THE FULL ROMMEL by Natalie Draper
In
the
last
week
of
May
2008,
I
went
on
a
bespoke
tour
of
Tobruk
with
the
Western
Desert
Battlefield
Tours
and
found
the
experience
amazing.
This
year,
I
decided
to
go
the
whole
hog
and
do
‘The
Full
Monty’
from
Cairo
to
Tunis.
Since
I
am
not
a
fan
of
Field
Marshall
Montgomery
and
my
interests
lying
firmly
with
Rommel’s
Afrika
Korps,
I
laughingly
changed
the
name
of
the
tour
to
‘The
Full
Rommel’
and
waited
with
baited
breath
for
the
journey
to
commence.
Written
below
are
just
a
few
of
my
experiences
on
this
mammoth
tour,
this
is
not
an
official
report,
but
rather,
my
own
personal
recollections
of
a
brilliant
battlefield expedition. Any spelling mistakes are, of course, totally my fault!
Day One - 7th April
The
most
annoying
and
bitter
experience
of
my
whole
tour
began
and
ended
on
the
first
day.
Our
B.A.
flight
was
delayed
in
taking
off
from
Heathrow
airport!
Did
B.A.
not
understand
that
I
was
chomping
at
the
bit
to
explore
the
battlefields
of
North
Africa?
Did
they
not
take
into
consideration
the
fact
that
nicotine
withdrawal
combined
with
frustration
is
a
dangerous
mix?
After
what
seemed
like
eons,
our
jumbo
jet
was
finally
given
permission
to
heave
its
vast bulk off the runway and allowed to kiss the skies.
It
was
my
first
time
in
a
jumbo
jet,
but
all
my
excitement
was
firmly
channelled
into
what
the
coming
days
would
bring.
Would
my
journey
be
as
amazing
and
insightful
as
the
last
tour
I
took?
Would
I
be
fortunate
enough
to
find
a
piece
of
shrapnel
at
the
holy
sites
of
Bir
Hakim,
Medenine, and El Alamein? Only time would tell.
After
nearly
four
and
a
half
hours,
we
blissfully
touched
down
in
Cairo,
the
adventure
could
now
begin
in
earnest.
Steve
and
I
were
collected
at
the
airport
by
Mohammed,
our
driver
for
the
duration
of
our
stay
in
Egypt,
and
taken
to
our
hotel.
Mercifully,
night
had
fallen
in
Cairo,
which
meant
that
I
could
not
see
the
visions
of
the
traffic
chaos,
only
the
sounds.
We
checked
into
our
hotel
for
one
night,
where
I
managed
a
total
of
about
four
hours
sleep.
This
was
not
because
there
was
anything
wrong
with
the
hotel
or
my
bed,
but
because
I
was
too
excited!
Day Two - 8th April
My
first
scheduled
stop
in
Cairo
was,
of
course,
the
Great
Pyramid
and
the
Sphinx.
I
was
amazed
at
just
how
close
the
main
road
is
to
them
now.
The
mad
sprawl
that
is
the
city
of
Cairo
has
enveloped
the
pyramids
like
crashing
wave
of
concrete.
Having
said
that,
they
are
still
breath-taking
and
I
am
glad
that
I
was
able
to
see
them.
The
stop
at
the
pyramids
was
only
a
brief
one,
just
long
enough
to
take
a
few
photographs
(from
behind
the
fence).
As
much
as
I
felt
the
ancient
history
of
the
site
calling
my
curiosity,
it
was
nothing
compared
with
the
call
of
the
North
African
battlefields.
Steve,
Mohammed
and
I
stopped
for
a
quick
coffee
near
the
pyramids
before
we
started
making
tracks
for
Alexandria.
I
have
never
had
such
good
‘wake
up
coffee’
before.
Arabic
coffee
is
better
than
a
sledgehammer
to
the
tired
brain;
it
takes
the
enamel
off
your
teeth
and
implants
a
turbo
booster
to
your
centre
of
motivation.
In
our
steel
charger
we
began
the
journey
to
Alexandria.
As
we
travelled,
Steve
kindly
threw
pieces
of
interesting
trivia
my
way
such
as:
Montgomery
closing
down
all
the
brothels
in
Cairo
and
there
are
more
people
living
in
Cairo
today,
than
in
the
whole
of
Australia.
I
was
also
told
that
the
whole
of
Alexandria
is
sinking
due
to
it
being
built
on
top
of
countless
previous
civilisations
and
empires.
This
held
my
imagination
for
a
while
as
I
pictured
someone
walking
down
the
main
street,
there
being
a
crack
and
the
poor,
stunned
individual
suddenly
finding
themselves
in
Roman
catacombs.
I
am
afraid
that
my
imagination
does
tend
to run wild, especially when it has been super-charged with Arabic coffee!
Our
first
stop
in
Alexandria
was
the
Hotel
Cecil,
where
Steve
and
I
enjoyed
an
‘Ice
Cold
in
Alex’,
never
has
a
bottle
of
Stella
tasted
so
good!
The
hotel
was
situated
at
the
end
of
a
square,
quite
close
to
the
coast.
Upstairs
in
the
hotel
was
the
site
of
‘Monty’s
Bar’,
a
drinking
place
that
was
enjoyed
by
the
many
allied
soldiers
who
were
stationed
in
Alexandria.
Probably
the
most
enthralling
thing
about
the
square,
for
me,
was
that
it
is
the
same
today
as
it
was
back
during
the
Desert
War,
only
the
names
of
the
shops
have
changed.
After
a
few
photographs
of
the
square,
including
the
large
statue
of
King
Farouk,
Mohammed
drove
us
the
cemeteries
of
Chatby
and
Hadra.
Along
the
way,
I
saw
such
historical
sites
as
the
original
site
of
the
old
Alexandria
lighthouse,
the
new
Alexandria
library
and
the
statue
of
Alexandra the Great upon his horse Bucephulus.
The
cemeteries
at
Chatby
and
Hadra
were
a
sight
to
behold.
Many
of
the
dead
were
from
the
Great
War,
including
those
who
fell
at
Gallipoli.
They
were
peaceful
places,
as
many
cemeteries are, and well-kept.
Steve
proposed
that
we
not
stay
the
night
in
Alexandria,
but
push
on
to
El
Alamein,
in
order
to
give
us
more
time
on
the
battlefield
and
around
the
town
(which
is
actually
more
like
a
small city now). I whole-heartedly agreed, keen as ever for the sites of the war.
That
night,
in
El
Alamein,
I
partook
in
the
pleasurable
art
of
the
hookah
pipe.
I
am
not
sure
which
fruit
was
smouldering
itself
away
under
the
‘tin-hat’,
only
that
it
was
as
sweet
and
as
smooth
as
any
good
tobacco.
It
was
definitely
an
experience
that
I
shall
remember
with
fondness.
Day three - 9th April
The
third
day
began
with
a
drive
to
the
Commonwealth
War
Cemetery.
Along
the
way,
Steve
told
me
the
tale
of
the
‘Sebastiano
Venier’
and
the
‘Scillin’
Italian
ships
that
was
carrying
the
wounded
and
Allied
prisoners
of
war
back
to
Italy
in
1941
and
1942.
The
ships
were
sunk
by
British
submarines
and
some
eight
hundred
lives
were
lost.
This
would
have
been
sad
enough,
if
not
for
the
fact
that
the
British
knew
what
kind
of
human
cargo
it
was
carrying and still decided to sink it anyway.
The
Commonwealth
Cemetery
at
El
Alamein,
like
all
the
rest
of
the
war
cemeteries
was
kept
in
very
good
condition,
but
this
was
not
the
first
thing
that
I
noticed
about
the
cemetery,
rather
it
was
the
sheer
numbers
of
graves.
Seeing
the
size
of
the
cemetery
really
brought
home
to
me
the
scale
of
the
battle
itself
and
of
how
hard
it
was
fought
for.
Steve
kindly
pointed
out
to
me
the
graves
of
VC
winners
and
also
the
grave
of
J.
Brill,
the
famed
artist
from Bardia. I took several photographs of the cemetery before we departed.
Our
first
stop
on
the
El
Alamein
line
was
the
Ruweisat
ridge.
The
road
to
the
ridge
was
as
cracked
as
the
Liberty
Bell
and
the
drive
proved
very
bumpy.
However,
I
didn’t
mind
in
the
slightest,
since
we
were
heading
south
into
the
desert-proper
and
on
both
sides
I
could
picture
our
soldiers
getting
ready
for
the
final
battle
of
El
Alamein.
Again,
I
was
surprised
at
just
how
flat
a
so
called
‘ridge’
was
in
North
Africa.
Living
in
the
Lancashire
hills
as
I
do,
if
a
ridge
or
a
hill
is
not
steep
enough
to
make
your
nose
bleed,
it
is
deemed
flat.
This
is
something
that
many
writers
negate
to
inform
their
readers.
Ruweisat
Ridge
was
only
a
ridge,
if
you
looked
at
the
slight
apex
of
it
on
the
horizon.
This
took
nothing
away
from
the
site
itself.
All
the
stories
about
the
fights
for
this
ridge
came
flooding
through
my
mind,
aided
and
corrected
by
Steve’s
vast
knowledge.
We
saw
several
gun
positions
left
over
from
the
war
and
were
lucky
enough
to
locate
small
pieces
of
shrapnel
and
a
few
spent
bullets.
Now
the
war
became
very
real
and
present.
I
remembered
the
graves
at
El
Alamein
and
wondered how many of those dead had lost their lives right where I stood.
We
continued
to
drive
south
towards
the
Bab
el
Qattara,
the
‘Gateway
to
the
Depression’.
This
place
is
easily
recognisable
by
the
two
steep
ridges,
which
face
each
other
either
side
of
the road. Just a little further more to the south lay the impassable Qattara Depression.
Steve
took
me
on
a
short
walk
to
look
at
a
few
Allied
trenches/bunkers
that
were
relatively
close
to
the
Bab
el
Qattara.
As
I
walked,
I
took
notice
of
the
very
hard,
rocky
ground
and
imagined
what
it
must
have
been
like
to
dig
defences
with
just
a
small
shovel.
The
southern
defences
were
in
glorious
condition.
There
were
remnants
of
the
original
sandbags
still
lying
on
top
of
the
trench/bunkers
and
the
defences
themselves
were
still
deep.
Steve
and
I
explored
them
for
a
good
half
an
hour
or
so.
There
was
a
collection
of
exploded
and/or
defused
mines,
both
British
and
German,
so
I
just
had
to
take
half
of
a
teller
mine
home
with
me.
I
walked
in,
through
and
around
the
trench/bunkers,
feeling
the
heat
on
my
back
and
the
excitement
in
my
heart.
It
was
sad
to
leave
the
place,
but
we
had
to
push
on
as
there
were
still so many sites to see that day.
Mohammed
took
our
steel
charger
down
the
Abd
Dweiss
(the
White
Road
in
Arabic)
towards
the
Miteiriya
Ridge,
or
‘Ruin
Ridge’.
Unfortunately,
the
ridge
has
been
plundered
by
the
creation
of
a
new
water
canal.
However,
it
still
took
nothing
away
from
my
enjoyment
of
the
place.
What
made
my
experience
even
better
was
that
Steve
was
able
to
give
me
a
blow
by
blow
account
of
just
why
the
ridge
is
known
as
‘Ruin
Ridge’
to
the
Australian
soldiers.
It
was
very
easy
to
picture
each
part
of
the
story
and
I
almost
saw
the
Afrika
Korps
pushing
back the 50th R.T.R and 2/28th Bn into the Allied minefields.
Soon
it
was
back
in
the
vehicle
for
a
drive
up
the
Rahman
track.
We
stopped
by
the
Marseilles
pyramid,
a
monument
to
‘The
Star
of
Africa’.
Steve
corrected
my
knowledge
of
the
famed
pilot
and
gave
me
further
details
about
the
famed
pilot’s
life
and
bravery.
My
father
had
asked
me
for
a
photograph
of
me
beside
the
pyramids,
this
pyramid,
I
think,
leaves
the others standing, if only for its sentiment.
We
stopped
for
a
coffee
in
the
town
of
Sidi
Abd
el
Rahman,
which
was,
for
the
Germans,
what
El
Alamein
was
for
the
British
-
the
main
forward
base.
I
got
a
picture
of
the
old
mosque
and
when
I
returned
home
I
looked
at
a
war-time
photograph
of
the
same
site.
The
minaret of the mosque looks identical.
After
our
coffee,
we
made
our
way
to
Tel
el
Eisa,
a
site
that
has
always
grabbed
my
curiosity
and
imagination,
having
read
the
story
of
the
capture
of
Rommel’s
Wireless
Intercept
Unit
and
of
Alfred
Seebohm.
Steve
and
I
explored
the
railway
station,
the
tracks
and
the
fighting
ground
just
to
the
north.
Steve
told
me
where
Seebohm
was
stationed;
but
unfortunately,
the
site
has
been
quarried
out
by
the
Egyptians.
Still,
it
was
enough
to
know
that
I
was
in
the
area.
Modern
day
change
cannot
be
stopped,
despite
my
grumblings!
It
was
impressive
to
think that the surviving Australian infantry had walked all the way here from ‘Ruin Ridge’.
Steve
took
me
into
both
the
Italian
and
the
German
memorial
cemeteries,
which
are
not
far
from
Tel
El
Eisa.
They
are,
naturally,
very
different
to
the
Commonwealth
cemeteries,
but
my level of deep respect for the fallen remained the same.
Before
we
went
back
to
the
hotel
that
night,
we
drove
around
the
town
of
El
Alamein
(on
the
side
of
the
railway
station),
keeping
our
eyes
peeled
for
anything
of
interest.
We
soon
came
across
an
enclosure
that
warned
us
not
to
take
pictures
of
the
explosives
contained
within.
I
have
never
jumped
out
of
a
vehicle
so
fast
in
a
long
time.
Peering
through
the
narrow
bars,
Steve
and
I
saw
a
multitude
of
aircraft
bombs,
mines
and
artillery
shells,
all
live
and
all
just
sat
there,
resting
in
the
warm
evening
sun.
I
had
ever
seen
such
a
fantastic
collection
before.
My
heart
pounded
as
I
spied
shells
from
the
famed
88mm
anti-aircraft
gun;
my
favourite
piece
of
military
hardware.
We
were
soon
ambushed
by
a
group
of
Egyptian
soldiers,
warning
us
not
to
take
pictures.
They
appeared
out
of
nowhere
and
in
a
hurry,
but
their
attitude
was
calm
and
their
motivations
merely
born
out
of
curiosity.
With
reluctance
we
returned
to
our
vehicle,
wondering
exactly
where
they
had
found
these
marvellous
pieces
of
military metal.
On
our
drive
back
to
the
hotel,
Steve
pointed
out
the
memorial
upon
the
‘Springbok
road’
dedicated
to
the
South
African
troops
that
held
it.
I
tried
to
take
a
photograph,
but
by
this
time, the sun had set too low and my little camera couldn’t cope with the poor light.
Day four - 10th April
Day
four
started
with
a
return
trip
to
the
commonwealth
war
cemetery
at
El
Alamein.
As
the
light
had
begun
to
fail
when
I
visited
it
last
time,
the
return
trip
was
so
that
I
could
take
some
photographs
of
the
monuments
to
the
Australian
and
the
South
African
soldiers
engaged
in
the
fighting.
I
also
succeeded
in
signing
the
cemetery
book
as
it
was
locked
up
on
the
first
visit.
Steve
then
took
me
to
the
military
museum
at
El
Alamein.
I
could
write
at
least
five
pages
alone
on
what
I
saw
both
in
and
outside
the
museum,
but
to
keep
things
brief
I
shall
just
say
the
following:
The
tanks
and
artillery
pieces
outside
the
museum
were
exceptional
(especially
the
88mm
anti-aircraft
gun!).
Inside,
it
was
a
case
of
spot
the
mistake.
As
we
perused
the
displays,
Steve
illuminated
the
mistakes
made
with
the
uniforms,
guns
and
equipment. It pays to have a knowledgeable guide!
After
a
quick
coffee,
Mohammed
drove
us
and
our
steel
charger
to
Fuka.
The
old
Fuka
airfield
is
very
close
to
the
road,
but
the
landing
strip
can
still
clearly
be
seen.
After
a
few
photographs
and
Steve’s
tales
about
the
famed
S.A.S.
raid
in
1942,
we
returned
to
our
vehicle
to make our way to Mersa Matruh.
In
Mersa
Matruh
Steve
and
I
went
inside
the
Rommel
Cave
Museum,
where
he
had
set
up
his
headquarters
for
a
brief
time.
Although
the
exhibitions
in
the
cave
were
sparse
to
say
the
least,
it
did
have
two
very
good
items
which
are
definitely
worth
seeing.
The
first
was
an
original
Nazi
flag
from
the
war
and
the
second,
and
definitely
better,
was
Rommel’s
leather
coat, which had been donated by Manfred Rommel. I did not want to leave!
In
the
town
of
Mersa
Matruh,
Steve
and
Mohammed
both
went
for
a
shave
and
a
haircut,
which
was
an
experience
to
watch,
since
they
removed
stray
hairs
from
the
face
using
strings.
I was told that this procedure hurt a lot. It looked it.
Before
retiring
for
the
night,
the
three
of
us
went
shopping
in
Mersa
Matruh
and
stopped
for
a
few
beers.
A
few
days
ago
I
had
had
an
Ice
Cold
in
Alex,
now
I
was
having
a
luke
warm
in
Mersa Matruh. I also had chance to have another go on the old Hookah pipe - very satisfying.
Day five - 11th April
Today
was
the
day
that
we
were
to
be
leaving
Egypt
for
Libya;
however,
there
was
still
plenty
to
see
along
the
way.
We
drove
through
Charing
Cross,
Sidi
Barrani,
Buq
Buq,
Sollum
and
the
famed
Halfaya
Pass
(Hellfire
Pass).
I
was
able
to
get
photographs
of
all
these
places.
Unfortunately,
it
was
not
possible
to
go
up
the
Halfaya
Pass,
but
actually
seeing
it
did
go
some
way
to
satisfying
my
curiosity.
As
we
drove,
a
small
Ghibli
began
to
blow.
Before
I
had
left
England
I
had
wished
to
experience
a
sandstorm
and
I
think
that
it
was
very
nice
for
Steve
to
arrange
one
for
me.
In
fact,
the
weather
that
I
encountered
on
my
tour
was
part
of
the
charm
(or
maybe
that’s
just
because
I
am
British
and
am
consequently
obsessed
by
weather!)
Mohammed
dropped
Steve
and
me
off
at
the
first
Egyptian
gate
on
the
border.
We
had
to
walk
to
the
first
gate
of
the
Libyan
side
of
the
border.
When
we
saw
Talal,
Steve’s
partner,
and our Libyan driver, I could have kissed the road in gratitude!
Our
first
stop
in
Libya
was
Sidi
Azeiz
and
we
travelled
through
a
stronger
ghibli
to
get
there.
There
were
rumours
that
there
was
a
minefield
around
Sidi
Azeiz,
However,
we
saw
no
evidence
of
any
mines.
I
am
proud
to
say
that
I
saw
Sidi
Azeiz
in
a
sandstorm,
talk
about
making
it
real!
After
Sidi
Azeiz,
we
visited
Bir
el
Nukhtar,
King’s
Cross,
Fort
Pilastrino,
Fortress
HQ, Red Eagle Corner, Ras el Madauuer and the ‘Pimple’ - all sites in and around Tobruk.
It
had
been
a
long,
but
very
enjoyable
day.
My
camera
was
loaded
with
seventy
more
photographs and my pockets were bulging with shrapnel!
Day six - 12th April
It
was
superb
being
back
in
Tobruk.
It
has
to
be
my
base
from
which
to
operate
in
the
whole
of
North
Africa.
As
a
result
of
my
high
excitement,
my
sleep
was
suffering
heartily,
for
I
was too eager to be on the road again.
On
this
day
we
visited
Ed
Duda,
Sidi
Rezegh
(which
I
have
finally
mastered
how
to
pronounce
properly!),
Point
175,
and
El
Adem.
You
will
have
to
forgive
me
if
I
have
the
order muddled up.
Then
came
the
chance
to
bring
a
wishful
fulfilment
into
reality.
Since
my
last
visit
to
Tobruk,
I
had
always
wanted
to
ride
in
the
back
of
our
desert
pick-up
to
Bir
Hakim
and
back,
now
it
is
a
firm
memory.
With
the
sun
blazing
down
upon
me
and
the
wind
whistling
in
my
ears,
we
drove
down
to
what
has
to
be,
to
me
personally,
the
best
battlefield
in
the
area
-
Bir
Hakim.
Although
there
were
less
mines
on
show
than
there
had
been
on
my
last
visit,
my
higher
elevation
meant
that
I
could
look
inside
the
gun
positions
that
I
had
not
seen
when
I
was inside the truck. It was fantastic!
When
we
reached
Bir
Hakim,
there
were
at
least
five
dust
devils
blowing
in
the
south.
While
our
most
excellent
driver
made
his
famous
BBQ
inside
the
blockhouse,
I
explored
the
ruins
on
my
own.
I
could
have
spent
five
days
there
and
not
discovered
boredom
for
a
single
second.
When
it
was
time
to
go,
I
climbed
back
into
the
back
of
the
pick-up
and
we
headed
for
the
Aslagh
Ridge
and
Sidi
Muftah.
It
is
amazing
really
just
how
many
places
can
be
reached
using the Trigh Capuzzo - what a road!
After
Sidi
Muftah,
we
decided
to
go
to
Alam
Hemza.
There
were
warnings
issued
about
un-
diffused
and
unmarked
mines,
so
the
going
was
slow.
I
have
to
give
it
to
Steve,
there
was
no
way
that
he
was
prepared
to
call
it
a
day
and
go
back.
For
this
I
was
exceptionally
grateful!
Our
driver
drove
us
through
the
positions
from
the
First
Battle
of
Gazala;
there
were
jerry
cans,
ammo
boxes
and
pieces
of
shells
and
mortars
everywhere.
It
was
amazing.
Unfortunately,
we
were,
again,
racing
the
sun.
It
was
important
that
we
get
back
to
the
main
road
before
the
sun
kissed
the
horizon,
or
the
going
would
be
dangerous.
We
got
within
just
eight
kilometres
of
Alam
Hemza,
before
we
had
to
turn
back.
Everyone
was
gutted,
but
there’s
no
arguing
with
the
sun.
We
came
out
on
the
coastal
road/Derna
Road
through
the
Gazala escarpment, which was great to see.
Day seven - 13th April
On
this
day
we
explored
the
bunkers
near
Wadi
Magrun.
We
saw
Cocoa
1,
2,
and
3
in
the
distance
and
spent
many
a
joyful
minute
exploring
the
concrete
bunkers
that
faced
out
across
the
deep,
vast
wadi.
Steve,
Talal,
our
driver
and
I
took
a
walk
through
one
of
the
bunkers,
using
our
lights
from
our
mobiles
and
my
trusty
torch.
The
bunker
was
still
in
excellent
condition.
We
found
various
graffiti
inside
the
bunker
and
even
where
the
old
toilets
would
have
probably
been.
We
came
out
a
few
metres
further
inland
and
were
able
to
appreciate
the
self-contained
nature
of
the
defensive
positions.
We
also
explored
the
outlooks,
which
had
been
chiselled
into
the
rocks
on
the
wadi
face
and
there
were
saw
graffiti
from
a
Private
Knightly
from
Australia.
It
might
have
been
carved
while
this
soldier
was
on
sentry
duty,
to
him a way to pass the time, to us a window through time.
We
stayed
on
the
side
of
the
coast
near
Tobruk
and
drove
to
Wadi
Auda,
where
the
Allied
Beach Hospital ruins still stand.
After
a
coffee
very
near
the
site
where
the
9th
Company
(anti-tank)
of
the
104th
Panzer
Grenadiers
met
with
Rommel
after
they
had
taken
Tobruk,
we
drove
to
the
eastern
side
of
Tobruk,
to
explore
the
Z
bunkers
there.
Along
the
way
we
passed
the
site
where
General
Balbo’s airplane was shot down by the naval guns of an Italian vessel. Friendly fire indeed.
The
Z
bunkers
on
the
blue
line
and
now
in
danger
of
being
consumed
by
the
workings
of
a
stone-cutting
company
and
unfortunately,
we
saw
evidence
of
where
they
had
been
dug
up
and
cast
aside.
However,
on
the
wadi
cliff
edges
that
face
the
sea,
we
were
still
able
to
locate
a
good
sample.
These
too
had
look-out
posts
(pill
boxes)
carved
into
the
rock,
Machine
gun
positions and sangars for the guns.
It was an excellent day, the exploration and investigations were most enthralling!
We
drove
to
Fort
Cheteita
as
the
sun
began
to
descend
and
explored
the
remaining
ruins
and
the
sites
of
the
medium
and
heavy
guns.
Unfortunately,
once
again,
the
sun
was
ready
for
bed before we were and we had to make tracks back to our hotel.
Day eight -14th April
This
was
our
last
day
in
and
around
Tobruk
and
it
was
sad
to
think
that
we
were
to
be
leaving
it.
Before
we
left,
Steve
took
me
to
the
last
resting
place
of
the
Liberator,
the
Lady
Be
Good,
which was situated near the old Italian HQ of Tobruk.
After
a
brief,
but
longing,
look
at
the
Acroma
(Knightsbridge)
cemetery
and
the
famed
Weiss
Haus,
we
said
goodbye
to
our
driver
and
began
our
journey
to
Benghazi.
Along
the
way,
Steve
and
Talal
kindly
allowed
me
to
take
a
few
photographs
of
Bomba
Beach,
which
is
significant
to
my
father’s
regiment
the
14th
/20th
Kings
Hussars.
We
passed
beside
Derna
and into Al Bayda (Beda Littoria).
On
my
last
visit
Steve,
Talal
and
I
had
discovered
the
landing
area
where
Keyes
and
the
other
commandoes
landed
in
order
to
commence
their
respective
raids.
This
time
we
were
to
explore
the
area
further,
hoping
to
locate
the
actual
caves
that
the
commando’s
shored
up
in.
We
found
a
potential
site
of
the
’commando
caves’,
which
was
on
the
property
of
a
local.
With
his
kind
permission
we
were
able
to
assess
the
cave
and
deduce
that
although
it
was
large
enough
to
hold
twenty
or
so
commandos
plus
their
equipment,
it
looked
different
from
Steve’s
original
photographs.
The
local
man,
by
the
name
of
Abd
Alkakarm
Alghassi,
informed
us
that
his
family
lived
inside
the
cave
when
he
was
a
small
child.
He
recounted
to
us
the
tale
that
soldiers
had
come
to
investigate
the
cave,
but
left
when
they
saw
that
it
was
inhabited.
Alkakarem
Algahssi
also
told
us,
to
our
delight,
that
there
was
an
old
man
in
the
neighbourhood
who
remembered
the
night
of
the
landings
and
kindly
said
that
he
would
set
up an appointment for us to meet him the following day.
On
our
way
back
to
Al
Bayda
we
managed
to
gain
entry
to
Rommel’s
old
QMHQ
building,
known
as
the
Rommel
House,
near
Sidi
Rafa.
This
was
an
exceptional
treat
as
usually
entry
to
the
house
is
forbidden.
It
is
only
through
Steve
and
his
contacts
that
one
can
actually
get
past
the
large,
locked
gates.
I
felt
honoured
indeed.
We
took
plenty
of
photographs
both
outside
the
house
and
inside
it,
while
Steve
told
the
tale
of
the
Keyes’s
raid
to
the
police
guards. To say that they were enthralled would be an understatement!
Day nine - 15th April
Today
we
went
to
our
appointment
with
the
old
man
at
the
dog’s
nose.
Abd
Alkakarem
Alghassi
joined
us
in
our
meeting
and
on
our
subsequent
explorations.
Through
Talal’s
interpretations,
Steve
told
our
new
friends
about
the
tale
of
Keyes,
which
helped
them
to
understand
what
they
had
heard
about
that
fatal
night
back
in
November
1941.
The
old
man,
who
was
as
nimble
as
a
young
gazelle,
took
us
to
the
top
of
a
ridge,
just
behind
the
town,
where
there
were
two
graves,
which
hold
the
bodies
of
two
Italian
soldiers
that
were
killed
by
the
commando’s.
We
then
headed
for
the
large
wadi,
through
which
the
fully-ladened
commando’s
travelled
to
reach
Sidi
Rafa.
As
we
explored
the
potential
sites
of
the
‘commando
caves’,
there
was
an
exchange
of
valuable
information.
Steve
was
able
to
compound
his
vast
knowledge
about
the
story,
learning
the
names
of
the
two
Arab
guides
who
had
abandoned
the
commandoes,
their
fate
and
the
activities
of
the
commando’s
and
the
Italian
patrol.
With
the
help
of
our
new
friends
and
Steve’s
prior
knowledge,
it
is
very
likely
that
one
of
the
caves
we
discovered
was
the
actual
commando
cave.
Steve
told
us
that
it
was
tactically
in
the
right
location
and
that
it
even
resembled
the
photographs
he
had
of
it
at
home.
It
had
been
a
great
Alan
Quartermain-like
adventure
and
I
was
very
happy
to
have
been part of the discovery.
From
the
dog’s
nose,
we
drove
to
the
Omar
Mukhtar
Village,
situated
some
10
-
15
kilometres
from
the
Wadi
Kuf
and
the
old
Byzantine
fort,
which
is
now
the
Libyan
Palace,
near La Laigma (spelt phonetically).
We
reached
Benghazi
just
as
the
sun
was
beginning
to
set
so
had
to
make
the
commonwealth
war
cemetery
our
first
stop.
I
am
grateful
to
say
that
a
special
effort
was
made
to
gain
access
to the Benghazi military cemetery too, as this was another of my special requests.
Day ten - 16th April
Today
we
began
our
very
long
drive
to
Tripoli,
some
1050
kilometres.
Again,
for
me
the
weather
was
spectacular
as
we
drove
through
a
sandstorm,
which
became
quiet
heavy
at
times.
The
first
stop
on
our
way
was
Beda
Fomm
and
the
nearby
‘pimple’.
As
time
was
of
the
essence
for
this
mammoth
journey
we
could
not
afford
to
do
a
proper
reconnaissance
of
the
area,
but
I
am
very
grateful
to
have
been
afforded
to
time
for
as
many
photographs
as
I
wanted.
After
a
similarly
brief
stop
at
Agedabia,
we
headed
for
Mersa
el
Brega
and
the
famed
fort
at
El
Agheila.
Here
we
stopped
for
about
half
an
hour
and
I
was
able
to
explore
the
fort’s
ruins
at some length.
On
this
day
we
also
stopped
at
the
ruins
of
the
Arco
de
Fellini,
also
known
as
the
Marble
Arch.
Unfortunately
the
arch
had
been
blown
up
some
years
previous,
but
we
found
where
the
Libyans
had
kept
a
few
of
the
remains
and
I
was
able
to
cross
off
another
hopeful
off
my
list.
After
driving
past
the
Sirte,
Waddon,
Buerat
triangle
we
approached
the
ruins
of
Leptis
Magma
just
as
the
sun
was
setting.
It
had
been
a
long
day
indeed
and
Talal
did
an
excellent
job
fighting
against
the
sand
storm.
The
ruins
were
closing
as
we
arrived,
but
again
thanks
to
Talal
we
had
special
permission
to
quickly
look
at
the
amphitheatre
and
the
old
main
gate.
Due
to
the
encroaching
night,
my
photographs
came
out
dark,
but
I
take
this
as
an
excuse
to
return some day!
We
reached
our
grand
hotel
in
Tripoli
after
driving
through
Homs,
a
place
which
is
famous
to
my dad’s old regiment.
Day eleven - 17th April
After
a
very
restful
sleep
in
the
best
hotel
I
have
ever
stayed
in
(the
site
of
the
old
Ottoman
caravan
meeting
place)
we
took
a
tour
around
some
of
the
sites
in
Tripoli,
these
included:
Omar
Mukhtar
Street,
the
Red
Fort,
the
mast
of
the
American
ship,
the
USS
Philadelphia,
and
some
of
the
market
stalls
in
the
city.
We
also
visited
the
old
Italian
civilian
cemetery,
where
Balbo
used
to
be
buried
(his
body
is
now
back
in
Italy)
and
the
commonwealth
and
military
cemeteries.
We
also
visited
Cathedral
Square,
which
used
to
be
called
24th
December
Square
and
was
the
site
used
for
the
ending
scene
in
the
film
‘Ice
Cold
in
Alex’.
We
visited
the
site
of
the
bar
in
which John Mills and co enjoyed their long awaited beer.
The
Hotel
Waddon,
where
Rommel
spent
much
of
his
time
in
Tripoli,
was
still
there
and
I
got
a
few
great
photographs
of
the
place.
On
the
route
out
of
Tripoli
we
visited
Sabratha
and
continued to the Tunisian border.
Reading
about
the
distances
in
North
Africa
is
one
thing,
but
having,
so
far,
driven
from
Cairo
to
Tripoli
it
becomes
clear
that
reading
it
and
doing
it
are
two
totally
different
things.
No wonder a large percentage of Rommel’s fuel was spent transporting it to the front lines!
Day twelve - 18th April
After
passing
through
the
security
at
the
Tunisian
border,
our
first
stop
was
the
town
of
Ben
Gardane,
the
last
place
taken
by
the
8th
Army
without
a
fight.
From
there
we
headed
to
the
battleground
of
Medenine,
or
actually,
Metamour.
Again,
we
were
able
to
see
the
battlefield
from
the
road
and
while
it
was
still
possible
to
see
a
few
gun
positions
and
of
course
the
famed ‘saddle’, much of the evidence from the war (shrapnel, etc) was gone.
Steve
and
Talal
then
took
me
near
the
Wadi
Zeuss
to
see
the
‘Horseshoe’,
which
was
captured
by
the
201st
Guards
Brigade
in
March
1943
and
the
military
museum
at
Mareth.
I
enjoyed
the
museum
very
much
as
they
had
a
few
of
the
original
French
bunkers
and
a
couple
of
pieces
of
British
and
Italian
artillery.
Inside
the
museum
a
group
of
local
school
children
were
being
given
a
tour
and
Steve
was
asked
if
he
would
like
to
give
a
talk
about
his
Grandfather. This he did to the interest of the children.
We
continued
on
our
way
to
the
Wadi
Zigzaou
further
along
the
Mareth
Line
where
Steve
told
me
fascinating
stories
about
his
Grandfather’s
regiment’s
experience
in
March
‘43.
We
spent
a
long
time
walking
through
the
trenches
and
gun
positions
on
the
line
and
for
me
this
was the most enjoyable part of my Tunisian experience.
Day thirteen - 19th April
Thirteen
is
‘unlucky
for
some’,
but
for
me
it
was
another
excellent
day.
We
travelled
to
the
Wadi
Akarit,
made
famous
by
Operation
Scipio.
Steve
told
me
a
plethora
of
facts
and
stories
about
the
Wadi
Akarit
and
I
am
grateful
to
him
for
correcting
my
knowledge,
cutting
the
truth from the fiction as it were.
After
Akarit,
we
went
towards
the
hills
of
Faknassa,
El
Beedy
and
the
hills
at
Roumana.
Steve
and
I
climbed
to
the
top
of
the
smallest
hill
at
Roumana
and
found
a
lot
of
small
pieces
of
shrapnel.
The
hill
afforded
us
excellent
views
of
the
surrounding
terrain
and
it
was
easy
to
imagine
the
approach
of
the
allied
Valentines.
We
were
spotted
by
two
locals,
who
climbed
up
to
us
out
of
curiosity.
Unfortunately
neither
Steve
nor
I
could
speak
either
Arabic
or
French
so
our
conversation
was
somewhat
muted.
However,
Steve
was
able
to
tell
him
that
we
were
at
Roumana
because
of
the
war
and
the
Arabic
nodded,
obviously
recalling
what
went
on.
He
said
“Merde”
(French
for
sh*t),
which
we
took
as
a
reference
to
the
heaviness
of
the fighting that took place below our feet.
Having
descended
from
Roumana
we
drove
to
the
bottom
of
Fatnassa,
to
look
at
the
French
memorial to the Indian troops who fought there and then on to the Wadi Chaffar.
The
Wadi
Chaffar
is
a
significant
place
for
Steve
as
it
was
here
that
his
Grandfather’s
valentine
was
knocked
out
by
a
line
of
anti-tank
guns.
We
explored
the
‘German’
side
of
the
wadi,
which
was
just
on
the
outskirts
of
a
local’s
olive
farm.
With
Talal’s
kind
help,
Steve
got
permission
to
walk
a-ways
around
the
olive
trees
and
the
owner
was
nice
enough
to
spare
time
to
talk
to
us.
Steve,
through
Talal
told
the
story
of
his
Grandfather
and
the
events
at
Wadi
Chaffar.
The
local
could
recall
the
story
and
between
them
they
were
able
to
both
increase their knowledge of that fateful day.
After
saying
our
thanks
and
farewells
to
the
local
man
we
went
to
the
Commonwealth
war
cemetery
at
Sfax,
where
Steve’s
Grandfather
is
buried.
We
also
visited
an
old
Italian
cemetery that is located behind the commonwealth one.
That
night,
back
at
the
hotel,
we
met
Talal’s
good
friend
Haadi
and
went
out
for
dinner.
Now
here
is
a
word
of
warning
-
if
you
do
not
care
for
hot
food
it
is
no
good
telling
this
to
the
waiter.
What
is
hot
for
us
English
is
like
ketchup
for
them.
Steve
and
I
had
what
could
only
have been napalm on our burgers! In future I shall employ a taster!
Day fourteen - 20th April
On
the
way
to
Sousse,
we
stopped
at
El
Djem
for
a
coffee
and
a
look
at
the
shops
(sometimes
you
can
find
antiques
from
the
war).
Over
coffee,
Steve
told
me
about
the
Germans
holding
El
Jem
for
a
considerable
time
and
deploying
anti-aircraft
guns
on
the
roofs
of
the
shops
and
houses. It is information like this that makes the coffee all the sweeter.
In
one
of
the
shops
Steve
and
I
found
what
looked
like
an
88mm
shell.
It
was
so
hard
to
pretend
like
I
wasn’t
interested
as
Steve
haggled
for
it.
Eventually
he
brought
them
down
to
a
price
that
I
was
happy
to
pay
and
the
shell
was
mine!
I
could
have
whooped
through
the
streets
like
a
banshee!
(However,
on
my
return
home
I
discovered
that
the
shell
was
not
an
88mm,
but
a
British
3.7”
anti-aircraft
shell.
My
holy
relic
has
become
a
useless
bit
of
British
junk!
-
only
joking!)
So,
now
we
went
to
the
Commonwealth
cemetery
and
the
French
Foreign
Legion
cemeteries
at
Enfidaville,
then
on
to
Takouna
and
the
Garci
Hills.
I
greatly
enjoyed
visiting
Takourna,
it
is
an
awe-inspiring
spot,
especially
when
Steve
tells
you
the
tale
of
the
Maoris!
We
also
visited
the
memorial
to
the
Commonwealth
and
Italian
Folgore
troops
who
fought
there.
Unfortunately,
the
sun
was
yet
again
quitting
before
I
was
ready
and
we
had to return to the hotel as we had lost the light.
Day fifteen - 21st April
Today
we
visited
the
enormous
Longstop
Hill,
Medjez
el
Bab,
Madjerda
valley
and
the
area
of
Massicault
and
Tebourba.
As
we
drove
up
Longstop
Hill
I
was
reminded
very
much
of
home,
a
stretch
of
old
England
in
the
middle
of
Tunisia,
who
would
have
thought
it?
Again
Steve
filled
in
the
vast
holes
in
my
knowledge
about
the
Tunisian
campaign
and
really
brought history to life.
On
this
day
I
visited
what
was,
without
a
doubt,
the
most
naturally
beautiful
Commonwealth
cemetery
in
the
whole
of
North
Africa,
the
Oued
Zarga
cemetery.
Set
among
rolling
fields
of
yellow
flower
and
poppies,
this
cemetery
lies
near
to
the
man-made
reservoir
and
is
a
totem
for peace and tranquillity.
Steve
and
Talal
also
took
me
to
the
Commonwealth
Cemetery
at
Medjez
el
Bab,
which
lists
those units who were seconded from other regiments during the Desert campaign.
As
we
headed
back
to
our
hotel
in
Tunis,
we
stopped
off
at
the
German
cemetery
at
Bordj
Cedria.
Unlike
the
other
two
monuments
to
the
German
war
dead
(Tobruk
and
El
Alamein)
this
was
not
a
Teutonic
castle
fortification.
The
site
looked,
for
all
sense
and
purposes,
like
it
had
been
erected
in
three
hours.
It
resembles
a
concrete
graveyard
and
was
most
disappointing
to
see
how
the
German
government
had
chosen
to
honour
their
dead.
It
was
all
the
more
sad
because
this
was
the
site
where
the
famed
15th
Panzer
Division
had
finally
surrendered. However, I once again returned to the hotel, tired, but happy.
Day sixteen - 22nd April
Today
was
our
day
off.
Talal
had
probably
looked
forward
to
this
day
for
the
past
week
as
he
had
done
so
much
driving.
However,
a
baby
in
his
neighbouring
room
served
to
wake
him
up early. The poor man had to kiss his lie in goodbye!
I
spent
the
day
playing
around
on
the
beach
and
going
over
my
notes.
One
thing
that
has
been
consistent
with
my
tours
with
Steve
is
that
I
find
out
more
truths
about
the
Desert
Campaign than I could ever read in any books.
This
was
not
a
totally
obsolete
day,
however,
as
we
made
a
special
visit
to
the
American
war
cemetery
at
Carthage.
I
had
never
been
to
an
American
cemetery
before
and
the
place
served
to
be
exactly
as
I
expected
it.
Meaning
no
disrespect,
but
I
left
the
cemetery
with
the
propaganda
that
America
had
lost
more
men
than
any
other
commonwealth
country
and
that
if
it
had
not
been
for
their
presence
in
Tunisia,
Britain
would
have
lost
the
whole
war,
not
just
the Desert Campaign!
To conclude:
Once
again
I
had
a
thoroughly
enjoyable
time
with
Western
Desert
Battlefield
Tours
and
loved
every
minute
I
was
there.
Libya
is
definitely
my
favourite
North
African
country
and
I
came
away
knowing
that
I
had
seen
only
a
tiny
bit
of
what
is
actually
out
there
(I
am
currently
saving
for
my
next
trip!).
In-between
Steve’s
knowledge
and
his
stories
of
the
soldier’s
experiences,
my
thirst
for
knowledge
about
the
Desert
Campaign
has
only
been
heightened.
Talal
was
a
total
superstar,
enduring
the
‘punishment’
of
the
long
drive
with
his
always-present good humour and laid-back style.
While
I
was
in
North
Africa,
the
Icelandic
volcano
blew
and
to
get
my
experience
in
perspective,
I’ll
say
that
I
was
most
disappointed
about
two
things:
Firstly,
that
they
started
to
allow
flights
back
into
the
UK
and
I
couldn’t
have
an
excuse
to
stay
longer,
and
secondly,
that I had to be back in England due to other commitments.
I would highly recommend Steve as a guide in North Africa, for me, there is NOBODY better!
