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The photograph was taken at Hon oasis in February 1943 and is of members of Y Patrol.Back row left to right are Trooper Hews, Trooper 'Bomski' Cashin (Cheshire Yeomanry), Trooper Bailey (in the background), Trooper F. Gordon 'Harry' Harrison (Yorks Hussars), Sergeant Derek 'Hutch' Hutchins (Somerset Yeomanry), Trooper Withers.Front row left to right are Pte 'Darkie' Devine, Trooper 'Jesus' Armstrong, Trooper Daniel 'Bob' Davies (Somerset Yeomanry - my father), Trooper Wheeldon.


The quality isn't great as the originals are small and camera must have been pretty basic.Both pictures are taken  just after the desert campaign and are of the LRDG undergoing mountain warfare training at The Middle East Ski School, at The Cedars in the mountains of Lebanon during the spring and summer of 1943. The ski picture L to R. Troopers Tinckler, Tanner, Hews, Davies and Gunner Patch.The other photo taken in May 1943 is on a training exercise in the 'Col de Cedre' in the Lebanon mountains. Bob Davies is dead centre.


Operation log of Trooper Davies Y1 Patrol L.R.D.G.

‘Bob’ Davies as he was known joined the LRDG in March 1942 from the North Somerset Yeomanry which was then stationed at Acre in Palestine. He was interviewed by Capt. David Lloyd Owen and accepted for service in ‘Y’ Patrol.

Bob became a driver and took part in all of ‘Y1’ Patrol’s trips until the end of the war in the desert.

These are listed below.

Topographical recce for 8th Army in the area Bir Tengeder and Trigh-el-Abd. Leaving from and returning to Siwa. Front line at the time was Gazala – Bir Hacheim.

Long distance raid to Tarhuna. Leaving from and returning to Siwa. Attacked by aircraft at N.W. corner of the Great Sand Sea. Raid abandoned some miles west of Marada as nearly all the tyres had burst. Front line still Gazala – Bir Hacheim.

Road Watch. Msus - Mechili track, dropping Popski in the Gebel Akhdar on the way. Leaving from and returning to Siwa. The battle on the Gazala line started whilst on the road watch.

Road Watch at Marble Arch. Leaving from Siwa and returning to Kufra. During the journey out Siwa had been evacuated because of the German advance to El Alamein, necessitating return to Kufra.

Trip to edge of Rebiana Sand Sea near Zighen to salvage engine from truck Y5 which had caught fire and burned out returning from previous job. Leaving from and returning to Kufra.

Abortive attempt to start road watch on Tobruk to Bardia road returning to Qattara depression.

Move from Fayoum to Kufra via El Minya and Asyut in the Nib Valley, Kharga and Gilf Kebir, preparatory to Tobruk raid.

Tobruk raid. Leaving from and returning to Kufra via Landing Ground 125 and the Great Sand Sea.

Standing patrol in Zighen gap between Rebiana and Calansho sand seas. Leaving from and returning to Kufra.

Road watch at Marble Arch. Restarted as enemy now retreating from Alamein. Leaving from and returning to Kufra via Tazerbo.

Hon raid. Attacked by relays of aircraft for most of the day after trying to get on to aerodrome the previous night. Leaving from Kufra and returning to Zella. Front line Nofilia.

Topographical recce west of Tarhuna – Beri Ulid track. Brush with enemy defences south of Tarhuna. Leaving from Zella and returning to Hon. Front line Buerat.

Move from Hon to Azizia south of Tripoli via Buerat and coast road.

Recce S.W. Tunisia. Leaving from and returning to Azizia.

Return to Alexandria via coast road.

After some time spent in camp outside Alexandria, moved to the Cedars of Lebanon for mountain training.

Whilst a passenger in a jeep trying to traverse a mountain pass, the jeep went off the road on a hairpin bend and my father badly injured his back. Although he recovered, he never rejoined the LRDG and spent the rest of the war fighting in France and Germany presumably with his parent unit, although I am not sure.


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