French Foreign Legion

The French Foreign Legion (French: Légion étrangère) is a unique corps of the French Army, which allows foreign nationals into French service. Formed in 1831, it was primarily used to help protect and expand the French colonial empire, with great focus in North Africa. Among its symbols is the white kepi.

History

In 1831, King Louis-Philippe I created the Foreign Legion to carry out missions outside of the Kingdom, including secret missions such as finding mysterious treasures and powerful objects.

During the 1860s invasion of Mexico, a Foreign Legion unit led by Captain Jean Danjou located a crystal skull and Italian military musician Casimir Lai was tasked with protecting it regardless of the cost. On 30 April 1863, the unit of 65 legionnaries was ambushed by a contingent of 2000 Mexican soldiers and, though they managed to resist for over a day, they suffered great losses and only a few legionnaires survived. The few survivors were then taken prisoner, with only Casimir Lai escaping, having been gravely wounded and left for dead after the battle. Being rescued by reinforcements from the Foreign Legion, they managed to smuggle the artifact out of the country inside Casimir's drum.

The Legion participated in many battles during World War I, including one at the Marne River valley, where they hid the skull. On 18 May 1917, Paul-Frédéric Rollet took command of the Foreign Legion Marching Regiment, and later on, he retrieved the artifact from its hiding place.

In 1940, the 13th Demi-Brigade was created to fight Nazi Germany. This regiment also managed a convoy carrying Casimir Lai's drum, moving it to a temporary placement at the legion's barracks in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria, during the Morrocan campaign of World War II.

In 1946 to 1954, the Legion participated in the First Indochina War.

Appearances

• Le Secret de Camerone (mentioned only)