Recruitment and Basic Training in Toulon
The Marine nationale that Brucelle joined in 1913 was in a state of transition as France tried to catch-up and keep pace with the growing naval power of Great Britain and Imperial Germany in the European context. Until the late nineteenth century, France possessed the second largest navy in the world and extensive colonial possessions near and distant from the metropole.11Brian C. Chao, “’A brilliant second’: France as a naval great power”, eds. Paul Kennedy and Evan Wilson, Navies in Multipolar Worlds: From the Age of Sail to the Present (Abingdon, Oxon and New York: Routledge, 2021), 32; Brooke J. Schwanke, “La Marine Nationale: The French Navy’s Rise to Naval Superiority in the 18th Century”, (MA thesis, University of Nebraska, 2019). Due to political and financial restraints, France fell behind in construction of newer type warships and relative ranking. An assortment of dated battleships and armoured cruisers comprised the majority of the fleet, and the first dreadnoughts were only laid down in French shipyards during 1910.22Hugues Canuel, “From a Prestige Fleet to the Jeune École: French Naval Policy and Strategy under the Second Empire and the Early Third Republic (1852-1914)”, Naval War College Review 71, no. 1 (Winter 2018): 110. A naval law introduced in 1912 signified a commitment to build out the fleet in greater numbers over a projected eight-year timeframe matched with increased authorized personnel strength. Senator Pierre Baudin, minister of marine (January-December 1913) known for his anti-German views and radical politics, paid particular attention to stepping up recruitment for manning the expanding navy’s ships, over and above 47,000 personnel in 1912.33Journal officiel de la République française 21 (22 January 1913), 642; Ray Walser,France’s Search for a Battle Fleet: Naval Policy and Naval Power, 1898-1914 (New York and London: Garland Publishing, 1992), 219-220; Michel Moisan, “Pierre BAUDIN (1863-1917): un radical-socialiste à la Belle Époque”, (Ph.D dissertation, Université d’Orléans, 2009), 453-454. The Marine nationale generally relied on a combination of three-year conscripts from the navy’s allotment of the national draft and volunteers enlisted from seafaring and industrial communities to fill the ranks. Baudin expressly wanted to increase the proportion of volunteers from untapped sources of recruitment in urban and rural areas, to draw in young men of suitable aptitude. Such recruits finished higher levels of formal schooling and considered the navy another vocational choice alongside civilian employment.
Brucelle’s induction into the navy manifested this subtle policy change and desire to broaden the appeal of naval service. A 1913 recruiting pamphlet extolled the benefits of the navy: “The salaries of sailors are much higher than those of the soldiers of the metropolitan troops and colonials. The sailor’s ration provides a varied diet and includes wine at all meals. Sailors acquire professional knowledge which is useful to them after release and which make them sought after by industrial establishments. Ships of the fleet are called upon to visit the most diverse countries. Any re-engagement gives rise to the provision of a pro-rated bonus depending on the grade and speciality of the interested party. After 25 years of service, sailors are entitled to a retirement pension.”44Marine nationale, Engagements volontaires dans le corps des équipages de la flotte (Paris: Imprimerie nationale, 1913), 1. Volunteers had to be unmarried, possess no criminal or morality convictions, display good character, have good robust health, meet minimum height requirements, and be over the age of seventeen. Application for a contract required a birth certificate, endorsement of good conduct and morals from the mayor in the place of domicile, and parental consent if under the age of twenty. The Marine nationale enticed young men like Brucelle at start of adult lives into voluntary service that offered attractions in terms of competitive pay, stable employment with training, and promise of adventure.
While no doubt important in the calculation, Brucelle also held other reasons for leaving Paris and entering the navy. In the midst of a wider economic recession, France’s gross domestic product per capita in 1913 was in the mid-range of European countries. Unemployment in the capital city remained at significant levels. Most available jobs were low-paying in service industries and factories, where hours were long and the work hard. Brucelle’s mother raised three children alone on a working-class wage in unhealthy employment conditions. She was frequently sick and forced to miss work. His older sister, Louise, took up additional outside work to support the family, and was also sickly. A close uncle and aunt, to whom Brucelle felt affectionate, also helped since he was one of their favourites.55Letter, 6 December 1913. The thought of becoming a burden on his family weighed heavily on Brucelle, and he constantly inquired about their health and wellbeing. As well, he was disheartened by past romantic relationships, “and ridiculed by certain young girls, something that moreover motivated my departure in the fleet.”66Letter, 10 December 1913. Besides the push of general economic conditions, personal circumstances convinced Brucelle that a scenery change was probably worthwhile to get far away from the associations of Paris. A notice in the mail that the nineteen-year old was to report for sailor training in southern France at the main fleet base in Toulon facing the Mediterranean satisfied the desire for a fresh start.
Brucelle travelled by train, stopping over in Marseilles which he visited for the first time with newly met friends to see the sights, and then departed in another train along the sea to Toulon. The sunny warm climate, palm and olive trees lining city streets, and mountain views left a strong first impression: “I am delighted. For me it’s really ideal. Although a bit hot.”77Letter, 20 May 1913. Toulon and its naval establishments was the heart of the French fleet. The country was divided into five administrative and operational maritime prefectures, one through four along the Atlantic and the Channel with a main base at Brest, and the last fifth centred at Toulon on the Mediterranean coast.88Jean Moulin, “France La Marine Nationale”, eds. Vincent P. O’Hara, W. David Dickson, and Richard Worth, To Crown the Waves: The Great Navies of the First World War (Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press, 2013), 57-63. Under a 1904 diplomatic accord and naval arrangements with Great Britain, the Marine nationale concentrated its main units and warships there in the 1st naval army (Armée navale ) commanded since August 1911 by Vice Admiral Augustin Boué de Lapeyrère, a former minister of marine (July 1909-March 1911).99Geoffrey Miller,The Millstone: British Naval Policy in the Mediterranean, 1900-14, the Commitment to France and British Intervention in the War(Hull: Hull University Press, 1999), 309-319; Paul Chack and Jean-Jacques Antier, Histoire maritime de la premiere guerre mondiale(Paris: France-Empire, 1992), 31-32. An extensive shore establishment steeped in tradition and practical functionality supported the fleet.
The 5th fleet personnel depot (dépot des équipages de la flotte ) was the starting-point for training, where Brucelle was assigned to the 11th company 3rd section as an apprentice sailor. He recounted inauguration into the navy’s ways during those initial days:
we returned to the depot, which is three-quarters an hour from the city, and yesterday evening I slept for the first time in a hammock. I slept as well as in a bed in our room. I see the coastal mountains on one side, and on the other the roadstead. I’ll give you a description and then tell you what my employment consisted of today. The depot is magnificent. These are new buildings, all the modern conveniences. Huge gardens where we walk, one would not really suspect being in a barracks. Here finally, early this morning the wake-up which is done at 5:30 am, we were called to be vaccinated and pass the check-up, then after the clothing issue we were given all our effects. It was not long! Once all dressed we went down to the courtyard for a sad ceremony. I attended the degradation of a sailor in the presence of all the troops of the garrison. Then naturally after the meal (we eat better than at home Mother Brucelle). Don’t be upset my dear Mother. Be happy, don’t worry, because I’ll be happy. The leaders are very kind. By being serious, one can be the happiest of soldiers.1010Letter, 20 May 1913.
Apprentice sailors were housed together in separate rooms occupied by members of the same company and roughly the same age. Hammocks were hung at night and stowed with other kit during the day (Figure 1). Washing facilities and bathrooms were shared.