PPE is growing!

Yes, it is true…and hard to believe. Popski’s Private Expeditions is a very niche group of adventurers within an only slightly less niche community of overland vehicle travelers. Our use of stripped-down trucks goes against every trend of building blinged-up, accessory-overloaded, aftermarket wonders that most of the vehicle travel community revere. So it is always a bit surprising how many people have become fans of what we do and how we go about it.

International appeal…
We now have members from England, Scotland, Wales, Canada, The United States, New Zealand, Europe and Asia. Sitting around the campfire at night telling stories can be a fascinating evening learning about different lives, experiences and perspectives. It always gives a sense of satisfaction that such diverse characters can come together to overcome challenges and have great laughs along the way.

So many adventures ahead…
One of the challenges now is how many new adventures we have in the works. At a recent planning meeting, naturally held in a pub in central England, we threw out ideas for new explorations. We still have unfinished business in Tunisia to reach the heart of the Grand Erg sand sea, as well as overcome restrictions to reach the site of the NZ Division’s harbour location deep inside the coastal mountains. But we are also looking at Algeria and all the wild beauty of the Hoggars and southern deserts. Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter calls as well, now that the country is opening up to more vehicle-based visitors. Mauritania and the great ring, as well as Pelican 16 crash site. Even going further abroad into the Namib and Kalahari deserts. So many adventures to choose from!

Veterans and History buffs…
It is probably no surprise that the PPE’s ranks are filled with military and police veterans as well as history buffs. Most vets will tell you that they miss the camaraderie of being a soldier or police officer. Being out in the deep desert, around the campfire, after a long day of exploring remote areas, vets will find a safe space to talk about the old days with people who understand. For the civilian history buffs who share our fire they can hear great stories that would never be shared anywhere else and in turn better understand why those who have served put up with the challenges of service.

So we are growing…
Slowly, slowly, the PPE is attracting those adventurous souls who, like Tennysons’ Ulysses, vow to continue having new adventures.
”We are not now that strength, which in old days moved earth and heaven. That which we are, we are; one equal temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will. To strive, to seek to find, and not to yield.”
So, if one more great adventure calls to you, reach out. You just might find some brand new, old friends to join you on your quest.

2023 Expedition crew outside the old SAS. LRDG and PPA hideout at Ksra Ghilane, Tunisia.

2023 Expedition Only Weeks Away!

Planning began for our 2023 Left Flank Expedition back in January 2023 as the group considered how best to build on the discoveries made during our 2019 and 2022 efforts in southern Tunisia. Until now our efforts had been focused on the 1943 joint LRDG and PPA patrol hide that was ambushed by the Luftwaffe south of Ksar Ghilane. Having discovered the location of the vehicle hide where seven special forces vehicles had been destroyed, we began to wonder what else of historical significance may yet be out there. So this year we are going to push further to examine the ground covered by the New Zealand Division on its flanking maneuver around the Mareth Line in early 1943.

Map showing the routes taken by the NZ Division and supporting elements.

Our 2023 expedition will be conducted in two phases: the first being an exploration of the Grand Erg sand sea and the mysteries that lay beyond the ‘Berm’ (a wall of sand that forms the immovable edge of the great dune sea). Our second phase will take into the broken hills and winding canyons of the coastal mountain range where the LRDG led the Kiwi’s and their supporting elements from ‘Wilders Gap’ to the Tebaga hills northwest of Mareth.

A bigger team on this expedition with at least 10 vehicles and 20 crew members. This time we will have a good balance of Land Rover Lightweights, short wheel base 90’s and a number of longer wheel base 110’s. This trip will also see our first Series 2A 109 ‘pinkie’ recreation to add to our historical theme.

Many of our 2022 vehicles and crews will be returning for the 2023 expedition.

Expect a new documentary from Travelbag Photography after this trip, so even those who cannot share the challenge can still see the adventure with their feet up and a cold beer in hand.

Our new documentary hits to hit 100k views!

Our documentary of our 2019 and 2022 expeditions to the Sahara in search of the ‘Lost Patrol’ is finally up. Huge thanks to Marty for putting the film together, along with Andy B and Martin V for their contributions. Also Alan for all the knowledge he brought to our wanderings. Many thanks to the family of LRDG member Wink Adams who let us use some of his amazing footage of the LRDG in action in North Africa and the IWM for their footage as well. You can find the documentary on Marty’s TravelBag Photography Youtube page and the link is below. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOukXyuvzgc&t=2026s

The 'Left Flank' Expedition Shaping Up....

The team conducted a planning meeting on 29 April to begin firming up details for our autumn 2023 expedition. We have two objectives this time, an exploration of the inner sand sea that proved so impassible for WWII special forces units like the LRDG, SAS and PPA; and a search of the region between the coastal mountains and the sand sea where the WWII New Zealand Division carried out Monty’s ‘left flank’ maneuver to bypass the German’s Mareth Line defenses.

Crews pose with their wagons on our 2022 Lost Patrol expedition.

We have 11 trucks confirmed for this expedition and still have one slot to fill in the roster. A and B patrols are ready to go with four trucks each and 16 crew but C patrol still has one team slot open. If you have a solid 4x4 are interested in joining the expedition, let us know on the email below.

Coming Soon: Lost Patrol Documentary

During both the 2019 and 2022 expeditions we made an effort to professionally film our adventure. In the past, I have put together short summary videos available on Youtube of our travels, along with other expedition members posting their own video and still photo collections. But now our budding filmmaker, Marty Spriggs from Travelbag Photography, is assembling a professional documentary of our exploits. The premiere for the crews is planned for February 2023 and then we will see where we may get the documentary streamed or available to view.

Crews in Qaret Ali preparing for the day ahead

May 2022

Lost Patrol 2 Expedition Complete

PPE’s follow up expedition to the area of the ‘lost’ LRDG and PPA vehicle hide is now complete. The big news is that we successfully located the 1943 vehicle hide location near Qaret Ali and discovered hundreds of relics from the WWII special forces patrol.

Seven vehicles and crews took part including Americans, Brits, Europeans and Canadians. Despite challenging conditions like sandstorms, extreme heat and arduous terrain, the group succeeded in their objective.

All the relics identified were carefully photographed and catalogued by our historian Alan Hall before being assembled in a cairn next to the site. We left these in place so future travellers could view them and perhaps, add to the collection as we are sure many more discoveries still lie under the sand.

Back to the desert....

Well, after a nearly two year hiatus from adventures brought on the covid pandemic, our crews are once more looking forward to getting back out in the Sahara. We tried several times to plan our return to North Africa but each time we faced overwhelming challenges of border restrictions, enforced quarantines, testing mandates that made the trips impractical. Finally, however, we look towards May 2022 with hope.

The plan remains much the same: get back to the deserts of southern Tunisia to continue our search for relics from the Lost Patrol. We also plan a much deeper crossing of the Grand Erg sand sea heading from Qarat Ali to ‘LRDG Hill,’ a feature we came across in 2019 that stands out as a good nav point.

We have more vehicles this time around, growing from four to six trucks and crews. So will likely split into two ‘patrols’ that move separately to avoid having all the vehicles following in the same tracks. I am sure there will be a bit of healthy competitive spirit going between patrols to reach nav points first.

Marty and Andy are planning a more impressive, TV-quality, documentary production this time around. So hopefully a better record of our expedition will result.

All of us, along with the wider adventure travel community globally, are keen to get back out there. So bring on the adventure!

Thoughts on Tunisia as an Expedition Destination...

Our 2019 Tunisia expedition ended a little over a month ago and we have all had some time to reflect on the trip. One of the areas of reflection is the country of Tunisia as a destination for adventure travellers. I thought that I should jot down some thoughts while they are still fresh in my mind.

Safety…

The first question everyone asks is about safety: “Isn’t Tunisia dangerous?” So suppose I should address this question first. Since my day job is analysing travel risk for aid workers, I tend to do this everywhere I travel. My first response, and I believe this feeling is shared by all the PPE crew, is that at no time did I feel threatened or unsafe during our expedition. Indeed, our experience was that everywhere we went we were made welcome and never felt uncomfortable at all. There are still a couple of areas that travellers should avoid like the Kasserine area along the Algerian border. Extremists hiding from security forces in both countries pop back and forth across the border in this mountainous region. The deep south is also a no-go military zone as it borders on Libya. But the rest of the country is as safe as Morocco or any African destination.

Getting your vehicle into Tunisia….

Prior to our expedition I had done quite a bit of research on what the situation was with temporarily importing vehicles into Tunisia for an overland trip. There are a few accounts on overlanding forums but they can be a bit short on details. We chose the CTN ferry from Marseilles. This Tunisian-operated service met our basic requirement of getting us to Tunis as quickly as possible, coming as we were from the UK. The ship is a bit run down but the staff were cheerful and I think our crew managed to put a good dent in their beer supply.

I cautioned everyone to manage their expectations on arrival and no matter how frustrating it might seem, keep a smile on your face. It turned out however that the process was actually quite simple and quick. Coming off the ship you are directed to booths where your passports are checked. There are small, white arrival cards we were supposed to have filled out, but I had a one-page print out of all our names, passport numbers and vehicle details handy which was gladly taken in their place. They also wanted some general info on our route and if we were taking a guide. From here, we walked over to a small booth with our passports and vehicle V5s (UK vehicle registration document) and a couple of minutes later had our temporary import permits and were free to go.

One point that everyone should keep in mind is that, unlike Morocco, there are no booths outside the port selling vehicle insurance policies to visiting foreigners. This may cause concern for some travellers, but to be honest, the Moroccan insurance is more mental security blanket than anything that will actually do you any good in the event your vehicle is stolen or you have an accident.

Desert destination…

I can’t speak for all the sights to see in Tunisia for our purpose was to head directly to the Grand Erg Orientale sand sea. But if you are looking for sand dunes, Tunisia has far more to offer than Morocco’s tiny little islands of sand at Chegaga and Chebbi. In fact, it would be wise to remember how vast the sand sea is and think about how you would manage a situation in the deep desert.

My recommendation…

Go. Now. Tunisia is starting to show it’s first signs of commercialization of the adventure travel industry. At the moment, things are still simple and the few desert oasis are not plagued by touts on mopeds chasing you around. Everyone is friendly and prices are decent. If you decide to go with a guide service, get a fixed quote up front and be careful of unknown extras. But a good guide service can come in extremely handy if you need advice on desert routes, finding a repair shop to get something fixed or coming to the rescue if you break down. Our guides didn’t travel with us, we just met up with them at various points. But they did come running when we broke an alternator mount and bent a steering track bar. Both parts were whisked away and returned a few hours later repaired and ready to go again.

So my advice is, if you have already done Morocco and want to try something new and in some ways familiar but in others widely different, Tunisia is a great adventure destination.

I think we found some vehicle bits...and they have bullet holes...

Our 2019 Tunisia expedition has returned safely and was a resounding success. This will just be a short update with much more to follow, but safe to say all involved were very happy to the results of our adventure.

Our road move down, consisting of ferries from the UK to France, drive to Marseilles, ferry to Tunis and from there again by road to the desert town of Douz when smoothly. After stripping the trucks down for the desert and resupplying, we pushed southwest for the oasis of Ksar Rhilane. This leg was a combination of gravel roads, desert tracks and some dune bashing. A good way to get everyone used to the trucks and hone their sand-driving skills.

In Ksar Rhilane we visited the ancient Roman fort that the WWII SAS, LRDG and PPA used as a stopover in their patrols before topping up on water from the natural spring and then pushing south to our objective at Qaret Ali. Here we established a base camp and spent a couple of days searching for evidence of the vehicle hide where seven PPA and LRDG vehicles were ambushed by the Luftwaffe in 1942. While we didn’t find the vehicles, we did discover some strong evidence we were in the right place.

From here we returned to Ksar Rhilane to top up on water and then followed the route the WWII ambush survivors walked to reach safety with the American army in Tozeur, 200 miles to the northwest. To complete the trip, we pushed southwest to the area of Tembaine, crossing some of the Grand Erg Orientale sand sea to test our skills once more.

During our trip we had the support of Ilyes Sasi and his SaharanSky expedition support group. Ilyes was a great asset and made our first venture into Tunisia a smooth and enjoyable experience.

The return to the UK faced some delays as storms covered the Mediterranean Sea and snow closed the roads across southern France but we made it in the end.

All in all an excellent expedition and we are already starting to think about a 2020 return to continue the search for the lost patrol vehicles and attempt a crossing of the deep desert to test ourselves once more. Tunisia turned out to be a terrific country with welcoming people, amazing landscapes and we would certainly recommend it to others.

Tunisia 2019 Expedition Planning

It is a pretty rare thing in the modern world to discover in the texts of decades-old accounts a ‘lost’ treasure that is both accessible and, as far as we can tell, no one has gone in search of yet. But here we are and plans for our upcoming expedition to the dune seas of Tunisia are well advanced.

What treasure are we seeking? Well, not gold or jewels or lost cities of antiquity; but something a little closer to our hearts for those that are fans of Popski’s Private Army (PPA) and the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG). Towards the end of the WWII North African campaign a joint PPA and LRDG patrol set off from Libya seeking to gain more information about defences west of the German Mareth Line. Thirteen vehicles set out including jeeps, LRDG Chevrolets and a pair of 3-ton heavy section supply trucks. The supply trucks turned back before crossing into Tunisia after establishing a supply dump and the remaining eleven ‘fighting vehicles’ pushed on, eventually reaching the eastern edge of the Grand Erg Orientale sand sea. Here seven of the vehicles were hidden in the dunes while four jeeps set off to scout the area around Matmata. However, the stashed vehicles were discovered by the Luftwaffe and the crews had to abandon all seven vehicles as aircraft strafed their hideout. Later the survivors linked up with the returning jeeps and marched northwest to link up with the approaching American 1st Army near Tozuer, 200 miles away.

So what ever happened to the seven abandoned special forces vehicles left behind? Well, we know that the LRDG always tried to recover their lost vehicles, but since these were all damaged by aircraft fire or explosives set by their own retreating crews, they may not have made the effort. The PPA had a more laissez faire attitude and Popski always claimed ‘war is wasteful’ and went on to acquire replacement jeeps from the Americans. The quick end to the African war and pressure to look towards Europe may also have played a part as the LRDG was to give up their vehicles in future operations in the Adriatic. Did the local Tunisians drag off or dismantle the wrecks? The answer to all the above is that we just don’t know.

So, towards the end of October 2019 the PPE is going to set off in four desert-equipped trucks with eight crew and go in search of any remaining signs of the ‘lost patrol.’ Having studied a number of print accounts, old War Office records and maps we have narrowed the area down to a reasonable size. Our search will be led by a former search and rescue pilot experienced in coordinating ground searches. The rest of the crew members include experienced desert hands, a paramedic, journalist and other adventurers up for the trip.

What will we find? In all likelihood nothing but sand. Maybe a few old ration tins or ‘flimsy’ fuel cans if we are lucky. But perhaps as the sands shift we may discover the actual remains of a late desert war special forces vehicle or two. But those discoveries yet lie ahead of us…so stay tuned.

Our Lightweight Takes Shape....

Our latest addition to the PPE fleet is taking shape as it goes through its transformation into a desert expedition vehicle. ‘Shimi’ is a 1982, ex-Dutch army, Land Rover Lightweight. It has had a 200 Tdi engine installed (less the turbo) and a completely new Painless Performance waterproof wiring harness, making it far more reliable than your typical 37-year-old vehicle.

Shimi has just received a couple of coats of BS361 Light Stone paint and is getting it’s cargo area modified for desert travel, similar to the set up of it’s larger stable mates. This includes internal ‘walls’ in line with the raised wheel wells to keep kit from moving about and a 3mm chequerplate hinged deck to keep everything secure while travelling. The deck surface also gets a large number of staples to tie down gear that doesn’t fit inside the cargo space. Shimi will travel with one under-seat 45L fuel tank (the other side holds the battery and various tools). Spare fuel will be carried by Tembo, while Shimi carries 80L of water in jerry cans stored in the cargo area.

The name ‘Shimi’ comes from the slightly eccentric but quiet and courageous Lord Lovat who was the Commanding officer of 4 Commando during the Dieppe raid and later led the 1st Commando Brigade ashore on D-Day. Nicknamed ‘Shimi’ by close friends, Lord Lovat can best be remembered for being followed around by a equally unusual bagpiper, Bill Millen who played throughout the fierce fighting on D-day. Both can be seen in the film The Longest Day coming ashore and moving to relieve the beleaguered para-glider troops holding the Orne River bridge.

Shimi the Lightweight

Next Expedition: Tunisia 25 Oct-08 Nov 2019

We have currently begun planning for our next expedition to the Grand Erg Orientale sand sea in Tunisia. The objective of the expedition is two-fold: to search for the location of the lost PPA/LRDG vehicles destroyed by the Luftwaffe during WWII; and to navigate a crossing of the sand sea where a small group of survivors travelled on foot for nearly 200 miles to escape capture.

It won’t all be serious exploration as we will take time out to just enjoy another part of the Sahara and the culture of rural Tunisia. There may even be a few abandoned Star Wars movie sets to explore along the way. Add in our version of desert glamping for good measure.

Currently, we have three trucks going and up to four crew positions open. So if you are interested in joining our expedition, please get in contact.

A Sahara sunset….

Adding to Our Vehicle Fleet

While we have never really planned to build our own 'expedition' fleet, it was probably inevitable. Some overland travellers feel comfortable travelling alone...maybe because it removes the complication of having fellow travellers getting on your nerves after days or weeks together. Or perhaps it is just a a desire to accomplish something just for themselves...and by themselves. But we have always found it much more enjoyable to travel in a small group. It broadens the experience, gives you an opportunity to share the highs and lows of the adventure and the many hands make light work of the chores that come along with vehicle-based expeditions. There is certainly something to be said for the safety of not being a vehicle along in the wilderness in case of a breakdown or medical emergency. 

So our little PPE fleet is up to three vehicles now. Tembo the 110 is still the lead vehicle and the best equipped with a number of expeditions under his belt. Pumba, our Defender 90 is currently being upgraded and kitted out for our autumn 2018 Morocco trip. Finally, our latest addition, 'Shimi' the Land Rover Lightweight will begin its expedition conversion over the winter of 2018/2019 for a debut on out planned Tunisia trip in late 2019. 

By adding extra vehicles we can invite old friends and new friends to join us, as well as build up a core of PPE expedition crew members that hopefully will become regulars on future expeditions. 

Erg Chegaga Challenge, Morocco Oct 2018

So we are planning another Morocco desert expedition...this will be our fourth trip to the North African country. We love the fact that it is safe, no visas required, bringing our vehicles is simple and the people are friendly and relaxed. 

The plan this time is to board our southbound ferry from Portsmouth to Spain on 23 September for a two-night crossing to Bilbao, Spain. From there we drive down to our favourite beach campsite at Tarifa to rest up and resupply before taking another ferry for the short hop across to Morocco. From there we will head south east across the Atlas mountains heading for an abandoned French Foreign Legion fort at the edge of the desert. Setting off from here we ascend the escarpment up on to the Rekkam Plateau and begin our desert adventure. The goal is to move cross country until we reach the sand sea of Erg Chegaga where we will pause and spend a few days just enjoying the dunes and perfecting our driving techniques. When finally sated, we will turn back northward and follow the small tracks and roads to the famous blue town of Chefchouen before crossing back over to Spain on 11 October. Our ferry back to the UK sets off on 15 October. 

For anyone looking to join us, the easiest way is to fly in to Seville, Spain where we can pick you up ahead of crossing to Morocco and drop you off at the airport on our way back. Dates would be roughly 27 Sep in bound and 12 Sep outbound. Although ayone with enough time would be welcome to join us for the full trip down from the UK. For anyone driving their own vehicle, we will RV in Tarifa on 27 September. 

We would ask those joining us in our vehicles to contribute to the ferry costs, but other than that we carry all the necessary gear. You just need a passport, backpack with some clothes and a sense of adventure. Please contact for more details if your interested.

What does Popski's Private Expeditions mean?

So, I imagine that anyone who comes across the name of our group wonders where we got the name and what 'private expeditions' really means...

Well, first off, if you have seen the 'Our Inspiration' section of the About Page, you will see that the name is a tribute to Popski's Private Army, one of the more unique and little known British special forces units of WWII. It's founder and commander, Lt. Colonel Vladamir Peniakoff, was an inspiration to me as young soldier and his account of his military exploits a motivation for me as a man. 

The 'private' part of the name also suits because we are not a commercial tour company. We do hope to find others to join our expeditions but not just anyone can join up. Like the wartime PPA, you have to measure up to our standard of selection. Some of the key traits we look for:

•  A reasonable state of physical fitness as the desert can test your endurance sometimes
• A sense of humour and the ability to laugh at challenges and adversity
• A desire to pitch in with group chores and with helping each other when we need it
• A sense of adventure

Of course, a desire to experience vehicle-based expeditions without the bubble wrap of a roof, windscreen, air con or leather seats also is a basic quality we look for!

So if you think you have the spirit of a classic adventurer, introduce yourself and you may be able to join our private little club!

Adventure Overland 2018

Just back from another successful Adventure Overland show held over the weekend of 28-29 April in Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK. Despite the weather being less than ideal (cold, wet and grey) the show was a success with a pretty good turn out of overlanders, clubs, traders and presenters. 

I presented again, as I usually do on personal security on the road...always well attended and topical, as it is something everyone planning a trip worries about at least a little bit. Given that I am a global security advisor for humanitarian NGO's in my day job, much of that knowledge transfers easily to the adventure travel sector. 

I also had a fun presentation titled: "The Benefits of Traveling Light" on the Sunday where I got to poke a bit of fun at those overlanders who try to cram every shiny, expensive accessory onto their trucks...a personal pet peev of mine obviously. But the session went over well and I saw quite a few nodding heads as our messaging about looking at how successful motorcycle travellers are travelling around the world with virtually no gear came through. So, if they can do it with just a couple of side panniers why do 4x4-based overlanders feel they need so much gear?

Met some cool people and enjoyed the event immensely. Looking forward to the fall show on 22-23 September from which we will then set off on our next Morocco trip.

Welcome to the PPE News and Blog section!

Well, this is the first post on our new website, so welcome! I am writing in the expectation that at some point someone might actually stumble upon this site and stay long enough to find something interesting. We don't really expect many people out there will ever decide to take up the open-top overland lifestyle but even if we only reach a small community then we will consider it worth the effort. So what are we hoping to achieve here?

• First and foremost, pay tribute to the memory of Popski's Private Army, that little-known band of WWII adventurers who accomplished amazing deeds while living and operating out of their stripped-down jeeps. 
• Find others who might enjoy an open top adventure or link up with others who may be doing this kind of thing now.
• Offer seats in our vehicles for those who would love to experience this kind of adventure but don't want to build their own open top overland vehicle.
• Promote safe adventure travel through delivering personal travel security training.
• Have fun and document our travels!

So, over the comings weeks, months and years I will be posting articles about our previous trips and upcoming expedition plans, how we modified our vehicles, issues affecting the overland community and anything else that strikes us as interesting. 

So, we hope you join us and enjoy what the PPE has to offer!