U-series. Diary of a member of the Long Range Desert Group. Part 1

Part 1 of 12
New Zealand Broadcasting Unit announcer, Doug Laurenson [Military Service no. 34957] introduces Frank Jopling [Military service number 1314], a young soldier serving with the Long Range Desert Group. Frank's surname cannot be released [at the time of the recording] due to war regulations, but it can be revealed that he comes from a farm in Okoroire. He kept a diary of a journeys across unexplored desert territory. It is the story of the journey he and his companions in the Long Range Desert Group made through the Sea of Sand into Libya. Frank himself reads these excerpts from his diary, which commence on September 5th 1940. [This was the LRDG's first major patrol, to examine all routes leading to Kufra. See The Official War History of the Long Range Desert Group in Libya 1940-41. https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1Epi-c1-WH2-1Epi-e.html]

5 September

2.00pm The first patrol vehicles moved off from Headquarters. The men are anxious to get going and looking forward to the adventure and excitement of the trip over unmapped country. The air force are working in conjunction with them.

4.00pm Halted in the desert to regroup.
6.00pm Halted again due to the radiator boiling, however it cooled quickly. So far, no one has got stuck.

This item is part of a collection of recordings made by the Mobile Broadcasting Units, which travelled overseas with New Zealand forces between 1940-1945. They recorded New Zealanders' experiences of war and messages to their families and friends, which were sent back home to be played on a weekly radio programme.