le meilleur/the best
TWO YOUNG MEN SIGN ON WITH LEGION
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It looks like that the 18 year old cook's
helper J.van Raamt from the town of IJmuiden will not be coming home
for a while on the Lier street 20.
As a crew member of the M.S. Hector from
the K.N.S.M., what was supposed to be a small trip of six weeks in the
waters of the North African coast, turned out to be a long term stay in
the French Foreign Legion.
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On Sunday July 26, the young IJmuidenaar and
the 22 year old J. Klaasen-Bos from Amsterdam went ashore in Oran. From
this outing they did not return and the Captain of the Hector concluded
that he had to do with two deserters from the ship.
In this vein he send a telegram to the ship's
Company. Without the two Men aboard the Hector lifted anchor for the
trip home.
The KNSM (ship's company) contacted their agent
in Oran and the Dutch vice-consulate there.
After an exchange of telegrams, the agent
claimed that the men were being well. However, a few days later he
had to tell that the two sailors had signed up for the French Foreign
Legion. This became apparent to him after a detailed investigation.
Without means to support themselves, they had
contacted the agent of the KNSM, who in turn notified his Company about
the sailors showing up.
being in an unfortunate situation, the men apparently fell in the hands
of head hunter (ronselaar) who had little trouble to get them to sign
for the Legion.
The mother of van Raamt and her husband had
already taken steps to see if they can release them from the claws of
the Legion, but without success. The Velsen Police department that was
involved with this attempt, did not believe it would work. according to
French law, van Raamt is for the military considered adult and only a
medical discharge would safe him.
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*FYI All the statements about the agent and
headhunter was pure fabrication perpetrated by the Company or reporter.