Legion Pulp: Mumps

This story is from J.D. Newsom and is one of his earlier tales of the Foreign Legion appearing in the 10 January 1926 issue of Adventure.  The story is an old one where the ranks get their revenge on an abusive officer in a cunning and crafty way. It takes place in the Legion garrison and the streets and bars of Sidi Bel Abbes.  Not your usual action packed story of desert fighting but quite entertaining nonetheless.

Mumps

I experienced the demise of a verbally abusive officer once during my military career.  He was a young Captain and my company commander for a time and was simply horrible at everything he did.  His problem was his obsessive mistrust and paranoia of NCO’s.  He accused several of trying to ruin his career.  We heard later that his first wife left him for a Master Sergeant.  He pretty much self-destructed and was eventually given an evaluation that killed his career and the Army was better for it.  A West Pointer too.  Who knows, maybe the sergeants were working behind his back.  “Enlisted men are stupid, but extremely cunning and sly, and bear considerable watching.”