Para's Francais Indochine 1945-54

[Legion Etrangere]

My copy just came in .... and its absolutely outstanding. I think Cookie did a quick squib on this book a while back but I could not find the post on the forum. After opening it up, I fixed several cups of coffee and could not break away from it for several hours. Its an outstanding resource for the French Indochina War reenactor or collector.

Les Paras Francaise en Indochine 1945-1954
www.flipkart.com/les-paras-francaise-indochine-1945-book-235250094x

I was also going back over a list for a bibliography of books and found Lirelou's list of books he has (he stated he has THREE shelves worth) so I would like to get another thread going on WHAT YOU HAVE on your shelf in terms of books, either en francaise or English.

BTW, if you have not picked this book up on the Para's you need to do so.

Question for ----> Cookie and the forum: Was the beret color correct for the BCCP's in the Para's book? It seems a bit too maroon, then again I could be wrong.

[cookie]

I wouldn't like to comment on the exact shade of red used for the para berets. Bare in mind that in the early days, out there far, far away from metropolitan France, when the order came through for red berets to be worn they would have got them from anywhere. Also when you have worn something woolen in the hot, humid sun for a spell it may become darkened by sweat, or lightened by exposure to the sun and sweat salt etc. Don't get hung up on shades of colour Mick, it is a minefield!!!

A good book though. I have now got most of the items in the wash roll, Gibbs razor, Bioxyn tooth powder etc. I'm trying to find a 'ration de secours' tin.

[Legion Etrangere]

I've been investigating the color now for nearly two years and I have to agree: there just does not seem to be one standard color that was prevelant based upon the source, the cut, color and combat conditions at the time. The Para's book had a pic of the front of a Vietnamese tailor's shop in downtown Hanoi and I am sure the cut, weight and color of that wool would be different from what was being produced in mainland France. I only wish the book went into detail on various colors, etc. From what I could tell the berets seemed to be 2 (or even 3) part.

I was taking a look at the washroll at the back of the book and saw the items; there is a company in the U.S. producing French rations, and nothing they produce looks *anything* like the items in the book! Kinda glad I did not spend the money. In the old reenacting unit I used to be in, they are producing rations which also have no connection to what I've seen so far. Cookie when you get the full roll done, send the pics! I am wondering what I can use from my WWII collection ....

A word to those of you who are new to French Indochina War: DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. My crutch since entering FICW in the past several years was to rely on WWII reenactors and ask the old question: Is this correct for French Indochina? I've kept a running tally and realize that nearly 90% of what I was told simply does not stack up against the weight of research material I have put together. Dont rely on what people tell you - DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. Purchase the *expensive* books in French and then get a English-French dictionary. Get on the internet, browse through ECPAD and in time you will begin to discover for yourself whats correct and whats not. Were lucky though, we've got some of the best researchers on this forum.