Rick W Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 This is from a link posted by Hanno (MLU), hope you dont mind me posting it up on here- its a very quiet weekend. Some LRDG wrecks in pristine condition in Libya. http://picasaweb.google.com/houblebouble/EMERIIII2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Wow what Id give to be able to see them, awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Yes, imagine being able to organise bringing them back to Europe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 At least the field graves should be sorted by the CWGC and the men properly buried. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowtracdave Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 They look almost perfectly preserved - aside from tyres etc obviously . Presumably it is a question of cost & logistics that they are still there or might there be local objections to these historic artefacts being moved ? (or is even naming them as such an overstatement ?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 This is from a link posted by Hanno (MLU), hope you dont mind me posting it up on here- its a very quiet weekend. No at all Rick, the pics are worth seeing by HMVF members too (should have posted the link here as well). Hanno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcspool Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 They look almost perfectly preserved - aside from tyres etc obviously . Presumably it is a question of cost & logistics that they are still there or might there be local objections to these historic artefacts being moved ? (or is even naming them as such an overstatement ?) MLU member Kuno has been researching them, those trucks are still where they were on 31 January 1941 - as far as he can ascertain this is the only undisturbed battlesite of the whole desert war of WW2. . . "historic artefacts" indeed! Hanno Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted July 18, 2008 Author Share Posted July 18, 2008 Thanks Hanno, if only I had the time and the resources...Has anyone looked into rescuing these that you know of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Amazing. The questions is, should they stay there or should they be brought back. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted July 18, 2008 Share Posted July 18, 2008 Sadly now they are in the public domain, so to speak, in that they are now known to be there, they should probably be placed in a secure environment. Whilst most of us look at them and see war graves and the remnants of war, others will no doubt see $$$'s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Rimmer Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Interesting pictures indeed,and IMO these vehicles should remain exactly where they are unless they are under immediate threat,and should only then by moved if there is a sound long term conservation plan to preserve them exactly as they are now,for instance with a national museum. There are plenty of historically important vehicles within Europe(including the UK) which are at risk and need saving without removing these LRDG trucks from the proper context of their resting place of 65+years. Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Restoratin V Conservation. The trucks will deteriorate unless some work is done. Any work will change there condition, however the condition changes if no work is done. Eventually nothing will exist. Discuss. :??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.Rimmer Posted July 19, 2008 Share Posted July 19, 2008 Hi Tony, You are correct they will deteriorate,at least to a degree but having said that they will be stable in their environment,moving them to a different climate will without a doubt start a chain reaction of corrosion. The biggest threat comes from people,take as an example several aircraft which crashed during or shortly after WW2 and which had remained relatively intact until someone decided they needed "rescueing" with the end result being distruction,the B-24 Lady Be Good and the B-29 Key Bird are two examples which come to mind. These LRDG trucks are without a doubt of historical importance and it would be tragic if they were lost,but as I said earlier unless a national museum with the funds and conservation knowlidge was involved I feel strongly they are better left in context on the battlefield. Matt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted July 19, 2008 Author Share Posted July 19, 2008 This is one of those age old arguments archaeologists face. The roman site Ive been working on for several years has a superb bath-house which stands over 6 feet high since we excavated it. during the few years it has stood exposed to the elements it has begun to decay and the decision has been made to cover it back over next year to prevent further decay. If we had not have excavated it we would have lost a valuable piece of knowledge of the building complex and its surroundings. If we had left it, the knowledge would be lost and it would have been lost to plough damage. Some of the sites near to it we have identified as villas we have only explored through test pits, "keyhole surgery", to preserve remains for the future. There is no right or wrong answer in my opinion. www.whitehallvilla.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted July 22, 2008 Share Posted July 22, 2008 I know someone who has been photo surveying wrecks of just about anything WW2 desert war related you can imagine in Libya for about the past two-three years. Unfortunately his work remains under heavy wraps for some time to come - but when it does appear you will not be disappointed. There are loads of MVs and aircraft in all manner of conditions out there in the Libyan desert - not just this small selection seen in the snaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Hi; I am that "Kuno" mentioned above. Found this forum just by accident... I know about the dispute to preserve wrecks in a museum or to leave them where they are. My opinion is that it depends about the circumstances. Sometimes it might be better to transfer them to a museum but sometimes - and this is the case for Jebel Sherif- I would prefer to consider the whole zone as something like an open-air museum. The wrecks in a museum, even worse: restored, would be without any value. Rebuilt trucks can bee seen for example at exhibitions where the "British Desert Raiders" take part. These 4 particular trucks are a part of the history and ther only value is, if they are left "in sito". Ok; there is no place remote enough to protect such wrecks against relic hunters. Whilst for the local population it is only scrap to be brought to the melting pot (but they are too far off to be taken), the real danger is the TOURIST. It is quite normal for tourists to take away their part. One by one... What I try is to wake up a certain interest & understanding amongst the local population and local tourist operators - and I was more than happy to recognize that it seems to work! --- Normally I do not give away co-ordinates of such places. But in this particular case, and after long discussion with other enthusiasts, we decided that the place is too known to be kept secret. So the only chance to smehow- protect the wrecks is to become "offensive": We decided to publish a book about it. (Considering the work and the cost - I a not sure, if I would do it again ;-)). This book will also be handed over to the Libyan "Department of Antiquities" and the Tourist Authorities. Until then - all wrecks will be labeled to make people aware about that this is not only scrap: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 4, 2008 Share Posted August 4, 2008 Above picture is another Chevrolet-wreck. A french one of 1942. And for those who might be interested in the mentioned book: http://www.afrika-korps.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4900 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaw Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 Will find out when I go over with my exped and logistic back up see www.wdrg.org Gary Major Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 ...would be quite a deviation for you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzaw Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Quite right Kuno It would be nice to see but is too far off our intended route, perhaps for another trip in the future? Regards Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antar Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 A number of years ago, probably 25, a small group of people took a Bedford MK all the way to Libya and "recovered" a LRDG Chevrolet ?, the vehicle finished up in the "Grange cavern military vehicle museum" in Holywell North Wales. As I recall it was left in "as found" condition and placed in a de-humidified display enclosure. The museum closed about 17 years ago and I never heard what happened to the vehicle. Does anyone recall anything about this story ? John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevpol Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 I remember it, and I saw the vehicle in the grange cavern museum, but has to what happened? I think it went to the imperial war museum, but I may be mistaken Mark :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 No; you are right - it went to the IWM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted January 9, 2009 Share Posted January 9, 2009 Yep it's on the upper floor of the main gallery at Lambeth. MB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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