Chris Boonzaier

I have managed to add quite a bit to this group... including this.... a Table medal presented to Colonel Gilbert by General commanding the Legion during reunion of ex Regimental commanders in June 1996. I am not sure how many of these were handed out.

Albert Enderli

28.07.1903

28.08.1923- 5 Years

Break in service

03.12.1931 – 10.06.42

15.12.21 – 28.08,1929 – DCRE – 1RE – 2RE – 1REI

14.03.32 – 1 RE

17.02.34 – 5 RE – Tonkin

15.10.37 – 1 RE

14.07.38 – Promoted Legionnaire 1st Class

01.10.39 – 6 RE

30.09.41 – Promoted Caporal

01.01.42 – 1 RE

15.08.42 – Regraded Legionnaire 2^nd Class

01.07.43 – DCRE

05.07.43 - RMLE

03.12.43 – Released from Service

Citation 07.08.1925

Showed much courage in the combat of Bibane 25.05.25. Ignoring all danger and using hand grenades, he attacked entrenched enemy positions from which he was under accurate fire.

Wounded 08.08.1925

Wounded at l’amXXXXXX, stone splinters in the troat.

Awards

Croix de Guerre des TOE 07.08.1925

Medaille Militaire 07.10.1940

Medaille Colonial „Maroc“

Medaille Colonial “Maroc” – 27.07.1934

Carte de Combattant 20.10.1936

Med Commemorative du Levant “Levant 1941”

He served in the mid 20s, left, returned in the early 30s, and was released in 43... Morocco, Algeria, Tonkin, Syria

more

A rare doc, the 6 REI in Syria was on the Vichy side, the bar "Levant 1941" was later forbidden... a very nice doc indeed!!

Apparently with a bit of experiance the hour on the mule could also be used to catnap

9 minutes ago, Trooper_D said:

 

Thanks for these interesting posts, Chris, but I am puzzling over how having one of the two Legionnaires mounted would improve the pace of a Legion column. I would have thought that the column could go no faster than the walking men, thus it would be no faster than if they were all walking.

 

Unless this is about saving the energy of the man who is mounted, thus ensuring that the column could march for longer in the day, even if not faster, than if they were all walking. 

Hi, Apparently the 1 hour on one hour off gave a column a few kms more per hour than a pure marching column... the rest apparently did wonders... and added to that, all their kit, food, water etc was carried by the mules, so no heavy carrying.

Obviously not as fast as a galloping cavalry troop... but better than the poor bastard marching with all his gear.

On its return from Algeria in 1968 the regiment was disbanded, but then reformed in 1972, a table medal was created for the regiments resurrection... The Bronze Medal was a going away gift for Colonel Gilbert who was Regimental commander from 1974-1976

Better pics......

The large and small 2 Legion Regiment Compagnie Badges...

Hi Berets... the dark one Algeria period, the lighter one probably in the 70s.... the badge on the lighter one was introduced in the early 90s... you can see the beret had the earlier badge but he probably put the new badge on later for veterans reunions as it is the badge of the regiment he commanded

A few more leather fobs....

I was very happy to get this grouping, not all of it, but the central parts... His Medals, badges for most of the units he was in, what I think was the flag for his Regt Commanders car, and some commemorative table medals, one when the regiment was reconstituted in 1972 and one as a going away present when he left the regiment in 1976.

Almost as ugly as modern Australian medals ?

Obviously not Regimental colors, but seemed the right place for it.... A card sent in 1906, showing the Legion officers killed in combat up until that date. Excludes the died of tropical disease etc.

I wonder if this is just after the Putsch when the 1ere REP was disbanded... the men were sent to other regiments, I assume in this case 1 RE...

These date around the mid 50s... made in Algeria and sold on the Legion PX probably...

This is Pretty cool.... I just picked up a number of hand made wooden Legion wall insignia. They were made in Algeria during or just after the Indochina war when the regiments returned to North Africa. They are all very cool.. but of course the 2 Infantry Regiment is my favorite... and displays well with the Indochina badges....

The colours of the 1ere Regiment Etrangere....

Optically a whole different level... the Legion barracks in Oran, you can see a couple of additions and changes in the barracks.

A column of Legionnaire marching in the Bou Denib area, in Marocco, but close to the Algerian border.

Here are 3 Pre WW1 postcards showing the Colours of 2eme Regiment Etrangere, although the one card was mailed in the 1960s

The Legion Barracks at Beni Ounif and the Redoute and Camp at Le Kreider

That is fantastic on every level.... of course the BILA bit just makes it "cool times two" ... fantastic find.

Mama Mia... that one is to die for!!

Ahhh... the generic term being "Chaude Pisse"