PHOTOS: Legionnaires in Syria around 1930 | French Foreign Legion Information

Another part of the PHOTOS series. Enjoy beautiful photographs of legionnaires in Syria. Most of these rare pictures were taken in 1930. At the time, the men were serving there with the 8th Battalion, 1st Foreign Infantry Regiment (1er REI, now 1er RE).

In 1930, the situation in the French Levant (Syria and Lebanon) was calm. The 1925 Great Syrian Revolt of the Druze rebels had been suppressed by 1927 with the help of the Foreign Legion units: the 5th Battalion of the 4e REI and the 4th Squadron of the 1er REC. These units distinguished themselves mainly during the battles in Syria’s Messifre and Lebanon’s Rachaya.

In 1927, only one Legion unit was left to guard the French presence in the Levant: the former 4e REI battalion, redesignated as the 8th Battalion, 1er REI in 1926. In 1930, likely still under Major Maitrot who took over the command in 1929, its four companies (including a mounted company) rotated between Lebanon and Syria, where the battalion HQ was based in Homs. The companies were tasked with maintaining order and France’s presence in the region, as well as constructing local infrastructure (military posts, roads, bridges, laying telephone cables, etc.). The battalion was awarded a fourragère, thanks to the two citations (mentions in dispatches) it earned during the 1925 campaign. The fourragère can be seen in some of the pictures, as worn by legionnaires. To learn more, see The Foreign Legion in Syria and Lebanon: 1921 – 1939.

Nevertheless, although it was one of the best-paid two-year deployments of the time (along with French Indochina), the latter was the preferred choice among legionnaires. The reason was simple: French Indochina’s nature and charming women made for a paradise, while the rather rocky, deserted region of the Levant looked less friendly. Because of that, any picture of the Legion in Syria and Lebanon from between both world wars is very rare.

As a matter of interest, legionnaires still serve in Lebanon today.

Back to the main story. As mentioned, the following set of beautiful and rare photographs shows 1er REI legionnaires in Syria, mainly in 1930. (The first two pictures are dated 1929.) The men were stationed in Homs, within the battalion HQ. As is often the case, the photos were provided to our website and published with the kind permission of Krzysztof Schramm, historian of the Foreign Legion veteran association in Poland, A.A.A.L.E. de Pologne, and the author of the awesome book called I Regret Nothing.

Legionnaires - Syria - an exercise in 1929 — 8th Battalion 1er REI legionnaires during an exercise in Syria in 1929. They probably fire the M1916 37 mm gun.

Legionnaires - Syria - around 1930 — 8th Battalion 1er REI legionnaires lined up during a field ceremony in Syria, around 1930. Note that the white-covered kepi was not in use yet there.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - around 1930 — Legionnaires return to their barracks in *Homs*. Syria, around 1930.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - supply train - 1930 — Legionnaires with their mules of the battalion supply train are reviewed by superiors in *Homs*. Syria, 1930.

Legionnaires - Syria - supply train - 1930 — Again, members of the battalion supply train near *Homs*, 1930. Note that the men wear even the colonial helmet.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - Room - 1930 — A rare picture from inside the living room in *Homs*, 1930.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - Soccer team - 1930 — A soccer team of the Legion in *Homs*, 1930. The team won the 1930 championship.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - barracks - 1930 — Two companies of the battalion inside their barracks in *Homs*, 1930. Right, the battalion’s music band.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - music band - 1930 — Musicians of the battalion band (*clique*) in front of their barracks in *Homs*, 1930.

Legionnaires - Syria - Homs - bugler - 1930 — A tired bugler. *Homs*, 1930.

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