Editing Long Range Desert Group (section)

==History==
[[File:WesternDesertBattle Area1941 en.svg|500px|thumb|alt=map of North Africa, Egypt and Libya|LRDG area of operations 1940–1943. [[Jalo oasis]] is on the left of the [[Great Sand Sea]] and [[Siwa Oasis]] is on the right. [[Barca (ancient city)|Barce]] is at the top left and [[Marble Arch (Libya)|Marble Arch]] is on the edge of the map, to the left of [[El Agheila]].]]

The LRDG area of operations between 1940 and 1943, known as the [[Western Desert (Egypt)|Western Desert]], stretched about {{convert|930|mi}} south from the [[Mediterranean]] to the [[Tibesti Mountains|Tibesti]] and the [[Jebel Uweinat]] mountains, and about {{convert|1200|mi}} from the [[Nile valley]] in the east to the mountains of [[Tunisia]] and [[Algeria]] in the west.<ref name=mol6>Molinari 2007, p.6</ref> Paved roads were non-existent and only small tracks and pathways crossed the area. The daytime temperatures could reach {{convert|60|C}} and at night drop below freezing. The only water in the area is found in a number of small [[oases]], which is also where the only vegetation grows.<ref name=mol6/> While the vast majority of Eighth Army operated along the coast, the LRDG started operations inland south of the [[Great Sand Sea]], were later based there and operated west and north, and were later based further west, well south of the coast.

The first LRP patrol began during the [[Italian invasion of Egypt]]. 'W' Patrol commanded by Captain Mitford set out on 15 September 1940 to carry out a reconnaissance of [[Kufra]] and [[Uweinat]]. Finding no trace of the Italians, they turned south and attacked fuel dumps, aircraft and an Italian convoy carrying supplies to Kufra.<ref>Morgan 2003, p.6</ref> 'T' Patrol, commanded by Captain Clayton, reconnoitred the main route between Kufra and Uweinat, then drove south to meet up with 'W' Patrol; both units returned to base, having captured two Italian trucks and official mail.<ref>Bagnold 1945, p.36</ref> The Italian response to these raids was to reduce their front line forces and increase the number of troops garrisoning the area from 2,900 men in September to 5,500 by November 1940.<ref>Molinari 2007, p.89</ref>
On 27 December 1940, 'G' and 'T' Patrols left Cairo and crossed the desert to northwest of Kufra. On arrival they met with representatives from the [[Free French]] forces in [[Chad]], and on 11 January carried out a joint raid on the Italian fort at [[Murzuk]].<ref>Bagnold 1945, pp.38–39</ref> After two hours' fighting the fort remained in Italian hands, but the adjoining airfield had been destroyed. The units then withdrew southwards towards the Free French post at [[Zouar]].

On 31 January they were intercepted by the [[Auto-Saharan Company|Compagnia Autosahariana di Cufra]], an Italian unit similar to the LRDG, in the [[Gebel Sherif]] valley.<ref>Gross, Chiarvetto and O'Carroll 2009, pp.10–17</ref> The LRDG had one man killed and three men captured, including Major Clayton, and three trucks destroyed during the battle. The Italian losses were five killed and three wounded, and one truck was abandoned.<ref>Gross, Chiarvetto and O'Carroll 2009, pp.95–105</ref> Four members of the LRDG escaped by walking {{convert|200|mi}} to safety in ten days with no food and only a two [[gallon]] water can between them.<ref>Bagnold 1945, p.39</ref> The patrol arrived back in Egypt on 9 February; it had covered about {{convert|4500|mi}}, experiencing the loss of six trucks, four by enemy action and two by mechanical breakdowns. One vehicle with a broken rear axle had been towed about {{convert|900|mi}} before it could be repaired. Total casualties were three dead and three captured. Major Clayton was awarded the [[Distinguished Service Order]].<ref>{{cite web|access-date=18 May 2010|publisher=[[New Zealand Electronic text centre]]|title=Raids in the Fezzan|url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Epi-c2-WH2-1Epi-e.html}}</ref>

After [[Operation Compass]] ended with the Italians forced out of [[Cyrenaica]] it was decided to move the LRDG from Cairo to Kufra (SE Libya). At the same time the LRDG was expanded with the addition of 'Y' and 'S' Patrols.<ref name=oasis/> When the German [[Afrika Korps]] under command of General [[Erwin Rommel]] counterattacked in April 1941, the LRDG was ordered to reinforce the Kufra area. 'R' Patrol were based at [[Taiserbo]], 'S' Patrol at [[Zighen]], and the headquarters LRDG, 'T' Patrol, and the Free French were at Kufra, under command of Bagnold. The detached 'G' and 'Y' Patrols were based at [[Siwa Oasis]], under command of [[XIII Corps (United Kingdom)|XIII Corps]].<ref name=oasis>{{cite web|access-date=18 May 2010|publisher=[[New Zealand Electronic text centre]]|title=Occupation of the Southern Oases|url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Epi-c2-WH2-1Epi-e.html}}</ref>

The LRDG air link was created during the occupation of Kufra by Major [[Guy Prendergast (British Army officer)|Guy Lenox Prendergast]]. Appreciating the value of aircraft for reconnaissance, liaison, evacuating wounded and flights to GHQ Cairo, he had two [[Waco Aircraft Company|Waco aircraft]] fitted with long range fuel tanks. Prendergast flew one himself and [[Sergeant]] R. F. T. Barker flew the other. When Bagnold was appointed to the [[General Staff]] Cairo in August 1941, Prendergast was given command of the LRDG.<ref name=oasis/>

The LRDG now began a series of patrols behind the Axis lines. Near the end of July 'T' Patrol left for the desert to the south of the [[Gulf of Sirte]]. One 'T' Patrol truck managed to observe the main coastal road, along which Axis traffic was passing. They were followed two or three weeks later by 'S' Patrol, who carried out a similar reconnaissance between [[Jalo Oasis|Jalo oasis]] and [[Ajdabiya|Agedabia]]. Both patrols returned safely to Kufra without being discovered. In August 1941 'R' Patrol relieved 'G' and 'Y' Patrols at Siwa and was joined by 'T' Patrol in October.<ref name=oasis/>

===Eighth Army command===
[[File:LRDG guards 1.jpg|thumb|alt=stationary four wheeled vehicle with only the driver on board|A [[Vickers K machine gun|Vickers K]] armed [[Jeep]] of 'G' Patrol on the way to Barce during Operation Caravan, September 1942.]]
In November 1941 the LRDG, now under command of the newly formed [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]], moved from Kufra to Siwa (central Libya). The patrols were given the task of watching the desert tracks south of [[Jebel Akhdar (Libya)|Jebel Akhdar]] and report any signs of reinforcements and withdrawals. 'R1' Patrol was to pick up Captain [[David Stirling]] and 30 men who had parachuted behind the lines to raid airfields to the west of [[Tobruk]]. Only 21 men arrived at the rendezvous and were returned to the British lines, later becoming the nucleus of the [[Special Air Service]] (SAS). One of the other roles assigned to the LRDG was to transport SAS units behind enemy lines; this continued until the SAS were issued with their own transport in 1942.<ref name=eighth/> In early November 'T2' Patrol took four British officers to the Gebel and was to return and collect them three weeks later. The officers were the advance land party of [[Operation Flipper]], which had planned to kill General Rommel.<ref name=eighth>{{cite web|access-date=18 May 2010|publisher=[[New Zealand Electronic text centre]]|title=In Support of the Eighth Army|url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Epi-c4-WH2-1Epi-e.html}}</ref>

On 24 November, in support of [[Operation Crusader]], the LRDG were ordered to attack Axis rear areas. Already on patrol, 'Y1' and 'Y2' Patrols attacked targets in the [[Mechili]], [[Derna, Libya|Derna]] and [[Gazala]] area. 'Y1' damaged fifteen vehicles in a transport park and 'Y2' captured a small fort and about 20 Italians. 'S2' and 'R2' Patrols attacked targets in the [[Benghazi]], [[Barca (ancient city)|Barce]] and [[Marawa, Libya|Marawa]] area, where they ambushed nine vehicles. 'G1' and 'G2' Patrols were assigned the main road near Agedabia where 'G1' made two attacks on road traffic and shot up a few vehicles. After the Axis forces withdrew from Cyrenaica the LRDG moved to a base at [[Jalo oasis]], about {{convert|140|mi}} to the south-south-east of Ajdabiya.<ref name=eighth/>

The last operations of 1941 were in December, when the LRDG twice ferried the SAS to and from raids on Axis airfields, attacking the airfields at [[Sirte]] (twice), [[El Agheila]], Ajdabiya, [[Nofaliya]] and [[Tamit]], and destroying 151 aircraft and 30 vehicles.<ref name=sho8/> During the second raid at Sirte, the SAS devised a new method of attacking parked aircraft. They drove the LRDG trucks between the rows of aircraft, which were then engaged by machine guns and hand grenades. Prior to this the procedure had been to quietly infiltrate an airfield and place [[Lewes bomb]]s on aircraft and vehicles, leaving before the bombs exploded, but this attack was so successful that it became the preferred method for attacking airfields.<ref name=sho8>Shortt 1981, p.8</ref>

===Road watch===
[[File:R 4.jpg|thumb|left|alt=three trucks overloaded with supplies and six men in the foreground. The trees of the oasis can be seen in the background|Heavily laden Chevrolets of 'R1' Patrol setting out from [[Jalo oasis]] in 1942. The unit insignia of a Māori Hei-Tiki can just be seen on the bonnet of the lead vehicle, which carries its individual number "R4" on a dark square on the right [[Fender (vehicle)|mudguard]].]]
When the LRDG was based at Siwa, they took part in what has since become known as the 'Road Watch' along the [[Via Balbia]] (the [[Tripoli, Libya|Tripoli]] to [[Benghazi]] road).<ref name=kay13/> Three patrols were engaged on road watch duties at any one time, with one watching the road for a week to 10 days, another would be en route to relieve them and the third was returning to Siwa after having been relieved.<ref name=kay14>Kay 2008, p.14</ref> The site of the road watch was about {{convert|5|mi}} from the [[Marble Arch (Libya)|Marble Arch]] monument. The road watch patrol would park about 2 miles away from the road and the trucks would be [[Military camouflage|camouflaged]] using camouflage nets, any local foliage and sand. Before dawn each day two men would move into a well camouflaged position about {{convert|350|yd}} from the road. By day they would record the details of all vehicles and troop movements, and at night they would move to about {{convert|30|yd}} from the road and guess what type of vehicles were passing by their sound and outline. At daylight they were relieved by another pair of men who took over that day's road watch.<ref name=kay13/>

If [[tank]]s or a large number of troops were seen passing, they would radio the LRDG headquarters at [[Siwa Oasis|Siwa]] immediately so that by the time the enemy reached the front line, GHQ at Cairo would know they were coming. Once a patrol was relieved they would transmit details of all they had seen back to Siwa.<ref>Kay 2008, pp.13–14</ref> The LRDG did not lose any men or vehicles when on the road watch, but they did have some close encounters. On 21 March 'R1' Patrol was surrounded by a convoy of 27 vehicles and about 200 men who stopped for the night between the watchers and their vehicles.<ref name="kay14" /> While the road watch was ongoing, other patrols would be attacking targets along other stretches of the Tripoli to Benghazi road, by planting mines or attacking vehicles with machine gun fire.<ref>Kay 2008, p.15</ref> The road was kept under constant observation  from 2 March to 21 July 1942.<ref name="kay13">Kay 2008, p.13</ref>

After the [[Battle of Gazala]] and the fall of [[Tobruk]], the LRDG were forced to withdraw from Siwa on 28 June. 'A' Squadron withdrew to Cairo to resupply and then moved back to Kufra, while 'B' Squadron moved to [[Faiyum]].<ref>Kay 2008, p.16</ref>

===Barce===
[[File:LRDG barce 2.jpg|thumb|alt=truck with an array of machine guns mounted, with a man in the foreground|"Te Anau II" of 'T1' Patrol was the only remaining Chevrolet to survive air attack during the withdrawal from [[Operation Caravan]]. The vehicle is armed with two twin Browning machine guns.]]
With the Eighth Army now holding the [[El Alamein]] line, plans were submitted to attack the Axis supply lines and the ports of Benghazi and Tobruk.<ref name=kay17>Kay 2008, p.17</ref> In September 1942, [[British Commandos]] would attack Tobruk by land and sea ([[Operation Agreement]]). The SAS would attack Benghazi ([[Operation Bigamy]]) and the [[Sudan Defence Force]] would capture Jalo oasis ([[Operation Nicety]]).<ref name=kay17/> The LRDG would be used to guide the attacking forces to their targets and at the same time, a LRDG force would attack [[Barca (ancient city)|Barce]] ([[Operation Caravan]]). The Barce force consisted of 17 vehicles and 47 men of 'G1' and 'T1' Patrols, which had to travel {{convert|1155|mi}} to reach their target. On arrival 'T1' Patrol attacked the airfield and 'G1' the Barce barracks. The attack on the airfield destroyed 35 aircraft according to an Italian [[prisoner of war]].<ref>Kay 2008, pp.19–21</ref> Official Italian figures quote 16 aircraft destroyed and seven damaged.<ref>O'Carroll 2000, p.62</ref>

On 30 September 1942, the LRDG ceased to be under command of the Eighth Army and came under direct command of GHQ Middle East.<ref>Public Record Office 2001, p.157</ref> The final LRDG operation in North Africa was in [[Tunisia]] during the [[Battle of the Mareth Line|Mareth Offensive]] when they guided the 2nd New Zealand Division around the [[Mareth Line]] in March 1943.<ref name=jack111>Jackson 2006, p.111</ref>

===Post 1943 operations===
[[File:Easonsmith 1.jpg|right|thumb|upright|alt=unkempt man in British Army uniform, with hands in pockets|LRDG commanding officer [[Lieutenant Colonel]] [[John Richard Easonsmith]] [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] [[Military Cross|MC]] was killed in action during the [[Battle of Leros]].]]
In May 1943 the LRDG was sent to [[Lebanon]] to retrain in mountain warfare.<ref>Kay 2008, p.37</ref> However, following the [[Armistice between Italy and Allied armed forces|Italian armistice in 1943]], they were sent to [[Leros]], one of the [[Dodecanese islands]], to serve as normal infantry. They later took part in the [[Battle of Leros]], where the commanding officer [[John Richard Easonsmith]] was killed and replaced by [[David Lloyd Owen]].<ref name=owen>{{cite news|access-date=19 May 2010|newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]]|title=Obituary, David LLoyd Owen|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1310650/Major-General-David-Lloyd-Owen.html|location=London|date=7 April 2001}}</ref> After the battle the New Zealanders, consisting of two officers and approximately 46 men, were withdrawn from the LRDG and returned to their division at the request of the New Zealand Government, which was concerned about their deployment to Leros.<ref>{{cite web|access-date=19 May 2010|title=New Zealand Squadron, Long Range Desert Group, in the Dodecanese Operations|publisher=[[New Zealand Electronic text centre]]|url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2Doc-c14.html}}</ref>

In December 1943, the LRDG re-organised into two squadrons of eight patrols. Each patrol contained one officer and 10 other ranks. Major [[Moir Stormonth Darling]] was given command of the British Squadron and Major [[Kenneth Henry Lazarus]] the Rhodesian Squadron. Patrols were then parachuted north of Rome to obtain information about German troop movements, and also carried out raids on the [[Dalmatian Islands]] and [[Corfu]].<ref name=owen/><ref name=darling>{{cite news|access-date=18 May 2010|newspaper=[[Daily Telegraph]]|title=Obituary,Colonel Moir Stormonth Darling |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1394312/Colonel-Moir-Stormonth-Darling.html|location=London|date=16 May 2002}}</ref>

In August 1944, British Squadron patrols were parachuted into [[Yugoslavia]]. One patrol destroyed two {{convert|40|ft}} spans of a large railway bridge, which caused widespread disruption to the movement of German troops and supplies. The commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Owen and a team of 36 men were parachuted into [[Albania]] in September 1944. Their mission was to follow the German retreat and assist [[Albanian Resistance of World War II|Albanian resistance groups]] in attacking them.<ref>Pearson 2006, p.390</ref> In October 1944, two British Squadron patrols were parachuted into the [[Florina]] area of [[Greece]]. Here they mined a road used by the retreating Germans, destroying three vehicles and blocking the road. Firing on the stranded convoy from an adjacent hillside, they directed RAF aircraft in to destroy the rest of the convoy.<ref name=darling/>

After the end of the war in Europe, the leaders of the LRDG made a request to the [[War Office]] for the unit to be transferred to the Far East to conduct operations against the [[Japanese Empire]]. The request was declined and the LRDG was disbanded in August 1945.<ref name="O'Carrollsugg">O'Carroll 2000, pp.185–189</ref><ref>Haskew 2007, p.36</ref>