Troupes de Marine

Book Review

By the Old Duffer

Les Dernieres Cartouches Saint-Michel & Honzec for Memoire d'Europe

First volume in a three volume graphic novel (cartoon strip book Bande Dessinee) on the Troupes de Marine. This takes us from Quebec, to Senegal, America and India (though I think Lauzun's Legion looked to have rather a dark blue uniform). After a few interesting asides we finally get to west Africa where the first actions against the Moors occur. Faidherbe fights Omar and his Toucolors. Lat Dior appears (and disappears) but our colonial troops also visit the Crimea and China and win at Paliakao. The first actions in Annam occur as well as the Mexican campaign. The volume closes with the actions of the Marsouins in the Franco-Prussian War and against the Commune. In French but easily understood, reminds me of the Victor with slightly mankey artwork.

Les Batisseurs d'Empire (Volume 2 of the above)

With the terrible year behind them the French plunge into Indo-China (getting regularly slaughtered by the Black Flags) and drive up the Niger against Lat Dior (getting arrested in one case). They drive on Timbuctoo (massacred here) and capture Samory. Marchand crosses Africa (and gets turfed out by a fair mustachioed Kitchener!). Voulet and Chanoine go mad (as recounted in the film Saraounia). Madagascar and Dahomey are captured, and Laperrine forms his meharistes. Morocco, the Great War and Syria complete matters. Given that French imperialism was based on much smaller resources than the British variety the high number of defeats and massacres is perhaps unsurprising.

Soldats de la Liberté (Volume 3 of the above)

The Second World War sees our colonial chums operating on the Meuse, at Abbeville, marching from Chad through Bir Kakeim and Italy. We gloss over the blanco applied to the colonial units heading to Paris (and the effect of the goums in Italy). Indo-Chin and Algeria follow with a decent silence on the attempts to topple the Fourth and Fifth Republics. The army in Africa continues its role as a fast intervention force before heading on to Lebanon, Kuwaot, Kosovo and Rwanda.

Le Sultan de Feu Liliane and Fred Funcken for Memoire d'Europe

The Dynamic Duo give us another cartoon strip history, this time of Napoleon in Egypt. Lots of exciting stuff (all very well illustrated) with charging Mamelouks, Dromedary Corps, British troops and lots of exciting stuff. Hero-worship of course but stirring stuff nonetheless.

More Old Duffer's Book Corner (book reviews)

Marengo and Hohenlinden: Napoleon's Rise to Power Book Review.

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