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Certificate of Presence for the Battle of Ressaz and Souieda in 1926 in Syria. He was with the 8th company of the 1st Foreign Legion. Click to enlarge.

Close up of above document. Click to Enlarge.

Certificate of Presence at Battle of Messifre in Syria in 1925. Click to enlarge.

Close up of above. Click to enlarge.

Medaille Coloniale, bar Maroc Certificate. Click to enlarge.

Close up of the "business end" of the above document. Click to enlarge.

My grandmother's neice (who lives in Arles) just sent me some more documents about my ggf. They were just sitting in a drawer but when she found out I was so interested in the story she sent them to me. The group is quite amazing. It includes: 1. ID card from when he was Chief of Police for the Oran Dockyards. 2. Naturalization certificate from 1927 3. Award document for the Medaille Militaire 4. Award document for the Medaille du Levant 5. Certificate of participation for being present at the Battle of Messifre in 1925 in Syria. 6. Certificate of participation for being present at the Battles of Rezzaz and Souieda in 1926 in Syria. 7. Written confirmation of his CdG TOE a titre personnel. Here are a few of them.

Click on picture above to make it bigger.

Another picture to add. This is in Syria 1925 with the 1 REC. Notice the gandourah's being worn. They were loose fitting linen garments worn over the uniform with ranking on a buttoned chest tab. They have their cheches (long desert scarf) worn , at their commanders whim, wrapped around their heads "a la Tcherkesse". If you have Osprey M-a-A Foreign Legion 1914-1945 plate D3 illustrates the same get up. Art P.S. My GGF is on the left.

I just picked up a IGS '08 with Waz 19-24 at a show here in the states for a good price. The unit is got me sratching my head. It is named to a Naik with the 43/ G.C.C. Would that be: 1. Gold Coast Constabulary (probably not ...) 2. Gwalior Carrier Corps (that is how it was labeled by the dealer but I don't think that existed). 3. Gwalior Cadet Corps (existed but ...43 battalions?) 4. Gwalior Camel Corps (this seems most likely but I thought C.C. had Indian Cavalry ranks not Naik) Any ideas? Art

Curiously he never wore his victory medal even though he had one. Neither in uniform or on his ribbon bars. I have no idea why but I decided to leave it out. Bottom row last two (WWII commemorative, Ouissam Alaoite). Art

I have been thinking about doing this for awhile. Includes his campaigns, medals and 4 Legion units he served with. It took me about a week.

I cropped this one from a picture I posted above. This is 1931 Mostaganem, Algeria. 2eme Tirailleurs Algerien. My GGF is in the middle. Interesting the three different uniforms. Different collars, colors and belts. Can anyone clarify the differences? Also, notice that my GGF is wearing both the fouragerre of the unit and a second fouragerre CdG TOE. This was the a titre personel which we spoke of in a different post.

Back to Morocco, 1922. Mounted Company. My GGF is second from the right holding the flag.

My favorite one so far. This is in Syria in 1926 (Druse War).

Legion Officers standing near a field gun. Morocco 1922.

Another one from the 1932 when he was an Adjudant-Chef of the 2eme Tirailleurs.

Morocco 1922. My GGF is the one standing. The other three in their colonial whites. The man in the middle is wearing a Medaille Coloniale along with at least two other medals which are obscured by their glasses. Also, Black socks with colonial whites is a bad look.

An unknown Legionnaire and his dog in front of a Fort in Morocco 1922. The caption says "Poste de G.E.A.". Not sure what that means.

A Legion Machine Gun post. Again, Morocco 1922.

Group portrait that includes a Sergt. Moor, Capitaine Fumet, Adjudant Amette, and Sgt. Major. Drinnhausen. My GGF is in the back row on the extreme left (with the other Caporals). He is curiously wearing a white colonial tunic.

This one shows the aftermath of a battle during the Rif War. Legionnaires are inspecting the remains of Moroccan soldiers.

He titled this one "Fetes du 14 Juliet 1922" and subtitled "Revue des Troupes de Marrakech". He is somewhere in that crowd. Interesting that they are wearing the Sun Helmet.

This picture was loose in the album. It is from the early 30's when he was with the 2eme Tirailleurs in Mostagenem. I am not sure what C.H.R. refers to. He is in the first row, fourth from the right.

Over the holidays I discovered a previously unknown album from my Great-Grandfather. I was in the possession of my aunt. It is from his service from 1919-1923 (in Morocco). Truly some amazing stuff. I will post more as I scan them. This one is of the Sous-Officers of the 4 REI. My GGF is on the bottom row in the middle (looking rather impish).