Collectors and the Merchants of the Temple

By Antoine Marquet

In the mid-1980s, the COM.LE (Foreign Legion Command) issued a memo prohibiting the mass production of metal insignia for Legion units. Only the 1st REC (Foreign Legion Cavalry Regiment) and the 4th RE (Foreign Legion Regiment) were authorized to wear unit insignia, a practice rooted in a long-standing tradition. As a company commander at the time, I refrained from doing so, despite the insistent requests of my personnel and a prominent collector from southern France, who was willing to subsidize the creation of an insignia on the condition, of course, that a significant number of copies be made for him. I refused, even though the design was ready. My successor undertook the project without the collector's involvement. It was a great success.

Over time, this regulation has become more flexible, and even the smallest unit or part of a unit—down to the team level—designated for operational deployment outside mainland France feels obligated to have a badge made to commemorate the event. The quantities issued and their numbering—in Arabic or Roman numerals, or even without numbers—reveal the commercial nature of this approach, as often one of the different numbering schemes is intended for collectors, which, in my opinion, diminishes the appeal of collecting them. The increasing number of overseas operations has led to a proliferation of production.

In 1989, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the creation of the 6th Foreign Infantry Regiment (6th REI), I commissioned—while still in my official capacity—a reprint of the regiment's original badge from a specialized firm located in Saumur. These badges were supposed to be delivered to me at the end of July, but as early as May they were for sale in the catalog of former Sergeant Major Rodel, a very serious collector, better known for erecting the monument to his comrades at Dien Bien Phu. I demanded that the manufacturer in question remove this dishonest collaborator.

At the same time, a letter was sent, on behalf of the 6th Foreign Engineer Regiment (6e REG), to all manufacturers at the time, reminding them that the symbols appearing on the Legion badges were the property, at least morally, of the Foreign Legion and therefore they should refrain from any production unless the request came from the head of the unit concerned. They complied, for a time, no doubt fearing ostracism and the loss of a reliable clientele.

Today we are witnessing a complete disregard for the rules, to the point that even two or three years after an overseas operation, a related insignia is produced, at the initiative of who knows who – perhaps even the manufacturer – with the obvious and dubious aim of carrying out a highly lucrative commercial operation.

Furthermore, it had been stipulated that each insignia produced would result in two copies being sent to the Foreign Legion Museum to enrich its collections and, in a way, record the insignia's creation. The companies of the 6th Regiment complied with this rule; the traditions officer ensured it... But what is happening nowadays? Some manufacturers seem to be producing insignia on their own account, without any authorization from the Legion institution, and these insignia will be sold to collectors... And why this relentless desire to mark one's presence here or there by producing an insignia? A few years ago, a unit decided to create a badge to commemorate the awarding of a very rare medal for acts of war. This badge would have been presented to former commanding officers, wounded soldiers, officers leaving the regiment who had participated in operations for a certain period, platoon leaders and senior commanding officers, as well as to the Legion Museum… but what about the common herd?

Many years ago, even the pig-keeper at the 13th Reconnaissance Squadron's pigpen in Oueah wanted to leave his mark by having about ten copies made (!) of the pigpen badge! He had wasted a small fortune on it. Number 9 fell to me.

I gave it to the collector who had been my training platoon leader, Sergeant Major Hornung at the time. The pig farmer from Oueah, for his part, had the merit of having paid a fortune for a badge intended to please a few people, himself included, whereas I have the impression that these days people practically sell their souls to the devil for a pittance to make a few pennies by relinquishing badges that have become mere trinkets, misusing the Legion's symbolism!

The strangest thing is that no one seems bothered by this auctioning off of symbols belonging to the heritage of the Foreign Legion.

And their "little business" is thriving!