Lang's Library Recollections

I have a pic somewhere,  of a French half track that the Australians captured in Syria . Syria was controlled by Vichy French forces , the Vichy French were on the German side . There were air battles between the Vichy air force and the Allied side. The French eventually surrendered. 

Film 

www.awm.gov.au/collection/F01100

More info, one was used in Tasmania 
www.aussiefrogs.com/forum/index.php?thre...n-half-tracks.96978/

I think about 10 came to Australia Tas logging and WA mines but so small and underpowered were of no use other than light transport over difficult ground. They did produce quite a number of heavier military versions in the 30's

Here is an image of a demo one going up Parliament steps in Melbourne - it might even be mine?

 

Greetings. I'm sure you'd be familiar with this book Lang. When I lived in London the 2 brothers that are Jeep fanatics asked me to be on the lookout for this book so whenever I came across a 2nd hand book shop I'd go in for a snoop. Surprisingly I found a few copies. This one cost me 3 Quid 50.  Fella certainly had some balls. Never did find part 2 when he completes the journey. I think his Jeep is somewhere in Perth.  

Half Safe is in Perth on display at a Grammar School Ben went to, I can't remember the School's name.

Amazing to think it and Ben and his wife survived.

A great read.

Guildford Grammar.  Mr Google found it.

Zuffen wrote:

Half Safe is in Perth on display at a Grammar School Ben went to, I can't remember the School's name.

Amazing to think it and Ben and his wife survived.

A great read.

Guildford Grammar.  Mr Google found it.

Here they are in Melbourne.  Half Safe was on display in Myers, the large department store in Melbourne. They were always short of cash, and the store displays provided some income. I've seen a few signed copies of the book. Half Safe was transported over from W.A., for the Corowa amphib jeep event some years ago. It was driving around at Corowa. 

www.google.com/search?q=half+safe+jeep+u...vid:diuiv5iCAw4,st:0
 

That book only does the first half of the journey from New York to Australia. Ben was a hard man and his wife was seasick every day on water so understandably quit in Australia. Ben carried on and headed north. He picked up an American offsider in Japan who turned out to be a dud who could not cope with Ben's unshakeable determination to complete the task. I have the book the American wrote on the trip, what a whining loser!

Anyhow Ben's daughter had his old school, Guildford Grammar in Perth, publish the second half of the journey from Australia back to New York (he actually started and finished in Montreal).  Even more fantastic than the first book. It is worth getting because they had the common sense to include the first half as well to get the full story.

If you ring the school the secretary should have copies in stock to send to you.

 

 

A shot of the fuel "sausage" he towed from Japan to make the heroic trip across the freezing north Pacific to the Aleutian Islands.

 

 


This is how he carried his fuel on the Atlantic crossing. He  allowed water to come in to take up the used fuel space.  Must have had water trap filters.. When the fuel had all gone he tried to dump the tank but it caught up and nearly capsized the jeep. he had to jump over and cut the cables with a hacksaw in the middle of the ocean.

 

Here is a short film clip.

www.facebook.com/share/v/16u8pj4akt/



 

Today's book is back to Australia. I think the boys were about 18 or 19.  All I can say about it is to harp on my standard theme and look at the kids before and after about the early 80's and think "Where have we gone wrong?"


 

   



 

 

 



 

Southern Mail (Bowral, NSW : 1889 - 1954), Friday 11 October 1929, page 8

 

 

 

 

Next one is a beauty!

The day the Citroens left Colomb-Bechar in Algeria to head south to be the first vehicles to cross Africa, Stella Court Treatt, her husband and young brother left Cape Town to try to be first or at least capture the prize South to North.

Her book "Cape to Cairo" is a fantastic read. Stella was a tiny little thing but that did not stop her and she got into it with the men digging and pushing. Her writing is easy to read and maintains interest to the end. They had endless dramas that would have stopped lesser people but eventually made it to Cairo to be first to cross Africa South to North.

They had two Crossley trucks sent from UK that had been fitted with large canopies to remove and bolt together to form a barge to cross rivers. The barge idea worked but the tops were so heavy the overloaded trucks were struggling and the bodies were cracking from the weight they were dumped by the time they reached Rhodesia. An amazing coincidence saw the Court Treatts meeting up with the Citroen Kegresse team in a very remote part of the bush, totally unarranged.

 

 
 

 

 



 

An amazing coincidence in the African bush. The French La Croisiere Noire Kegresse crew meet the Court Treatts. Of course in the days before radio or telephone in the bush neither crew knew where the others were. Because of Citroen's publicity the Court Treatts knew the French were rolling but had no idea of their route or plans. On the other hand, the French had never heard of the South African couple and nearly fell over when they saw the Crossleys coming towards them through the trees.

 

 

Here is a short movie of their arrival in Cairo.

 


I love this montage. You can see the editor has put aprons on the naked backsides of the locals (he missed one)  pushing the truck across the river. It was after all a family book.