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Frederick Benjamin "Ben" Carlin (27 July 1912 – 7 March 1981) was an Australian adventurer who was the first and only person to circumnavigate the world in an amphibious vehicle. Born in Northam, Western Australia, Carlin attended Guildford Grammar School in Perth, and later studied mining engineering at the Kalgoorlie School of Mines. After qualifying as an engineer, he worked on the Goldfields before in 1939 emigrating to China to work in a British coal mine. In the Second World War, Carlin was posted to the Indian Army Corps of Engineers, serving in India, Italy, and throughout the Middle East. After his discharge from service in 1946, he emigrated to the United States with his American wife, Elinore (née Arone).
Sparked by an idea he had had whilst in the military, Carlin proposed that the couple honeymoon by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a modified Ford GPA (an amphibious version of the Ford GPW Jeep), which they named the Half-Safe. Beginning their trip in Montreal, Canada, the Carlins finally completed the transatlantic crossing in 1951, after unsuccessful attempts. From there, they travelled to Europe, temporarily settling in Birmingham to raise more money. They resumed their journey in 1954, travelling overland through the Middle East before arriving in Calcutta. After a short fundraising trip to Australia, Carlin's wife left to return to the United States. He resumed the journey with new partners, travelling through South-East Asia and the Far East to the northern tip of Japan, and then to Alaska. After an extended tour through the United States and Canada, he and Half-Safe finally returned to Montreal, having travelled over 17,000 kilometres (11,000 mi) by sea and 62,000 kilometres (39,000 mi) by land during a ten-year journey. Following Carlin's death in 1981, Half-Safe was acquired by Guildford Grammar, his old school, where it remains on display. https://youtu.be/VNJR9D8AT_U
Sparked by an idea he had had whilst in the military, Carlin proposed that the couple honeymoon by crossing the Atlantic Ocean in a modified Ford GPA (an amphibious version of the Ford GPW Jeep), which they named the Half-Safe. Beginning their trip in Montreal, Canada, the Carlins finally completed the transatlantic crossing in 1951, after unsuccessful attempts. From there, they travelled to Europe, temporarily settling in Birmingham to raise more money. They resumed their journey in 1954, travelling overland through the Middle East before arriving in Calcutta. After a short fundraising trip to Australia, Carlin's wife left to return to the United States. He resumed the journey with new partners, travelling through South-East Asia and the Far East to the northern tip of Japan, and then to Alaska. After an extended tour through the United States and Canada, he and Half-Safe finally returned to Montreal, having travelled over 17,000 kilometres (11,000 mi) by sea and 62,000 kilometres (39,000 mi) by land during a ten-year journey. Following Carlin's death in 1981, Half-Safe was acquired by Guildford Grammar, his old school, where it remains on display. https://youtu.be/VNJR9D8AT_U
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World History
Adventure
World History Adventure
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
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Whoa...that is WILD, I gotta tell ya, WILD, kudos, MAJOR historical tidbit find , BRAVO, audience applause cheering, whistling, clapping, stamping their feet, doing the wave,lol. Like WOW!!!!
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Capt Daniel Goodman
Honestly, I just simply never got around to sending one in, that's the truth, also, and I realize this is perhaps just the way my head is wired, in all truth, I was just always hesitant about including such stuff on sites like LinkedIn , which I'd actually chatted with many others on, at least before finding this one here. Given that I yak with others on here a good deal, though, it's not a terrible notion, I suppose , my wife was hospitalized of late so I've been worried about that for the past week and a half now with really bad sciatica, though when I yak with her next, I'll ask her , it's just a "me" thing, I guess, I just never really thought much about doing it, honest, her existence and mine have been complex enough, that I suppose, given some stuff I'd heard about other sites, though she has one of her on one of the other major sites, that I just , as I'd said, was always somewhat reluctant to send one in, purely out of what might admittedly be over the top worry, I suppose. In all truth, it's not a bad thought, let us yak about it a little , of she thinks it's OK , I promise, I'll give it some serious thought, OK? We do appreciate your asking, for real, it's not a horrible notion, certainly, I hope that explains it, many thanks for asking, let us chew on it for awhile, I just really likedmthat tidbit about driving a water capable car across the Atlantic , I just thought that really cool, honest, my wife freq tells me I'm sometimes more than a trifle over the top in my level of enthusiastic overreaction , lol.
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