Lang's Library Recollections

Many of these books are quite expensive if pristine. Ex-library books are a good way to get first editions, particularly, and quite surprisingly all the stamps do not greatly lower the value. Books are valued firstly on rarity and secondly on condition. Many books out of small libraries with space constraints get sold off after time if they are not being used or get too raggy. I have pristine $400 first editions from old library sell-offs I bought for $10 some are as-new with only one or two stamps.

Not all interesting motoring adventures are huge extravaganzas. Today's book is a nice story about a family discovering Africa in the 1950's in their Bedford bus. Africa was at the end of an era, the roads were still bad and the locals still lived and dressed in traditional style outside the cities. This couple just decided to have a go, initially with their kids then carried on after they were sent back to school.

 

 

 

We now go from the story of an adventurous family to probably the greatest motoring expedition of all time Once again the magnificent Citroen Kegresse half-tracks are in action. By 1931-32 they had been developed into a seriously tough vehicle with bigger 6 cylinder engines and tough tracks.

The journey La Croisiere Jaune (The Yellow Crossing) set out from Lebanon and went in a straight line (or as straight as they could) right across the world to pop out at Peking on the Pacific Coast. As you will see, much did not go to plan with terrain and politics, including a full-on war starting in front of them. Never ones to give up they changed plans and route to cater for all eventualities. They were so determined that in Tibet they disassembled the vehicles and carried them across 1 metre wide Yak tracks cut into the Himalayan Mountains.

Our old pals Georges-Marie Haardt and Louis Audouin-Dubreil, leaders of both the first cross-Sahara expedition and the great trans-Africa expedition (La Croisiere Noire - The Black Crossing) were the boys leading this one as well.

 

 

 

 

 




 

 

 


 


 


This short movie just about their Himalaya section is terrific.



And here we have the full movie. Sorry about the French but the vision is enough to tell the story for those who are not fluent.

www.dailymotion.com/video/x7sm1nm



 

You have to admire those people who ventured into the (almost) unknown where spares didn't exist, communication was hopeless and the natives not always friendly.

They were either braver or sillier than us, but I take my hat off to them.

I've read the whole travel/adventure section of my local library over the years (many years ago) and quite a few of the books Lang has shown are in the list I read.

It was an amazing time, which we will never see again.

Edit.  Thanks Lang for putting the information up it's most refreshing.

Just as we admire these early adventurers, I admire Lang and Bev for the "expeditions" they have taken on and continue to do in the current age. Yes, roads, vehicles and communication have all improved tremendously, but even to plan and equipe themselves to take these trips on, to me is astounding.
Keep it up Lang and share your adventures with us.

Steve.

Just for you Wee Allis. Peking to Paris 

 

 

 


 

 






 

Today's book is an interesting study in public relations and how modern facebook  "influencers" achieve their fame.

Already one of Australia's best known (and controversial, journalists, M.H. Ellis was also a highly educated fellow speaking multiple languages back in the 1920's. He was an accomplished driver as well.

His first motoring book "The Long Lead" tells of the great adventure he and Francis Birtles had driving the Bean 14 car from Melbourne to Darwin and back in 1927 breaking all existing records. It is a great read clearly indicating that Ellis was the brains and Birtle was the can-do tireless partner.  Worth getting this book although it is very hard to find. I had to pay a premium for my copy. Of course nobody has heard of Ellis just Birtles.

Anyhow today's book is an even greater story written by Ellis. It is about another Birtles adventure with everybody else written out by history. Ellis was in UK and talking to a friend who worked for the BEAN car company about their cross-Australia trip (in a BEAN). He said he wanted to drive from England to Australia. Upshot was they had an experimental 6 cylinder car that needed advertising, Ellis had the perfect co-driver in Birtles and an old Army mate Knowles, to do the administration.

They set off from England to drive to Australia after Ellis spent hundreds of hours planning the undriven route and catering for the volatile political situations in the Middle East at that time. The big BEAN 6 was a total disaster from day one. They were continuously waiting for spare axles and various other parts to arrive by train as they staggered across Europe. By the time they reached Turkey the car was in dire straits. They were under house arrest for various matters including suspected spying. Knowles headed off back to Europe to get even more spare parts while Birtles completely rebuilt the car under a tree and Ellis used his charm and language ability to keep the Turkish guards happy. Birtles was ordered by Ellis to stay away from the Turks because of his explosive temper and "the greatest profane vocabulary in the Western World"

Knowles left the crew here and after fitting the spares Ellis and Birtles continued. The Turks sent them on their way with the instruction "Not to darken our doorstep ever again". Birtles suffered from this a year later in his solo drive having to go way around Turkey through Palestine when they refused him entry.

Disaster followed disaster as they almost carried the worst car ever built through Iran and Afghanistan eventually giving up on it in Delhi, out of money and Ellis unable to walk from a serious foot infection. 

The book is a wonderful read and the story continued when Ellis was repatriated sick to Australia and Birtles returned to UK, got his old BEAN 14 that he and Ellis had driven to Darwin and set off only 6 months later to be the first to drive from England to Australia.

 

 


 




 

Another African expedition,  in 1953, using  ex army British Ford WOA2 staff car. 

I have an association with one of these cars...driven one a few times. 

 

 

This used to be driven around to many  events , 900 x 13 rims/tyres. It's a 4x2. Only one in Australia. Wooden bits in the body frame.

   

At a club event in Victoria 

 





 

Next one is about probably the greatest road construction project of all time, The Alaska Highway (Alcan Highway). Up until 1942 there was no road through Canada and Alaska from the south. The Americans had to support their campaign against the Japanese in the Aleutians and put aircraft refueling strips along the way.

As most of the road went through Canadian Territory the Americans had to get permission from the Canadians. Time was of the essence so the road building had started from Dawson Creek in the south and Fairbanks in the north before the Canadian Parliament approved the operation.

The difficulties were almost insurmountable building thousands of kilometres of road on perma-frost base, crossing numerous raging rivers and nearly all through densely packed giant forest. Much of the year was working in up to 50 degrees below zero. Trucks and machinery froze to the ground and once they broke through the perma-frost the ground became bottomless mud. The organisation was fantastic, the operators (older experienced drivers and operators seconded into the Army for the job) were the best and the engineering crossing huge rivers initially with only the local timber at hand was outstanding.

2,445km were built by eventually 11,000 troops both American and Canadian in 6 months! They built 8,000 culverts and hundreds of bridges.

The vehicles consisted of mostly Studebaker 6x6 trucks and early Dodge weapon carrier 1/2 ton family of vehicles. The Canadians used many of their Blitz trucks both Ford and Chevrolet.

A great can-do story where politics and egos so prevalent in ruining military operations were put aside to get the job done.