Marching with the Devil: Legends, Glory and Lies in the French Foreign Legion(Hachette Military Collection)

Since its creation in 1831, the French Foreign Legion has become the stuff of myth, fiction and dreams... Anyone thinking of joining up would be well advised to read this book first - The Sun Herald A real-life boy's own adventure, Marching With The Devil is an account of David Mason's five years in the infamous French Foreign Legion. David Mason graduated from the Australian National University with a law degree and an honours degree. Like those around him, he could easily have settled for a life of share portfolios, good suits, new cars and big houses. But David wanted more he wanted a challenge, an adventure, something beyond the ordinary that would test him physically and mentally. He looked around to see what he could do. Working in an open-cut mine . . . done that. Running a marathon . . . hmm, not hard enough. Climbing Everest . . . maybe? Joining the French Foreign Legion . . . perfect! Marching With The Devil is the gripping true story of what happened when an Australian lawyer left his comfortable existence and joined the legendary French Foreign Legion. He stayed for five years and served time in the elite Parachute Regiments. With the motto 'March or Die', the legion has a history of pain, grief and glory. David Mason takes us behind the myth to reveal exactly what happens: the adventure, the danger, the drinking, the fighting and the lies that sustain the legend.fore the final choice must be made. Remarkable... It's hard not to think it a shame that a man of such obvious gifts should have wasted them on the legion, just so as not to have to feel like a quitter, even if this book was the result - The Age Marching with the Devil quickly turns into an insightful and honest account of an unpretentious Aussie's experiences in one of the most ramshackle and soul-destroying military organisations on Earth - Courier Mail A strangely compulsive read about one man s quest for self knowledge - Men's Health Magazine Mason left a comfortable life in Australia to test himself in the crucible of the legion, and he writes about it 20 years after his service time necessary to give himself the distance and context he needed to write about an extraordinary and painful experience - Sunday Mail Brisbane

About the Author :
In 1988, David Mason joined the French Foreign Legion. He stayed for five years and served in the Legion's elite Parachute Regiment. David later wrote about his time in the Legion in MARCHING WITH THE DEVIL. In 1998, alone with three camels, David walked across Australia at its widest point, carrying out the first recorded solo east-to-west crossing of the Simpson Desert. For this expedition he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Australian Geographic Society. He wrote a book about this journey titled, WALK ACROSS AUSTRALIA: THE FIRST SOLO CROSSING. For a decade David was Counsel, International Law in the Department of Defence. He was Senior Adviser to Australia's Defence Minister and later, National Security Adviser to the Attorney-General of Australia. David left the Attorney's office to pursue a Doctorate in Law at the Australian National University's College of Law. His doctoral thesis deals with the status of mercenaries in international armed conflict. David has deployed on operations eight times and is the only person to have served as a Legionnaire, Australian Defence Civilian on Bougainville and in Iraq, Private Contractor in Iraq and as an Australian Defence Force Officer in Afghanistan.

Review :
Marching with the Devil quickly turns into an insightful and honest account of an unpretentious Aussie's experiences in one of the most ramshackle and soul-destroying military organisations on Earth. - COURIER-MAIL Since its creation in 1831, the French Foreign Legion has become the stuff of myth, fiction and dreams . . . Anyone thinking of joining up would be well advised to read this book first. - SUN-HERALD Remarkable - THE AGE A strangely compulsive read about one man's quest for self knowledge. - MEN'S HEALTH Mason left a comfortable life in Australia to test himself in the crucible of the legion, and he writes about it 20 years after his service time, necessary to give himself the distance and context he needed to write about an extraordinary and painful experience. - SUNDAY MAIL It s a rollicking, readable memoir of extreme adventures. - Burnie Advocate