Despite his fatalistic manner, he begins to fit in with his comrades as they embark for Morocco to fight in the Riff War.

Once in North Africa, he falls in love and marries a local cabaret singer.

He eventually seeks personal redemption by volunteering to join the doomed garrison of an outpost in the Atlas Mountains.

In 1935, the novel was turned into a film La Bandera which was largely faithful to the book.

It was directed by Julien Duvivier and starring Jean Gabin as the Legionnaire and Annabella as his wife.