Devil?

This is coolbert:

In many of my blog entries, I have made reference to a particular book that has become somewhat of a cult classic. That is the book "Devil's Guard".

[an original copy of this book can fetch the owner sixty five British pounds on e-Bay. Cult classic? This is news to me.]

Purports to describe the actions of a German SS battalion in Vietnam during the First Indo-China War. A battalion within the French Foreign Legion [FFL] comprised solely of German nationals, some of whom had been SS men during World War Two [WW2]. SS men who could no longer live in post WW2 Germany as they were hunted and wanted men.

"The 1971 publication, Devil's Guard, by George Robert Elford, is the story of a former German Waffen-SS officer's string of near-constant combat that begins on World War II's eastern front and continues into the book's focus--the First Indochina War, as an officer in the French Foreign Legion."

Let us say that this is a controversial book. Is it fact or fiction [or a combination of both]?

"It is debatable as to whether or not the book is exaggerated fact, or outright fiction."

The author, George Robert Elford, seems to not have any history I can find on the Internet. That may not be a big thing. Elford was a self-described naturalist who supposedly met the ex-commander of the German battalion, Hans Wagemueller, while doing research in Nepal. Nothing further seems to be known of the author or is posted anywhere?

I think that it is generally accepted that there were large [?] numbers of ex-German WW2 soldiers [to include wanted SS men] that did join the French Foreign Legion to escape allied pursuers. These men DID fight in Indo-China. Characterizing them as a SS battalion would be incorrect. They did have SS men in their ranks, but this was a minority?

"Critics however, point to the fact that much of the military power possessed by the characters is anachronistic, the SS seems to have almost superhuman-fighting ability"

NOT so much super-human ability as just plain experience and SKILL! If what is maintained in the book is true, these would have been men that already had four years combat experience BEFORE joining the FFL. The commander of the unit, Hans, was said to have previously commanded a special SS anti-partisan unit on the eastern front, and became very able at anti-guerrilla warfare.

Anyone have any knowledge as to the truthfulness of this book, "Devil's Guard"? If so, please let me know.

coolbert.