Original French First Indochina War Era Foreign Legion Trumpet Bugle Swallowtail Banner with Fringe - Legio Patria Nostra - 9 x 12”

Original Item. Only One Available. During the First Indochina War (1946–1954) the Foreign Legion saw its numbers swell due to the incorporation of World War II veterans. Although the Foreign Legion distinguished itself in a territory where it had served since the 1880s, it also suffered a heavy toll during this war. Some of the legionnaires, such as Stefan Kubiak, deserted and began fighting for the Việt Minh upon witnessing torture of Vietnamese peasants at the hands of French troops. Constantly being deployed in operations, units of the Legion suffered particularly heavy losses in the climactic Battle of Dien Bien Phu, before the fortified valley finally fell on 7 May 1954.

This is a great French Foreign Legion trumpet or bugle banner dating to the 1950s, when the Foreign Legion were fighting in Indochina and later Algeria. The banner measures 9 x 12” and is red with a green triangular center. The edge has a heavy fringe connected to a patterned border, and the banner shows two green flaming bombs in the swallowtails and a red flaming bomb in the center under the embroidered phrase LEGIO PATRIA NOSTRA, Latin for "The Legion is our Homeland/Fatherland".

A great and interesting piece that has some heavy wear but is certainly of the period. The tie strings are retained in good order. Comes ready for further research and display.