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Old 02-12-12, 08:59 AM
Popski2 Popski2 is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2011
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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

Last edited by Popski2; 04-03-13 at 01:20 PM. Reason: grovelling apology for being a smartarse.
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