British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum

Recent Books by Forum Members

   

Go Back   British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum > Other Commonwealth Military Insignia > Arab Nations

 Other Pages: Galleries, Links etc.
Glossary  Books by Forum Members     Canadian Pre 1914    CEF    CEF Badge Inscriptions   Canadian post 1920     Canadian post 1953     British Cavalry Badges     Makers' Marks    Pipers' Badges  Canadian Cloth Titles  Books  SEARCH
 
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 29-11-08, 03:30 PM
Eddie Parks's Avatar
Eddie Parks Eddie Parks is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,543
Default 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.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg Libyan AF Badge.JPG (20.8 KB, 154 views)
File Type: jpg Libyan Arab Force.jpg (26.4 KB, 110 views)
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 30-11-08, 10:36 AM
Eddie Parks's Avatar
Eddie Parks Eddie Parks is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,543
Default

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.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg LIBYA CYRENAICAN DEFENCE FORCE BADGE 120x174.jpg (24.9 KB, 63 views)
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 22-12-08, 09:05 AM
saumua's Avatar
saumua saumua is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 525
Default

New to your collection Eddie?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Eddie Parks View Post
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.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 22-12-08, 10:58 AM
Eddie Parks's Avatar
Eddie Parks Eddie Parks is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,543
Default

Certainly is!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 16-09-11, 09:05 PM
brimacombe brimacombe is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 40
Default

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'?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg $(KGrHqQOKiwE5fRI8MmTBOcbsSESWQ~~_12.jpg (33.4 KB, 141 views)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 17-09-11, 12:06 AM
saumua's Avatar
saumua saumua is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 525
Default

Which auction house mate?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 17-09-11, 07:13 AM
brimacombe brimacombe is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 40
Default

Hey there Saumua

They're on Ebay at present.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 04-10-11, 03:13 PM
blackpowder44 blackpowder44 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 627
Default Libyan Arab Force

As requested Shawn, the badges I bought from you in the frame. John.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg LybianArab 019.jpg (70.0 KB, 233 views)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 04-10-11, 06:59 PM
saumua's Avatar
saumua saumua is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Auckland New Zealand
Posts: 525
Default

Very very nice
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 04-10-11, 07:18 PM
brimacombe brimacombe is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 40
Default

Cool John - THANKS.

Am really glad to see the badges are being appreciated.

Shawn
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 04-10-11, 08:26 PM
blackpowder44 blackpowder44 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 627
Default 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.
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 29-10-11, 07:36 PM
actionoke actionoke is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: johannesburg,South Africa
Posts: 359
Default

I have this cap badge ...any relation?
Attached Images
File Type: jpg P1100826.jpg (37.2 KB, 28 views)
File Type: jpg P1100827.jpg (37.4 KB, 30 views)
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 29-10-11, 08:38 PM
Eddie Parks's Avatar
Eddie Parks Eddie Parks is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 1,543
Default

I think that one is the Egyptian Army c1900?
Eddie
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 25-11-11, 03:35 AM
popski popski is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 41
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 02-12-12, 08:59 AM
Popski2 Popski2 is offline
New Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 4
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

mhs link

All times are GMT. The time now is 11:43 AM.


Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.