The Road to Sarajevo

Ok, after the kind comments posted on the previous thread…viewtopic.php?f=28&t=41993

I have sorted out a few more pics.

Usually a convoy would consist of 10 trucks with a four wheel drive running about a quarter of a mile ahead to shout out any problems heading our way as we used to run at a fair old speed when we could. We would leave our yard in Metkovic on the Croatian / Bosnian border, then head north east via Mostar, Jablanica, Konjic and Tarcin before heading off road into the mountains then working our way across country coming out at a place called Kislejak. Here we would stop the night before an early start the next day would see us taking the road into Sarajevo. cameras were banned from being taken in,with the trucks being searched by the serbs on the way in, so I had to use a bit of English ingenuity!! :laughing: :laughing: :wink:


The convoy heading North East on the Mostar road. Gaps were common, sometimes for security purposes and sometimes due to the fact that some drivers coudnt keep up!! :laughing: :laughing:


This was up in the hills between Jablanica and Konjic.A common sight on the roads, tunnels blown up and collapsed, only way through would be around the outside edge along the cliff!! :open_mouth:


This was one of the few tunnels which we were able to use, here we meet our sister team heading the other way, this time we are empty and they are going in loaded. Look to the left of the tunnel mouth and you can see the old road / pathway around the edge!!


Heading towards the town of Tarcin after leaving Konjic we turned of the hard standing and onto the soft stuff. This knackered old bridge took a pounding and always Seemed ready to collapse. Each truck probably grossed out at around 30 odd tonnes but the bridge took!!


This was the road surface from then on,ice and snow in the winter, dust in the summer and muddy slime the rest of the time.notice the fuel tanks, one at each end, there were two on the other side as well.

Couldnt find any pics yet of where we used to overnight in Kislejak so…straight onto to Sarajevo.


Heading into the city we used to cut up the side of the airport along a narrow lane which used to bring us out at the top end of Sniper Alley
Notice the writing on the side of the house, it says “welcome to Sarajevo” and was used in a film made a few years later.


Sniper Alley,


Sniper Alley


Sniper Alley.

Finally, all going well and with out to much sniper fire etc we get into the city.


Sarajevo as seen from the end of Sniper alley.


Even these containers offered no real protection from the heavy shelling. The shell has come in through the edge of the roof, causing the sides to bubble out from the blast and ripping holes from the inside from the shrapnel :open_mouth: :open_mouth:
Lets hope no one was sheltering inside at the time!


A heavily damaged building, still lived in!!


Finally we arrive at our destination, the Velepekara Bakery, in the city. You can see with the sheets finally off,the load, loose sacks of flour, all hand balled on and then hand balled off, not by us though!!
How this place kept going always amazed me.


Be careful where you step!!..this was not posed for, I was in an armoured landrover being driven aby a former Royal Marine when we pulled over to the side of the road at a checkpoint oneday. I opend the passenger door an looked down before I stepped out, this was what I nearly trod on (im PROBABLY not heavy enough to set them off) and he nearly drove over!!! :smiling_imp: :unamused:

Hopefully, we would get tipped in time and get out of the city via the same route before the curfew,head back to kislejak for the night then the next bump our way back to Metkovic, re-load and do it all again!!

Hope you liked them, i will post some more soon as. :wink: