Waffen ss in the French Foreign Legion

[Woolgar]

I have just bought the book Devils Guard by George Elford about a batallion of Waffen ss in the Ferench Foreign Legion.

I have tried to research this to see how true to life the book is but everything I have found so far is inconclusive.

There were certainly Waffen ss serving in Vietnam with the FFL after WW2 but does anyone know if there was a batallion strength of them?

Thanks

Nick

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Nick, I have not read this book, but I have heard of it.

I think there was never a battl strength unit. But this is really outside of my interests.

I believe that many ex Waffen SS soldiers or other men who served in the German forces and then in the FFL were "Frenchmen" from the disputed border regions of Alsace/Lorraine. Many were of German background. Remember this region changed hands several times, 1870/1914/1940/1945. So you could be seen as French or German depending on the timeframe.

Cheers, Ade.

[Gary J]

The only ones the VC were scared of in the jungle !

[OKW]

I would strongly suspect that there were SS troops in the FFL immediately after WW2. Some because fighting was the only life they knew. Some because they had been designated an illegal organisation and the French being practical people pointed out would you like to serve for x years, gain new papers and disappear off the radar or go to jail? Some because being a prisoner of the French carried risks of dying from diease, neglect and mistreatment. 100000 Germans are estimated to have died in French and U.S custody. And as Ade states if you were from Alsace then the French regarded you as French and thus subject to compulsory military service as all Frenchmen were. Guy Sajer at the end of his book the forgotten soldier describes this happening to him.
There were large numbers of Germans serving in the FFL prior to WW2 as well. I believe some fought their country men in N.Africa when la legion held a defensive box against DAK. Some when asked if they were willing to fight their own people stated they were legioneers and weren't bothered whom they fought. I suppose they had the same kind of mind set as those who joined the Frei Korps in Germany in the wake of WW1.

[M422A1]

I have just bought the book Devils Guard by George Elford about a batallion of Waffen ss in the Ferench Foreign Legion.

I have tried to research this to see how true to life the book is but everything I have found so far is inconclusive.

There were certainly Waffen ss serving in Vietnam with the FFL after WW2 but does anyone know if there was a batallion strength of them?

Thanks

Nick

There is a companion book to this one. I believe it is call "Return To Inferno-Devils Guard II". I have both books packed away somewhere. Great reading and I have no reason to doubt anything in them.
I used to have a friend that spent 5 years in the FFL. He joined after a tour in Viet Nam with the U.S. Army (I think late 60's). He said there were still some WWII German vets (W-SS, Heer, LW) serving in the FFL at that time.
He told me that a favorite saying back then was that "the FFL was only as good as its worst German legionnaire".

Best Regards,
Mike

[Paul D]

Members of SS Panzer Gren Rgt 24 Danmark are believed to have served with the Legion after WW2.

[Woolgar]

I would strongly suspect that there were SS troops in the FFL immediately after WW2. Some because fighting was the only life they knew. Some because they had been designated an illegal organisation and the French being practical people pointed out would you like to serve for x years, gain new papers and disappear off the radar or go to jail? Some because being a prisoner of the French carried risks of dying from diease, neglect and mistreatment. 100000 Germans are estimated to have died in French and U.S custody. And as Ade states if you were from Alsace then the French regarded you as French and thus subject to compulsory military service as all Frenchmen were. Guy Sajer at the end of his book the forgotten soldier describes this happening to him.
There were large numbers of Germans serving in the FFL prior to WW2 as well. I believe some fought their country men in N.Africa when la legion held a defensive box against DAK. Some when asked if they were willing to fight their own people stated they were legioneers and weren't bothered whom they fought. I suppose they had the same kind of mind set as those who joined the Frei Korps in Germany in the wake of WW1.

I would like to find more info on the piece you mention about German legionaires fighting their comrades in DAK. That would make fascinating reading!

[Woolgar]

There is a companion book to this one. I believe it is call "Return To Inferno-Devils Guard II". I have both books packed away somewhere. Great reading and I have no reason to doubt anything in them.
I used to have a friend that spent 5 years in the FFL. He joined after a tour in Viet Nam with the U.S. Army (I think late 60's). He said there were still some WWII German vets (W-SS, Heer, LW) serving in the FFL at that time.
He told me that a favorite saying back then was that "the FFL was only as good as its worst German legionnaire".

Best Regards,
Mike

Thats a great saying! I love it!

[Sandsam]

Members of SS Panzer Gren Rgt 24 Danmark are believed to have served with the Legion after WW2.

Hi Paul E

Where do you have this information from ??
Do you have any names or other information regarding these soldiers ??

Thanks

[ostlanddigger]

many young boys from latvian 15 ss div.also enjoyd FFR.