By CREUSS
When I was in the army, we did attend several Commando Courses along my career. I remember once we had one in a place I won’t quote, as there is no real interest in the place location. On week one, we had a lot of training and learning skill. At the beginning of the second week, we had to use what we have learnt the previous week. They wanted us to practice too after a period of stress, specially a “risk run” up and down the fort. For getting the stress they wanted us to get, we had to spend about three hours in a cage.
Let me describe the surroundings. The fort was by the seaside. We could have a nice view on the ocean, and parts of the walls were falling into the sea. On one end, there were moat and rocks that were filled with water at upper tide and almost empty and very damp and muddy at lower tide. This was the period they would love us to run or crawl in stinky mud. On the other side of the fort, it was the beginning of a wild sand beach. As it was a military property, no civilians were allowed miles around.
Training was rough and efficient, and most men enjoyed it a lot as it was really challenging you.
I have been serving the Foreign Legion for 7 years, aged 17 to 24. After a couple of years of Service I was a Brigadier Chef, the equivalent of a Corporal. With a couple of mates, Legionnaire or Lance corporal or Corporal, we used to have a night leave at times, and we were enjoying spending our free evening in a Café by the old Roman Theatre. Place was quiet and the owner was rather friendly, as were customers.
