28 comments

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  • I was stationed there by RAF from 1960-1962 (station flight & transit servicing) Nice to see all these old pictures. - David Brown.

  • said streetsparrow

  • 9 months 5 days ago

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  • Great pictures, i lived in Tobruk from 1967-1969 with my brother Graham, mum & dad ( Val & Bryan Roberts) i remember Willey he used to give us rides on his donkey. We lived in the middle of Tobruk in an old police house opposite the school, swim in the Med, fantastic beaches. Mum and Dad are still alive and living in Okehampton Devon. Such great memories and great when you are 5-7yrs old. Great to see all your posts

  • said ROBBO1495

  • 11 months 15 days ago

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  • Used to live there as a kid until 1968. Used to live in what I remember was the Kit-Kat Flats off Government road. Can't find the flats on Google Earth. Then at El-Adem. Dads name was (Cpl-Sgt)George 'Nobby' Clarke R.A.F. M.T.S.S. Some fond memories of the bondoo here. Thanks

  • said BorgCymru

  • 2010.03.11 at 04:30:42 PST

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  • Found your site after googling for the new roman remains at lapis major. My dad was posted to Tobruk and we followed from april 1964 to Sept 1966. Dad was Cpl Cliff Gomer, not sure were he worked, but my Mum worked in the NAAFI. Best days of my life were lived here. We lived at Jeble Flats, its the grey and white building next to the Palace Hotel in your last photo. Both Mum and Dad are gone now, but seeing these brings back so many memories. Wednesday was the best day. Started school at 8.00, registration, then strait onto the bus to go to El Adam for our weekly swimming lesons, back to school in time to go home for dinner. Then a change of cozzy, new towel and down the beach for a gazzoza (fizzy pop - green was the best) and chips from the tea shop.

  • said AuntyB01

  • 2010.01.11 at 15:54:51 PST

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  • I was at RAF El Adem from about November 1961 to November 1963. Whilst on signals duty one night in eithor 62 or 63 a message was sent from our Desert Rescue Service who were on manoeuvers about finding a WW2 USA bomber with bodies nearby. This may have been the Lady B Good. I would be interested in any information on this and also about hearing from anyone who remembers me or anyone else from that time. jack_freeman_9@msn.com

  • said littlejohn2008

  • 2009.05.24 at 05:32:46 PDT

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  • arrived sep 1960 left in sept1962 we had a mutiny over the state of the canteen no one went there to eat grp. cap. bell flew to cyprus. we got a new canteen. I was in MT and remember the tour being cut too two years.I had a great time there making many good friends dave stemp. stempied@aol.com

  • said stempie41

  • 2008.10.21 at 12:12:12 PDT

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  • Just found the site. I was stationed at RAF El-Adem 1966-1968 as an A/Cpl RAF Police Dog Handler. Fascinating place and for me the two years wasn't long enough. Gp Capt Frost was the CO, Flt Lt Dennis Hurry was i/C Police with WO 'Darkie' Allen as the P&SS Region WO. Sgt Jim Babb was the Sherrif. Others on the dog section that I can recall were Pete 'Leftie' Metcalfe, Paul Grant, Paul Burbidge (sadly deceased). Other names escape me for me for the moment. The Guardroom cleaner was Willy and the head wrangler on the Mounted Section was Jock, both of them arabs. Nice to see the photoshots. They brought back some memories.

  • said collins8134

  • 2008.10.12 at 02:16:22 PDT

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  • Sorry Steve - I have no memories of Les that come to mind. Unlike several of the characters at El Adem (who were into all kinds of incidents) Les always came across as a quiet speaking guy who was (and acted) older than me and can best be described as a proper gentleman!

  • said mmmulhern

  • 2008.09.26 at 23:42:36 PDT

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  • Hi mmmulhern,...thankyou so much for putting me in touch with Don Simmonds, he has told me so much , and in great detail too. I just wondered if you had any memories you could share about the time you spent with dad (Roger Simkins...Known as "Les"). Thanks once again.

  • said SteveSimkins

  • 2008.09.22 at 14:49:53 PDT

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  • Hi Steve Yes I knew your dad Les although I have no pics of him. If you have not already done so - try and make contact with Don Simmonds who was also with me in El Adem 1961-63 and served at the bombing range for most of that time, Enter Don Simmonds on Google and you will find an addy for him. Best of luck

  • said mmmulhern

  • 2008.09.15 at 00:01:44 PDT

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  • FAO jttonykaye...... Hi i see you worked in radar in 1961, just wondered if you worked with my dad Roger (Les) Simkins who also worked in radar at that time?

  • said SteveSimkins

  • 2008.05.13 at 04:49:31 PDT

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  • my dad ROGER ANTHONY SIMKINS, known as LES served at El Adem between 1961 - 1963. Apparently he worked first on the bombing range and later i radar. If anyone knows my dad and can share any memories with me please get in touch with me.

  • said SteveSimkins

  • 2008.03.23 at 07:03:42 PDT

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  • Hello, anyone who reads this. My dad - ROGER ANTHONY SIMKINS (LES) died recently and im just following up some information i found out from one of dads RAF and work mate DAVE CUTTS. Apparently my dad served at El Adem between 1961 and 1963. He worked first at the bombing range, then later in radar. If anyone remembers dad, or has any stories to share please contact me...stevesimkins@sky.com .

  • said SteveSimkins

  • 2008.03.23 at 06:56:18 PDT

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  • My dad Tony Bryan served in El Adem, but around 1967.. Not sure what year he arrived there. I was born in an R.A.F ambulance on the way to El Adem medical centre October 67 ... Thanks for sharing these photo's .. Its the first time i've actually gotten to see properly, the area where i was born.

  • said kohai40

  • 2008.02.18 at 07:56:38 PST

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  • Served El Adem 1965- 1967 Chief Tech MTF Had a great time. First lived in an Hiring in Tobruck then into quarters at El Adem. The comradeship was just great especilly when the Vee's arrived with all the goodies in their bomb bays. Any one remember that. Our son was born there We now live in Australia and have done for the last 40 years. It is a great place to live. If anyone has time drop us a line. P Neale

  • said Renaissance220

  • 2008.02.02 at 17:57:27 PST

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  • I served at El Adem/Tobruk as Clerk to the Families Officer 1961-63, and I was single. I remember a Chief Tech stationed in Germany who wrote an article in the RAF News saying how much he was enjoying life in Germany and that all overseas postings should be extended to 3 years. I sent in a reply saying that if he had been posted to El Adem instead of Germany he would be asking for overseas postings to be reduced, as we did not enjoy the same facilities as he was enjoing. I was awoken at about 4.00am one morning by an RAF Policeman and was told to report to the Station Commander, who at that time was Gp Capt KG Hubbard (now deceased), who I used to work for at HQ Bomber Command, High Wycombe. He called in to see me a couple of times when he was visiting the Garrison CO. However, when I walked into his office and saw him reading the RAF News I new immediately why he wanted to see me. he gave me a dressing down, saying he would not have anyone slighting El Adem. He ordered me to prepare a letter to the RAF News retracting what I had said. I wrote the letter of retraction, but I commenced with " I have been instructed by the Station Commander to write this letter of retraction, etc, etc. Before I had chance to actually take it to Gp Capt Hubbard he made a visit to Tobruk Garrison to see the Garrison Commander, whose office was next to mine. He popped his head round the door and said "I haven't had that letter yet". The next day I took the letter up to El Adem; I wasn't allowed to see Gp Capt Hubbard so I handed the letter over to an orderly in SHQ. I don't know whether The Gp Capt didn't forward the letter to the RAF News or whether the RAF News just didn't print it, but I never appeared, and the Gp Capt never spoke to me again. Months later I was doing the rounds getting all my chitties signed ready for returning to the UK, I was shaking hands with the lads and saying goodbye. Gp Capt Hubbard was there, but he just looked at me and then turned away.

  • said 095ernie

  • 2008.01.18 at 14:11:45 PST

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  • hastingsgan it's taken over forty years but I think I may just be able to go back and see where I was born finally. It’s only through the slides and pictures of my parents and people who put stuff on websites like this one that allows me to even have a clue what the place looks like.

  • said meekon5

  • 2007.04.13 at 09:21:52 PDT

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  • Meekon My youngest daughter should have been born there but we opted to come home to The UK early :-)) John

  • said hastingsgan

  • 2007.04.12 at 03:32:28 PDT

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  • I was actually born in el adam (1965) and have never been there. My father was Air force and posted out there at the time. I was six months old when I was flown back to the UK. It was fascinating to find this site and actually see pictures of where I was born. The only pictures I have seen usually involve me sitting in a basket on packing crates at the age of some months.

  • said meekon5

  • 2007.04.12 at 02:09:31 PDT

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  • If you are ex RAF and want to join in a discusion on how life was 40-60 years ago why not pay us a visit here http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?forumID=46291

  • said hastingsgan

  • 2006.04.08 at 13:15:57 PDT

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  • Hello John, I was most surprised to find an album about El Adem and Tobruk on Webshots and I have spent a very interesting half hour browsing through it. My husband and I were married in April, 1965, and three weeks later I was waving Goodbye to him as he set off for a three year tour in Libya. It was over a year before I saw him again! As you will recollect, accommodation was not easy to come by. El Adem was a tough posting, but it made me grateful for many things, which I had previously taken for granted, on my return to England - water on every day with no restrictions on the amount you could use, shop windows overflowing with fresh fruit and veg, etc! My husband was stationed at Christmas Island and frequently visited Gan, when on 10 Squadron, so he will be visiting your web page tonight, no doubt! Mine is still under construction. I am going to have to scan my photos and see which ones will bear uploading. So later this year you might see some pictures of Libya. You have given me ideas!!! Thanks very much for sharing and best wishes, Kathryn Jones

  • said kathjones100

  • 2006.01.14 at 07:17:46 PST

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  • Hi John - I was 10 when Dad (C/T Don Lawrence) worked out of El A from Feb '63 to Jan '65 brought back a lot of memories - I remember riding go-karts around the pan and swimming in the pool!! Dad is now retired in Oz..

  • said headhoncho2004

  • 2004.04.25 at 09:41:18 PDT

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  • wow! I didn't expect a website on this topic. Jolly well done I'd say. I did my stint in 60/61 on radar and usually the rest! Are the italian blocks still there??

  • said jttonykaye

  • 2004.01.10 at 17:26:39 PST

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  • Why I came to this page to see pictures of 'the pits' I shall never know, worse posting I had, one thing by looking at them makes me appreciate what I've got now, despite the rain and darkness. Its like winning the lottery!

  • said

  • 2002.12.15 at 00:00:07 PST

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  • Posted to "The End" in 1966, escaped after 8 months to Nicosia. The pics certainly remind me of the place. I worked on the airfield and in the tower on comms. michael.thompson11@virgin .net

  • said

  • 2002.11.17 at 11:13:23 PST

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  • Searched and found El Adem photos, not that I needed to be reminded about this joint though good pictures.

  • said

  • 2002.10.27 at 12:21:54 PST

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  • Quoise Tomam!

  • said

  • 2002.10.15 at 08:52:28 PDT

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  • Anyone served at El Adem/Tobruk 1963-65 these pictures might stir a few memories. For those that were single at the time I could never understand how this was made a 2 year tour. If you have any comments to make please sign this book, I will add more photos when time permits.

  • said

  • 2002.07.23 at 08:53:55 PDT

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