If you came here first, you will find an informative narrative about the Light Car Patrols at: LRDG Beginnings. This page concentrates on other places to find information about the LCP, besides BlindKats LRDG site.
Information about the LCP, Light Car Patrols follows the image.
IN PRINT
There is very little print or written information on the LCP.
So far, the most information I've found was in:
The Other Desert War :
British Special Forces in North Africa, 1940-1943
Gordon, John W.
New York : Greenwood Press,
1987
Description: xxiii, 241 p., [12] p. of plates : ill. ; 25 cm.
Language: English
Series: Contributions in military studies,; no. 56;
Standard No: ISBN: 0313252408 (lib. bdg. : alk. paper)
This exceptional work devotes almost an entire chapter to the LCP. As it does so, it gives special attention to how the unit was integrated with armored car company and camel troops. The book also has a bibliography of sources for LCP information. Unfortunately most of the sources are very difficult for the average person to acquire.
Most books on the subject tend to gloss over the importance of the LCP as a genesis for the LRDG and other future raiders, giving most credit to Ralph Bagnold and his early desert explorations. The Other Desert War does not make this mistake. While no one should fail to give Bagnold the credit he deserves, the LCP and the works of Dr. John Ball, a pre World War I desert explorer should not be forgotten.
According to Gordon much of their efforts were overshadowed by the more sensational T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).
Most other books devote perhaps a paragraph or two and maybe a small photograph or sketch. Once such book is:
The Long Range Desert Group
Jenner, Bob. ; List, David. ; Sarson, Peter. ; Lyles, Kevin.
London : Osprey,
Year: 1984
Description: 40 p., [8] p. of plates : p., ill. (some col.) ;, 25 cm.
Language: English
Series: Vanguard series ;; 36;
While the book is designed with the modeler in mind it does provide a sketch and a photo of an LCP patrol car. The information on the LCP is scant but to be fair the book does not claim to be about the LCP and is not designed as a complete history of the LRDG either.
ONLINE
I have found few photos of the LCP other than blurred ones in books or supposedly copyrighted ones floating around the internet. This explains the sketches I have put up.
As for web pages, try these spots:
- Digger History
- Australian Commonwealth Military Forces
I have found very little beyond these two sites.
