Moroccan expedition Yom Kippur War

[bluewillow]

Whilst on holidays I have just completed some research for the Moroccan expedition to Syria for the Yom Kippur war.



https://kampfgruppewillow.blogspot.com/2023/12/yom-kippur-war-moroccan-history-and.html

Cheers
Matt

[carlos marighela]

Priceless photo!

Not seen that before. A Mini Moke with outriders for a super bazooka and machinegun. Bizarre. Anyone choosing a Mini Moke for anything much above the needs of a golf cart needs some serious help.

Great bit of research on a fascinating topic.

[Jemima Fawr]

Outstanding! 

That is even better than the Lambretta Panzerjaeger...

[Daeothar]

How on earth... 

Imagine being deployed with one of these!

The crew are either being very professional about it, or they are on punishment detail, having to man that cute little thing on parade 

[EZPAINTER]

I lived in morocco a while and they will value anything (even the most bizarre). In flea markets people wil litterally sell you a button, and haggle over it. They also still drive mental vehicles, some I saw were literally held together with wire, twisted like when you fix a fence or something. The country, albeit with a very rich 1% is mostly kind of "getting along" and I imagine it's been that way for a long time. The higgeld piggeldy aspect of things is massive and reigns supreme over the culture. It does make you feel strange when you first arrive but as you settle in you begin to look at things differently and think like "what COULD i do with that old sock..." or like "why would i throw out that coffee maker...I'm sure if i took it apart i could use or sell the bits". Whereas when I lived in tenerife shortly after (about 100 miles away and nearest european place) they literally throw out anything, it's pure waste. And I met some morrocans there that thought (in their words) "the people here are high!" haha.

Hope that offers an insight as to why they'd be riding with such unabashed pride and seriousness.

[Ultravanillasmurf]

Anyone choosing a Mini Moke for anything much above the needs of a golf cart needs some serious help.

^__^

[bluewillow]

Priceless photo!

Not seen that before. A Mini Moke with outriders for a super bazooka and machinegun. Bizarre. Anyone choosing a Mini Moke for anything much above the needs of a golf cart needs some serious help.

Great bit of research on a fascinating topic.

Moroccan airborne

[carlos marighela]

The Moke set up suggests it's more a case of 'Kill Yourself and Let God Watch on in Head Shaking Bemusement'. 

[carlos marighela]

Of course it does make you wonder what the clown car is at an actual Moroccan circus.

[Daeothar]

Apparently, the Moke was originally designed in response to a UK request in the late fifties for an air-droppable vehicle. So for an airborne unit to adopt it is not too odd.

The training wheels are though... 

[SJWi]

This need for lightweight air-droppable kit reminds me of the Belgian FN AS24 motor-trike used by their Para Commandos. Saw an example in the Brussels Army Museum. Probably useful for carrying supplies but the photo showing one equipped with a machine gun did make me wonder.

[carlos marighela]

Apparently, the Moke was originally designed in response to a UK request in the late fifties for an air-droppable vehicle. So for an airborne unit to adopt it is not too odd.

The training wheels are though... 

It was but it was an impractical disaster.  Underpowered and probably had less ground clearance than the average ride-on mower. About as useful off road as a skateboard and only marginally more carrying capacity.  The Australian Army bought a couple of hundred of the locally manufactured ones in the 1970s but they were all consigned to on road, general duties. Popular with the military police for some reason. Probably cos med heads are typically cognitively challenged individuals. I'm not sure the choice of vehicle did much to improve their image or standing, the Moke being a fairly risible form of conveyance.

My mother's ex had one back in the seventies. I suppose it was vaguely fun for a Noddy car but he quickly tired of it. IIRC it struggled on any kind of steep gradient.

Personally I think the training wheels give it some much needed character. 

[CapnJim]

Every time I look at this thread, I have to shake my head in wonder.  It's amazing what folks come up with.  Especially in the 70s...

[dickiegranthum]

Awesome photo. Syrian information is hard to come by in translation, never mind Moroccans on Mokes!

I was in Australia in November and saw a Moke for the first time - I was thrilled as I’d only known them as the taxi cars on “The Prisoner” classic show. Ridiculously small vehicles - literally looks less useful than a golf cart!

[bluewillow]

Awesome photo. Syrian information is hard to come by in translation, never mind Moroccans on Mokes!

I was in Australia in November and saw a Moke for the first time - I was thrilled as I’d only known them as the taxi cars on “The Prisoner” classic show. Ridiculously small vehicles - literally looks less useful than a golf cart!

I have a reasonable book in French on the Syrian invasion force, when I get around to the Syrians I will translate most of it and post up.

Cheers
Matt