Libya / Benghazi

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by Kuno, Dec 29, 2008.

  1. Steve Mac

    Steve Mac Very Senior Member

    I don't know where in Libya you are based Kuno, but stay safe!

    Best,

    Steve.
     
  2. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    Coleagues; I had to leave Libya already in April 2010 due to the ongoing political row between Switzerland and Libya. But thanks for your good wishes.
     
  3. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

  4. WhiskeyGolf

    WhiskeyGolf Senior Member

    And now the Arab leagues are rushing to have a quick meeting - seems they don't like what's going on with the air strikes even though three Arab nations joined the coalition!?
     
  5. Za Rodinu

    Za Rodinu Hot air manufacturer

  6. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    Thought you might like these pics from a photo album I recently found in my father's attic.

    All probably taken 1955ish.

    First photo (showing cathedral on right) is entitled " Shara Islikial Nasr"

    If anyone can identify the road it would be appreciated since I could work out several other landmarks
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Oggie2620

    Oggie2620 Senior Member

    Have you tried Google maps Peccavi. Might be worth a try on their satellite bit...
     
  8. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    @ Peccavi; which road shall be idetified? The one on the first photo?
     
  9. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    First my apologies my post has nothing to do with battlefields - I have been trying to work out where we used to live in Benghazi

    Yes - I was hoping to get the name of the street in the first photo. And do you know the name of the large building on this street which looks as if it has a square minaret?


    I have tried Google but Benghazi has expanded 10 fold (possibly more) since the 1950s. So it is not much use.


    I have been using the 1962 map below.
    http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/world_cities/txu-oclc-438949423-banghazi_north-1962.jpg

    Surprisingly this map still has the old Italian names for the streets. I seem to remember a street called Omer Muktar (after the Libyan resistance hero who was chucked out of the plane when the Italians finally caught him) but this does not show on the 1962 map or even Google.


    I am trying to get my bearings from the juxtaposition of the twin domes of the cathedral in relation to the salt marsh. I notice that first photo in this thread has virtually the same angle on the Domes in my photo.

    Also added an extra shot of Derna and a Bridge (don't know where)
     

    Attached Files:

  10. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    The bridge is in the Wadi Ku'uf. Although not in use any more, the old bridge still exists.
     
  11. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    Yes - I was hoping to get the name of the street in the first photo. And do you know the name of the large building on this street which looks as if it has a square minaret?

    Ok; the street you are asking for is called 'Jamel Abdel Nasser Street' today and the tower belongs to the former Italian Governors Palace which became a University after the Italian rule. It is oposite the 'Piazza del 28 Ottobre'.
     
  12. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    Thanks for the info - helped to identify everything.

    There were two British Barracks in Benghazi - small one called Lumsden

    and a huge one outside of town - D'Aosta. This one had an immensely thick wall which sloped at an angle and had Actung and Death's Head painted on it. It housed the REME but I can't find it even on the old Map -

    I have circled on the 1942 map where I thought it might be on the road out to Derna with an arab village on the right and well set back.

    I am guessing that Lumsden is labeled "British Camp" in the first map from 1962
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Kuno

    Kuno Very Senior Member

    Your pics of the maps are a bit too small to recognize something.
     
  14. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    Hi Kuno

    Sorry for the delay - it has taken me a long time to find out how to upload full photos

    I am hoping the first shows Lumsden Barracks (in red) - map from 1962

    The second from 1942 might show D'Aosta Barracks, also circled in Red.

    [​IMG]



    [​IMG]
     
  15. Peccavi.

    Thank you for posting that excellent map of Benghazi North. Do you have Benghazi South too? I had been trying to discover exactly where (Royal) Navy House was, as my father (RAF) was posted there for a while in 1943, and I wanted to place the backgrounds to some photos, and to work out from where he watched a convoy battle on the evening of 1st May 1943 (KG 26 v. MW 27, Alex to Malta) when the British Trust tanker was torpedoed, and the SS Erinpura was bombed and sunk with the loss of almost 1,000 men. I have succeeded, only thanks to your map. It does say on it that it is an American update of the 1942 British map. I did spot a mistake: Piazza 18 Ottbre should be Piazza 28 Ottobre, named for the 1922 March on Rome.

    Some pics on flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/46212770@N08/11211310375/

    Pete.
     
  16. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/libya.html

    There are more maps here.

    But having seen your third picture with what looks like the Catholic Cathedral in the background, I am pretty sure that the photo was taken from the North side, very near the centre of Town, near the main market.

    I found Google hopeless since the town has exploded about 10 times since the 1950's - all the salt marshes filled in (used to house enormous flocks of flamingos) and everything at that time encompassed within the first "Ring Road"

    Will ask my father if he remembers anything about Navy House.
     
  17. Peccavi - here are my workings out on the map: Navy House Benghazi
    Dad's photos: Benghazi 1943: 1,2,3 & 4 and a couple of postcards - one showing the three buildings I was trying to identify from almost the same angle; and then one showing the three cupolas together: Bengasi - Piazza Del Re: Cupolas, Tower and Domes and Bengasi 3 Cupolas
    What I wrote for the description of the four photos from Nov. 1943:
    The Benghazi skyline behind photo 3 is looking to the South East. Photo 4 has in the background one of two cupolas on the roof of Marcello Piacentini and Luigi Piccinato's 1913 Albergo Italia building (no longer there - it was damaged in the British and Australian bombing), and the tower of Ottavio Cabiati's "Palazzo del Governatore" (later the El Manar Palace, then the University of Libya from 1955-1973) directly in line of sight with the southernmost of the twin domes of the Cathedral (architects Guido Ottavo and Cabiati Ferrazza). The cupola is 700ft away across the Piazza del Re; tower 1,000; and the dome 2,000ft (less than half a mile). Behind and below them is the Via Roma (now Umar Al Muktar St. - Omar al Mukhtar was tried in the Palazzo Littorio). The cupola visible in photo 3 is not on the Albergo Italia, but is on the Palazzo Littorio (1927) beyond the Palazzo Pacchiani. The building visible side-on to the left with what looks like a church behind it, could well be the Telephone Exchange. From a letter to his brother John dated 22nd June 1944: "...from the beginning the Navy collared the most intact building and set water and electric light going again in no time..."

    Dad with chaps from the Met. Station Office. Guess that's the M.O. on the left in photo 1. Dad was off on a posting to RAF Aqir in Palestine (now Tel Nof, Israel). He left Benina by DC-3 at 11:55 on the 16th November, arriving at Payne Field, Cairo at 15:50. A few hours later he caught a train for the journey to Rehovot, arriving on the 18th. He says: "...the second part of the journey was not so pleasant - for the first time I sampled rail travel and after sixteen hours, no longer shall I have reason to doubt any of the descriptions of such transport that I heard previously!..."

    Piacentini's works in Benghazi were: the Albergo Italia (Italia Hotel, known beforehand as Grande Albergo Roma) 1913.
    Benghazi Central Railway Station, 1916.
    Interior of the City Hall, 1925.
    Berenice Theatre, 1928

    Squadron Leader George Houghton's 1942 book, 'They Flew Through Sand' says - "...The Old Albergo d'Italia, where, with Air Commodore Collishaw, we had eaten some good meals, was just a shell. The 'magnificent Hotel Berenice' on the promenade was also hollow. A nice shot, that, since it appeared that the Luftwaffe had at one time made it their headquarters..."
     
  18. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    [​IMG] [​IMG]

    Hi Peter
    Good work - I think you have definitely worked out the position of the Naval Station.

    Here are two views that your father would have had. The place is almost the last building before Benghazi is exited on the road to Benina. The first shows the dominating view of the Catholic Cathedral (West) and the second the salt marsh to the north east. As I mentioned in winter this whole area was filled with flamingos but on Google Earth, it looks as if Gaddafi got the whole lot filled in.

    Actually between this building and the salt marsh there was a disused light rail line which I suppose went on to Benina.

    BTW I have found out the the huge D'Aosta camp was on the Benina road - an Arab village was situated just before you turned into the Camp . With its incredible size I had thought that traces of it should appear on Google Earth - but again there is no trace.
    I presume the fort was was used by the Germans since the outer walls, very thick and angled back had repeated patterns of large scull and cross bones and the word Achtung painted on. In the1950's the REME used the place, had two parade grounds, football pitch, numerous workshops and a school within its boundaries.

    I can't remember the exact location but there was a still at least one very large Hotel left - I believe run by Italians (indeed there were still plenty of Italians left in the 50's but I understand that Gaddaffi got rid of them). The Hotel had a series of wide steps up the entrance and most days they had an "orchestra" of about 4 or 5 playing - very impressive.
     
  19. Thanks Peccavi, - nice photos and interesting info! Best wishes, Pete.
     
  20. ted Jones

    ted Jones New Member

    I can only find one red circle! D'Aosta Barracks was in Berka. I also am trying to find it on the maps that I have also looking for photos! I visited 3 Base Workshops REME often from 1953 to 56.
     
    Peccavi likes this.

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