The Spanish Foreign Legion: 'The Bridegrooms of Death'

by Mark Gee

In the 1980’s a young Englishman enlists in the brutal Spanish Foreign Legion looking for adventure, what he finds is quite extraordinary.

Sometimes a life story is recounted that leaves you amazed at the measures some men will go to in order to find purpose and meaning in their lives. This is one such book. Mark Gee’s moving and no holds barred account of his time as a Spanish Foreign Legion Mercenary and ‘Bridegroom of Death’, and also his time served in 'Peloton', their phenomenally vicious penal work section is truly amazing.

It is an extraordinary tale of the hardship and brutality that typifies the life of one of the Spanish Army’s most harshly disciplined elite troops, and opens up their dark and deeply religious 'Cult of Death' for all to see and understand. This is a deeply heart warming, emotional and moving rendition of one man’s desperate search for the truth, and how he found it, in the most unusual of places.

189 pages, Paperback

Published November 21, 2018

Reviews

[Liz]

I listened to 'The Spanish Foreign Legion: The Bridegrooms of Death' on Audible. The narrator, Nakul Pande, was easy to listen to and did a good job. I started listening on Saturday evening while walking the dog and finished before lunch on Sunday which should tell you why I gave the book 5 stars.

I was gripped by the book right from the beginning with the author's story of growing up and the challenges he faced at home and at school. I particularly enjoyed the early days of his time in the Legion and the excitement of the escape attempt.

Something I didn't enjoy were the long quotes in Spanish. You can skip them more easily in a printed copy but with audio you're forced to listen and it grated on me a bit. This is personal to me though and I'm sure it wouldn't bother other people.

So my summary is that it was well written and a great listen. Not a typical soldier's memoir but I can recommend it.

[Melanie Lewis]

There were many occasions whilst listening to this book that I wanted to put my arms around the author and give him a hug. I cannot begin to imagine the depths of despair you must be in to punish yourself so harshly. I am thrilled he found the solace and answers he needed in Christ. Having such a deep faith must provide a great deal of comfort. I can only hope that Mr Gee has found the peace and contentment he so richly deserves. A deeply moving portrayal of a harsh regime. You'd have to possess a heart of stone not to be touched by this book. Very revealing and searingly honest, well worth a listen.

[Ragnar Bang Moe]

Lydbok. Streamet. Audible. Engelsk. Trodde det var en skildring av den spanske fremmedlegionen - som jeg ikke vet så mye om. Det visste seg være beretningen til en engelskmann som vervet seg til legionen, som fremstilte seg som en utrolig kapabel fyr, og som plutselig ble superreligiøs slik at resten av boken ble som ett vekkelsesskriv nesten. Men jeg fikk noe inntrykk av legionen, selvom jeg er usikker på troverdigheten. En sådär bok.

Audiobook. Streamed. Audible. English. Thought it was a depiction of the Spanish Foreign Legion - which I do not know much about. It turned out to be the story of an Englishman who enlisted in the Legion, who presented himself as an incredibly capable guy, and who suddenly became super-religious so that the rest of the book became almost like a missionary pamflet. But I got a certain impression of the legion, even though I'm not sure about the credibility. Such a book.

[Anne Smith]

The fascinating story of a mans growth through an unhappy childhood and a tumultuous life in the Spanish ForeignLegion, to the discovery of “The Meaning of Life” for him. It was certainly a very rocky path and undoubtedly the “adventure “ his soul craved . I think it would have broken many a less hardy person and it was an inspiration to make the journey with him. Whether the last section will change your future life is something you alone will decide but I’m sure it will give you food for thought for many years to come.

[Andrew]

Besides Peter Kemp's memoir of his Spanish Civil War service in the Spanish Foreign Legion (Mine Were of Trouble: A Nationalist Account of the Spanish Civil War, now back in print after 60 years), there is virtually nothing else written by British ex-members.  It was therefore very interesting to discover Mark Gee's account of his time in La Legion.  Gee takes us through the depths of crisis and hardship, from the socio-economic malaise of the 1980s to the Peloton, the Legion's horrific punishment section.  Gee somehow survives everything thrown at him, emerging into the redemption of a profound spiritual awakening, adding a dimension very unusual in a military memoir.  For those keen to learn more about this obscure elite unit, and the traditions of the Spanish Army, this book is really worth reading.