The Battle of Gilf Kebir: A Tale from the Desert War in North Africa

Author John Strider Nation ISBN 9798996191024 Pages 80 The Desert War North Africa, 1942 South of the Great Sand Sea of the Sahara, more remote than the Moon, more barren than the backside of Mars, lies the great plateau of Gilf Kebir. It is an unexplored region of interlocking canyons and dry ravines found somewhere in the disputed and uncharted region where the modern countries of Libya and Egypt overrun each other. Neither country knows which rock pile belongs to which country—and neither cares, for there is little there to dispute. Lost in this immense and barren nothingness, where the sands of time and human memories run together, among the fragments of history and the ruins of a war long forgotten, lies a legend—the legend of the Battle of Gilf Kebir. Two partial accounts remain—one by a Royal Air Force (RAF) pilot and the other by a Long Range Desert Group (LRDG) soldier. Each is distinct. Both tell a story—the story of a battle that history says never was fought. JOHN STRIDER NATION is the author of several books, including, Tommy of the Darkest Hour, Angel on Horseback, Baron Buffalo, and A Nomad in No Man’s Land. He holds a bachelor’s degree with a major in Anthropology and English from the University of Oklahoma. An amateur war historian, sailor, and pilot, he is building a full-size flying Spitfire replica.