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Re: FFL and FFF

:+1:

Re: FFL and FFF

Dear Gerd,

I watched the whole movie - La Bandera 1935. I really enjoyed it (although my Spanish and French is lacking). Just watching you understand the movie plot. The movie has actual forts in it - big ones. So great to see these! And I like the 1930 Spanish Foreign Legion uniforms.

Anyway, I hope you make a fort or diorama and let Strelets post it for you. Who knows, maybe they'll make some of the earlier 1930's Spanish Legion soldiers!

Thank you again - David :palm_tree: :film_projector: :earth_africa:

Re: FFL and FFF

Hello David,

Even if the film "La Bandera" seems a little old-fashioned, it is still something rare. Because there are hardly any films about the uprisings of the Rif-Berbers in the years 1919-26, which later spread to the French territories. While there are many books and films available about the FFL, the Spanish Legion never caught Hollywood's interest. Maybe because the SFL ist founded later (in 1920) and has not such a long history as FFL. Perhaps also because the SFL later fought on the "wrong side" in the Spanish Civil War (from the point of view of the USA).

The Berbers also rarely tried to attack the large forts or garrisons, which were equipped with several machine guns, mortars and often heavy artillery. Therefore, mostly smaller outposts or patrols were attacked ... a typical partisan war. It was not until the end of the war, when the Spaniards evacuated large parts of Morocco, that there were costly attacks against larger Spanish garrisons. In some cases there, the Berbers also executed several hundred Spanish soldiers who had surrendered. General Franco then fought back with great severity in 1925/26, often with airplanes and sometimes even with the use of poison gas bombs. That was a war without mercy ..

Since 1987 the SFL has lost the status of a "Legion", because recruiting strangers was forbidden at the time. Today the SPG regiment is more likely to be seen as a bearer of an old tradition, but only consists of regular Spanish soldiers.

https://youtu.be/XJ9Q7MiX6YM

And the tradition is living:

https://youtu.be/8XULTHbK5z8

The fastest marching soldiers ever:

https://youtu.be/gj4w8EcAkc0

https://youtu.be/qt7ckrOPV4c

https://youtu.be/27zH4HXUHCk

https://youtu.be/MhL3_A3wIDY

Re: FFL and FFF

Dear Gerd,

Once again, thank you for your thoughts and also the YouTube links. Yes, I do enjoy watching and learning about the SFL. The 1935 movie was a real pleasure for me to watch. It had so many actual historical forts and locations in it. "One picture is worth a 1,000 words" is so true for me. I'm a visual person first, then I go back and read or research.

I find Wikipedia is a great resource for first time research or backup facts. As you know, the FFL was founded around 1834 to clean out France from the undesirables hanging out in pubs and getting in trouble. Sending them to Africa to be sacrificed towards France's colonial aspirations was not a social issue back home. But the years following was a nice surprise to discover these men fought so well together - a kind of strange brotherhood. That's what interests me about them - a legion of strangers - as in the movies.

The SFL seems to have been founded later and more purpose driven. Again such an intereresting history. I'm now just beginning to learn. But any group of men wanting to start over in life, change their names, or just hide out is so fascinating to me. So I will watch each of your YouTube links during this week and enjoy and do a little reading, too. I tell you, those SFL guys look really, really tough! I'd hate to face against them!

So, I'll touch base with you about this next weekend. Oh, yeah, I looked up the BUM SFL 1/72 set (looks like Orion, actually) but it was a limited run and seems to be nowhere to buy. But a great looking set of figures!

OK, have a great week! - GC

Re: FFL and FFF

Dear Gerd,

First, thank you again for your latest comments and also the additional YouTube links. I enjoyed watching all of them during last week. Man, those guys can really march fast! I also did quite a bit of reading of the history of the SFL and SL and it was really interesting!

BUM Set 5000 1/72 La Legion (I still think an Orion product) were beautifully sculpted, however, I can't find any to buy. Too bad! Maybe Strelets will make some. I do like the uniforms of the 1935 movie and BUM figures, so if you and anyone else requests them to be produced, I'll support it.

And I do hope you make the fort in the photo you included in this thread above. For me, forts are equally important to me as the figures for my collection. So I'll keep an eye out if you go forward with it.

Well, this thread may soon disappear completely so again, I very much enjoyed this discussion. If you guys start a new thread, I'll enjoy seeing it!

OK, have a super weekend and thank you again for opening my eyes to the SFL and SL!

With appreciation - GC