JOINING What you need to take with you, where to stay and how to get there.

[Joseph Cosgrove]

OK, I've pulled out all the stops on this one, as the title indicates, it's about joining the FFL.

I have gotten this from the un-official legion website.

• 3 T-shirts, 3 briefs and 3 pairs of socks
• a pair of trainer/sneaker
• about 10-50 euros
• vanity case/toiletries:
• • soap/shower gel
  • razor + lather
  • toothbrush
  • toothpaste
  • bath towel
  • bath shoes/slippers

What you should be wary of is where it says 10 - 50 euros. Not a good idea to turn up with only 10 euros in your pocket. Once you have paid for your room and food you should aim at turning up with 60 Euros in mainly 5 notes and coins. Get yourself a small porte monnaie, they have them all over the place in France. You can get them in tobacco shops.

Because it isn't sure that you will be allowed to keep your wallet, And besides these are a lot easier to carry around and hide. All your money will be returned to you if you do not get in. Credit cards and any electronic items that you bring with you will also be returned.
When you get to your regiment everything will be returned to you. Except for credit cards.
Even if you don't smoke turn up with a couple of packs of cigs. Good way to make friends.
As for the tee shirts:

not good

good

good

Btw the second tee shirts says (with old glory) 'Undefeated world war champions"
The same goes for briefs and socks. Everything should have your name or initials on it, this goes for your underwear and your shower shoes. Can you imagine finding your shower shoes

have been replaced by an African's who turned up at the gate with them on his feet?

Me either.

a must
Dettol soap is a must. In the next frame are: nail clippers, nail file and nail brush. For obvious reasons. Betadine antiseptic solution with some swabs. Tweezers to get any tiny splinters out.
Cotton ear buds. Although you should use an ear solution before joining as cotton buds tend to push the wax further in towards the tampon. And a small pair of scissors (optional).
All this to be placed in a water proof shower bag and your soap in a plastic soap container.

Electricity, ▶ bankcards& cellphones

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Where to stay in Aubagne:


Here is the link: check out ▶ the hotel here ⚠ don't dismiss the map until you have located where you are in comparison to the the legion. You will see from the map where the hotel is from the train station.


The regiment can be seen on the top, I have indicated it with a yellow dot. You will be coming from the right, under/ through a tunnel. You will see a sign saying Musee de la LE leading off to your right. Do NOT take this. The yellow spot is 200 metres after the sign.


I don't have a cut in the hotel, it's just that I've recommended this hotel to people in the past and they have all said that the service was very good.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

How to get from the airport to Aubagne.
When you get to the arrivals terminal, go out side and turn right. You keep going until you come to a blue colored coach with the word Marseille on it. On the Front will be written "Navette gare St Charles" There will be a ticket booth to buy your ticket. If it is closed (depending on what time you arrive) you can pay the bus driver. It costs around 9 (nine) euros. It will take you directly to the train station.
Prepare a piece of paper with the words, “Navette” and “Gare Saint-Charles”. Saint-Charles is pronounced San Sharle (in as much a French accent as can muster).

From there, you can take the train to Aubagne or get a cheap hotel and get over the jet lag. The train should cost somewhere around 4 (four) euros. Remember to punch (“composter” in French) your ticket before getting onboard. This is done at the head of the quay (platform) in a yellow machine. Make sure you hear the 'click' of the stamp. If you see the words “tournez votre billet” (meaning: turn your ticket, dummy) keep turning it around until you hear the 'click'

The train ride is around 15 minutes. First stop Marseille Blancard, second stop Aubagne. Go right out of the train station and go straight. Keep going straight (Red Lion pub on your right) through the tunnel. Do not take the road that leads off to the right, unless you want to visit the museum.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

If anyone can think of ANYthing that I have missed please let me know. I'd like to take the opportunity to apologize to Dusa for listing the items that will come in useful such as tee shirts.
Don't forget to take an interesting book with you. If you've got one on the legion, all the better. Make sure that it is a long book, because with the lockdown and the Paradise periode which was already in place, you need to something to keep you occupied. Toilet rolls and cigarettes are also recommended, even if you don't smoke, it's a great way to make friends.

 

[Le petit caporal]

Face masks (10 at least) and antibacterian gel (2 small bottles should be enougth...use it sparingly and wash your hands often
Recent Covid test attestation

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Face masks (10 at least) and antibacterian gel (2 small bottles should be enougth...use it sparingly and wash your hands often
Recent Covid test attestation

Well done that man.

 

[dusaboss]

I'd like to take the opportunity to apologize to Dusa for listing the items that will come in useful such as tee shirts.

It's not problem when you say Joe. one another member really bored with 3 T-shirts advice.
So much that if I somehow still end up in Aubagne i will have 2, 4 or 5 T-shirts with me. No way Im taking 3.

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

It's not problem when you say Joe. one another member really bored with 3 T-shirts advice.
So much that if I somehow still end up in Aubagne i will have 2, 4 or 5 T-shirts with me. No way Im taking 3.

As long as you take some tee shirts with you Dusa. And that they are plain and that you've written your name on them.

I'm sorry to have repeated things that have been said in the past and even gone as far as regrouping them into a thread . But you have to try to keep in mind that there may be people out there who cannot join the forum*, who have only just discovered it and who are going to join.

I'm sure that one day my thread will come in handy for someone, someday.

Which reminds me, don't forget if you have any questions:
Until you can join the forum - Questions !
thread which Alan has so kindly offered to provide his email address for.
Alan, Also Known As (AKA) the night jumper, AKA on the forum Loustic, may be gone, but his legacy lives on.

 

[Le petit caporal]

Travel light
When you get a chance to shower...do it wearing your socks, under wear and t. shirt
It's common sense

 

[USMCRET]

LPC can you hang the clothes to dry on a rack or a line?

 

[Le petit caporal]

Depends where you are...in chambre, i use the end of my bed frame ( top and bottom) and stool
In my back pack, i always have a réel of para corde for bivouac and other stuff, like making a make shift washing line. Flat on the ground, bushes and tree branches...The Caporal only knows solutions
Only wash kit with Marseille soap (it's the same as Aleppo soap) You with have less blisters using it
Oil and other dirty stains .. Rub dry with the soap before washing will make the stains disappear, for sure

 

[Joseph Cosgrove]

Depends where you are...in chambre, i use the end of my bed frame ( top and bottom) and stool
In my back pack, i always have a réel of para corde for bivouac and other stuff, like making a make shift washing line. Flat on the ground, bushes and tree branches...The Caporal only knows solutions
Only wash kit with Marseille soap (it's the same as Aleppo soap) You with have less blisters using it
Oil and other dirty stains .. Rub dry with the soap before washing will make the stains disappear, for sure

Taken from my next to last video "Joining the Legion? Here is what to take" -the speaker means that Erika is reading out what is in blue for the pronunciation.
OK that is the YouTube plug out of the way.
You're quite right LPN, there is nothing better than Savon de Marseille for washing your clothes and yourself while you are in the field.

LPC can you hang the clothes to dry on a rack or a line?

In the REP each company and each section would have outside drying areas fenced off with the caporal de jour holding the key. There were old types of washing sinks to scrub the kit with.
Not quite as bad, but you get the idea.
When you are overseas you have "boys or boyess", which are the local population, (I didn't invent the words), to wash your kit. When I was in the 5th RE, French Polynesia, we had washing and drying machines per building.

 

[Le petit caporal]

Old Castel barracks had an out door washing lavoir (a bit like the pic show here but with no roof)
We would scrub our métal food trays in it. What ever the weather
Hot water, c'est pour la café

 

[USMCRET]

Old Castel barracks had an out door washing lavoir (a bit like the pic show here but with no roof)
We would scrub our métal food trays in it. What ever the weather
Hot water, c'est pour la café

In 1989 we, at MCRD San Diego, California, had to go out back on Sunday mornings, it was our free time from after Breakfast until 1200, would go out back with a scrub brush and some Wisk Detergent to wash our uniforms and Skivvies. We would hang them wherever we could find a spot in back of the barracks and then after supper we'd go get our clothes, half wet, fold them and put them away in our foot lockers. Actually, the concrete tables looked a lot like the picture you posted.

 

[USMCRET]

View attachment 6917

Taken from my next to last video "Joining the Legion? Here is what to take" -the speaker means that Erika is reading out what is in blue for the pronunciation.
OK that is the YouTube plug out of the way.
You're quite right LPN, there is nothing better than Savon de Marseille for washing your clothes and yourself while you are in the field.

In the REP each company and each section would have outside drying areas fenced off with the caporal de jour holding the key. There were old types of washing sinks to scrub the kit with.
View attachment 6918 Not quite as bad, but you get the idea.
When you are overseas you have "boys or boyess", which are the local population, (I didn't invent the words), to wash your kit. When I was in the 5th RE, French Polynesia, we had washing and drying machines per building.

Not a picture of me, but this is our cleaning rack outside the barracks. But the exact same in my day 1989