Meet Sgt Grant, pilot in the Royal Air Force.
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He served in Iraq, Egypt and "Deepest Africa" in the 1920s, flew thousands of miles, visited exotic places -- and occasionally bombed them -- hunted wild animals and did a lot more besides.
And he took photos. Of everything. Three large albums worth, crammed with shots of aeroplane, aerial shots, "native princes", tribal hunts, friends. . . . A lot of memories. All carefully labelled and named. They've been behind my sofa for the past six months.
Let's go travelling.
It's 1922:
ALBUM 1
Tour of Service: Iraq, Syria, Palestine & Egypt
*IRAQ*
(Baghdad, Samarra, Kirkuk and elsewhere)
Baghdad East
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River Tigris
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Baghdad - The Golden Domes
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Baghdad - The Tomb of a Sheik
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Baghdad - Hinaidi Aerodome
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Hinaidi - American World Flyer
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Samarra-- A Sacred City
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The Ladies of Baghdad
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Bazian Pass - F/lieut Kinhead
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-- F/Lieut Sam Kinhead died in a fatal crash in 1928. He was trying to break the world speed record.
Peri Magurum -- 9,700 ft High
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Line Abreast -- F/lt Kinhead, S/Ldr Robb, F/O French
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Sulaimaniyah -- 230 lb Bomb burst
As promised: bombing Iraq in the 1920s
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Sulaimaniyah -- 520 lb Bomb burst
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*SYRIA*
Ruins of Baalbec
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* PALESTINE *
The Arch of Judas
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Palestine Railway
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Mosque of Omar
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Rachael's Well, Bethlehem
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*EGYPT*
Heliopolis -- The Aerodrome
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The Heliopolis Palace Hotel
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*Death of A Warrior -- JR 6604 in lake Timsah*
If anyone can tell me about the downing of JR6604, I'd be more than delighted
F/O Leete
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Port said
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S.S. Narkunda -- Lord Allenby Leaves Egypt -- Aerial Escort
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208 Squadron Machines
Okay, while Sgt Grant was taking pictures. . .who was flying?
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Port Said Harbour
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Suez Canal -- Ships that Pass
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Suez Canal -- HMS Effingham
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Ismailia - The Garrison
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Witch doctor
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