Chapter 3 Scene 1.3

The Gentlemen Rankers depart Ain Seffra and meet the French Foreign Legion

link to Google Drive Gentlemen Rankers Chapter 3 Scene 1.3

The French Foreign Legion pretty much began its illustrious history in Algeria. I think these pics are fairly accurate.

Richard Rassendyll turns up again. Here a re three more takes on what he might look like.

 Errol Flynn (left) and David Niven (right) shared a flat in the early days of Hollywood. They appeared in several films together. I think the Flynn might be a bit closer to my Rassendyll.

Douglas Fairbanks jnr is another contended. He is seen here as Rupert of Henzau from the Prisoner of Zenda - a suitably devil may care role.

Chapter 3 Scene 1.2

In the house of Isabelle Eberhardt

Link to Google Drive Chapter 3 Scene 1.2

The Gentlemen Rankers talk to Isabelle Eberhardt

It was something of a surprise for me to actually find a picture of the flood. I shall have to make reference to the French Foreign Legion in the next rewrite. It now seems clear they had a base there.














Here is photo of a flash flood.

 I think that I've posted pictures of Isabelle Eberhartdt before but this is where they more rightly belong. I really MUST start spelling her name right!

Chapter 3 Scene 1.1

Back to the Gentlemen Rankers themselves who have now arrived in Algeria.
Chapter 3 Scene 1.1

Apparently this is what Algeria looks like - with camels of course.

I'm very partial to camels - not to the extent of riding one or even going near one but somehow they are a wonderful combination of the noble and the comical.

I was determined that they should be in the story somewhere.

Perhaps my scene would look like this.












The camels in Weeping Camel aside from being the wrong sort were very lovely - just not for the four hours that the film seemed to drag on for.




I S Johar would have to be my casting for the guide. Actually he was Indian but was for many years a sort of all purpose dusky foreigner in British Movies. I remember him particularly in North West Frontier. That portrayal was criticized by the politically correct as being a characterture. George MacDonald Fraser retorted that anyone who had been to India at that time and for years afterwards would instantly recognise the person played.


The town of  Ain Sefra was surprisingly well represented on Google. It is a bit grander than I showed it. I was only guessing. I might change a few things come the rewrite.

















Probably too many but I couldn't resist putting them all in.

 Thinking more about the gentlemen rankers themselves here are three more pictures I muse over