Behind the Lines: Vehicles of the Long Range Desert Group
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- During World War II, the British Army deployed a reconnaissance and raiding unit behind enemy lines in North Africa. The members of the Long Range Desert Group were tasked with keeping vigil over the roads between Tripoli and Benghazi, and they needed vehicles suited for the mission. For more visit www.hagerty.com Subscribe! | bit.ly/1sddOmD
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One of these Chevies did survive the war and is on display in it's original desert-salvaged condition in the Lambeth Imperial War Museum, London.
it has been my great honour to have met some of these amazing men and to have helped support them in later life . i supported a wonderful lady who married one of those men in 1945 .he died in 2012 . she had no idea about his exploits at all till she found his photos diary and pay book etc . they where giants amount men . rip lads .
My Great Grandfather was a Captain in the LRDG in WW2, he was from South Africa and he was recruited from the commonwealth in either 1940/1941, he also later transferred to the SAS in WW2 and he served in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. He survived the war but he only came home in 1948 as he was stranded in Germany for 3 years after the war ended but he eventually got a flight home.
Thank you for recreating the vehicle used by the L.R.D.G. Bringing history to life.
Most of the LRDG were from my country (New Zealand).
Thanks for trying to keep their memory alive with them being forgotten in favour of the more high-profile SAS.
The SAS would have achieved very little in North Africa without the navigational know how and general 'desert smarts' of the LRDG to guide them.
+Daniel Eyre Many, not most.
Not most but the unit was first started with 150 Kiwi's. Brits, South Africa and Indians came later, NZ Division was asked for volunteers and half the Division volunteered.Pity the aussies were not involved but their High Command would not let them fight in a non Australian unit .
Mainly Rhodesian rather than South African. Easy to confuse the two.
But being born there it's a bit like saying the LRDG were formed with Australians rather than Kiwi's at first! :)
Fair comment
Jack is a wealth of information and helped me trace my Grandfather who was G patrol LRDG many thanks Jack. R.I.P grandad Mac LRDG.
nice video, just finished Gavin Mortimers "The Men Who Made The SAS" a very good read, I was unaware the LRDG was also active in Europe after securing Africa. Keep up the good work.
all the best from NZ
Have a read of Popski's private army, its a very good read and on a similar subject. I think they are even mention in the men who made the SAS book!
A number of my Uncles fought for the decorated 28 Māori battalion in the desert campaign. One has to remember the Long Range Desert Group were predominantly NZers from the beginning. The SAS through the publication of the book The Phantom Major became much more well publicized post WWII . That account written by an American author Virginia Coles was largely based on David Stirlings personal account. According to desert campaign historian Gavin Mortimers latest book The Phoney major that account is an exercise in self aggrandizement by Stirling himself , contains lots of factual errors mostly about Stirlings own achievements and the real credit should be given to his brother Bill and the renowned soldier Paddy Mayne.
The LRDG was created by then Major Ralph Bagnold who received little recognition because of the secret nature of the group.
That's ok, they knew they were naughty.
But now has a mountain range on Mars named after him. NASA still uses his notes on sand dunes!
I had an uncle in the LRDG. he was shipped out from the Desert to Italy,taken POW by some Germans then spent the rest of the war in Colditz. he Contracted TB there and didn't get home until 1946. He often spoke of those times and the fact that the trucks were painted pink. If they were sitting up on a dune in the half light of dusk,the pink made them invisble. While at School, one of my Class mates father was also LRDG, he reckoned that when they got "thirsty" they drank the anti freeze out of the truck radiators. This was soon dumped and replaced with plain water ...
I think the pink was what brown paint faded to in the intense sunshine. I had an old brown volvo that Turned pinkish after 20 years.
I just lost my uncle aged 106 who served in these units , He didn't consider anything worth worrying about in life after North Africa .I think he served in Italy but never mentioned that . Always praising Wavel but did not like Montgomery who he said was aloof with little time for the troops
My great grandfather was also part of the LRDG, he was from Forfar, Scotland
Steven Pressfield's novel, "Killing Rommel" about the LRDG is fantastic!
Great Book! I've read it twice...
Jack is a much respected authority on the LRDG - a fabulous archive built up over 30 years!
Hi Brett, How do I make contact with Jack by email? When I was a child my uncles (not my real uncles they were my Dads mates) told me when they visited our house to play cards that they met in the war in North Africa (even though they were both from Manchester) where my uncle Johnny Bailey was a spy in the Special Operations Executive (that is true) and was taken out into the dessert to be dropped and picked back up by my uncle Ted's (Edward Still) LRDG Patrol. They both spoke Arabic but were from Manchester. I am wondering if Jack has any info on this. thanks Tony
At the 47 second mark you show a still image with two young men in a jeep. Do you know their identities? I am convinced the passenger, seated behind the machine gun, is my father. He served with the SAS in North Africa and Europe.
The LRDG and the SAS were completely separate units. If it's an LRDG photo, it wasn't your Dad.
Noted the truck in photo @1:44 has the word "tirau" written on the bonnet … a town near lake Taupo in NZ.
@@davidstancomb5380 Yes it was a Kiwi idea and can imagine what a few of the guys wanted to do to that Scotsman Major Sterling who attempted to steal it.
Rubbish on both counts. The LRDG was the brainchild of British officer Ralph Bagnold, who led motor expeditions far out into the desert during the 1930's, when he was a signals officer stationed in Egypt. He surveyed the area extensively, and developed many of the driving techniques and special equipment later used, including the famous Bagnold Sun Compass, essential kit for not only the LRDG, but all the forces engaged in desert travel in the North African campaign. The new Zealanders only became involved once the unit was set up. Since the British Army refused to release any men for what they derisively considered a "private army", the first personnel were largely drawn from Kiwi and Rhodesian units. As for Major STIRLING (correct spelling), he had nothing to do with the LRDG; he formed the SAS. After the initial SAS raid went awry and they were collected up and ferried back by the well-established expertise of the LRDG patrols, he realized that they were just the ticket for getting his raiders in and out of the action, so he coordinated with them. The SAS later obtained their own transport, but the LRDG was operational long before he came along. This is all well-documented, in print and online. @@harrycurrie9664
A guy from my home town Stratford NZ was one of these men Dave Burnnand he was a big strong looking fellow.
Well done for keeping this history alive well done sir
Good stuff ... well done . Thanks from Aotearoa / New Zealand .
interesting video thanks.. I think my grandad was posted to the LRDG as a medic but I cannot establish anything maybe someone may be able to help. he used to tell me about the special trucks and he used to look like an Arab based in a oasis in the middle of the desert. he also mentioned multi national lads new Zealand and South Africans. I did mot talk much about what he did but the odd bits I can work out that it was highly likely he was in the LRDG.he also was a sargent but for some reason left a private.. he did say he was captured behind lines but the Africa korp let them go where he found his way back to wherever. he said that the Africa korp were respected soldiers unlike the ones in Europe. . he referred himself once as a commando which I thought was a marine which he deffo wasn't.. he ended up after the Africa campaign going into Italy. I understand after Italy he was posted back to the RAMC until he left in 46. .his name was Thomas william judge known as Bill judge. he was from Nottingham at the time of the war. eitherway I'm very proud of this generation and what they all did for us. I think to some they understated just how brave they was and I will never forget my grandad Bill. if anyone has any info it would make my day.. I have checked some records but after the war he shut it out like many and did not join any groups or anything like that just cracked on with his life and got married..thanks again
In the Dec 1940 and March 1941 he is not on the LRDG roll but that does not mean he wasnt seconded to the LRDG. Being a medic he might have been used on certain ops but not official hope this helps any more info i can see i will post here.
The men of the LRDG were integral to the formation of the SAS,incredible men.☯️🎏
my grandpa was in the long range desert group
Thank you for what you do!!! :-)
that was awesome! thanks for this video.
awesome mate! respect!
L.R.D.G started as the long range patrol , mostly New Zealanders , because of their fitness , toughness and skills , of how we say in N.Z "no. 8 wire" mentality (Basically a "can do attitude" ) . General Freyberg after taking command of the N.Z Army Division was not happy that his men were "poached" by Bagnold and wanted them back , but Wavell held firm . they were eventually all replaced by other nations .
Pretty sure my Grandad was actually apart of this group under the British division. All I was told, and all my father was ever told, was that he was stationed in Egypt. Never said what, and never talked about the war, and averted the subject whenever possible.
My great grandad never spoke of war either he was in Kings Dragoon Guards and out in Middle East for 3 years he used to drive Chevs they were V8 that LRDG used then went to Italy and Greece I never met him I was born 10 years after he passed.
@@Crash-zm2qd none of these Chevy trucks had V8's, they were all inline flat head 6's.
My uncle and his brother were in the LRDG. (Kiwis)
very true...so, does this mean you will be posting more on this subject?
What God awful sound mixing. Is that a random typewriter in the background? Can barely hear the man speak
They don’t get much recognition in PC games; only one game “WW2 Desert Rats” had missions loosely based on the exploits of the LRDG.
my greatgrandad was part of this group!
grandfather
Brilliant!
It is sad that there is no mention of the Rhodesians who served in the LRDG along with their NZ comrades. My father was one of these courageous men (you have a photo of him drinking water from a container whilst the remainder of the patrol rest up in the shade next to their patrol vehicle) The Rhodesians used many of the vehicles mentioned and my father showed me pictures of their Chevy one tonners with the names Shangani and Shamva emblazoned on their bonnets.
interesting ...shame about the stupid background music which is really intrusive and annoying
Agreed.
Agreed +1
So nice to see there is no stupid sky blues used on for the silver grey! See alot of museum's etc using this mysterious blue all of a sudden and it's wrong! It was the same silver grey they used in caunter scheme!
Were the RHD Chev trucks built by General Motors Holden (GMH) in Fisherman's Bend (Port Melbourne) VIC Australia, or were they built in a British GM plant? GMH, Ford Australia IH Australia and others contributed mightily to the war effort. Two of my great uncles served in Palestine, then Crete. Both were wounded, escaped and went on to fight in the Pacific. RIP Gordon and Ron.
They were built by General Motors Canada at the Oshawa, Ontario plant.
Reminds me of the movie "Play Dirty" starring Michael Caine.
A good video. We enjoyed the TV series on the Desert Rats.
TV series ' Desert Rats' , the 7th Armoured Division of the British Army in WW2 ? When did this go on TV , be great to watch
@@ItsJustMorris ..probably means " The Rat Patrol ". A rubbish TV series with Americans winning the war all by themselves.
Do you have any information on my father, Captain / Major Bernard Schott? Many thanks. Francis.
Jeepにまつわるエトセトラ♪
Whats the music
That scruffy clown is wrong..... The Long Range Patrol / LRP was commissioned in June 1940 and unit was expanded some months later, and so was it's name. The Long Range Desert Group / LRDG operated thorough to wars end, 1945 .
My dad was in this group a nz maori
HOPE IT BETTER THEN THE RAT PATROL
Very good. I'm currently running a LRDG fictional story on my channel.
LRDG service may grandfather at the 1942 as captain of the hellenic royal land army behind to the British royal land army!😔🕯🇬🇷
The real Rat Patrol!
make some movie to tell the real story of these long range patrol operation ....better than JamesBond.
most of it would be driving thousands of miles through the desert and spying from a safe distance on the enemy. No martinis available.
GHOST TOWN
if you read stories about the problems they had,mech.trouble but above all with 2wdr and only 90 hp.....imagine how they would have loved to have hummers....diesel,double the hp, good supple suspension...heavier payload, and, vital for the LRDG a low profile.
They tried 4wd but it used more fuel was less manoverable at speed.
2wd Chevrolet fitted the bill,but they had to carryout major alterations to make them fit for purpose.
lightend,strengthened ,
condensors on the radiators.armaments where all requried.
So... Really we need to think the Americans for making it possible.
No, They weren't even in the war when the LRDG was formed. Henry Ford did continue to work with Nazi Germany throughout the war though.
So who was the Colonel Sterling of the Scottish highlanders that stole the LRDG from the New Zealanders, kicked them back to their original companies, installed his own men in their place and called them SAS … only to fail miserably on his first mission … and 2 or 3 subsequent missions.
Stirling didn't kick anybody out. He formed the SAS to carry out more devistating actions than the LRDG wanted or needed to be involved in. David Sterling used the LRDG to navigate around the sands of northern Africa.( The LRDG were known as the " Lybian Taxi Service" due to this service)
Later The SAS had their own Navigators so didn't need to services of the LRDG.
The LRDG's primary roll was reconnesence, with minor disruption where they could without risk.
The SAS owes it existance to the LRDG as the LRDG was a blueprint to further development
@@philleeson7835 Stirling shut the LRDG down, took their equipment and sent the operators ( mainly New Zealanders) back to their companies, he then embarked on several operations with his SAS which were failures. From what I've read Stirling would have breathed his last if some of the Kiwis had got hold of him. p.s. Apparently Charles Upham VC and Bar, was in Colditz at the same time as Sterling ...would have been interesting if Charles had found out.
@@harrycurrie9664 Quite a number of the NZers from the LRDG eventually ended up transferring into the SAS. Many were asked to join as they had an awesome reputation.
@@tg5727 As LRDG they were already SAS, this Stirling creep stole the unit and renamed it SAS.
@@harrycurrie9664 ... Absolute rubbish. General Freyberg wanted his NZ soldiers back from the LRDG but settled on a compromise to have them replaced with British troops, when suitable men could be found. Stirling, being only a Major, did not have that sort of influence. The LRDG and SAS worked together on several operations until the SAS got their own Jeeps. Stirling did pinch the LRDG's best navigator though. The LRDG was disbanded in 1945, not 1943. Stop muck spreading.
What an annoying music - damn! That music would get me combat ready in less than 5 minutes. Watch video "The Swiss Beast - Home of the Devil" for the real Worldwar II history.
HOPE IT BETTER THEN THE RAT PATROL
HOPE IT BETTER THEN THE RAT PATROL
HOPE IT BETTER THEN THE RAT PATROL
HOPE IT BETTER THEN THE RAT PATROL