British Army Review #188: Le magnifique

One hundred and twenty years on, the ‘Cordial Agreement’ to work together, to resolve our differences amicably, and to maximise our points of common interest remains as strong as ever – especially between the two armies of France and the United Kingdom. The two nations remain close – both in the inevitable geographic sense, but also in the senses of shared interest and shared friendship. But near neighbours do not always make the best of friends – just ask Volodymyr Zelensky, Yoon Suk Yeol or Tsai Ing-wen. That proximity can provoke problems will also not be lost on any of those who fought to liberate Kuwait, have walked Cyprus’ Green Line, served in Northern Ireland during The Troubles or spent even the briefest of time on operations in the Balkans.

Noting that your nearest frequently transpire not to be your dearest and given that the northeast of Dover and Cap Gris Nez are separated by just 20 miles of water, it is little wonder that the United Kingdom and France have, in the past, had their share of – often epic – fallings-out. Thankfully, as demonstrated by the articles in this dual language edition of The British Army Review (no mean feat for an editor with little recall of his GCSE French), relations between the two nations – and more pertinently their militaries – are now characterised by cooperation rather than conflict. Of course, operating as allies is not without its challenges but, as reflected on the pages that follow, a shared spirit and mutual respect are being enhanced and embedded by a busy calendar of joint activities that are proving instrumental in ironing out any interoperability issues.

I am yet to have had the privilege of seeing this cross-Channel camaraderie up close –despite more than two decades of reporting on the British element of the alliance – but have, albeit tenuously as a civilian journalist, been a beneficiary of the bond that exists between the soldiers of the two armies. Humour me, therefore, as I tell you about the occasion I interviewed (from the partisan perspective of a Tottenham fan) one of France’s greatest sporting exports – David Ginola – for Soldier, the official magazine of the British Army. Having completed a year’s national service with the French Army during the late 1980s and as a campaigner for The Halo Trust and Red Cross, the fleet-footed winger, then earning the adulation of Everton fans, represented something of a celebrity scoop for the publication. However, Ginola, in common with many of the other Premier League stars of the day, was rumoured to be as nonchalant in his approach to media commitments as he was on the pitch. Consequently, I was somewhat surprised when my request for an audience was very quickly granted. David, I was told by his agent, wished for me to join him for a post-ballet dinner in a suitably chic London restaurant. Fast forward to the interview itself and there was no waning of enthusiasm from ‘le magnifique’, who remained engaged and engaging throughout an extremely cordial encounter.

It quickly became apparent, however, that Ginola’s readiness to talk basic training and overseas exercises – and to be genuinely generous with his time – was based on an assumption that I too had experienced military life. Despite describing his last day in uniform as being “one of the happiest of my life” [quelle surprise that having to keep a closely shaved head and taking orders held little appeal for a footballer later famed for his flowing locks and a carefree attitude that infuriated managers], Ginola had still been imbued with the French Army’s esprit de corps and held soldiers in the British ranks in extremely high regard. If fame, wealth and success can’t evaporate the empathy felt for a near ally, it should come as no surprise that the spirit of the Entente Cordiale endures among professional soldiers on both sides of the Channel. Long may it do so. – Andrew Simms