65 thoughts on “Table of Contents”

1. Andreas?
   I have just come across this website as I try to identify which of the RTR regiments my father was in at Tobruk. He was captured when it fell so he may heve been either 4RTR or 7RTR. Do you have any mention of him in your studies of the war diaries. I do not know when he enterd Tobruk but he was in the siege.
   Any help would be fantastic

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   • Hi Ben

     I’ll have a look-see. Was he an officer or tank commander?

     All the best

     Andreas

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2. Andreas,

   I have come across this looking into the death of my grat uncle who served with 2nd Bn York and Lancaster regiment. Died 24/11/41, likely in build up to assault on strong point ‘Wolf’ from what I can gather. I was hoping you could point me in the direction of some of the articles you have which would be most relevant, or if by some chance you had come across references to him / his unit. He is 4745747 Sjt H W Green

   I understand what you have may not be that specific, but I would be grateful for anything you would be able to provide!

   Jon

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   • Hi Jon

     I am out on business for a few days, but I will have a look-see, and let you know what I can find.

     All the best

     Andreas

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     • Hi Andreas,

       Have you got any tips or sources I could look at for the actions of York and Lancaster Regiment?

       Jon

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     • Hi Jon

       This one slipped my mind. I haven’t been able to find a regimental history that looks promising. Hi Jon

       So in the absence of this, I would think primarily the regimental, brigade, and tobruk fortress war diaries are of interest? These are all on my list of things to get. I will go through the 4 RTR diaries for you (remind me please!), and in the meantime there is a bit of information here, which you are probably already aware of:

       http://www.blackwatch.50megs.com/tobruk.html

       And in these posts by me:

       http://wp.me/phMWl-id

       https://crusaderproject.wordpress.com/2009/08/15/the-tobruk-breakout-from-the-other-side-of-the-hill/

       Both general situation, nothing specific on the 2 Y&L

       Very sorry about completely forgetting about your question.

       All the best

       Andreas

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     • Did you get my email Jon? I have something for you.

       All the best

       Andreas

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     • Thanks for the info – a great insight into what the 2Y&L were doing, I will send you anything else I can dig out with any delving into the regimental archives or the war diary.

       Jon

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     • I have an original 1 ” thick field copy of the secret British report by 7th Armoured Div on events at Sidi Rezegh, published in the desert by Gott in January 1942. Of any interest to the project?
       Pete

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3. Hi Andreas,

   First class work!

   Could you be as kind as to drop me an email as there is something I would like to run past you :0

   My warm regards,

   Jack.

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4. Hi Andreas, Thanks for your email, I have sent you a reply

   Jon

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5. Hello tried to contact you via ww2 talk, but it wouldn’t let me. My grandfather was lost on the ss chakdina.

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   • Dear Ms. Powell

     I have to apologise for the delay in response. Was there a specific question you had?

     With kind regards

     Andreas

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   • Hello, only just found your message

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6. Hello Dear administrator of the website “The Crusaider Project”!

   You are chosen as one of the best site of Second World War for the interantional contest named “1939” (http://contest1939.jimdo.com) in nomination “Best site of North Afrika 1940-1943” (http://contest1939.jimdo.com/north-afrika/).

   Popular voting will start 15th January 2014. When it’s start we will inform you by E-mail with direct link fo voting (just send me an message for I know your E-mail adress). Then you can make banner on your homepage about voting for your visitors vote you.

   If any questions, let us know. Have a nice day!
   Best regards,
   Administration of the contest “1939”

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7. Hi – wondered if anyone could help with my understanding of Tracer Card of my Great Uncle Alfred Hunt 7932295. It states he was a POW in 25/11/41 but recaptured from enemy hands 2/1/1942.The card shows 59TR – but I do know he was a Desert Rat???? I believe when captured would have been part of the Sidi Rezegh battles? Many thanks for any advice. C Stevens

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   • Dear Clare

     Many thanks for your inquiry. I would suspect 59TR to be a typo for 5 RTR. If he was recaptured, he was one of the POW released when Bardia fell to the South Africans on 2 January – about 2,500 Empire POW were released that day, all of them ORs I believe, no officers, who had been shipped out. If you email me I will be happy to send you some more information on this.

     All the best

     Andreas

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     • Thank you for prompt reply!! Where would I find your email address please?

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     • Dropped you an email.

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8. Hello Andreas, excuse me if I chose this place for a ‘service question’ which has not much to do with your blog, but I have no idea how to find a solution for this. Do you know the e-mail of the ww2 talk user Brian/ADM199? I have tried to contact him for the lists of POWs who died on Italian ships that were sunk in 1941-1942 via private message, but it seems not to work.

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   • Ciao Lorenzo

     I have looked through my emails, but it appears I only communicated with him through WW2 Talk as well. I am afraid I cannot help you.

     All the best

     Andreas

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9. Hello, I have just discovered this site and find the wealth of information very exciting.

   I have a question that I hope you can help me with.

   I have stumbled across a source (unnamed and unverified) that suggests that during Crusader the South African divisions contained Infantry battalions with only 3 line companies and a weapons company, as opposed to 4 line companies and a weapons company as was standard TO&E for commonwealth divisions. Can you shed light on this or verify actual TO&E for the Infantry Battalions in the South African Divisions?

   Please and Thank you

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   • Dear Hoyt

     I am afraid I have no clue. Unfortunately I have no access to South African war diaries, these are held in Jo’Burg, not in Kew.

     It’s possible though, the South African divisions had a special organisational standard. I will have a looksee if the RDLI history contains any clues.

     All the best

     Andreas

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10. hi!
    it is a wonderful repository of valuable knowledge on an important chunk of history. Kudos for the admin for the hardwork. I am recently compiling record of 4 Field Company Bengal Sappers and Miners and have kind of stuck a dead end. Can anyone put me wise by sharing any relevant details regarding employment, location and any other pertinent input regarding the 4 Field Company of Bengal Sappers and Miners.
    Thanking you in advance.
    God Speed.

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    • Hi

      Many thanks for the compliment. I am afraid I have not noted down anything specific for them, but will now have a look when I go through the records. and revert here.

      All the best

      Andreas

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11. Has anybody ever heard of a Baron F Von de Genf? I have silver topped swagger stick inscribed “Baron F Von de Genf, Mekili 1942”. There is also the outline of a tank and three crosses or X’s inscribed on it like so; XXX.
    I would be very grateful for any information.

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    • Hi Thomas

      I am sorry, but that doesn’t ring a bell.

      All the best

      ANdreas

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      • Thank you anyway Andreas. I have some information that he was a Swiss/German national but nothing more. I will keep looking.

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12. Hello, Andreas!

    I run a similar blog to yours at tankarchives.blogspot.com. I focus largely on the Eastern Front, but there are documents that would be relevant to me that you might have. Have you perhaps come across ballistics tables? While Soviet artillery tables appear to be easy to find, I have had trouble with foreign guns. Do you perhaps have the table for the 8.8 cm KwK 36, 7.5 cm KwK 40, or 7.5 cm KwK 42? Also, is there an email I can contact you at directly?

    Peter

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    • Hi Peter

      Very nice site you have there! I am afraid I have nothing as technical as what you are looking for. I am very sorry I cannot help you there.

      With kind regards

      Andreas

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13. Just found this and it looks quite good. I emailed the location on to my old co-author Alessandro Massignani. I understand that there were more than five Oasis Companies . . . .

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    • Dear Mr. Greene

      Many thanks for the compliments! I look forward to any other comments you may have,

      On the Oasenkompanien, I am basing my entry on the September 1941 OOB for Panzergruppe. This is not a flawless document, but the best I have. I haven’t looked into whether further companies might have been assigned at a later date, especially considering that some were lost at Bardia, I think.

      All the best

      Andreas

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      • Vance von Borries may know a bit more – he is the one who let me know 5 companies was NOT the answer. I forwarded him this site. Could additional ones have arrived later . . . ?

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      • Hi Jack

        Quite possible. I have amended the article with a copy of the source, to make it transparent where my number came from.

        All the best

        Andreas

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14. Andreas

    do you know where I can find a full casualty list following the sinking of SS Chackdina on the 5th December 1941

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    • Hi, I am afraid I have never seen a full casualty list. Naval History Net has the navy/merchant navy losses, there are also pages for the New Zealand and Australian losses, and maybe you can construct the British/South African losses from a search on CWGC, but I doubt you can find a list of German and Italian casualties.

      All the best

      Andreas

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15. Do not know the losses for SS Chakdina This is all I know. Jack Greene http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?16046 http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2MMed-c8-19.html

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16. Hello, i am new to this, so i hope that i get this right, !!!, My uncle William John Turrell army number 6286126 was with the Royal East Kent Regiment “the Buffs”, he was one of the brave men who was involved in the battle of Alem Hamza Ridge (bless them) sadly on the 15th of December 1941 he and many others were out numbered, captured and taken prisoner,
    I have a photo that was taken of my uncle along with 6 other men while in a POW camp, maybe you could help, put names to faces, i will email you copy of photo if requested, as my uncle wrote and dated info on back of photo.
    However, what i would like to know is from point 204, what route would the pow’s had taken ??
    My uncle i know ended up at a Pow camp at Mullin Near Pupping.
    His POW number was 155006.
    He remained a POW from 15th December 1941 until the 5th of May 1945,
    Any help or information about the above would be gratefully received.
    thank you, kind regards
    David Turrell

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17. My uncle, John Brian Cother DOB 11/04/16, Second Lieutenant Royal Artillery, 72 Field Regiment, Service # 137857, Date of Death 5/08/41 Cyprus, buried Nocosia War Cemetary. . I am attempting to track this soldiers path to Cyprus, I believe his unit travelled with the 5th Bn Green Howards and the 150th Infantry Brigade aboard the Empress of Asia, arrived Port Twefik on 23 June 1941, the 72nd remained at Quassassian . Here is a slight difference as one report has them moving to Cyprss with no date The second report I have found the regiment assembled at Knutsford Cheshire, moved to Weymoth 1940. April 1941 it left England and arrived by sea Egypt on June 13, 1941 It embarked for Cyprus on 24th July 1941 and landed there the next day.
    I believe the second notes pertain to my uncle, what I would like to know, where the basic training depot was in UK, Uncle Brian came from Hove Sussex. At what age did he sign up, I have no details of this,
    I live in Central Florida, I will be in the UK during the summer and plan to request his military papers. I am compiling his biography for his soon to be 95 year old sister.
    Any information you may have would be sincerely received. I have photos.

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    • Hi Bonny,

      many thanks for the comment. I am afraid I have absolutely nothing on the 50th Division and 150 Brigade. I am sorry I cannot be of any help.

      All the best

      Andreas

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18. My Father Flt. A.E.Marshall DFC, DFM was in North Africa flying Hurricanes with the 73rd Squadron. I have, not only his Pilots Log Book but his diary from that time frame as well as a lot of other “things” that could possibly help in your quest for a “complete history” not one determined by academics as the “only truth”.
    Cheers
    Barry Marshall.

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    • Hi Barry

      Many thanks for your post. I’d love to see those!

      All the best

      Andreas

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19. Hi Andreas, I tried to forward some photos but they were “not accepted”!
    If you want I can send from my personal e-mail address but I would need yours to start: Mine is marshall850@hotmail.com
    Cheers
    Barry

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20. Hi Andreas,
    I recently started researching a piece of trench art I bought over 50 years ago – the piece is in the shape of a shield in Black slate/stone. On and on the back is carved “Angefertigt in der Kriegs gefangenschaft Sudafrika 1942”. On the front is a battle scene with Tanks, Artillery and a fort. Inscribed on the front is DAK 1941 with an Eagle and swastika. Below is “Bewidmet der 12.Oasen Komp Sidi -Omar 22.11.1941”. I can mail you some Pics if this is of interest to you. pkings9538@aol.com

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21. Hi there,

    A wonderful source of information here!

    Im just wondering of you would have any further information on the fighting at Point 204 on 19th December 1941?

    My Great-Uncle was with the Buffs during their last stand and was captured there.

    Regards,

    Piers

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    • Hi Piers, I have quite a bit of information on this. Apologies for the late reply. You can email me on a.biermann[at]gmail.com

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22. Ladies and Gentlemen, my father was a soldier in North Africa (15th Panzerdivision / Kradschützen-Bataillon 15) in the period from the 5th of April until his capture on 3th of December 1941. He spoke on several occasions that during this time he had come to the Siwa Oasis as part of a military reconnaissance. Was this possible? Do you know anything about it? Who could know something? Here in Germany and also Internet I have so far for this period no information found.
    I would be very grateful to you for any hints.
    Sincerely

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    • Hi Bernd, I am sorry, I thought I had responded. Your father was almost certainly captured in the failed advance of Vorausabteilung Geissler towards Bardia. I very seriously doubt the Siwa story, I have no record of any German forces coming near it in 1941. The Siwa/Giarabub oases were well defended, and very far away from the main area of operations.

      The battle in which your father was most likely the one described here from p. 158 onwards. This includes a German report. It was pretty much a total disaster for the Germans.

      http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Maor-c6.html

      With kind regards

      Andreas

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      • Andreas, many thanks for the answer. The facts and assumptions you have presented are correct or I see them as well. I already knew the New Zealand source. Thanks for that too.
        Sincerely Bernd

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23. http://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p4013coll8/id/2980/rec/2

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    • Danke! Kannte ich noch nicht 🙂

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24. Subject: article on German Antisubmarine Equipment on Italian vessels – Destroyer Da Mosto – war diaries of the second officer

    Dear Andreas,
    Through the internet site “Con la pelle appesa a un chiodo” managed by Lorenzo Colombo, I knew of your very interesting site “The Crusader Project”, where I could read the article of the German Antisubmarine Equipment on Italian Vessels of July 15 2009.
    I’m Mario Fuselli, nephew of Rodolfo Balbo, Lieutenant during the Second World War of the Italian destroyer Da Mosto that, on 1st December 1941, was escorting a tanker from Sicily to Libia. As you know, during the voyage, the convoy was attacked by Blenheims of RAF 18th Squadron, that damaged the tanker, and then it was intercepted by cruisers of Force K HMS Aurora and HMS Penelope, escorted by the destroyer HMS Lively. The result was an uneven but epic battle, but with an inevitable end. Destroyer Da Mosto was sunk, and more than half of its crew perished.
    Fortunately my Grandpa survived, along with the commander, some officers and 135 other men. He told me many times the story of this action, also telling me that the crew of HMS Lively saluted the survivors on life boats giving them the military honour for the bravery shown during the battle.
    My Grandpa died on September 2007, he was 95 y.o. Recently I was tiding up his archive (he left war diaries along with a lot of documents, letters and photographs from the period 1940-46) and I was really struck by the fact that he and his comrades in arms have been reunited themselves after the war’s end for years and years, till mid 90s, to commemorate and celebrate the episode and to remember their mates perished during the battle.
    In his war diaries, especially in the page of the battle of 1st December he clearly mentioned two of the German sailors who survived the battle, the Petty Officer Rublack and the seaman Maidenoff (in his diary and in the official Navy documents he his named Naidenoff).
    Recently came to my mind the idea to write a book on the action of Da Mosto, not a mere account of the battle, but a collection of remembrances and emotions of the men that wrote – as was written by an Italian historian many years ago – one of the most virtuous pages of history of the Italian Navy.
    Sorry for this long digression, now I go straight to the point. Considering your site a very interesting and useful source of information, I ask you if I can cite this interesting report, obviously citing your work within the sources.
    In addition, I would be very grateful if you could help me to contact some relatives of the German sailors of time and/or you could send me some documentation, war diaries, or whatever of that period you have relating the Da Mosto.
    I think that even today, nearly 80 years after such events, the remembrance of our grandfathers should not be forgotten and lost and we must preserve their memory.
    Best regards,

    Mario Fuselli
    Email: mario_fuselli@libero.it
    Address: Via F. Pozzo 4/3, 16145, Genova, ITALY

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    • Caro Mario, thanks a lot for the very interesting story, and I am glad to hear your grandfather survived when so many of his comrades did not. He was lucky then that unlike his commander he did not transfer to Scirocco!

      On a more general note, I think the action by da Mosto is irrefutable proof that the reputation of the Regia Marina as unwilling to fight and protect its charges is wholly unwarranted.

      I can see what if anything I can do to help regarding the German sailors. You are of course more than welcome to use any material on this site to help your work.

      I have some other posts on the S-Geraet that contain background information you may find useful.

      With kind regards

      Andreas

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      • Any serious study of the war in the Med will show the bravery of Italians in the entire period of the war. The failure was in their government NOT supplying the best means to fight. Check out my co-authored THE NAVAL WAR IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 1940-1943.

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      • Dear Mr. Greene,

        I couldn’t agree more.

        With kind regards

        Andreas

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25. What a comprehensive effort!

    Apologies if I missed it, however, is there a list/roster of all German troops serving under Rommel, specifically, or with the Afrika Korps during its time in N Africa?

    Thanks!

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    • Hi Josh

      I doubt such a list exists.

      All the best

      Andreas

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      • Andreas, thank you for responding. Odd search, in that my mother or aunt had been pen pals with a German soldier. Do not have any of the letters, but have a name, and do not know how they got connected to him from US. Regards, Josh

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26. Dear Andreas, just discovered your site. I am into my 40th year in the defence force, with an interest in armour. Your site is marvellous! And I am soo pressed with the help_support you give to others. Keep up the good work. William

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    • Dear William, thanks for the kind words. I am glad you like the site and find it useful.
      All the best,
      Andreas

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27. What a brilliant website this is.

    “Hit” it by accident while searching for tank types deployed in the North Africa campaign. My intent is to build a (fictional) diorama of tank engagements, encompassing as many Allied and Axis types as I can find (1:72/76 scale).

    Inspired by an Italian friend and model-maker, who is attempting to build a mini-diorama of an RAF airfield in the desert, featuring a 1:72 Gloster Gladiator no less. He has been working on it for almost 9 months, using “after-market” parts, and the top wing is still not fitted to the lower one! I understand that this level of model-making is still a major activity in Italy.

    Bottom line – does anyone have photos of said airfields and/or Gladiators that he could use?

    And, totally unrelated, my late father was an AOP pilot in WW2 (652 Squadron), if anyone is interested in the Normandy to Holland theatre. I have a handful of photos of himself and his Auster aircraft in Normandy …

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    • Thanks for the compliments Roger!

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      • My pleasure, Andreas. Since my last post I have “spun off” a new interest in the air war over N Africa. (with a view to extending my friend’s diorama of his Gloster Gladiator. Sadly, I haven’t been able to find any useful photos of either Allied or Axis landing grounds/airfields to get an idea of the general “clutter” that would surround the aircraft on the ground, e.g. refuelling, re-arming, trolley accs, crew tents etc. Can you suggest any references please?
        Kind regards. Roger.
        P.S. If you ever need any help, I live about half a mile from the PRO in Kew! …

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      • Hi Roger, let me have a trawl. I will revert. Thanks for the offer to help! And careful I may take you up on it. All the best, Andreas

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28. Danke schoen, Andreas. (I am just guessing at
    your Nationality – the English verb “to revert” means to “go back”, i.e. return to a prior state or condition. The idiom you had in mind is “come back” – antworten noch einmal!) Ich amusierte mich mein “Schuelerin-Deutsch” praktischieren, 56 Jahren weiter !…

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