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THE COLBORNE EXPRESS, COLBORNE, ONT.. THURSDAY, JUNE 14, 1928. 3 Two Britishers Deserted French Foreign Legion Now in Canada--Intend to Work Way Across to Pacific-- Warn Beau Geste Aspirants Against Joining NO ROMANCE THERE Former Captain J. A. Martin, until one learns the knack, it is tor-D.C.M. and bar, M.M., and his com-jture, as the wrinkles wound the feet panion T. W. Marshall, both deserters sorely. Twice a week we had to from the French Foreign Legion in1 march to a mountain over a dozen Africa, are now in Canada with a tale . miles away, collect firewood, load it of suffering and hardship hardly to be : on mules and march back. Dozens equalled. | fainted on these marches, but no mat- In escaping from the Legion, Mar-; ter what condition they were in they shall at one time had to swim out into ' had to finish the march even if they the Mediterranean to escape his pur-! took all day about it. Twice weekly suers. He was picked up by a British j we went to the shooting range. Each ship. Captain Mortin fled with a com- man fired Ave rounds. If the officer panion across the desert and managed i was not satisfied he had to fire extra when almost exhausted with effort and , rounds until the officer was satisfied, starvation to reach Spanish Morocco. j For every extra round, a man had to Captain Martin is a tall, good-look- serve extr ing man, who is 31 years of age. oined the British army the night was declared in 1914 and went I nights of duty. Had to Find Bullets When the 'cease fire' sounded every make a race for the ground with the Grenadier Guards. beh,nd ^ Urge(s md c0,lect the bu[. In that regiment he won the Distin- ^ he had fired guished Conduct Medal and bar and , i,»!,4i„___ v,io ntei in Bucks, and he speaks French, English and Hindustani. Uv. Marshall is a still younger man --only 27. In 1915 he joined as a bugler in the Royal Engineers. He was then 14 years of age. Too young to be sent to the front, he was kept in England until 1918, when he was sent to Germany with the army of occupation. He bought his discharge in Germany and for a year sold motorcycles in that country. "I joined the Legien after reading "Beau Geste" and other legion stories." Marshall's yarn of his experiences in the Legion and of his escape pro-■i ides much that makes fine food for thought for prospective legionaries. Signed Unwittingly "Arriving at the legion bureau at Dunkirk," he says, "we were given a paper to sign. It was entirely ii To those who •ouble in getting nds. but the first ones usually collectel some extras for the next time. In this way the last ones up would have a hopeless search. "Scott, with terribly blistered feet, was. always last in these rushes and, while most of us got back from the nges around ten in the e was torn T - mornl Scott wouU1 not return SOme-lth times until four o'clock in the after- the Military Me'dal. commission also, he was transferred to the Cameron Highlanders. After the war he was in Ireland with the British army and then served three years in India. Returning to England the idea of joining the French Foreign Legion j came to him when he was told that =» 1 friend of his the Legion. His home is in Slough, England's NEARLY 500 MILES STRAIGHT AWAY high class locomotive which ran from Iyondoi :ig averaging approximately 60 miles an hour for tl ) Moro return tic! French. At that t it. It was only afi named Scott who joined covered that we had five years at a pay of per day. We were gi "We could not talk to each other and when we could there was only one topic, desertion. The authorities knew this and elaborate care was taken to keep us from doing it. Every week four or five would try to get away only to be caught. "A reward is payable for anyone bringing in a deserter--dead or alive. Prowling Arabs are constantly on the lookout for this reward. I "The only chance was to have about 1,000 francs with which to bribe an ' Arab to smuggle one of the coast. Even then there was a danger that the Arab, having received the thousand would turn the deserter in to collect the regular reward as well. ! "After two months I determined to try to escape in company with a Dutchman. We planned to slip away from the camp bareheaded in the hope that three half-pence a day until eighteen I "The next stage v months' service was completed, when over country to the Spanish border, the pay jumped from 11 francs 20 j After fourteen hours of arduous walk-centimes per-15 days to 42 francs, j ing we managed to board a Spanish Should anyone have the misfortune motor truck and were taken to el- turned to Algeria, down c a the journey, as ot buy one meal. "The men In fh ationalvties I could not read j( we Were seen ards that a chap taken f0:- English th me, dis- alone ed on for j ..We ai30 planned to walk by night half-penny and sleep by day, but we found by ten francs fitter experience that it was actually et to Marseilles. oetter to walk by day when we could some money of see what was ahead, as we seve uld have starved time8 in tne ,jark nearly stumbled to be the pay "We were fed best at Fez. the headquarters of the Third Regiment, to which I belonged. "Life in the legion is something that you have to live before you can believe. Nobody objects to your stealing kit or money except the person from whom the things are stolen. But you must never ask anyone anything about himself. "Why he joined and what*he had probably done, before of the legion is his been--or m "After thi i frai mid >althy r "Oui night. mps. i (lui'i isted the third thro the _-w such a gathering was a contii babel. Menial tasks of peeling pota- . afternoon that toes and cleaning fish the ing started the v i 'also fortunate enough to strike plenty gh"povertv and trouble to join 1 of streams at which to quench our The barrack rooms with thirst. On the fourth day we had no food, and it was not until late in the opportunity the romance off 'gering along, parched with thirst when e were assurred that ja miracle -happend. ould end, when we "I saw. under a shady bush, some in the field. hailstones which had fallen the night ve left for Oran, Al-, before and which the sun had not yet Those who saw us 'marching' j had time to melt. They helped us a laughed to think that : regiment. "For the less fortunate. We did not strike any water during that time, and the only moisture we had was the juice of occasional green grapes we found. "We dare not approach any hut, for we knew the Arabs would taks us "On the eleventh day after our desertion we finally •eatment ^ id the legion That slouchy lookiit "Our departue to Sidi-Bel-Abbes was delayed for some reason and that night we were all put into a small room to sleep, while the guards with fixed bayonets stood over us. "Eventually we arrived at Sidi-Bel- the Mediterranean in the distance/ Abbes--the place we had all imagined We reached a small village on the as a place where legionaries took life coast and, thinking we were in Span-;,, oase while the mellow African sun, | ish territory, went up to a small made evervone happy. Never was an house. impression so far out. My uniform I "To our dismay, it turned out to be was sizes too big for me. Big men in a post of the French Port Police. We tit p-trtv received small ones. j had not gone far enough west. Filled With Forebodings | "They identified us as legionaries «wilon wo n snuad of recruits 'alul arrested us. When »c s n squad of 'vermis , „We ha(J wa,ked m miies We had going mrowa aru£ we were^ 1 suffered hunger and thirst. We had with fore )o ings a a , scorched by day and frozen by ^^rX^^S'&h We kneW °Ur PUUiShmeP' suffice he would be ordered to run around the drill square, nearly a mile square. If he did not do that fast enough he would be ordered to do it While we were at Sidi-Bel-Abbes Car . Day t ived. ated some victory t>f the Cameroons and each soldier is given the luxury of a bar of chocolate, a slice of cake and three cigarettes. "The food I found to be rank bad and scarce. Coffee is given before starting the early morning duties. At I 10.30 a.m. a thin soup and beans or rice is served. The same meal is j duplicated about 6 o'clock. Once a week there is an issue of camel or horse meat. The only luxury is a cup :ved thre rally used for bar- tering for cigarette r first route march t place. It was ten miles long. : order of the legion is that on i marches the legionaries must ; all the time. As 80 per cent, of members are Germans, all the ;s were In that langauge. As Scott I were the only English-speaking nbers of that party it would have i useless to strike up "Tipperary." flie marching was terrible as no ts are Issued to legiortries. Rags s to be wound round the feet and would be years of imprisonment. "In desepration that night we ripped a hole in the roof of the little hut and. with bleeding fingers, dropped to the ground. We just struck it when e gave the alarm. I hid in a bush. The Dutchman was caught. For four hours I stayed in that bush until I was afraid daylight would give me away. I dropped down, mingled with the searchers, slipped down to the water's edge and, unnoticed, plunged in. Drifted to Sea "1 meant to work my way along the coast westward until I struck Spanish territory, but in my weakened condition my swimming would not combat the tide, and I drifted out. I had almost lost consciousness when I was picked up by the crew of an English boat. They took me to Spain and from Gibraltar the authorities sent me to England." Captain Martin had a much longer time in the legion. His story of hardship is much the same as Marshall's. "I was in the ranks for thirteen months. I tried to attain to the rank of corporal. But I was sent back from the corporal's school. "The wages. In Algei a half-penny a day during or four months' training. But when started o after havi: Meknes, 2 rteen months I made up clear out. l, Charles Leclair, and I get civilian clothes. We in style in a motorbus dumped our uniforms. At 38 miles away, we ran bang i officers of the legion, who t us rather closely. My heart o beat like a machine gun. Bluff Won Out s bluff was the only way out lit cigarettes and started locate. One of the offic lowed. But when Iiq heard us talkine English he smiled and wished us "Good Day!" We told him we were on a walking tour of Morocco and, after a brief chat, he left us. We went on into the cafe to find two policemen sitting there. "Talk English like the Dickens" urged Leclair. We did, until I could hardly talk as the coffee I was drink-lg was scalding my tongue. When ne of the policemen started to talk ) me I was scared to death and my | erves were jumpy. We had a long ait in Meknes for the train that was ) carry us away, and during that time a legion sergeant and a squad eyed us until we were faint with fright. "Fortunately there were some English ladies on the platform also wait-for the train to Souk-Arba-du-Ghar, and I went up to one of them and explained everything. They were plucky and laughed and chatted with us until the train left. An inspiration on the part of Leclair caused Tangier. "From there i --Montreal Star. there State Places Ban on Showing Dogs With Cropped Ears Bill Passed in Massachusetts Greatly Strengthens Move Against the Practice Cropping of dogs' ears is forbidden in Massachusetts, and the ban enforced by a prohibition also against exhibiting animals with cropped ears in dog shows, under a bill which has been passed by the Massachusetts Legislature and signed by Governor Alvan T. Fuller. • Announcement of the Governor's action closed a legislative chapter which began with one of the most largely attended committee hearings of the session. The act will go into effect Sept. 1. The statute imposes a fine of $250 for any violation and makes the possession of a dog with freshly cropped ears prima facie evidence of an offense. Heretofore, according to sponsors of the measure, It has been practically unquestioned that cropping was a violation of the statute against cruelty to animals, but conviction could only be obtained when the dog-owner was taken in the act. The provision against exhibiting dogs with tie wnoie cap. j cropped ears will make the act en- _ 1 forceable, its proponents believe. A number of dog fanciers and vet-to Meknes. erinarians favored the bill during its ®„^*k consideration in the Legislature and declared the breeds whose ears in the past have been cropped for show purposes would continue their popularity under the new standards. Provision is made for registration of dogs whose ears have been cropped before the effective date of the statute. llllll.^fl liling." Immigration and Population ique (Ind.): The Younger Generation The question has been true that immigration has caused Jh' appreciable deficit in the populatii The question, captious though be, is nevertheless a confession. Since there is a deficit in the population in spite of the intense immigration, it proves that immigration has not produced the results expected. And since cur Canadians are emigrating, it is a curious remedy to trtv and replace them with immigrants. Lady Neish in the Ixmdon Mot Post (Cons.): The cynics distrust liberty. They had none themselves _ and they would deny it to the youth of may | today, who will not be denied. Liberty is the finest and best teacher they can have. The young may make blunders, but they gain experience, and from experience come patience and tolerance, understanding, and even meekness. Why do critics never realize of praise as against British Interest in Canada Grows Export Houses Seek Connections, Commissioner Reports Manufacturers of Great Britain are turning more and more to Canada as an outlet for their goods, while Canadian firms are seeking connections with British export houses, according to data in the hands of tie Biitish Trade Commissioner. Increasing interest in Ca-iadian markets by Old Country manufacturers is indicated by the record number of travelers and sales representatives of British houses here this season, officials report. They are more numerous than at any time since the war, it is said. Representatives are also studying Canadian needs and preferences in order to more easily compete with American goods. Textiles, cottons and other materials with the exception of artificial silk, are finding an increasing outlet here, reports to the British Government show. There is a possibility of the British light-weight automobile entering the sales field here in view of the attempt to consider the structural changes that would be necessary to suit Canadian conditions. Members of the British Sales Managers' Association are scheduled to arrive here early in July. The organization last year, at the advice of the Prince of Wales, entered upon a scheme to promote greater inter-Empire trade. They will visit Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Quebec. Environment and Character Glasgow Herald (Cons.): Environment is not the last word in human life; it does not spell our fate. Character is wrought to finest quality in spite of untoward conditions, 'and often is majestic in its scorn of circumstance. Were it otherwise, the galaxy of genius would not shine so brightly in the' firmament of life. The best environment on record, the Garden of Eden, was not (so the theologians tell us) eminently fruitful. Willie: Daddy X-Ray machine? Father: What want with "To find the world do yot X-Ray machine? in my Algebra prob ADAMSON'S THOUGHTFUL TOMMY "Mamma," inquired Tommy, 1 the pudding make me sick, or there be enough for everybody?' A "HOT" TIE Sambo: "Rastus, dat tie what got on shuah am a flamer!" Aastus: "Dis tie is supposed to flamer, niggah, 'cause Ah bought Are sale." Paris Septuagenarians Race for Methusalem Cup Paris--The Methusalem Cup, offered as an annual prize, brought out four aged cross-country runners in the first race held recently- Four men, form 70 to 78. averaging exactly 75 years old, ran and walked an even two miles through the Bois-de St. Cloud to show that they could do .. The winner came home in 22 minutes 43 4-5 seconds, decidedly over the world's record but esteemed very satisfactory for grey-bearded men. This Methusalem race is the outgrowth of the Old Ancestors race, established in 1913 for men more than 40. The age limit had te be raised to 50. because there were too many contestants. ADVENTURES--By O. Jacobsson. Prince of Wales to Fly Only to Keep "On Time" -London.--The announcement ithat the Prince of Wales will travel by airplane to keep his public engagements will undoubtedly stimulate the already growing fashioil for air travel by those who can afford it. The arrangements for the Prince, however, do not provide for joy rid ing, according to official information, and it is said that he is not learning to fly the machine himself. An army airplane is to be held ready for him, "when circumstances may make it necessary for him to use one," at the Royal Air Force aerodrome at Northolt, Middlesex, but no special machine and no special pilot is to be devoted to his service. The planes upon which the Prince will have a call, it is said, are all fitted with Handley Page slotted wing safety devices, and his pilot on any occasion will be an officer on duty at the time the call is made. According to unofficial reports the decision to give him the use of these army machines is due to his motor car having been frequently delayed by enthusiastic admirers setting in his way with, the result th|t he has been made late for public appointments. Stocking a Fishless District According to all available reports and information no species of trout has ever been found in the waters of southern Saskatchewan. Beginning in 1924 the Dominion Dept. of Marine and Fisheries planted brown and Loch Leven trout fry in several streams in the Cypress Hills district and closed these streams to fishing. Up to the present the fish have done very well. They have survived three winters; some reproduced last autumn in their third year; and specimens have been caught nearly a pound in weight and over a foot in length. While it is too soon to form an opinion regarding the final outcome of this introduction, the evidence to date is causing much local interest and enthusiasm, as the prospect of angling in a district that has hitherto been devoid of such sport is viewed with pleasure. Careers for Women Vera Brittain in the London Daily Chronicle (Lib.): Owing to the breaking of old traditions by the war, and to the great constiutional changes of the past few years, woman has ceased to be a domestic creature who occa- maliy penetrates, timid and unwel- -> the irking world of i she has become^pa^ economic life of tne such her opportunities nts are affected by For good or ill of the complex nation, and as an dachieveme every political change, by alteration in social custom, and even by the subtlest modifications in public opin-ng ' woman, therefore, nger be permitted to choose an occupation without having the slightest knowledge of those outside influences which may well determine either her failure or her sue- British Art London Sunday Express (Ind. Con.) :Some day the British people will discover that the Royal Academy is not so black as it is "painted by the conventional pessimists. This year it is far in advance of the Paris Salon. It is full of vitality, experiment and imaginative creativeness. Although John * L. Sullivan never lectured on Shakespeare, he always brought home the Bacon.--Louisville ughter (after severe - lecture): mum, you're too early-Victorian, is 1928, not 1898." Women who pracUceaeTIITstry KaW increased in the U.S. from 807 to 2,-300 in twenty-seven years, not counting the 200 now enrolled as students,