French Foreign Legion: Arms Contexts

Jim McDougall · 14th September 2025, 09:00 PM

Thank you Ed, and actually this topic area covers wide scope colonially, and historically over a long period extending past our chronological parameters, so this is indeed a fascinating example of how wide these traditions and edged weapons spread.

I had never heard of this knife until now, and seems to have been created c. 1929 by a family in France drawing on traditions from Melanesia. This is a great example of how colonialism, in this case of France, diffused cultural elements so widely. The colonial activity of France in Algeria carried into the 60s, and apparently these knives were popularly used by Algerian rebels notoriously.
While much later than the periods we are focused on, the traditions of the knives as used in native tribal manner simply conveyed to more modern examples of older types of knives.

The folding knife element of course brings to mind the navaja, which though typically regarded as Spanish, had prevalent examples that were French as well.

Jim McDougall · 14th September 2025, 09:13 PM

One of the key edged weapon examples I think of sometimes mounted with bayonet blades would be the Moroccan s'boula. While native makers were entirely capable of making blades, with bayonet blades around, why not use them?

The sboula with red cord has a blade from what appears a Mannlicher-Berthier 1892 bayonet; the bayonet form.
Then a Chassepot 1874 bayonet sometimes found in the s'boula worn by Berber tribesmen in Morocco.
While the Foreign Legion was situated primarily in Algerian regions, the borders were of course diaphanous, and eventually the Legion did establish an outpost in Oudja, near that border but in Morocco.

Jim McDougall · 15th September 2025, 12:04 AM

The s'boula of Morocco, which is a sort of dirk, seems to have a variety of forms, with this H shaped hilt being one of the most frequently seen. Others, as previously shown have hilts of kouumya form and likely others. It does seem the blade is typically straight, and as often the case, old bayonet blades.

These weapons appear to have diffused notably out of Morocco via the networks of trade routes, especially those trans Saharan routes with those making the Pilgrimage to Mecca. These people often carried weapons and commerce to trade along the way to finance their travels. As the route reached the far east, there was interaction with traders from Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) and these s'boula seem to have been in enough number that they were often regarded by some writers to have been Ethiopian weapons.

This was carried further by the fact that several examples were known with Geez script etched on blades. The Falasha's, armorers to the Amharic rulers apparently added this to some of these s'boula.

To complicate proper identification further, Burton (1884) perpetuated an identification of these as 'Zanzibar' swords (alongside an Omani 'kattara') which was clearly taken from Demmin (1877). These s'boula had clearly made it into the African interior where Omani traders took them back to the Sultanate in Zanzibar. Charles Buttin (1933) noted this situation (pages shown).

Though digressing from the tribal arms and Foreign Legion context, this simply illustrates how widespread weapons forms were in North Africa via the dynamic conduits of the trade networks.

David R · 16th September 2025, 07:41 PM

An interesting thread, to which I attach my contribution, a silver mounted Gras Musketoon, (artillery not cavalry) adapted by the "Riffs"!... And the appropriate bayonet for the model. The gun appears to be a converted Chassepot.

Jim McDougall · 16th September 2025, 11:46 PM

Wow! David, that is EXACTLY what Ive been hoping for.....these kinds of hybrid French weapons adopted into tribal contexts!
Love the furniture brass studs, just like seen on Native American rifles.

It would be great to know more on the provenance and history on this rifle.

Thank you so much David, brilliant entry,
All the best,
Jim

Jim McDougall · 17th September 2025, 12:00 AM

David,

So in my crash course on these French rifles, am I correct in assuming this is a Gras conversion or upgraded version of the Gendarmes M1866 Chassepot musketoon? These seem to have been modified in 1874 for metallic cartridges. When you mention the 'riffs', does this refer to the Berber tribes in Morocco?
While the Foreign Legion was not officially situated in Morocco, they certainly had occasions for forays into these areas, and actually occupied Oudja, near the border.
It seems Berber tribesmen often had captured rifles, many of course Spanish Mausers, but also French weapons.
As always said, weapons transcend geographic borders, as well as cultural.

Thank you again!
Jim

Jim McDougall · 19th September 2025, 03:16 AM

What David has prompted in his previous entry is an amazing example of a French musketoon which has been well embellished by the Berber warrior (I presume) who used it, and wondering about other cases of such guns of European origin used by natives across North Africa.

The illustration shows a case in Wadai with British forces. We know of course that in Egypt native forces were supplied with Remingtons and others, but what I hope to find is such examples used by opposing native forces.

In Moroccan and Algerian regions the rifles of native manufacture are interesting, but these European military guns (especially locally embellished like David's) are really interesting.

Another interesting form would be the much older European arms which went back to the snaphaunce, which seems the be of the form held by this man in Morocco 19thc. I dont know guns quite well enough to say whether this is one of those or a Moroccan version which I think were influenced by them. If these early guns were the inspiration, it seems likely they were present in some degree.

Again, this goes to the kinds of arms the French Foreign Legion and Chausseurs d'Afrique may have come in contact with through the 19th into the early years pre-WWI.

gp · 19th September 2025, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

David,

When you mention the 'riffs', does this refer to the Berber tribes in Morocco?
While the Foreign Legion was not officially situated in Morocco, they certainly had occasions for forays into these areas, and actually occupied Oudja, near the border.
It seems Berber tribesmen often had captured rifles, many of course Spanish Mausers, but also French weapons.
As always said, weapons transcend geographic borders, as well as cultural.

Thank you again!
Jim

there is more to it; the riff is actually ( a most beautiful) mountain region which was quite independent since the Romans and prior the Kingdom, when Sultans pf several dynasties rules the Magreb, the riff was not or hardly under the influance of the sultan with even a temporary Berber republic 1920 when the Spanish who had the North occupied and the many tribes ( > 20 became united, each Beni is a tribe...and it doesn't stop at the present border; it continues into Algeria where a century prior the riff wars, emir Abedelkadir united the riffians against the occupying forces : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emir_Abdelkader) and the Riff Republic under Muḥammad bin ‘Abd al-Karīm al-Khaṭṭābī,AKA Abd el-Krim , Arabic: عبد الكريم
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abd_el-Krim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IYF8JUEAIQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DmlRWbD3DA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6etYtGtD1rM

Next to the fact that Morocco has not only many tribes but also many different peoples ( like Arabs, Berbers, riffians, etc.)
and many of whom joined the French Foreign Legion and also the spanish ( think of Franco's invasion into Spain during the Civil war)
https://foreignlegion.info/category/morocco/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_Division_(France)

gp · 19th September 2025, 10:26 AM

to make it more complicated....during my 2 years stay in Morocco 1980/81, I travelled along the Atlantic coast from Tanger to Agadir ( also an Amizigh/Berber city) and noticed that all fortresses had canons with either Portugese or Dutch VOC marks on them....

Root cause: what Russia and the US is doing know, was done by the Dutch and Portugese since 1600/1700: biggest guntraders to the local sultans of the Magreb.
And also later by the English French rivalery, weapons of these two "culprits" can be found; whatever and by whomever was available, was sold and bought in the Magreb
Next to the plural dynasties

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6etYtGtD1rM

To add... as Spain occupied the North; the Riff , France made the rest of the country a protectorate since 1912 , locals joined the French army

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_Goumier

This resulted in a huge variety of weapons...

when visiting Morocco, I can recommend to visit these fortresses and local museums like the Borj Nord Arms Museum in Fez
https://safarway.com/en/property/borj-nord_13752

14th September 2025, 09:13 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,668	Bayonet blades in Saharan weapons One of the key edged weapon examples I think of sometimes mounted with bayonet blades would be the Moroccan s'boula. While native makers were entirely capable of making blades, with bayonet blades around, why not use them? The sboula with red cord has a blade from what appears a Mannlicher-Berthier 1892 bayonet; the bayonet form. Then a Chassepot 1874 bayonet sometimes found in the s'boula worn by Berber tribesmen in Morocco. While the Foreign Legion was situated primarily in Algerian regions, the borders were of course diaphanous, and eventually the Legion did establish an outpost in Oudja, near that border but in Morocco. Attached Images Last edited by Jim McDougall; 15th September 2025 at 12:06 AM.

15th September 2025, 12:04 AM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,668	S'boula: Morocco/Zanzibar/Ethiopia mystery The s'boula of Morocco, which is a sort of dirk, seems to have a variety of forms, with this H shaped hilt being one of the most frequently seen. Others, as previously shown have hilts of kouumya form and likely others. It does seem the blade is typically straight, and as often the case, old bayonet blades. These weapons appear to have diffused notably out of Morocco via the networks of trade routes, especially those trans Saharan routes with those making the Pilgrimage to Mecca. These people often carried weapons and commerce to trade along the way to finance their travels. As the route reached the far east, there was interaction with traders from Ethiopia (then Abyssinia) and these s'boula seem to have been in enough number that they were often regarded by some writers to have been Ethiopian weapons. This was carried further by the fact that several examples were known with Geez script etched on blades. The Falasha's, armorers to the Amharic rulers apparently added this to some of these s'boula. To complicate proper identification further, Burton (1884) perpetuated an identification of these as 'Zanzibar' swords (alongside an Omani 'kattara') which was clearly taken from Demmin (1877). These s'boula had clearly made it into the African interior where Omani traders took them back to the Sultanate in Zanzibar. Charles Buttin (1933) noted this situation (pages shown). Though digressing from the tribal arms and Foreign Legion context, this simply illustrates how widespread weapons forms were in North Africa via the dynamic conduits of the trade networks. Attached Images Last edited by Jim McDougall; 15th September 2025 at 05:45 AM.

16th September 2025, 07:41 PM	#4
David R Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 1,135	An interesting thread, to which I attach my contribution, a silver mounted Gras Musketoon, (artillery not cavalry) adapted by the "Riffs"!... And the appropriate bayonet for the model. The gun appears to be a converted Chassepot. Attached Images

17th September 2025, 12:00 AM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,668	David, So in my crash course on these French rifles, am I correct in assuming this is a Gras conversion or upgraded version of the Gendarmes M1866 Chassepot musketoon? These seem to have been modified in 1874 for metallic cartridges. When you mention the 'riffs', does this refer to the Berber tribes in Morocco? While the Foreign Legion was not officially situated in Morocco, they certainly had occasions for forays into these areas, and actually occupied Oudja, near the border. It seems Berber tribesmen often had captured rifles, many of course Spanish Mausers, but also French weapons. As always said, weapons transcend geographic borders, as well as cultural. Thank you again! Jim Last edited by Jim McDougall; 17th September 2025 at 12:18 AM.

19th September 2025, 03:16 AM	#7
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,668	European/native hybrid guns What David has prompted in his previous entry is an amazing example of a French musketoon which has been well embellished by the Berber warrior (I presume) who used it, and wondering about other cases of such guns of European origin used by natives across North Africa. The illustration shows a case in Wadai with British forces. We know of course that in Egypt native forces were supplied with Remingtons and others, but what I hope to find is such examples used by opposing native forces. In Moroccan and Algerian regions the rifles of native manufacture are interesting, but these European military guns (especially locally embellished like David's) are really interesting. Another interesting form would be the much older European arms which went back to the snaphaunce, which seems the be of the form held by this man in Morocco 19thc. I dont know guns quite well enough to say whether this is one of those or a Moroccan version which I think were influenced by them. If these early guns were the inspiration, it seems likely they were present in some degree. Again, this goes to the kinds of arms the French Foreign Legion and Chausseurs d'Afrique may have come in contact with through the 19th into the early years pre-WWI. Attached Images

14th September 2025, 09:00 PM	#1
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,668	Thank you Ed, and actually this topic area covers wide scope colonially, and historically over a long period extending past our chronological parameters, so this is indeed a fascinating example of how wide these traditions and edged weapons spread. I had never heard of this knife until now, and seems to have been created c. 1929 by a family in France drawing on traditions from Melanesia. This is a great example of how colonialism, in this case of France, diffused cultural elements so widely. The colonial activity of France in Algeria carried into the 60s, and apparently these knives were popularly used by Algerian rebels notoriously. While much later than the periods we are focused on, the traditions of the knives as used in native tribal manner simply conveyed to more modern examples of older types of knives. The folding knife element of course brings to mind the navaja, which though typically regarded as Spanish, had prevalent examples that were French as well.

16th September 2025, 11:46 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,668	Wow! David, that is EXACTLY what Ive been hoping for.....these kinds of hybrid French weapons adopted into tribal contexts! Love the furniture brass studs, just like seen on Native American rifles. It would be great to know more on the provenance and history on this rifle. Thank you so much David, brilliant entry, All the best, Jim

19th September 2025, 10:26 AM	#9
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 925	to make it more complicated....during my 2 years stay in Morocco 1980/81, I travelled along the Atlantic coast from Tanger to Agadir ( also an Amizigh/Berber city) and noticed that all fortresses had canons with either Portugese or Dutch VOC marks on them.... Root cause: what Russia and the US is doing know, was done by the Dutch and Portugese since 1600/1700: biggest guntraders to the local sultans of the Magreb. And also later by the English French rivalery, weapons of these two "culprits" can be found; whatever and by whomever was available, was sold and bought in the Magreb Next to the plural dynasties https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6etYtGtD1rM To add... as Spain occupied the North; the Riff , France made the rest of the country a protectorate since 1912 , locals joined the French army https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moroccan_Goumier This resulted in a huge variety of weapons... when visiting Morocco, I can recommend to visit these fortresses and local museums like the Borj Nord Arms Museum in Fez https://safarway.com/en/property/borj-nord_13752 Attached Images Last edited by gp; 19th September 2025 at 11:04 AM.