31

On the wall is a memorial to Enid Bagnold's brother, Brigadier Ralph Bagnold [31] founder of the Long Range Desert Group during World War ll, which was a precursor of the SAS.

He was an early pioneer of the use of motor vehicles to explore the desert and the inventor of the sun compass. In 1935 he wrote about his exploration of the Sahara in 'Libyan Sands: Travel in a Dead World' - "...without question, the classic work of 20th-century Saharan exploration" (Sahara expert Eammon Gearon). 

His work on the physics of blown sand has been used by United States' space agency NASA in its study of the surface of Mars. The Bagnold Dunes on Mars' surface were named after him.

The memorial is also dedicated to his wife 'Plankie' - derived from Dorothy Alice Bagnold's maiden name - 'Plank'.

A short film (featuring an interview with Bagnold) about his life and work can be see HERE.

_{Ralph Bagnold (left) with his best man on his wedding day 1946 at St. Margaret's, Rottingdean.}

_{Part of the Bagnold Dune Field in the Gale Crater on Mars.}