Rick W Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 Makes you wonder though. I was reminded of a story when I first got the Morris. The heavy haulier who came to take it away said that his father drove a Morris in the BEF pre-Dunkirk. After the chaos of Dunkirk his father was presumed MIA and the family received a letter as such. His father wasnt MIA at all but had escaped on one of the little boats and was at home in front of the fire when the telegram arrived! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 (edited) If you read the book you will get all the details of the trek the crew tried to make to save them selves but it was just to far in the wrong direction they went north towards the coast .If they had gone SW it would have been 130 miles to El Gezira Oasis 35 miles of which were sand dunes , while going north it was between 201 to 218 miles to the nearest Oasis's , Sgt Ripslinger walked roughly 80 miles before he died then Sgt Shelly walked on another 7 miles or so before he died since this is the locations of their bodies while enduring 130 f day time temps and freezing cold at night . Sgt Moore would have had to walk 80 miles further of which 60 miles were dunes to reach Gialo Oasis.< these are the figures in the book I know they dont add up > with no food,water, or shelter . their escape map covered only the area 320 miles from the coast they parachuted almost 440 miles south of the coast. Edited August 8, 2008 by abn deuce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 Just found a new website regarding our subject; the "map room" is most interesting: http://ladybegood.net/maps/index.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abn deuce Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Thank you for finding and posting this site . it bring the story to a much better over view than the diagrams in the book . it should be remembered that the aircraft which went missing April 4, 1943 was not found until August 1958 and that the last two crew found were not located until February 11,1960 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 Was very surprised to find this new page about the LBG. If they want, I can sent them some pics of the wreckage and the crashsite as it looks today. What is somewhat strange to me is the mentioning of Italian truck traces dating back to 1941. How can someone date such traces? Ok; the British truck traces are left by the LRDG, so you can say that they were not older than 1940 :-). But for the Italians? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 First; Wellcome Kuno. I remember the LBG story from the Dutch version of After the Battle. As a kid reading that it reaaly moved me, even now I feel sad when thinking of the story. I remember 1 crewmember found with a unopened parachute and 1 member dissapearing into the sanddunes, never to be found. I'd like a movie made about this tragedy as it happened using the diary and trying to get the members characters as real as possible. No "inspired by real events" but as correct as possible. May they rest in peace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 Would really be worth to make a good movie. What I "like" about this story is how members of a feared bomber suddenly become lost and have to struggle for their survival. Makes one thinking, how often we simply rely on our "technical assistants" and how helpless we become if they stop working. Fascinating as well, how long human being is fighting for survival - would be interesting to know, if they were somehow aware, how far off they were... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 It was just 175 kilometres south of the location where LBG crashed where another tragedy took place in the year before: http://rapidttp.com/milhist/vol122jc.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I suppose the dating of the traces may come from wether one track dissects another. If the British truck traces cut through the Italian then the Italian traces would be earlier and vice versa. (Its an archaeology thing!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodger Baz Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 Hi Kuno Which part of North Africa do live in? i will be spending some time on Tripoli over the next month or two and am desperate to visit some places. Baz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 8, 2008 Author Share Posted August 8, 2008 Have spent a lot of my time at various locations in Libya; depending on the job... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 Greetings, I mentioned in a separate thread that a chap I know is working with the Libyan government to GPS map stuff in the desert and snap it. Wait for his book. Every time I see him I remind him he's a lucky baa-lamb. Have fun on the Friendly Forum, MB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 11, 2008 Share Posted August 11, 2008 I hope thats not the same book Kuno is working on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 12, 2008 Author Share Posted August 12, 2008 Hi Rick; don't think that we are working on the same project. However - you never know... Never heard about the "competition". Would be interesting to learn more about his job with the LY-gouvernment, Snapper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted August 12, 2008 Share Posted August 12, 2008 If I told you he'd have to kill me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 12, 2008 Author Share Posted August 12, 2008 @ Snapper; if you would be in danger of life, then please do not tell anything. I would somehow feel guilty - and this only that short after I have joined this forum. No, that's not what I want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 ...it came back to my mind now. Further up I was asked, what had "brought" me to the Desert War. Actually, I just like to take then & now pictures - and most of the old pictures have been taken during the desert war. Below a fine example: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodger Baz Posted August 14, 2008 Share Posted August 14, 2008 I like it, top job. I will be in Tripoli for the first two weeks of September if your in the area? Baz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 14, 2008 Author Share Posted August 14, 2008 @ Bodger; will most probably be in the same city in that period... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Wow :bow: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodger Baz Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 @ Bodger; will most probably be in the same city in that period... would like to meet up if your not too busy? I was there a couple of weeks back and tried to find out if there was anything to see from the ww2 peiod but only came up with Roman ruins! that was quite amazing, looks like you will know more of the area? I'll treat you to Mango juice and Lamb Algarra! Baz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 @ Bodger; Tripoli area -as per my knowledge- is "empty" except for some dozens of Italian bunkers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick W Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 Nothing wrong with Roman ruins- Leptis Magna is in Libya one of the best preserved Roman sites in the Med. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuno Posted August 15, 2008 Author Share Posted August 15, 2008 Agree with that - and now that the tourist season has not yet started, you won't find many people there. Good chance to shoot "vegetarian photos" :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodger Baz Posted August 15, 2008 Share Posted August 15, 2008 (edited) Nothing wrong with Roman ruins- Leptis Magna is in Libya one of the best preserved Roman sites in the Med. agree, i went to sabratha last time, and that was amazing, going to try and get to leptis magna next time. Even the Roman toilets were still in one piece! Baz Edited August 15, 2008 by Bodger Baz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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