Churchill's Legionnaire Edmund Murray

Edmund Murray left his family and a comfortable job in London, aged 19, to join the French Foreign Legion. He served in Morocco and Indochina, where his regiment was forced to retreat into China. Despite his attempts to join the Allied forces, he was thwarted. This book includes rare personal insights into Legion life, accounts of friendships forged in exceptional circumstances, and his service as bodyguard to Sir Winston Churchill.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 160 pages
\n Publication date: 13 April 2021
\n Publisher: Unicorn Publishing Group
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In 1937, at the age of just 19, Edmund Murray made a bold decision to leave his family and secure job in London behind. He boarded the boat train to France, eager to embark on a new adventure with the French Foreign Legion. Armed with his schoolboy French and a burning desire for excitement, Murray traversed France and reached the Legions headquarters in Algeria. There, he underwent a rigorous three-month basic training program, which tested his physical and mental strength to the limit.

After completing his training, Murray served in various locations, including Morocco and Indochina (now Vietnam). As the Second World War drew to a close, his regiment was forced to retreat from invading Japanese forces into China, marking the end of his eight-year tenure as a Legionnaire. Throughout the war, Murray's unwavering sense of duty compelled him to attempt to leave the Legion and join the Allied forces. However, he faced numerous obstacles and setbacks in his quest.

Edmund Murray was an Englishman, serving in a French organization during a time of global conflict. He was a unique anomaly, a diplomatic puzzle, as he straddled two worlds. His extraordinary war-time experience was a testament to his resilience and determination. This book, which draws heavily from Murray's earlier work, Churchill's Bodyguard, offers rare personal insights into Legion life, encompassing drills, maneuvers, feast days, and festivals. It also documents the formation of lifelong friendships forged in exceptional circumstances.

Edmund Murray's story is further enriched by his role as the bodyguard to Sir Winston Churchill, a testament to his loyalty and dedication. His son, Bill Murray, has skillfully edited this book, allowing Edmund Murray to tell his story in his own words. The book provides a captivating account of a man whose sense of duty never wavered, and who played a significant role in shaping the course of history during a tumultuous period.

\n Weight: 474g\n
Dimension: 154 x 217 x 21 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9781913491253\n \n