Fighting for the French Foreign Legion Memoirs of a Scottish Legionnaire
Fighting for the French Foreign Legion: Memoirs of a Scottish Legionnaire by Alex Lochrie is a reprint edition published by Pen & Sword Military in 2013. This memoir, comprising 176 pages, details the author’s journey as he joins the French Foreign Legion, despite not speaking French and nearing the age limit for enlistment. Lochrie recounts the rigorous selection process and the demanding training he underwent with the elite Second Parachute Regiment in Corsica, providing insights into the ethos and discipline of the Legion.
Readers will find a vivid portrayal of life in the Foreign Legion, as Lochrie shares experiences from his service across Africa and the Middle East, including participation in Operation DESERT STORM and peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Chad. The memoir highlights the diverse backgrounds of his fellow legionnaires and the harsh realities faced by local populations in conflict zones. This account offers a rare glimpse into the modern-day Foreign Legion, making it a noteworthy addition to the genres of biography, military history, and personal memoirs.
Official synopsis Publisher
The author describes how he joined the French Foreign Legion, without being able to speak any French and very close to the age limit. He takes the reader through the vigorous selection procedure, the relentless recruit regime and then elite Second Parachute Regiment’s training in Corsica. We learn about the ethos and strict discipline of the Foreign Legion. He describes his fellow legionnaires drawn from many backgrounds and nations.
Having won his kepi and paratroop wings he served across Africa and the Middle East, taking part in Operation DESERT STORM (fighting Saddam Hussein’s Republican Guard), peace keeping operations in Sarajevo and Bosnia and in former French colonies such as Chad and the Central African Republic. He graphically describes the action and appalling conditions of the local population.
Accounts of life in the modern day Foreign Legion are rare indeed and this one written by a mature and modest man makes fascinating reading.
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