Just finished Legionnaire by Simon Murray. This is a memoir from his five years in the French Foreign Legion. The writings are from a diary he kept during his time. I really enjoyed this. Mit sehr viel Witz und Herz geschrieben. Eine irre Abenteuergeschichte auch wenn man sich nicht für das Militär interessiert. The French Foreign Legion–mysterious, romantic, deadly–is filled with men of dubious character, and hardly the place for a proper Englishman just nineteen years of age. Yet in 1960, Simon Murray traveled alone to Paris, Marseilles, and ultimately Algeria to fulfill the toughest contract of his life: a five-year stint in the Legion. Along the way, he kept a diary.

Simon Murray (businessman) - Wikipedia Simon Murray (businessman) - Wikipedia

Murray presented 'The Legion is My Country', a BBC Radio 4 documentary (produced by Alec Reid) celebrating the 150th anniversary of the founding of the French Foreign Legion. It was broadcast on 26 May 1981. Also in the 80s, Murray presented a documentary on the French Foreign Legion, where he explained the traditions and folklore that surround this elite force. [7] He also appeared and contributed on the documentary series Escape to the Legion [8] and Weaponology. [9] Personal life [ edit ] Gulf Keystone ex-chairman says he was forced out, tried to lure Exxon". Reuters. 1 April 2015 . Retrieved 4 October 2018. This is actually well written, in an engaging and sympathetic voice, with a quality unexpressed by the trashy cover. An easy to read book. It's based on the author's dairy from the Foreign Legion in early 60's, in Algeria. The book is focused on the stories and the experiences that happened to the author during his 5 years military contract. It's interesting to see how this tough military force prepares it's soldiers and how tough it is to resist due to morale and psychical challenges.I first became aware of Simon Murray when I watched on TV one night a special program about the French Foreign Legion in which he acted as the narrator. I was rather impressed with him, so when I came across this book (after having read the Douglas Porch history of the Legion in the early 1990s), I was eager to read it. From 1994 to 1998, Simon was the Executive Chairman of the Deutsche Bank Group in Asia. He then established his own company, General Enterprise Management Services Ltd (GEMS), a mid-sized investment group operating across Asia. [4] In addition to this Simon was a founder of Distacom which made a number of mobile telecoms investments including Madacom in Madagascar, Spice Telecom in India and Sunday Communications in Hong Kong. He has also invested in other mobile operations in New Zealand, San Marino, Papua New Guinea and elsewhere. Simon Murray, CBE (born 25 March 1940) is a British Hong Kong-based businessman, adventurer and author. [1]

Legionnaire: Five Years in the French Foreign Legion - Goodreads Legionnaire: Five Years in the French Foreign Legion - Goodreads

Murray was born at Leicester, England into an aristocratic family with some tradition of military service. [2] His father belonged to a wealthy family. Murray's grandfather on his father's side retained a permanent suite at the Connaught Hotel, while his grandmother retained a similar suite at Claridges Hotel. Murray's father abandoned the family early on and Murray claims to have had no recollection of him at that time. An uncle paid for Murray to attend Bedford School, an independent school in Bedford, Bedfordshire. In 1960, he joined the French Foreign Legion, and served for five years in the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2e REP). During his service, he fought in the Algerian War against the Front de Libération National (FLN). After rising to the rank of Chief Corporal, he turned down an offer to attend Officers' School in France, and left the Legion in 1965 after completing his service. He wrote of his experiences in the Legion in the book Legionnaire, published in 1978. And later, based on his book he produced the autobiographical movie "Deserter" which released as a DVD. At 60 years of age, he completed the Marathon des Sables, a 242 km race across the Moroccan desert. At the age of 63, Murray became the oldest man to reach the South Pole unsupported. His wife, Jennifer, was the first woman to fly around the world in a helicopter. There have been riots during the last few days which have resulted in some two hundred people being killed. Because of this, we are not en alerte. At the beginning of January there is to be a referendum which will be held in France as well as Algeria. The referendum is understood to be deGaulle asking for a free hand to negotiate with the F.L.N. for the establishment of the Algeria of tomorrow, which will be the first real step to independence, but perhaps on his own terms."

Murray's account is a series of diary entries which keeps the narrative fast paced and engaging. The epistolary structure makes every day in Murray's life for five years seem an thrilling day marked by firefights, torture, drunken debauchery and feats of daring adventure. Of course, some days are omitted because they contained nothing of note which consequently makes the narrative a pure, distillation of excitement. Even readers who are not that much into military history might find this book a refreshing narrative of a boy's journey into adult life. For literature, just as the Legion Etrangere, may have the power to bring us all together - and expertly so under the pen of Mr. Murray.

Simon Murray (Author of Legionnaire) - Goodreads Books by Simon Murray (Author of Legionnaire) - Goodreads

a b c d "Desert Island Discs with Simon Murray". Desert Island Discs. 4 January 2009. BBC. Radio 4. I was surprised by how much it felt like my time in the Army. I just retired after 21 years. He joined with daydreams of adventure and exotic travel, but reality soon revealed itself. There were 19 other young men that joined with him, but when he was at the transition center ready to getting out five years later, the others were no where to be seen. He could see other people who he was in with and they would be old friends. The ending was especially meaningful. When he was getting close to the time to get out, he did not know many of the new faces. He did not feel as much comradery ship because most of the people were new and he was being replaced as soon as he was gone. But the Arabs are set on total independence, and the French colons are equally determined to retain all that they have here. The colons are extremists in every sense of the word; they do not understand compromise and they will go to extremes to keep what they believe to be theirs by birthright. A youthful, romantic, impulsive gesture leads Simon Murray to run away to the French Foreign Legion and sets in motion this timeless classic story of becoming a soldier and a man. The coddled boy is thrust into the fires of adversity to be beaten by the merciless hammers of the Legion. After five years that break many of his comrades he emerges forged into a man capable of rising to any challenge in this life. Many of the characters and situations are familiar to anyone that has served but the real adventure is unique to his service in the Legion in Algeria at the end of colonial rule. Murray recounts these adventures in an intelligent and humorous manner that is reminiscent of how stories are told around the tables in any regimental mess. I have purposefully not given any details of these stories as it would be a shame to lessen the impact that it will have and if you are considering or pursuing a career in the military this is required reading. From the moment Murray enlists in February 1960, he is put through the rigors of training, which at times was quasi-sadistic, for the NCOs exercised considerable control over their charges (delighting in giving them grief for the slightest infractions), both in France and in Algeria. Murray saw a fair amount of combat in the Algerian War, mainly in the mountains. He writes honestly of his experiences, sparing no punches, as the following will attest:Apart from a really impressive first-hand account of a turning point in the Legion, coinciding with the very end and short afterwards of the Algerian War, it is a riveting text, an open-hearted account of a young gentleman's venture through a rough, tough environment, under a humble and positive attitude. A good book to read when you're feeling sorry for yourself, when you're feeling that your life is just too hard. When I read about the hardships, punishment, and outright sadism Simon Murray experienced in his five years in the French Foreign Legion, my life appears to be a mere picnic by comparison!