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WW2 military hardware in N African desert? WW2 military hardware in N African desert?
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North Africa Topics specific to North Africa and the Sahara down to the 17th parallel (excludes Morocco)
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  #1  
Old 26 Oct 2015
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WW2 military hardware in N African desert?
Hi all

Been a while since I posed on the HUBB.

This isn't strictly about overlanding, but is the sort of question that I suspect overlanders may know something about. It's to settle an argument with a friend!

Does anyone know what happened to all the destroyed / abandoned tanks and other hardware left behind after all the battles of the North Africa campaign? I went to the military cemetery / museum at El Alamein years ago and saw a few there, but am sure I read somewhere (think the Lonely Planet / Rough Guide that I was travelling with) that everything else had been towed 20 or 30 kms south into the desert and dumped in a huge 'graveyard' after the war. Friend (who has a T34 tank and a 1942 White armoured car) reckons this is wrong and that the stuff was dispersed for scrap.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks in advance

Mark
Last edited by ilesmark; 27 Oct 2015 at 12:52.
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Old 27 Oct 2015
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There was a presentation at the original Adventure Overland Show about four years ago by a chap who did a trip in an old military Jeep which recreated a patrol done by the Long Range Desert Group during WW2. His name was Toby? I think he speaks a lot on the 4x4 traveller circuit, I'm sure someone could add the name and there's a contact for information on the subject.
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Old 27 Oct 2015
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Thanks, Tourider.

A few mouse clicks and google searches later and I found Toby's website and email address. I've emailed him to see what he has to say.

Cheers

Mark
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Old 27 Oct 2015
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I have 'explored' quite a lot of the area south of Alamein & a cross part of the qattara depression, yes I have heard these stories too, but never discovered this dumping area, yes I have found many articles of clothing, helmets & personal effects ( plus loads od unexplored ordnance), and vehicle wheels & parts.
The locals that I know who have a great knowledge of this area have , as far as I know,not found much in the way of intact vehicles .
Yes, further south in the sand sea & gilf Kebir areas I have seen several relatively intact vehicles, as well as in Libya, but to answer your initial question, no 'big stuff' up to about 100 is south of Alamein.
Andy
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Old 28 Oct 2015
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This page sums up pretty much all that is still out there:
The SDF Kufra Convoys


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Old 28 Oct 2015
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Plenty of UXO when I was there - be careful of it; the locals know the areas to avoid. Some areas and some ordnance is marked or signposted.

Whole vehicles - not so much in evidence, but the North African deserts are pretty big......
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Old 28 Oct 2015
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I think most of it that's accessible without going into land mines has been harvested by the locals for scrap or tourist re-sale. Shame.

They did find an RAF kityhawk last year and within days it was being pulled apart by the locals.
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Old 29 Oct 2015
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Hi all.

Oh dear - but thanks for responses.

Perhaps what actually happened was that there WERE big dumps immediately after the war, but they didn't last very long for the reasons you and Toby have said; David (the friend I have now well and truly LOST the argument with!) was telling me how the Kittyhawk ended up completely stripped out within weeks once it got broadcast on the internet and so I suppose the same would have happened with anything else.

Just as well they had the foresight to put what was left of the Lady Be Good safely in that Tobruk museum, although the terms 'safely' and 'Libya' are possibly Overtaken By Events now - Libya apologises for desecration of British war graves | World news | The Guardian

So - Andrasz, thanks for this page The SDF Kufra Convoys (Frameset) - anyone know of any other locations / links / pics of LRDG / etc wrecks?

UPDATE - Toby has kindly sent me this link, which I am sure he won't mind me posting http://lrdgroutesrevistited.blogspot.co.uk/

Liked the mention of him staying at the Desert Rose hotel in Siwa - we actually stayed there in 2007 IIRC, and had an entertaining, if largely sleepless, night as ALL through the night there was a constant symphony of animal noises from seemingly EVERYWHERE in the town like something out of Old MacDonald Had A Farm, with an "hee-haw" here, a "moo-moo" there etc etc.

Mark
Last edited by ilesmark; 29 Oct 2015 at 13:35.
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