Captain Claud Williams’ memoir tells, first-hand, what it was like to be a Light Car Patrol commander during the First World War, while Russell McGuirk’s commentary provides the historical background to the formation of the Patrols and follows their activities from the British raid on Siwa Oasis to desert exploration and survey work and the Kufra Reconnaissance Scheme. Lavishly illustrated with original photographs from Light Car officers, this combined memoir and history provides a fascinating and informative picture of an unsung hero of the desert – the Model T Ford.
"Russell McGuirk is an Anglo-American academic, journalist, translator and historian who lived in the Middle East for some years. He has published other books on WWI events in the area.
This 276-page book is in two main parts. Part 1 is McGuirk’s comprehensive, well-written, and very well-illustrated history of the light car patrols in Egypt and Libya. It gives the background to the campaign as well as its detailed history and the contribution made by the Model T. Williams’ excellent maps are reproduced, and almost half the 100 illustrations are of Model Ts.
Part 2 is Claud Williams’ complete war memoir, first written shortly after WWI. It’s so good that McGuirk has been able to present it with few cuts or edits. Excerpts from Williams’ geographical survey report are also included. Almost all the photographs in Part 2 are his.
McGuirk gives fascinating insights into the operation and maintenance of Model Ts."
~Chris Barker, Model T Times, November/December 2013
a brilliant informative work covering a little heard of subject
~George Murdoch, Armchair Auctions
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