Libyan Arab Force
 

Libyan Arab Force

Three battalions of Senussi Arabs were raised under British Army control to engage in guerrilla operations in the mountains of Cyrenaica against Italian forces occupying the area. There was an SOE involvement in the shape of Military Mission 102.

In the event most LAF troops were used on Lines of Communications duties. But a considerable number were involved in secret operations while attached to both the Long Range Desert Group and Popski’s Private Army.

Popski’s first MC was gazetteed to him while a member of the LAF.

Other awards included:

Name Saad Ali Rahouma
Rank: Mulazim Awal (Lt)
Service No: 37
Regiment: 3 Battalion Libyan Arab Force
Theatre of Combat or Operation: Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
Award: Military Cross
Date of Announcement in London Gazette: 23 April 1942

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE; 16 APRIL, 1942
The Military Medal.

8969 Nafar Abdulla Hamed Gadour El Seneini, 2 Battalion Libyan Arab Force,

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 24 JUNE, 1943
Mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East during the period 1st May, 1942, to 22nd October, 1942: —

Libyan Arab Force.
Mulazim Awal Abul Gassem Ahmed El Sheri (64).
Mulazim Awal Muftah Soliman Hassan (36).
Mulazim Awal Tawati Abdel Gelil (11).
9977 Bashshawish Muftah Abdullah Hammad. (S/Sgt)
8835 Onbashi All Mohamed Hussein. (Sgt)
8083 Nafar Ali Muftah El Atrash. (Cpl)

After the war the LAF became the Cyrenaica Defence Force which in turn was the ancestor of the modern Libyan army.

Cap badge is a 44mm black disk with a crescent and star attached. Construction is highly unusual as seen in the picture. The star and crescent are attached to the brass back plate by wires which pass through the black disk, which is made of an unknown metallic material. The use of the badge is confirmed by the CWGC headstone.

Thanks to Peter here's the cap badge of the Cyrenaica Defence Force. I'm not quite sure why the central device is now shown sideways. It would be interesting to inspect the original and see if it could somehow have slipped?

In other Libyan military badges it always points up.

New to your collection Eddie?

Certainly is!

Just did a search on the forum for Senussi as I'm selling a couple of badges and a shoulder title from the force on 'a well know auction site'.

I was fortunate enough to be given a group of Senussi related items from the Adjutant of the Depot at Barce in 1942/43 and have never seen any others - until now! I had confirmed they were 'official' due to the badge being used on CWG but there is very little information about the unit. Has anyone ever seen any photo's of the badges 'in use'?

Which auction house mate?

Hey there Saumua

They're on Ebay at present.

Libyan Arab Force
 

As requested Shawn, the badges I bought from you in the frame. John.

Very very nice

Cool John - THANKS.

Am really glad to see the badges are being appreciated.

Shawn

Libyan Arab Force
 

A note of interest, the disk is made from a black bakelite material and not metal, re the first post on here by Eddie Parks, John.

I have this cap badge ...any relation?

I think that one is the Egyptian Army c1900?
Eddie

In July, I was in the lobby of the Tibesti Hotel in Benghazi. There were a lot of comings and goings at the time amongst diplomats and journos, and so quite a lot of locals were turning up trying to advance their causes and generally make contact with the outside world. I suddenly spotted an elderly gent standing there wearing an MC. I approached him, and it turned out that he was Sa'ad Ali Rahouma's son. Still very proud of the medal and of his father's service with the LAF.

Eddie, the LAF wasn't set up for guerilla operations: they were always intended to be used as regular troops. What you're referring to was the Libyan Arab Force Commando, a much smaller unit, drawn from the LAF and set up by Popski.

We suspect that Popski's 5 "Arab Guides", attached to PPA when it was formed, were all men from the LAFC.

We haven't yet found any LAFC papers in TNA at Kew, but here are a few photos from Dr Faraj Najem's collection...

http://www.popski.org/history/ppa/re...ibyanarabforce

...including Lt Sa'ad Ali Rahouma's MC, as worn by his son Suleiman in the Tibesti Hotel.

Roy Paterson
Secretary
Friends of PPA

=============

Mon 4 March 2013: revised.

Apologies, Eddie, I've just rediscovered an article that I think you may have been originally referring to...

http://www.libya-watanona.com/libya/9aug40.htm

... "Five batalions were organized, designed for guerrilla warfare in al-Jabal al-Akhdar [green mountain] as soon as circumstances would permit. The Libyan Arab force [originally Sanussi force,] which was organized later as a regular army , took part in the Western Desert Camaign." [spelling as found]

I hadn't noticed that bit about guerilla warfare, so you were absolutely right. It's about time somebody actually wrote the history of the LAF, for a definitive reference!

Cheers and best wishes,

Roy

Nice to see this come back to life.

Would it not be true to say that the LAFC was a sub-unit of the LAF? I could well be wrong but Popski's record of service probably shows that he was still on the strength of LAF while operating with LAFC??

Lt Sa'ad Ali Rahouma's unit is shown as LAF on his citation.

Eddie

Just going through my Middle Eastern badges I too have this badge which I always presumed was to the LAF but although the construction seems the same as those described mine has a slider (size of badge is 3cm I also have a smaller one presumably a collar badge) Is mine of the same period?

Hi Eddie,
I am a new member with limited knowledge of how these forums work.
I have been looking for information and photos if possible. My father (deceased) had a range of involvement in the ww2. He was in India from 1934 with the South Lancs (Prince of Wales Volunteers) 2nd Battalion (3rd Indian Div). to 1940. He volunteered and was moved in the same year to the LAFC to join Popski, because of his language skills etc. Places Cyrenaica and Tripolitamia. He then transferred into the 1st Battalion London Irish Rifles and served through the Italian Campaign . I looking for LAFC medals, badges etc but seem to be little to find. Does anyone know of information of the specific movements this bunch carried out. I have only just found this information about my father as his records have only just appeared.