Natalie is the daughter of Drac Draper and, when she sent us her report of her visit to Libya in 2008,
she described it then as "...a holiday of a lifetime" and promised us that she would provide another report
when she again visited this amazing country that became so familiar to many of us during our service. Natalie has
made her 2nd visit and I'm pleased to present her report to you (photos below):
THE RETURN TO LIBYA
2010
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Between the 7th to the 23rd April 2010, I once again visited the battlefields of North Africa with the Western Desert
Battlefield Tours company. My tour took me from Cairo, all the way to the Tunisian capital, going by way of El Alamein,
Tobruk, Benghazi, Tripoli and Gabes, to name just a few sites. What follows are my experiences of those places which
may have some interest to the Hawks that were stationed in Libya during the fifties and sixties.
Bomba Beach
Last time I went to Libya, I was told that Bomba Beach was inaccessible due to the presence of the Libyan army. However,
on this tour I did manage to get special permission to spend a few minutes there. In order to get to the beach, my tour
guide, our local guide and myself had to pass through a security checkpoint where our passports were logged and our
instructions given: Do not leave the vehicle until you reach the end of the road, do not stop or get out of the car on
route, do not take any photographs of the Libyan base on the right hand side. (What Libyan base?! It was deserted save
for a few Libyans dressed in civvies and although there was an Iraqi tank and rocket launcher on display, the rest of the
site was clearly abandoned.)
There was a wall and fencing running along the left hand side of the road and I had to smile because someone had painted
a spitfire on it.
As we approached the beach, there was an old British army barracks on the left hand side, complete with what looked like
an aircraft hanger and a few barrack buildings. I don’t know if anyone recalls this place? Unfortunately, the road petered
out a few hundred metres from the beach, so I am afraid that my photographs are somewhat long distance.
I asked our local guide why the Libyans were so concerned about a military base that was so evidently lacking in activity
and importance. He replied that the Libyans like to give the impression that they have a lot more military bases than
they actually do and that the Iraqi equipment was there for the benefit of American satellites. I don’t think the yanks
will be fooled some how!
Benghazi
Benghazi has its own distinctive smell and I couldn’t put my finger on it for a long time, but on this tour, the answer
was clear: sulphur. I could have been blindfolded and gagged, but that smell would have given away my location in an
instant!
I managed to get to the military cemetery this time and have included a few photographs of the 14th/20th graves that were
there.
Leptis Magma and Homs
I hit the ancient site of Leptis Magma just as the sun was setting, so the photographs attached to this report are rather
dim (a bit like me on the subject of Wheelus!). I went past the old barracks at Homs, near Leptis Magma, and although
I failed to get a photograph (too dark for my camera) I can tell you that there are still British artillery guns outside
of the main entrance. My local guide informed me that the barracks has now been taken over by the Libyan Army.
Timini and Agedabia
As I was belting along the coastal road, I passed through Timini and Agedabia. When I look at old photographs of these
places I can report that, naturally, they have spread greatly, but I hope that people will remember the old mosques,
pictures of which are attached to this report.
Tripoli
In Tripoli, which like Tobruk, seems to grow a few hundred metres each and every night, I went to the military cemetery
and took a few photographs of the 14th/20th graves that were there. I noticed that the state of the military cemeteries,
both in Tripoli and in Benghazi, were in a good, clean state, but did not seem to be as well cared for as the commonwealth
graves, adjacent to the Military cemetary.
I took in the sites of the Red Fort, Omar Mukhtar Street, the resting place of the mast of the USS Philadelphia, which the
Libyans sank in the 1800s, and, of course the 24th December Square.
The 24th December Square, now called Green Square or Cathedral Square is quite impressive and unchanged from the pre-war
days. It is also the site of the bar scene in Ice Cold in Alex, for those interested in trivia. I think most Hawks will
recall that the 24th December Square was the site for the public hangings, but of course no one went there did they?! The
name was changed to Green Square by Gaddafi. Green is not only the sole colour of the Libyan flag (representing life,
fertility etc) but is also the colour that is symbolic of his revolution against King Idris.
Attached to this report is a picture of the Italian Balbo Palace in Tripoli, which is now a museum of Libyan antiquities.
Believe this or not, but I had to get special permission of a policeman to take a photo - it’s a museum for god’s sake!
Personally, I think that the man was on a power trip. Much good it did him though; he looked like a Tesco’s security
guard.
Wheelus airbase (ex American Airforce base, east of Tripoli)
Now to settle a dispute that I have noticed has plagued the general forum for ages. On my previous tour I was told that
Wheelus had been destroyed by Gaddafi and that nothing remained of the giant aircraft base. Well, I was wrong. Yes, I
know, I should be whipped and flogged and purged. All I have to say in my defence is that this was what I was told my
local Arab guide. Wheelus is still there (I drove right past it). It is now used by a petrol company as a commercial
airport. At least, this is what my local guide told me, I will have to visit Libya again incase he tells me something
else. My apologies to those people who saw the airbase on google.
Other
On my second trip to North Africa I had many opportunities to speak with the locals in all three countries and, surprising
as this may sound, I would take the Libyans home with me, I would flush the Tunisians downs the loo and leave the Egyptians
in the flea pit that is Cairo. Egypt, like Tunisia will do anything for tourists, providing that you pay them. Libyans
will do anything for tourists, but getting them to take a tip is like getting Labour to run England for the benefit of the
English. I know that this may sound preposterous, I would have agreed with you before I went, but its sound fact. (My dad
says he remembers the Libyans selling eggies, gazoozas and cobsas and being a shady lot, maybe they have changed, or maybe
I was just lucky!) If I have anything to say to the detriment of the Libyans its that they behave as though Gaddafi is
all-seeing and all-hearing, all the time (is his security force that good?). Eventually though, after much hassling and
cajoling, I managed to get a local man to confess, in a very quiet voice, that life was somewhat better under King Idris
than under Gaddafi. The stench of fear was rife, poor bloke.
I hope that you enjoy the photos as I enjoyed being in the places that are depicted in them. If there are any questions,
comments or sarcastic opinions concerning this report, then please contact me via the forum - all are welcome!
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Natalie, that is a fantastic report that will be appreciated by all of our readers. Thank you (Bob_H).
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You can read Natalie's first report here: Page 55
PHOTOGRAPHS
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Agedabia Mosque
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Balbo Palace Tripoli
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Benghazi, Morley
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Bomba Bks
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Brit truck on way to Alam Hemza
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Green Sq Tripoli
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Green Sq Tripoli-2
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Hangar at Bks nr Bomba
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Marcus Aurelius Arch in Tripoli
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Shattered mines South Alamein line
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Still there at Alamein
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Timini main street
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Timini Mosque
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Tripoli Military Cemetary
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Tripoli Grave 1 - Corporal PRA Clover
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Tripoli Grave 2 - Trooper T Dickson
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Tripoli Grave 3 - Trooper GG Duckenfield
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