Legionnaire: The Real Life Story of an Englishman in the French Foreign Legion |
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Simon Murray
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Pages: 320 (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN: 0330485806
Pub: Pan Books
Pub date: 2001-07-06
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 27157
Reader Reviews:
Legionnaire (0/0 people found this helpful)
Simon does an excellent job of describing life in the Legion fighting the Algerian Freedom Fighters. The book is excellently presented in the form of a diary.
Good Read, highly reccommend (0/0 people found this helpful)
All about Simons memoirs from his time in the Legion. I found the book very easy reading and thoroughly enjoyable.I found myself endlessley wanting to know where it ends yet at the same time not wanting it to end. Being an ex British serviceman I was able to relate to some of his plight but it by far outways anything that most British soldiers endure unless trying out for the special forces. Simon has had one hell of a youth and although subjected to so much of the harsh treatment and bruitality has had a life experience that could never be forgotten, what an accomplishment.
Matchless adventure story (0/0 people found this helpful)
They don't make Englishmen like Simon Murray any more. Still a fresh-faced teen, he struggles with conflicting loyalties to family, country and the love of his life, and decides to join the French Foreign Legion. It is scarcely conceivable that a modern teenager would have the strength of character to do the same, but the 19-year old Murray soon finds himself in Algeria, facing a regime of brutality unimaginable by modern standards, as an underfunded, politically riven French army attempts to hold together its crumbling African empire. Then as now, the task proves difficult to say the least, as Murray and his multinational comrades sweat, dig and march over fly-blown hillsides, taking appalling disease, injury and terrible food in their stride.
Murray's story, expanded from diary entries, gives a fascinating account of a bygone age when young men were willing to accept terrible hardships for the sake of adventure, but he doesn't shy away from criticisms of French military policy or the many near-psychotic thugs that he found himself serving alongside. What is clear at the end is that the experience stood him in good stead - we would all benefit from such clarity of purpose and vision. The little details stand out - Murray's attachment to England, and the home comforts that he received in the post; the random acts of savage brutality perpetrated by his comrades; and the esprit-de-corps of the Legion, despite the grumblings and myriad nationalities of those who served in it. Far better written that any contemporary account by SAS veterans padding out their five minutes on the balcony, this deserves to remain in print for a very long time.
RESPECT (0/0 people found this helpful)
Simon Murray's account of one mans adventure in a foreign land is gripping. Life was hard from start to beginning, but the book pages just kept turning. I was returning home from Iraq when I read it and it put into perspective was I had previously complained about on my tour of Operations. Mr Murray stuck with a hard job in a hard climate enduring self imposed hardships. Why? Because he could.
excellent account (1/1 people found this helpful)
I have been very interested in the foreign legion for about two years and since then its been in the back of my mind wether to join up. Simon murrays book is a diary account from his service in the early 60's. The legion during this time went through a lot of changes which Simon lived through and thus also saw a lot of action. although im sure a lot has changed since then,It gives an excellent account of its severe, harsh brutality and extreme lifestyle. Definately worth reading. Ive ordered Evan McGormans book "Life in the French Foreign Legion " which is based on his service during the early 90's hopefully giving a more recent picture of the legion.
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> Biography -> Historical -> Countries & Regions -> Africa
Books -> Subjects -> History -> Military History
Books -> Subjects -> History -> General
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback