Memoirs of the Foreign Legion by Maurice Magnus

ALTHOUGH my squad consisted of the men in my room I did not go with them to the exercises, but was allotted to the squad of the _jeunes soldats_ at the _rassemblement_. This was a squad quite apart, into which all new-comers were sent, no matter how young or how old. After the exercises each young soldier returned to the squad of his room. Once the primary instructions of a young soldier were completed he entered his room squad as a regular soldier, joining them in their exercises. Some of the "young soldiers" were over fifty years old, had been in the Legion before, had left when their time was up, and returned to sign again; nevertheless they had to go through the school of the _jeunes soldats_. One had the decoration of the _croix de guerre_, others were mere boys. There was no specified time for a man to be a young soldier. It depended on himself and the goodwill of the sergeant. Several had been there as much as six and eight months and were no farther advanced in the simplest methods of instruction than the man who had been there a week. The usual time was supposed to be about three months, but I heard there was no fixed rule.

Acharock was the sergeant of the young soldiers during the first days of my arrival. He was a Frenchman, handsome, dark, quick, nervous, irascible, severe but just--one of the very few who was just. He had at the end of his tongue the longest list of animal names applicable to his soldiers which I have ever heard, and they were curiously appropriate. His rebukes and scoldings were made impetuously, and apparently without sufficient reason, but a few days convinced me to the contrary. He scented ill-will and reprimanded it; but where he found good intention and honest effort he was lenient, indulgent, kind and helpful.