Tuesday 27 January 2009

Within range.




During the Second World War the Long Range Desert Group launched an ambitious attack on an Italian air base. I have read an account of it, but am going on memory here. A small group - probably three Chevrolet, or Ford, 30 cwt trucks and 18 men (ish) set off from the LRDG base at Kufra to drive about 500 miles northwest to Muzuk where they succeeded in blowing up all of the enemy’s aircraft - about 15 planes. Mission accomplished they headed south to Chad and met up with the free French. Interesting stuff and a great trip that was thankfully successful. A straight line from Kufra to Muzuk would have taken them past our camp in Waw en Kebir and wandering around looking at rocks Kev spotted an old petrol can. Closer inspection revealed three and some engine parts and a spent bullet. The petrol cans were the products of Shell, stamped 1941, the Sphinx Oil Company and Atlantic Motor Spirit. What marvellous names and this is how petrol was carried in pre jerry can days. Pure speculation, but not impossible that this could have been a brief camp for the LRDG on that daring mission 65 years ago. There is a little cover to hide them from patrolling aircraft on an otherwise totally flat expanse of unforgiving desert where they would have stuck out like sore thumbs. We took a GPS waypoint and left the finds to weather for another 65 years.

3 comments:

Affer said...

Could this have been where Johnny, Harry and Anthony winched the ambulance up the hill?

Affer said...

The thought now crosses my mind that you might have gathered the various bits, and hey presto, by 2015 you could have rebuilt a 1941 10-ton Reo truck......

Peter Ashley said...

I don't supose you brought that old can back did you?