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Gallant opponents

"Gallant opponents"

Zella oasis North Africa November 1942, L.R.D.G. Patrol G1, captured by German and Italian reconnaissance units.

This Afrika-diorama report should give some hints for planning the layout of an - otherwise - boring desert landscape. Besides some historical background about the famous Long Range Desert Group (L.R.D.G.) the construction of the cactus and the rocky terrain will be explained.

The L.R.D.G. and the "Roadwatch"

At the beginning of the African warfare in WW II till later in the theatres of southern Europe, the Long Range Desert Group fullfilled several different tasks:

• Reconnaissance,
• Sabotage raids,
• Transport tasks for other special units,
• Terrain estimation for planned flanking maneuvres of the British main forces.

Although being composed of many different countries like South Rhodesia, New Zealand, England and India, it inherited a strong esprit de corps.

Often outshined by the notorious SAS (Special Air Service) their way of conducting operations responsibly was somehow unacknowledged by their superior although the surveilling duties of Rommels supply lines provided high-order contribution to the later victory than the more spectacular raids of the SAS.

In the year 1942 even the British high commanding officers recognized the value of long distance recce, when patrols of the L.R.D.G. reached the region far west of El Agheila and reported interesting hints to suss Rommels intensions. During that period, Guy L. Prendergast was the commander of the L.R.D.G.

Though boring, the "Road Watch" that concentrated on counting supply and troops movements in the rear area of the German-Italian forces along the "Via Balbia" was essential for British staffs concerning the estimation of the enemie's plans during the period of the battles around El Alamein.

In November 1942, Cptn. Alastair Timpson, commanding officer of G 1 Patrol of the famous Long Range Desert Group, was detected during his advance in direction to the Acro dei Fileni1 (“Marble Arc”, built by Italians and unveiled in a pompous ceremony by Mussolini on the 15th of March 1937) at the Via Balbia by an Italian airplane.

Subsequently a combined German-Italian reconnaissance unit set an ambush which led to the capture of more than half of the G 1 patrol.

The soldiers and four British vehicles were brought to the Zella oasis but Cptn. Timpson managed to accomplish his mission, which was to relieve a previously detached L.R.D.G. “road watch” patrol near the Via Balbia (for the mentioned locations, compare the map).

Later on Cptn. Timpson returned to his origin unit, the 2nd Btn Scotts Guards, survived the war and died in England in the year 1998 at the age of 82.