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Where the Rat Patrol was supposed to be.

"Up to now the fighting has washed back and forth across here many times - like naval warfare." (Chase of Fire Raid)

This image was fashioned after: http://www.anzacday.org.au/education/maps/ww2/nthafrica.html

While one can't be sure exactly where Colonel Quint's map from Chase of Fire Raid (above left) shows, he has the right idea. As is evident from the map on the right, the front did indeed sweep back and forth many times across portions of northeast Libya during the war. It wasn't until the battle of El Alamein that the final Allied push forced the Axis all the way west to the northern tip of Tunisia.

No wonder the local vintner in the Fire and Brimstone Raid was sick of the war that kept tracking across his home. Depending on where his winery was located, he might have had as many as five 'visits' from the various fighting factions as they alternately surged forward and fell back.

Troy's map in The B Negative Raid

Northeastern Libya (Egypt is the brown coloured area to the east)

Troy's map from the B Negative Raid (above left) shows the Rat Patrol in an area of Libya known as Cyrenaica. His map is right on target because the war was very active in that area of North Africa (his left thumb is just 'off shore' from Ajdabiya).

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Where the fictional Rat Patrol was - in the beginning.

The first 17 episodes of The Rat Patrol were filmed in the environs of Almeria, Spain*. The filming for the rest of the first season and the entire second season was moved to the United States.

Some features visible in those early episodes are identifiable as being from the Almeria area.

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German Officers' Club

The Last Harbor Raid

The episode mission briefing The Rat Patrol are sent into a German held town on the Mediterranean coast where a large number of Allied POWs are being held. The prisoners are being used as labourers to keep the valuable port city open for the Germans. The mission for the Rat Patrol is to convince the local fishermen help ferry the prisoners out of danger as soon as the Rat Patrol break them out of enemy hands. To achieve this end, Moffitt and Hitch must enter the formidable and dangerous German Officers' Club to find a key contact (and subsequent love interest for Hitch) to convince the fishermen to help them in their mission.

German Officers' Club (in Last Harbor Raid)

The German officers' club of this episode is Alcazaba, an ancient Moorish fortress.

Dating from AD 995, the immense structure directly overlooks the port at Almeria so was a convenient location for the filming of the Last Harbor Raid (later made into The Rat Patrol movie, Massacre Harbor.)

Moorish Fortress at Almeria - Alcazaba

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Lighthouse

The Lighthouse Raid

The episode mission briefing The Rat Patrol is assigned the task of ferrying an escaping and ailing French resistance leader from German territory to a waiting Allied ship. After they spring him from the hands of the Gestapo, they transport him to a convenient lighthouse, supposedly a safe place overseen by a Frenchman friendly to the Allies. Naturally, this turns out not to be the case.

Lighthouse in The Lighthouse Raid

The lighthouse from this episode is clearly the lighthouse at Cabo de Gata in Spain.

A peek at the map above shows that the Cabo de Gata lighthouse is conveniently located, just partway around the bay from Almeria.

Lighthouse at Cabo de Gata in Spain.

Here is one website where you can learn a little more about Almeria http://www.spanish-living.com/files/Andalucia/Almeria.html

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A German Desert Resort

The Kill at Koorlea Raid The episode mission briefing The Rat Patrol is ordered to assassinate a notoriously nasty German officer while he is on leave. With a sniper in their company, they find the officer enjoying himself at a German desert resort, but he is surrounded by his wife and children. Their presence makes for a dangerous complication in the Rat Patrol's mission.

Recently Suncompass received a 'mysterious' email from a California journalist - an email that related an oft-told local rumour involving The Rat Patrol. Suncompass perked up her ears. How intriguing! The journalist asked if Suncompass, being a pseudo-authority on Rat Patrol trivia, could confirm (or dash) that particular Rat Patrol rumour. Wow! You bet! (Suncompass is nothing if not enthusiastic).

The rumour claimed that a certain castle (Furst Castle,Shadow Hills CA) had been the filming location for a Rat Patrol episode. But the journalist could find no one who could confirm that for her.

"Tell me more," said Suncompass, and soon learned that said castle looked rather Moroccan, stood atop a hill, had a couple of lion statues crouching by the entrance, and a very large circular pool set about by palms. "Aha!" said Suncompass with sudden inspiration, and jumped in with both feet (into researching, not the pool).

A great aerial shot of Furst Castle discovered on the internet confirmed it all for Suncompass. See for yourself below.

Furst Castle from the air (photo taken within the last few years) image copyright Wild Bill Mogensen

German Resort in 'The Kill at Koorlea Raid'

As Troy dispatches the guard we see a hairpin turn behind him and a mossy wall to the right that match the castle approach road (see tight corner in left side of the top image)

The dome on the roof and entrance structure are unmistakable. The lion statues are clearer in the episode. You must imagine the pool pictured in the top image is full of water.

At about the 8 o'clock position on the pool in the top picture, a small rectangular 'cabana' is visible. That was the Butcher's breakfast 'nook' in this image from the episode.

Many thanks to Cathy C. for bringing 'The Rat Patrol at Furst Castle' rumour to Suncompass, and thanks to Wild Bill for sharing his castle photo that confirms the rumour.

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* Episodes filmed in Spain: Chase of Fire Raid, The Life Against Death Raid, The Wildest Raid of All, Kill or Be Killed Raid, The Chain of Death Raid, The Do or Die Raid, The Blind Man's Bluff Raid, The Fatal Chase Raid, The Blow Sky High Raid, The Moment of Truce Raid, The Deadly Double Raid, The Gun Runner Raid, The Lighthouse Raid, The Dare-Devil Rescue Raid, The Last Harbor Raid parts I, II, and III.

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