Being there . . . . as promised, among PEN & SWORD MILITARY – CASEMATE’s recent arrival on
this reviewer’s front porch of five of its latest hot off the presses World War II titles for his “Best
WWII Book Buys for Christmas” columns – – “R Patrol – LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP”. Authored
by brilliant authority-historian, Brendan O’Carroll, buffs, enthusiasts, and aficionados who have
studied the LRDG, of course, know just about all there is concerning that tough, nay, heroically
brave, British desert unit created nine months after the start of WWII (3 September 1939) in
June 1940, the start of Churchill’s “Western Desert” campaigns. It was created and organized by
British Brigadier Ralph Bagnold who commanded it until August 1941. Provided with tough
specially adapted desert trucks, as were the specially adapted troops themselves, they
reconnoitered behind German-Italian lines, while inserting spies who wired back critical
intelligence and dared risk lightning attacks on enemy, especially Rommel’s gasoline dumps,
loosely guarded airfields, and hastily established headquarters.
THE MOST SPECTACULAR CAREFULLY PREPARED ALLIED RAIDERS OF WORLD WAR II, THE LRDG,
THE LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP, TELL THEIR COURAGEROUS STORIES IN THEIR OWN WORDS
SUPPORTED BY WARTIME OPERATIONAL REPORTS, DIARIES, PERSONSAL LETTERS, AND POST-
WAR INTERVIEWS. FULLY ILLUSTRATED, INCLUDING MAPS, DOCUMENTS, EVEN RARE PAYBOOK
ENTRIES, VARIOUS RECOGNITION PROFILES, INFORMATION AND DATA ORDINARILLY IGNORED,
ESTABLISHES “R PATROL” AS THE MOST COMPLETE LRDG REFERENCE YET PUBLISHED.
Reviewed and highly recommended by Don DeNevi as a high valued Christmas gift:
“R PATROL – Long Range Desert Group”, by Brendan O’Carroll. Pen & Sword MILITARY,
Philadelphia, dist. CASEMATE PUBLISHERS: 2024, 295 pages, hardcover 7” x 10”, $49.95 disc.
Visit, www.penandswordbooks.com, or, E-mail: Uspen-and-sword@casematepublishers.com.
Brendan O’ Carroll, who authored this substantial achievement, holds the reader’s interest
to the end, and for good reason. Previously, he had written and watched published EIGHT “Long
Range Desert Group” related books, mostly focused on the activities of the New Zealand patrols
(W, T, AND R) within the LRDG saga. In this, his 9 th ninth, he tells the story in depth and in all its
glory, hardly mentioned in earlier-by-decades books by equally good writers. Here, Brendan,
who lives in Auckland, New Zealand, provides a human touch to the R – patrol story, examining
the thoughts, observations, and emotions of those who were part of the patrol. It is also
representative of similar experiences of all those who served, including the British and Southern
Rhodesian troops who made up the LRDG. To further enhance his accounts, Brendan
meticulously gathered over the years 288 hitherto unpublished personally taken photos,
including maps and artwork. Virtually every photo comes close to being as sharp as if taken by
an official photographer.
As far as the personal stories are concerned, each describes in detail the recollections of the
R patrol member, the formation of his unit (exceedingly rare), the early missions of the R patrol,
its vehicles, supplies, weapons and battle equipment. In addition, R patrol worked closely with
the SAS in supporting the Eighth Army and undertaking the Road Watch. In addition, the author
includes accounts of air attacks, ground actions against enemy convoys, and engagements with
armored cars.
Endearing are the concluding chapters focusing upon the end of service in 1945, the
immediate aftermath happenings, and the popular LR Group “Good-byes, good lucks!”
