Why did the fearsome French Foreign Legion parade in Ronda alongside Spanish legionnaires?

"The two forces have many things in common, such as discipline and loyalty and the fact that we are elite assault troops, dedicated to fighting, killing and dying if necessary wherever we are sent," said one of the military officials

Vanessa Melgar

Ronda

Friday, 7 March 2025, 18:34

On Thursday this week the Spanish Legion's creed was not recited on the 'Patio de Armas' parade ground at the Montejaque barracks in Ronda, the local headquarters of the fighting force. Instead, its homonym in France was recited. The French Foreign Legion, which has around 9,700 members in the neighbouring country who are made up of 150 different nationalities, held the admission ceremony for new legionnaires at this location in Malaga province. This is the first time that such an event has taken place outside French borders and this is thanks to the close relationship that this legion maintains with the Spanish Legion, especially its commander Diego Montull, who has Spanish roots. The latter was present in Ronda, as was the Colonel-in-Chief of the 4th Alejandro Farnesio Tercio of the Spanish Legion, Fernando Sánchez. The French consul in Seville, Marjorie Vanbaelinghem, also attended the event alongside other dignitaries.

Imagen principal - Why did the fearsome French Foreign Legion parade in Ronda alongside Spanish legionnaires? — V. Melgar

Imagen secundaria 1 - Why did the fearsome French Foreign Legion parade in Ronda alongside Spanish legionnaires? — V. Melgar

Imagen secundaria 2 - Why did the fearsome French Foreign Legion parade in Ronda alongside Spanish legionnaires?

These newly-qualified troops received their 'képi blanc', the white cap shaped like a round hat with a flat top, which is equivalent to the headgear worn by the Spanish Legion, following four months of training in Castelnaudary in the Occitanie region of southern France. These 56 new legionnaires belong to the 4th Foreign Regiment.

In Thursday's ceremony they recited their creed and paraded, as did part of the Spanish Legion, on a day that afforded some respite from the heavy rains recorded in the area for earlier this week.

"The two legions have many things in common, such as firm discipline and loyalty and the fact that we are elite assault troops, dedicated to fight, kill and die if necessary wherever we are sent. Another point is that we had our first legion, the old French legion, who fought and died in Spain in the Pamplona area between 1835 and 1838," said Montull, who was very grateful for the welcome from the Tercio de Ronda legion. "We have really felt like family", he said. "The town is very beautiful, I wish I could come here again and might even buy a house here when I retire," he said, adding: "I have Spanish blood and I've had this idea for ten years. When I took command of the regiment, I asked for permission." He also mentioned that these French legionnaires had also gone on a march through Ronda's Serranía prior to the act of accession of around 60 kilometres, a mountain hike that "they will hardly forget."

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