This month’s pulp story is from the 10 April 1940 issue of Short Stories–just over 76 years ago if you think about it. It is written by a mysterious gent called Juan Cabrera de Moya who wrote a handful of exotic stories mainly for Short Stories and Blue Book. Not sure if he is for real or a creation of one of the regular writers on the staff. In addition to the story below is an additional two page feature about de Moya and the Foreign Legion of the late 1930’s.
The Blue Squadron features men of the Compagnies Méharistes (Camel mounted auxiliaries led by French officers), some Senegalese Tirailleurs and several hard cases from the Foreign Legion. The story takes place in the northern fringes of the Sahara Desert and features rebellious Tuaregs as the featured villains, many any of whom eagerly die for Allah and for the reward of 72 little virgin boys/girls/white raisins. There are a lot of characters to keep straight but it is a good story.
Mon Legionnaire 