North Africa Section

Discussion in 'Network Information, Suggestions and Feedback' started by Garreth Hughes, Mar 29, 2004.

  1. Garreth Hughes

    Garreth Hughes Junior Member

    Hi Nick, how about having a section dealing with the North African Campaign. It lasted 3 years and was fought over thousands of sunbaked miles of desert...Im sure there are loads of members and 'members to be' that find this area of the war interesting!

    Whats does everyone think?
     
  2. Paul Reed

    Paul Reed Ubique

    Good idea.

    Have you ever visited any of the battlefields in North Africa?
     
  3. Garreth Hughes

    Garreth Hughes Junior Member

    No, cant say I have... I used to hear stories from my Grandad who passed away 6 years ago. He served in the Royal Engineers with 151 Brigade, 50th Northumbrian Division. He arrived in the desert as a green soldier in December 1941, got Malaria during the Gazala battles in the Summer of 1942 and was evacuated to Malta. He was then sent back to his unit ready for the Second Battle of El Alamein, fighting continously with the division until it was withdrawn to England ready for the D-Day landings. He was one of the first ashore at Le Hamel with the Hampshires, clearing beach mines and what not. I remember him telling me about desert life and that when you opened your jam to spread it on your hardtack, it was immediatley covered in hundreds of fly's, and also how they used to hand medals out with the rations to anyone who wanted one... A soldiers view i guess...would like to visit Tobruk or El Alamein one day....

    Anyway, back to basics, the Desert war I think was probably the only campaign that was fought with a mutual respect on both side, not tainted by the massacres of the eastern front. Just ordinary soldiers, doing a job...

    Garreth
     

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