ERIC (NOEL) HEBDEN
COMMANDO TITLES
Created: March 24th, 2020
Updated: June 19th, 2023
Eric Noel Hebden was born in Keighley, Yorkshire, on 25th December 1910.
He won a scholarship to Keighley Grammar School, before the family moved to Clowne,
Derbyshire, during his teens. He joined the Royal Artillery at the age of 18
and was posted to Hong Kong. After five years there in 1937 or '38, the troop
ship taking him, and his regiment home put in at Gibraltar.
It was in Gibraltar he met Mercedes Andrew,
whom he married in 1940. She was evacuated with the rest of the civilian
population, and gave birth to their first child, Susan, in 1941. Eric gained a
commission and was promoted to Captain, commanding a coastal anti-aircraft
battery using radar. He later served in the far east, including India, Burma
and Indonesia, and after the Japanese surrender, by now a Major, he sat on the
War Crimes Commission in Singapore. Mercedes and Susan joined him there in
1947. The family returned to England in 1949, settling in Bristol, where their
second child, Alan, was born in 1950. Eric was to take up a
posting in Japan, but Alan needed an operation on a club foot, so he stayed in
Bristol.
He retired from the army after 25 years'
service. He had long written as a hobby, including poetry and army revues, and
while working for the Civil Service at an army depot in Shropshire he entered a
competition to write a romance comic strip. He didn't win, but he did get work
out of it, writing for various romance titles, including photo-strips. Later he
found a niche in war comics, writing for Commando, Battle Picture Library and
Lion in the 1960s, and Battle Picture Weekly (for which he also acted as
technical adviser), including “Day of the Eagle”, "The Fortrose Falcon"
and "Iron Cross of Courage", in the 1970s.
Eric wrote over 130 scripts for Commando.
His son Alan followed in his footsteps as a writer for Commando and other
publications.
During the 60s he was appointed Executive
Officer at the National Army Museum and when the Museum moved to London in
1971, he took early retirement.
Eric moved into a retirement home for
ex-servicemen in Bexhill. He died there in 1989.
Vic Whittle March 2020
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ERIC
(NOEL) HEBDEN Author for Commando
Comics 1961 -
1976 |
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#3 A GUY NEED GUTS Eric’s title: A Guy Needs Guts July 1961 |
#1032 ESCAPE – OR DIE! Eric’s title: Escape to Die Late May 1976 |
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SOME OF ERIC’S COMMANDO STORY SCRIPTS |
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68 SPEARHEAD Eric’s title: The Line-Shooter Early May 1963 |
152 SKY BLITZ Eric’s title: The Old Glory Early February 1965 |
300 BORN TO FIGHT Eric’s title: The Cracking Point Early December 1967 |
498 Z SQUAD Eric’s title: The Zodiac Squad Early September 1970 |
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622 OPERATION S.O.L.O. Eric’s title: Lost in Limbo Early February 1972 |
702 VALLEY OF THE LOST Eric’s title: The Camel Gunners Early December 1972 |
840 HARD-LUCK HERO Eric’s title: Johnny Jinx Late May 1974 |
1013 FIGHTING LEGIONNAIRE Eric’s title: Fighting Legionnaire Early March 1976 |
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Following is a list of titles attributed to
Eric Hebden. Original titles in blue. Reprinted titles in
yellow. |
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3 A GUY NEEDS GUTS |
792 THE MAN WHO
WOULD NOT KILL |
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8 RED RUNS THE
RIVER |
797 THE MAN WHO
DIED TWICE |
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11 CLOSER THAN
BROTHERS |
825 FROM OUT OF THE
SEA... |
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17 THE KNIFER |
828 SON OF THE
VIKING |
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19 THE DEATH
DEALERS |
831 THE FOUR SCARS |
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23 HILL 13 |
840 HARD-LUCK HERO |
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25 TAKE NO
PRISONERS! |
842 THUNDER
MOUNTAIN |
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30 ISLAND OF GHOSTS |
848 HONOUR AMONG
HEROES |
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32 GLIDER PILOT |
856 ALWAYS PAY YOUR
DEBTS |
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39 DIGGERS DIE HARD |
857 THE LUCK OF THE
LOGANS |
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40 LONE WOLF |
859 CODEWORD -
"TORCH" |
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44 KILLER SHIP |
863 SPACE PILOT |
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45 FOG OF DOOM |
872 PATROL OF THE
LOST |
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51 DEATH HUNT |
884 SECRET MISSION |
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57 TARGET FOR
TONIGHT |
888 THE FIGHTING
FOOLS |
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58 TATTOOED HERO |
893 FULL FATHOM
FIVE... |
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67 HOUNDS OF WAR |
901 A DEBT OF
HONOUR |
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68 SPEARHEAD! |
909 U-BOAT HERO |
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72 SNIPER'S ISLAND |
915 BLOOD OF HEROES |
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84 HERO FROM
HOLLYWOOD |
920 PROJECT
"DOOMSDAY" |
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86 SOLO SMITH |
925 REDCAP RAT |
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89 SPY IN
BATTLE-DRESS |
929 ONE MAN'S WAR |
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92 BIG GUY |
942 THE KILLING-GROUND |
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97 MOUNTAIN GUN |
956 NEVER SURRENDER |
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98 VALLEY OF SECRET
WEAPONS |
959 McGINTY'S MOB |
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99 MISSION MOST
SECRET |
978 RIDERS OF
TERROR |
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113 FIGHTING BREED |
990 ROGUE SUB |
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120 PORTRAIT OF
DEATH |
1009 TO FREEDOM |
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121 KILLER GUN |
1019 JOHNNY THE JINX |
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126 DUEL IN THE
JUNGLE |
1032 ESCAPE - OR
DIE! |
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137 SILVER BUGLE |
1047 CRACKSHOT |
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139 KILLER CREW |
1079 HUNT THE KILLER |
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143 BLOOD BEACH |
1131 BLADE OF HONOUR |
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152 SKY BLITZ |
1287 STRIKE SWIFT -
STRIKE SURE |
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158 ISLAND OF FEAR |
1403 Z SQUAD |
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161 BORN BRAVE |
1419 DEAD-EYE
DONOVAN |
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175 SKY WARRIOR |
1459 DESERT FOX |
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177 THE FIGHTING
McTAGGART |
1476 JUNGLE DUEL |
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181 RED BERET |
1508 THE KILLING
SKULL |
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185 THE FOUR SCARS |
1556 THE DEATH OR
GLORY MOB |
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200 DESERT RAT |
1620 BLACK KNIGHT'S
OF WAR |
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204 YANKEE BUDDY |
1627 NOOSE FOR A
HERO |
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214 ESCAPE TO
DANGER |
1651 THE RIFLEMAN |
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215 DAWN DROP |
1676 THE PIRATES
FROM SUB 13 |
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217 SPACE PILOT |
1747 FLASH-POINT! |
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220 CODEWORD -
"TORCH" |
1764 LYNCH'S MOB |
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228 TALONS OF WAR |
1771 OPERATION
S.O.L.O. |
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240 CROOKED CROSS |
1779 COMPANY OF
HEROES |
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254 MISSION MOST
DANGEROUS |
1827 WHERE THE
ACTION IS! |
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259 BLOOD OF HEROES |
1876 VALLEY OF THE
LOST |
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270 RUNAWAY HERO |
1900 THE WINNING
STREAK |
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273 BLACK SCHNEIDER |
1923 SON OF A
TRAITOR |
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277 THE TRAP |
1931 NO STOPPING
THEM! |
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279 McGINTY'S MOB |
1939 THE BIG SNATCH |
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300 BORN TO FIGHT |
1948 TRAIL OF THE
TIGER |
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301 JOHNNY THE JINX |
1956 BATTLE FOR
BURMA |
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306 THE DEADLY MEN |
1964 WEEK-END
WARRIORS |
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310 HAND OF
VENGEANCE |
2003 THE CIRCUS WENT
TO WAR |
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326 LONE STAND |
2012 PIRATE! |
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338 THE WILD ONE |
2020 THE MAN WHO
WOULD NOT KILL |
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340 CRACKSHOT |
2035 THE MAN WHO
DIED TWICE |
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341 THE LAST BULLET |
2044 BIG GUN |
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356 HUNT THE KILLER |
2051 ROAMING IN THE
GLOAMING |
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357 TEST OF COURAGE |
2099 FROM OUT OF THE
SEA... |
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359 TERROR SQUAD |
2124 SON OF THE VIKING |
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365 BLADE OF HONOUR |
2163 THE FIGHTING
FOOLS |
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441 STRIKE SWIFT -
STRIKE SURE |
2179 FULL FATHOM
FIVE... |
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481 DEAD-EYE
DONOVAN |
2203 REDCAP RAT |
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498 Z SQUAD |
2211 U-BOAT HERO |
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509 RAGS OF GLORY |
2212 PROJECT
"DOOMSDAY" |
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514 DESERT FOX |
2283 THE KILLING
GROUND |
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515 JUNGLE DUEL |
2308 RIDERS OF
TERROR |
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532 THE KILLING
SKULL |
2363 ESCAPE - OR
DIE! |
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539 SNIPER'S ISLAND |
2539 A GUY NEEDS
GUTS! |
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559 HERO FROM
HOLLYWOOD |
2579 RED RUNS THE
RIVER |
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561 THE DEATH OR GLORY MOB |
4359 JOHNNY THE JINX |
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563 SOLO SMITH |
4365 CLOSER THAN
BROTHERS |
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566 BLACK KNIGHT'S
OF WAR |
4389 RED RUNS THE RIVER |
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568 BOSS OF THE
BARBARY APES |
4433 BOSS OF THE BARBARY APES |
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576 NOOSE FOR A
HERO |
4434 NEVER GIVE IN! |
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583 MOUNTAIN GUN |
4437 A GUY NEEDS GUTS |
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591 VALLEY OF SECRET
WEAPONS |
4448 THE FOUR SCARS |
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592 THE RIFLEMAN |
4456 VALLEY OF SECRET WEAPONS |
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596 THE PIRATES
FROM SUB 13 |
4473 KILLER SHIP |
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610 COMPANY OF
HEROES |
4481 HILL 13 |
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622 OPERATION
S.O.L.O. |
4485 THE DEATH DEALERS |
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624 FLASH-POINT |
4493 GLIDER PILOT |
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630 NONE SO BRAVE |
4505 DIGGERS DIE HARD |
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636 BIG JAKE |
4525 ISLAND OF GHOSTS |
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645 LYNCH'S MOB |
4529 TAKE NO PRISONERS! |
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654 NEVER GIVE IN! |
4557 FOG OF DOOM |
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655 PORTRAIT OF
DEATH |
4562 FROM OUT OF THE SEA... |
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656 DESERT JOHNNY |
4581 HERO FROM HOLLYWOOD |
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659 KILLER GUN |
4593 MOUNTAIN GUN |
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665 STONE OF BLOOD |
4605 TARGET FOR TONIGHT |
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666 WHERE THE
ACTION IS |
4609 BIG GUY |
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671 DUEL IN THE
JUNGLE |
4613 SPY IN BATTLE-DRESS |
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678 THE BAYONET
FIGHTERS |
4620 TATTOOED HERO |
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681 BEWARE THE WOLF |
4622 REDCAP RAT |
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702 VALLEY OF THE LOST |
4644 SPEARHEAD! |
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710 BOY HERO |
4664 HOUNDS OF WAR |
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711 SILVER BUGLE |
4680 DUEL IN THE JUNGLE |
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716 BATTLE FOR
BURMA |
4700 SILVER BUGLE |
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717 THE WINNING
STREAK |
4708 KILLER GUN |
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719 KILLER CREW |
4712 BLOOD BEACH |
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720 NIGHTMARE
PATROL |
4740 PORTRAIT OF DEATH |
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723 BLOOD BEACH |
4888 CODEWORD - "TORCH" |
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730 SON OF A
TRAITOR |
4924 SPACE PILOT |
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733 TRAIL OF THE
TIGER |
4960 BLOOD OF HEROES |
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737 THE BIG SNATCH |
4964 YANKEE BUDDY |
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738 NO STOPPING
THEM! |
5036 HUNT THE KILLER |
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748 WEEK-END
WARRIORS |
5084 STRIKE SWIFT - STRIKE SURE |
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752 BADGE OF HONOUR |
5168 BLACK SCHNEIDER |
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757 PIRATE! |
5200 SKY BLITZ |
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760 TEN DAYS TO
LIVE |
5212 NONE SO BRAVE |
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766 ROAMING IN THE
GLOAMING |
5228 BEWARE THE WOLF |
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774 THE CIRCUS WENT
TO WAR |
5248 BOY HERO |
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775 ISLAND OF FEAR |
5256 NIGHTMARE PATROL |
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779 BORN BRAVE |
5272 TEN DAYS TO LIVE |
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780 BIG GUN |
5296 THE BAYONET FIGHTERS |
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© D. C. Thomson & Co Ltd |
Vic Whittle 2020 |
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