Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-04
BY RAY CAVE



sIDI BEL ABBEs. Algeria. jan 4.-There
should be something outrageously special
about the main gate of the Foreign Legions
headquarters here at Sid bel Abbes.
1t should be Of massive solid iron that clangs
shut with flnality or ornamented with designs
depicting the history of the Legion and the
nationalities that fight for it.
Above all, it should be manned by the
biggest, toughest and best disciplined detach-
ment of spit-and-polish guards the world can
muster.
Yet the main gate at Sidi bel Abbes is none
OF these. 1t is, instead. representative of the
Legion today, not of the Legion young boys
dream about
Manned by ordinary Legionnaires. dressed
in khaki parade uniforms set off by royal blue
sashes and red epaulets the Legion'S main
gate is surprisingly practical
1t Is the gate through which the Legion
naire first passes when he comes to Sidi bel
Abbes, as a recruit, and through which he
finally passes when he is discharged and
returns to civilian life.
Looking through the gate below the wealth.
er-neaten letters that spell out Legion Etran-
gere, visitors see the compound of the lSt
Regiment, and the large barracks building
where the life of each Legionnaire is con-
troed from the day he enlists to the day he
is discharged.
Manned Over 100 Years
Detachments Of the 1st Regiment have
manned the headquarters in this Algerian
town OF $4,000 for more than 100 years.
During that period the Legion has expanded
until its quarters cover many city blocks with
heavy Spanish style of architecture
AS the Legion grew, so did the city which
is the Legion's home, becoming more part
OF the military organization that supports it
than Annapolis has become a Navy town
All dictionaries soon become familiar with
the tree-lined streets of this city, the taverns
which populate the Avenue of General Roet
which bisects the two main Legion COM
pounds, and the oasis-like park with its trees,
generations old, that the Legion planted dur
ing peaceful interlude
The first Arabs a Legionnaire is likely to
meet will be those of Bel Abbes who cluster
into his company area when he first arrives
from France and wait either to buy his civil
Ian clothes at prices that make them a steal
or to steal them outright.
Legion recruit has little use for those
clothes. In five years time. If he doesn't re-
enlist, the Legion will replace them with an
other civilian suit that he can wear home
wherever that may be-
There are three passage" companies at
Bel Abbes. One is for recruits, another for
men being reassigned throughout the Legion's
10 regiments, and third for those awaiting
discharge.
New Uniforms Issued
Here, in the supply warehouses of the Lee
gion are the uniforms and equipment first is
sued to the recruits All uniforms are new
including the two pairs of hobnail boots and
dress shoes which are part Of the initial issue.
Legion officers claim their men get the
pest uniforms available to the French mill
tary. and point out stacks of old clothes be-
hind the barracks of the veterans company
clothing that has seen heavy wear and is
being prepared for shipment to the French
Army.
The Foreign Legion also gets the best of
another item vital to the welfare of mill
tary unit-officers
Service with the Legion is considered
among the best duty which young graduate
OF st. Cyr, the French West Point can hope
to get, and as result only the best are as
signed to the Legion.
Though their duty with the Legion can be
stopped at any time by transfer to the regu-