A la Légion, la créche met tout le monde d'accord

[Peter Lyderik]

It is that time of the year

http://www.ledauphine.com/vaucluse/2017/12/19/a-la-legion-la-creche-met-tout-le-monde-d-accord

 

[Rapace]

Yes, and this article is echoing controversies raised regularly at this time of the year, when some municipalities decide to install such crèches in their City Hall, while – since 1905, when the law separating the Church (at that time, essentially the Catholic Church) and the State was passed – official French authorities are not supposed to endorse or encourage any religion in particular.

 

[dusaboss]

Yes, and this article is echoing controversies raised regularly at this time of the year, when some municipalities decide to install such crèches in their City Hall, while – since 1905, when the law separating the Church (at that time, essentially the Catholic Church) and the State was passed – official French authorities are not supposed to endorse or encourage any religion in particular.

Yep, but you are not allowed to show Muhammad.

 

[Le petit caporal]

The crèche is a load of pish... It’s their tradition (St-Cyr officers who had too much Sunday school doctrine and choir lessons).
Imposing that bollocks on free thinking atheists like myself (Christ all mighty, how I hate Noël).

 

[Rapace]

This tradition doesn't come from St-Cyr Military Academy at all and is specific to the Legion (never seen such thing in the ‘regular’). It was created – maybe (not sure) by Gen Rollet, like many things in the Legion – to help get legionnaires together at this time of the year, like a family they had left behind them. A way to fight le ‘cafard’. Also the sign of times when most legionnaires came from Europe and were Christians.
Having said that, it's true there's a strong network of ‘hard core’ Catholic officers in the Legion (and more generally in the Army). Gen Puga and Dary who both commanded 2e REP at some point in their career are two prominent examples.

 

[Le petit caporal]

General Rollet invented... shh... It's a secret

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

To be quite honest, I'm not sure how the crèche de Noël came about. I do know that it had nothing to do with the officers who studied at St-Cyr. It's probably just one of those things that came about when the Legion was very active overseas. A kind of reminder of mainland France compared to the hardships of Algeria or Tonkin.

It's the same as the Christmas sketches. I can tell you that they were definitely not invented by ‘St-Cyrians’ as they were more often on the blunt end of them. For those who do not know, the Christmas sketches are when the legionnaires make fun of the cadre for what they have said, done or didn't do etc. Although it is meant to end there, some of the cadre can keep a grudge. One example I remember was in Djibouti on tournante with the REP. There was a Spanish Sgt with a real wicked accent. He was always bragging about how good he was.

The sketch (or part of it) performed by a legionnaire in his section:

“When I was a legionnaire, I was the most handsome, the fastest, the best in my section, that's why I was made up to corporal. When I was a corporal, I was the best corporal in the company, I knew everything, and I mean everything, that's why I was made up to sergeant. Now that I'm a sergeant, I've forgotten everything.â€￾

The legionnaire was given corvée for a week until it reached the adjudant company's ears.

 

[Peter Lyderik]

Some historical background info in French. It seems the company crèche started back in 1950, but the tradition is older.

http://www.legion-etrangere.com/mdl/info_seul.php?id=376

 

[Le petit caporal]

Just goes to show how we are not a progressive society and the 1905 law of laïcité is flexible, depending who commands

 

[Rapace]

(...) There was a Spanish Sgt with a real wicked accent. He was always bragging about how good he was.


The sketch (or part of it) performed by a legionnaire in his section:


“When I was a legionnaire, I was the most handsome, the fastest, the best in my section, that's why I was made up to corporal. When I was a corporal, I was the best corporal in the company, I knew everything, and I mean everything, that's why I was made up to sergeant. Now that I'm a sergeant, I've forgotten everything.â€￾


The legionnaire was given corvée for a week until it reached the adjudant company's ears.

This sergeant was a c*nt... These sketches are precisely aimed at allowing lower ranks to blow off some steam by being given a (temporary) right of ‘free speech’. This of course, within certain limits... The first one being that the sketch must display some humour and not just be a mere ranting against the ‘brass’. Anyway, everything said should not be used against the authors, otherwise it makes the whole thing irrelevant.
Intelligent cadre will listen, politely smile if the jab is directed at them, openly laugh if it's directed to others , and maybe use what they heard to change a couple of things in their ‘commanding style’.

 

[Peter Lyderik]

(...) Having said that, it's true there's a strong network of ‘hard core’ Catholic officers in the Legion (and more generally in the Army). Gen Puga and Dary who both commanded 2e REP at some point in their career are two prominent examples.

They are good Catholics. Dary has six children and Puga has 11.

 

[dusaboss]

Rapace as far as I'm familiar, FFL does not force anyone into Christianity. I didn't notice that there is any religion related activities apart from building that Christmas scene which is more a tradition than religious ceremony.

Maybe that would be offensive to some legionnaires coming from certain backgrounds (hmmm which one that could be?). I'm not catholic and I don't have nothing against that tradition in fact i think it is nice.

 

[Rapace]

Rapace as far as I'm familiar, FFL does not force anyone into Christianity. (...)

I never said such thing. I'm just saying that among Legion officers (and beyond, in the Army in general) there's a strong network of ‘hard core’ Catholics. In French Cathos tradis for ‘traditional Catholics’.
They tend to help each other when it comes to getting good positions, like any ‘network’. This type of games of power takes place well above the head of the rank and file legionnaires...

 

[USMCRET]

Yep, but you are not allowed to show Muhammad.

It's Christmas, not Ramadan

 

[USMCRET]

This sergeant was a c*nt... These sketches are precisely aimed at allowing lower ranks to blow off some steam by being given a (temporary) right of ‘free speech’. This of course, within certain limits... The first one being that the sketch must display some humour and not just be a mere ranting against the ‘brass’. Anyway, everything said should not be used against the authors, otherwise it makes the whole thing irrelevant.
Intelligent cadre will listen, politely smile if the jab is directed at them, openly laugh if it's directed to others , and maybe use what they heard to change a couple of things in their ‘commanding style’.

In the last week of Marine Corps Boot Camp we do the same, roast the Drill Instructors. It is done in fun.