New Zealand

[cyberia]

Captain Barry Sanderson, Long Range Desert Group (LRDG)

"The Bearded Brigands"

Initially known as the Long Range Patrol, the LRDG was one of the first special forces formed in World War II. Although part of the British forces, the unit was made up mostly of New Zealanders from 2NZEF with some Rhodesians, South Africans, and the occasional Australian.

The LRDG became the forward eyes and ears of the Allies in North Africa and together with the Special Air Service played a secretive but vital role in Allied desert strategy.

Our CGI model Barry is wearing a traditional Arab headdress as part of his regulation uniform for the LRDG, though members also wore visor caps, side-caps, ski caps and berets, usually with the unique scorpion badge of the LRDG.

His uni forum is standard British issued kaki and rank insignia were seldom worn in the LRDG. They were tiny units and everyone knew who was who. This officer displays only a pair of slip-on epaulette slides identifying him as a New Zealander serving with the LRDG.

From around his neck hang Canadian-made War Office issue binoculars and on his M37 webbing belt is a leather pouch containing his MT prismatic compass.
His goggles are U.S. Army skiers' goggles with polarized lenses, designed for cutting the glare from snow, but also worked well in the harsh desert sun.

As you may have noted, shaving was not compulsory, and was even discouraged, as the beard made for protection against the sun and the desert wind, the dreaded "khamsin" that roars in off the Sahara Desert at temperatures over 40* Celsius, (104* Farenheit) with very low humidity.