Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-23
BY BENNETT J. DOTY.

Written exclusively for The Star and NORTH
American Newspaper Alliance
have been asked many times VIM
Joined the French Foreign Legion
I doit know. J simply made I'D M
mind suddenly to join that famous
fighting force.
In April, 1925. I decided 20 20 r.
France. was then in New YORK.
shipped as a mess steward on a boat
TO Bordeaux. Then the idea Of ,oia.
ing the Legion hit me. We were 70
ceiving daily wireless news, and the
STEADY advance Of AbdeI-Krim was 70.
corded The sailors kept talking ab1gr
the part played by the Legion in tie
fighting and spoke OF friends who had
served in that grim band.
"Of course" said one sailor. "it's
the Legion that gets the TOUCHES,
jobs. And it always makes good or
them"
This made me think Of Services
poem:
HE had heard sOmebody Sar
That when France goes forth 20
battle
IT'S re Legion leads the way.
THE men from all the nation.
From every rank and station.
The men who've known damnation.
The Legion leads the way"
Changed His Name.
We arrived at Bordeaux June II.
Soon after / looked up the Bordeau
des Engagements FoiontaireS This
Is a tiny office tucked away In a cor.
rer of the military headquarters
building. Ii was presided over o. a
ri 10 tal
bly, in the war. He walked with =
s. He reived me courteously
and asked what wanted.
Can 1 engage here for the Legion
Etrangere?" Foreign Legion. asked.
But yes. monster Be seated"
He asked particulars. name. nation
ality. parentage. / said / was Gilbert
Clare. The Clares were an old Nor
man family who settled In Ireland in
the time Of William the Conqueror
and were hardy soldiers. The name
had caught my fancy. Very few men
engage in the Legion under their own
names.
You will return tomorrow for ply
steal examination" said the Officer
Bon jour. monsieur.
The next morning I was on hand.
and passed AL. Then I signed in
Vulnerable papers and got an order
for train fare to Port Vendres. a
small seaport on the Spanish border
Left for .Algiers.
was nov a Legionnaire. Unlike
the hero Of Beau Geste." ! had en-
no one Who attempted 20
dissuade me from joining.
Early the next morning l descended
Mt Port Vendres and walked 90 the
descript crowd Of zouaves. tirailleurs
Se legalese. Here ! remained several
days and was well fed and lodged
Then was informed that the boat
sailed the next morning. So a non
crown OF zouaves. tiraiileur>
and chausseurs d'Afrique. who had
been on leave. prepared for the
voyage.
We sailed on the Mustapha ii 70.
Oran. Algeria. There were two other
Bot were Spaniards. We
arrived at Oran the next afternoon.
and q corporal escorted me to the
petit depot of the Legion.
He was a youns Russha. lie wore
the khaki uniform the Legion uses
when campaigning. II was bleachets
from much washing. On his nsad was
the khaki-covered kept. or ca. Ee
wore his campaign ribbons and com
oined excessive neainess vito com
bearing.
You are for the Legion" he de-
ma nded.
Yes"
Follow me-" he ordered. leading the
way up = steep blum TO the city
proper.
The corporal glanced neither right
nor left. /. however. was all eyes for
.hs, full ar,s2 AT
shops and cafes.
Met Another American.
Then We came TO a long lane ON the
outskirts Of the city. where. behind
nigh. whitewashed walls. lay the
~ the Ecuaves. spahis and
irnilleurs, We arrived at a gate, he
lore which stood = soldier with IN
enormous muStache. We were at tne
iepot Of the Legion.
I entered the guarSircor and pre-
tented my papers TO the sergeant III
,harge. y little rrenchman with fiervs.
ipturned r,uStaches, Noticing In -,
papers Nationality. American Ne
. There is another here, Car
Phillips"
Dcwn the stairs cams = blk sls<>
10Y,
White folks he exclaimed. has
fou joined up Come aions an I'll N
rcu up"
Whercupun Phillips, whose 81
tame is Charles, took me ap u ne
ileeptng quarters ami got ire barn..
FOR the next two ar lhTcw days ne
Jaw that I gct cncuSh 20 eat. ard ~
VAS my onteisl interpreter krew
Ffea~h, I picked IL up - | went
'long never learned la0vh atN>ut
'htllipS lie hailesi from California.
'alleSt. and then had served about
our wears and hSlf in the I.sStca.
u which Ne was ACTING as \ RAILWAY
tstien guard,
Hears % Ieglea~ DEEDS.
There are always some AmsvsrAa>
n the Legion, one og IN SSe Anew
md liked hest MAS big Nichols II TIE
music" hand Tie Was an ela reSv!>J.
'Avtnx served I'm the American CAV
Try as nrst sergeant
Nichols seemed IL kaSW neArN
very one in the Lesion. and bSed
'cthtns nctter than 90 sit With h'n
Ner h bottle ef win and listen 81 Jis
anecdotes All the time Re wcuN
uek ON a NutshNnaS elack r;pA el'TS
VITA AlSertan tolNaC<>A \ rralN me
musician, Nichols k,lnsss the teS,t9N
u iase, and At the end et Ms rNe
ears service re-engass<t tcr anSthft
I've, Tie II now With the ~ Rex'"'~at
n Nekinex. MoF<S<'SN
Then there as bis Slnn l'a%Ne>
worth, who stands feet i inches A''a
= thin as rail, tie halls tyNm Iowa
nj In \ typical farmer tAd So"
reAtest trouble was SstStns rlv%hT>
ang enough in the lSSS ana AUS
aenerallN the ccNvsaaS Stea aAa =
ew en extra sttlNS 81 hSs sleeves -
'tte s's wrists Slim VAS ~o~
river,
Ruth htm and <trhelS , met at'r4
saVing Oran. at Sidi bel Aeees
Thnlnpsnn aud ulxoa we've SaeShSa
AMERICAN ,Naie Thompson, whe asAs
rSsin narthefn New work, - an v>'&S~N