Chris Boonzaier

I am busy reading a fantastic study of Germans in the Foreign Legion. Apparently in the late 1940s you actually needed parental permission to join if you were under 20, but Germans 18-12 were accepted without. It was a political issue until the French changed it in about 1951. So this from 1948 is quite interesting, either he lied about his date of birth, or the recruiter suggested he did... then at a later date it was rectified. He did 2 years in Indochina, but was repatriated with a bunch of nasty bacteria... can anyone make any sense of the column on the right?

A Balme and a Drago in their original little baggies.....

The 1961 pattern badges are ,,, Y. Delsart 89100 Sens Coinderoux Paris Beraudy – Vaure 63600-Ambert No Maker J.Balme Saumur Beraudy – Vaure Ambert (P.DE.D) . 9. Drago Paris (Smooth Back) Insigne Militaire G.1772 Drago Rue de Romainville Paris Drago Paris The 2 REI badges are No Maker Beraudy – Vaure 63600-Ambert J. Balme Saumur Coinderoux Paris LR Paris Y. Boussemart (Dated 2000)

This was the universal Legion beret Badge adopted in 1961. It was not widely worn because most regiments were wearing the numbered Grenade badges and the 2 REI adopted the grenade with the Mule shoe, but this was meant for all units other than the Legion para who had the regular French Para Beret badge, the Cavalier who had this badge in Silver... by about 1964 most units returning to France adopted this, the 2REI stayed in the Sahara with the Grenade and Horse Shoe badge until 1968 when they returned to France and adopted the Universal badge.... This is the "new" badge that we recieved in 1992-93... the Verdion for the 2 REI... i prefered the old one... but hey... noone asked me.....

The 7th Company 2 REI had night combat and action behind enemy lines as its specialty. Formed in 1964 the Compagnie was dissolved in 1983, or rather renamed the 3rd Company as the 2 REI changed its numbering to 1st-4th Compagnie... on the left the badge of the 7th Company, in the middle, still sealed in its packet the badge given to Legionnaires at the dissolution of the company, it reads "2e RÉGIMENT ÉTRANGER D'INFANTERIE – 7e COMPAGNIE COMMANDO » then badge of the 3rd company.

The badge of the 3 REI CM was adopted by the 4th REI and us now the badge of the 1st Basic Training Company of the 4th RE. This is the eraly Version of the 3 REI CM badge made by AUGIS used from about 1935-1943 if I undestand correctöy. The AUGIS ones are the very early one. Then the badge for the Compagnie Portee de Kenifra of the 4th REI, used from about 1953-1955. The Compagnie Portee were motorised and you see Cogs on some of their badges

In April of 1939 the 2nd Batl of 2 RE was sent to Syria, stationed in Damaskus.... This badge was created in 1939... on the 1st of October 1939 the Battalion became the 3rd Battalion of the 6th REI

Yeah, nothing makes a bar uglier than that medal. I have a great Bavarian bar where he did not bother to mount that and it lays loose in its box ? Does anyone have any more that can be used for an article? Anything appretiated, also good photos of the Spangen being worn. Thanks Chris

A relatively early Colonial medal to a member of the 5REI, including the Dog Tag issued to him in 1948. "Heintz" with a T seems to be an exceptionally rare first name, so maybe it was a Legion Name. The Tags were generally worn around the wrist, this one is extremely worn on the front.

up... more to come...

Here is a Model 1946 Kepi, with a red grenade, for other ranks. They were never worn like this, these always had a white cover over them.

Often refereed to as a "c**t cap" in english, for obvious reasons (general term for a garrison cap) the French Legion garrison cap or "Bonnet de Police" was popular in Indochina, but once the Legion was fully stationed in North Africa again it was basically only for recruits in Basic training. The Sleeve badge for Legionnaire 1st Class was pinned on by the vet, so I left it there....

I almost forgot.... a Para Beret

A scarce mid 130s badge for the Compagnie Montee of the 1 RE

This was the most comman maker in the early 90s... they still make Berets today, but the quality has really, really dropped.... the leather used to have a zig-zag pattern on the inside with made it pretty resistent to wear and tear.. now they are sewn in a straight line, sometimes not even straight... two thumbs down to the newer ones. The ones with the parachute were also pretty comman back then, but they still seem to be making them in good quality... you can see the zigzag compared to the straight stitch

The Commercial ones are smaller, instead of fitting all the way around the head they fit a bit more in the suction cup manner... and it takes a bit of time to make sure you dont loose them while running or moving...

The two badges above were introduced in about 1961, the 2 REI seems to have abandoned the first and designed itself the 2nd... at almost the same time the badge below became the standard Badge for everyone (Cavalry in silver) other than the paras... but it seems they were seldom worn in Algeria and were adopted when the legion moved from North Africa in the mid 60s... here 2 terrible ones (the berets)... the first with a plasticky black rim, no longer leather... and the 2nd, an issue beret from the 80s.... In 1989 we were issued these in Aubagne... and wore them for the train ride to Castlenaudary... there the standard procedure was, upon a arrival an instructor would collect all beret sizes, then to to the PX and buy everyone a Beret with a pay advance.... next day everyone had to appear with a commercial beret more fitting to the "image" and not the big formless ones like from the 60s....

Good question... but I think the Germans only provide info to family.... I need to find someone named Schulz to request them! ?

OK... Beret 1 ... This is a late 50s early 60s one... with the first version Beret badge... the Legion paeas had the same badge as the normal French Paras, but other units had the Legion flame... this one for 2 REI ... for other regiments it stayed, but the 2nd REI changed very quickly to an own design reflecting their origins as a mounted unit... a mounted columns had been 2 Men one Mule, but by the beginning of the 1960s it meant trucks and Helicopters... so the later badge had a Mule shoe... and anyone knew to the regiment even today learns fast is for a mule... the mule sho badge was worn until the 2REI left its bases in the Sahara in 1968, the last French unit to leave Algeria.

Please add any items you may have. Here is an Iconic bit of headgear. Not restricted to the Legion, but issued in Indochina and Algeria... and old stocks used up to the 80s for units doing tours in Africa.... the "Chapeau de Brousse" (Bush hat) ... I really regret they were no longer issued in my era.... A really salty one, and a mint one from a store find... you occasionally find new ones in very small sizes. According to a French source the small ones were issued to indigenous troops in Indochina, and as that came to an end, they stayed in stores... Legionnaires in Laos wearing the Chapeau....

Hi, he has Lodz listed as place of birth

Here is the rest of the Group... colonial medal, indochina medal, CDG at divisional level, good conduct certificate, Infantry training

Sometimes people are imaginative ? I work with a Hans-Werner ... 12 years together and I only found out by chance he is not "Werner" but "hans-Wener"

Yup, on his Documents it is Karl Dilner... but it is possible on his German documents a Heinz is in there somewhere... I can not remember ever seeing a Legion Doc with a 2nd first name

Part of a document group for a Legionnaire who served in the 2 REI in indochina, and the 4REI in Morocco... The Calcon" or "Bonnet de Police" was the Legion Headgear until the Beret was introduced to all regiments in the late 50s... The leather for the 4 REI badge is in 3 pieces. Later they were made in one piece, green leather with red thread.