The Long Range Desert Group in Action 1940–1943

Brendan O'Carroll

• Publisher: Pen & Sword Military
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781526777423
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: World War II
• Index: History

This first pictorial history of the LRDG "covers all aspects of [its] work and the vehicles and weapons they used in their devastating raids" (Beating Tsundoku). The Long Range Desert Group has a strong claim to the first Special Forces unit in the British Army. This superb illustrated history follows the LRDG from its July 1940 formation as the Long Range Patrol in North Africa, tasked with intelligence gathering, mapping and reconnaissance deep behind enemy lines. Manned initially by New Zealanders, in 1940 the unit became the LRDG with members drawn from British Guards and Yeomanry regiments and Rhodesians. So successful were the LRDG patrols, that when the Special Air Service was formed, it often relied on their navigational and tactical skills to achieve their missions. After victory in North Africa the LRDG relocated to Lebanon before being sent on the ill-fated mission to the Dodecanese Islands in the Aegean. Serving independently, when the Germans overwhelmed and captured the British garrisons, many LRDG personnel escaped using their well-honed skills. Many images in this, the first pictorial history of the LRDG, were taken unofficially by serving members. The result is a superb record of the LRDG's achievements, the personalities, their weapons and vehicles which will delight laymen and specialists alike. "Well written... The photographs brought together here are a stunning selection despite the various quality as it shows the men and machines living the war they fought in."—Armorama "A must-read page turner."—Richard Gough, military author and historian "Informative and full of exciting detailed accounts of operations that occurred throughout the LRDG's reign of terror on the Axis forces during the war."—AMPS

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Acknowledgements
• Introduction
• Chapter One The Early Days
• Chapter Two Long Range Desert Group Operations in the Fezzan, 1941
• Chapter Three 1941–42: An Overview – The CMP Ford F30
• Chapter Four 1942–43: An Overview – Chevrolet 1533X2 4×2 30cwt
• Chapter Five The Long Range Desert Group Air Section
• Chapter Six The Barce Raid
• Chapter Seven The Final Days in the Desert
• Chapter Eight The Dodecanese Operations: The Aegean, 1943