one of your own, neither in battle nor in life.

Given the Legion's reputation for fierce discipline, it's interesting to see how it describes its rosé:

Rien d’audacieux n’existe sans la désobéissance aux règles. Cet aphorisme traduit parfaitement les intentions du vin rosé de la Légion étrangère.

Nothing bold exists without disobeying the rules. This saying perfectly translates the intentions of the Foreign Legion's vin rosé.

[Old légionnaire tends the Provence vines. Beards are Legion tradition]

French Foreign legion sells wine

[Alizee_is_Scottish!]

I was on a ship that went to Ajaccio, and we met the British guys in the FFL stationed there at the time. A few of us ended up very drunk and swapped uniforms. Sadly, we went back to our respective units still in 'fancy dress'.

Bit of a minor international incident, with Generals and Admirals all getting very excited. We got a hefty bill to replace our kit, the FFL guys got jailed for a month.

[jung_adore_ALIZEE]

well that was rather interesting

[Yaceman]

i should go rob a bank so that im on the run from the government, then go over to France and become a legonaire

[jung_adore_ALIZEE]

Originally Posted by Yaceman

i should go rob a bank so that im on the run from the government, then go over to France and become a legonaire

great idea want some help

[WindReaver]

They don't take bank robbers. Steal a car? "No problem" he said. So there is your answer. =)