In late 2021, a new English-written book dedicated to the French Foreign Legion was released: Collecting French Foreign Legion Insignia, Volume 1, 1st Foreign Regiment. Another original work of Andrew J. Mitchell, an Irish amateur historian and a Foreign Legion insignia collector.

Andrew J. Mitchell should be well known to our readers thanks to his previous works: The Tigers of Tonkin and Pictorial History of the French Foreign Legion in Indochina, 1927-1945, both dedicated to the famous 5e REI.

However, as the title of his new work suggests, the book is this time focused mainly at fans and collectors of Foreign Legion badges. According to the author, it is the first French Foreign Legion insignia book written in English which comprehensively covers all the insignia of the 1st Foreign Regiment and its related units with clear photos of the front and rear of the insignia.

The book is backed up with a brief but concise history of the regiment and its attached companies. It also includes unpublished photographs of legionnaires through the ages, as well as rare documents related to the described units.

Andrew J. Mitchell is currently the only civilian member of the A.A.L.E.I., the official association of Irish former legionnaires, and serves as their historian. A passionate insignia collector and an owner of rare Foreign Legion photographs, he also administrates the FB page called Collecting French Foreign Legion Badges.

The new book is self-published by the author. Readers and badge collectors can find it here:
Collecting French Foreign Legion Insignia, Volume 1, 1st Foreign Regiment

Please, note that the link above is NOT an affiliate link to receive money. Thank you.

Here are some samples from Andi’s new book:

Realated posts:
Zygmunt Jatczak & Krzysztof Schramm: Niczego nie żałuję
Andrew J. Mitchell: The Tigers of Tonkin
Knut Flovik Thoresen: Narvik 1940
Knut Flovik Thoresen: Norwegians in the Foreign Legion from 1831 until 2017