Major Henry Charles David Marshall - Wallet 1 - Booklet 4 - Part 1

VX34 MAJOR H.C.D. MARSHALL
A.I.F.
3317.
IV
Geprũft
2 10/6/43
Oflag IX A

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they are hundreds of yards from a crossing start blowing their
whistle and don't cut if off until they are well past. The first
few times are nerve wracking but you soon get used to it.
Both guards and tram conductors are armed with a little
brass horn to communicate signals to the driver and the
noise is just like a parrot squawk. It was sometime before I
discovered the source of the noise and I thought that there
must be an awful lot of birds around. We arrived safely into
the Cairo terminus of this line which did not go into the main
Cairo station but is on the other side of the city. Owing to financial
reasons we walked instead of taking a gharry and I showed
Harry some of the more important streets. We then started a visit
to all the bars and hotels I knew leaving out the Continental
which was expensive. We only had one drink in each
and then went to the next. When I had been in Cairo last
I like one place called Mannerings and I had forgotten the
street. After a lot of trouble we finally located it and
started on a drink. They followed the usual course and
we had a drink and peanuts. By the way in Egyptian your
order "Foul Sudani". Sudanese peanuts. There was an Egyptian
family there having cocktails and they had a pretty little girl
of about 12 in pink. Harry could hardly keep his eyes off her
She was shy however. We left for another bar and found it
closed for repairs so we returned to Mannerings. The owner
was there then and we invited him to a drink which he
returned. We got talking and it turned out that he had
been the dead king of Egypt's jockey and was an Englishman
whose name I think was Hopkins. He talked of his experiences
and was very proud of the fact that he held licenses to ride
in thirteen countries and had done well in each. He
had been in India and that was right in Harry's hands.
He started talking of Marge's father who had been a wellknown
handicapper in India and the East and this chap knew
him. So the talk and drinks started all over again and
he turned it on more frequently than ever. He took us
into his office and showed us all his racing photos and
trophies and a little later he dug up a beautiful black
and white sketch of a bearded man who looked very
like Abraham Lincoln. We duly admired it and then
he showed us the trick of it. Beautifully and cleverly
done into the drawing using the forehead and nose
was an equisite nude figure of a woman. Looking at it
straight ahead you had no idea. Turned sideways
and this drawing was of equal merit to all the rest. We
finally left him and went down to our station which
was know an Bar el Luk. We travelled home by the
rail motor to Helwan and after a wait in the darkness

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we succeeded in getting a taxi to camp for 10/- Eqyptian.
All in all we had a satisfactory night for little cost as we
still had 10/- left of our original 30/- after paying the taxi.
Another night Theo who had not seen Cairo asked me to go in
with him and show him around. So we did. I am afraid
I gave him a sickener of saluting for I took him all round
the main streets and it was a leave day for British troops
who are sticklers for saluting. As senior officer he had to
return the salutes and by the time he had gone 100 yards
along one street he was heartily sick of it. I forgot to
mention that when Harry and I were in before we had dinner
at the Kursaal one of the very large restaurants and dance
floors. There a little Egyptian girl captured our hearts.
She was the most alert beggar and the sweetest I have
ever seen. She had a most appealing smile, knew all
ranks and kissed our hands when we gave her money.
She absolutely ran into our hearts. At the same time
she gave us immunity from all the other children
and looked after us that no one bothered us but herself
and she could twist everyone including us round her
little finger. Unfortunately she had picked up a lot of obscenity
which she used unknowingly and when we tried to explain
to her how bad it was sh got deeper into the mire and
provoked her whole repertoire which she thought we liked.
We finally convinced her not to use one word of the many
and felt limp after it but relieved at one small success.
When Theo and I went in we walked through her stamping
ground and he immediately fell a victim too. She made
her usual collection and her smile had lost nothing of its
charm. She led us to the native theatre I spoke of before and
we saw almost the same show with the same actors and
a few different but interminable songs. We had saved
our taxi fare home but felt like a drink so we called
into the Continental Hotel and went up to their roof
garden. Again I want to reiterate the expense of drinks.
Whilst we were there a chap ordered two glasses of champagne
which cost him the best part of £1. Probably it was very
cheap stuff. They only had Egyptian beer left so we
refused that and had two glasses of soda water. 5/-.
but the cheapest two drinks. We then went home, and
so ended another night. I must mention that all the
time we were at Helwan the powers that be allowed
freer leave. They allowed one third of the Battalion
to go in each night and it was the wisest plan they
could have adopted. They also granted reasonable
numbers for weekend leave and arranged trips on the

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Nile and to the Pyramids and other places of interest near
and far. It had many good points and few bad ones. After
the first splash the troops settled down and saved their
money for their leaves and present buying - only drank
moderately and settled down quite reasonably. As time
went on it became more difficult to fill the quota - the
majority preferring to stay in camp and drink Australian
beer at reasonable prices quietly in the canteen. In all,
the time we spent at Helwan we had less infringement  of
orders regarding leave and conduct than ever before or since
as they reverted to their silly ideas of curtailed leave [[?]]
whilst at Helwan Kafer invited Brock Rowan and I to
another family party and this was the last time I saw
them. It was just before we left and we spent a quiet
enjoyable time drinking talking and dancing with no
other guests. By the way all the time we were in Egypt we
had to wear our revolvers at all times including leave
and they were a damn nuisance and responsibility.
Darling mine, I feel I have written enough lately without
saying how much I love you. Since the day I left you
have always been with me - closer even than I thought
would be possible and many of the things I have read - both
poems and books constantly remind me of you. To me
you are the embodiment of everything sweet and our
enforced parting has made you even dearer to me. I am
going to quote some verses which to me suit my mood and
love.
"Girl now that my eyes
Again shall look long on you"
Girl, now that my heart
Is almost in the drouth for you,
Girl now that my soul
Yearns deep for the deeps in you
Now, while my life has a wing
Do I sing my song to you.
Girl, if never my eyes
Again, might look long on you
Girl, if ever my heart
Is drained dry for the drouth of you
Girl, if ever my soul
Is lost for the loss of you
Still, though my life has no wing
Will I sing my song to you.
Thats how I love you my precious little one, for
ever, for always. My darling wife.

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I shall occasionally have to burst out like that to relieve my
feelings. About a week after we arrived Theo had to go and witness
an artillery shoot with the Brigadier and other COs with Russ
Savige also in the party. They were out overnight and coming home
in the afternoon they called in for a spot at Heliopolis Hotel.
They found this commandeered and used by the Army as a
Hospital. I should say that Heliopolis House was the hospital
and the Hotel was used to quarter the nurses. It was then that
the idea was born in the Brig's mind that each Battalion
was to entertain the nurses at a party in the mess. We had 
our party but more of that later. By now we had commenced
solid training and each day found us in the desert
gaining experience both in marching and in the use of
our trucks and carriers across sand. It was right at
our back door. All this time we were doing Battalion
exercises and then Brigade and finally a big Divisional
one with every arm functioning. It is surprising what
a weight the hard sand will hold. It carries weights
quite well if a driver is careful but if he gets careless
in his driving the surface just gives and the truck
sinks into soft sand. It was invaluable training for
everyone and particularly our drivers. As the time
progressed they became more and more expert and a
full loaded bogged truck soon became a sight. The
Divisional and Brigade exercises covered many miles and
occupied many days - sleeping out and getting down
to active service conditions. The desert was right at our
backdoor and had a few recognisable features and
hills and was fairly easy to travel on. Not like the
featureless sands of Libya but nevertheless very good
training. We were only at Helwan a little over a month
but it was packed with incident and hard work. Most
of the time Theo was not with us as the morning after he
arrived home from the Artillery Shoot he was shot away
to do a very big job. Later Miller went with him but
not for some time. Unk was going to a school on
Tactics and Theo returned for about a week from his
job. I may add for your information that Unk had not made
a very good job of the Divisional Exercise and the Bn was in
the badbooks accordingly. Anyway Unk left and after
Theo had looked around for a couple of days and we
had straightened things up he took up the question of
the mess with me. You must understand that it was not
my job whilst Unk was about but in his absence I was
acting as Second in Command. As I tried to describe it

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our mess was just a dirty looking barn with no pretensions
to comfort and had no attractions. The tempers of the members
were just the same as the room and it was nothing but a
wooden shell to drink in. Officers are at least entitled to some
comfort without getting soft but Unk was content that we ate
of uncovered tables and sat in a room with a few forms
and stools. At the same time he had let the mess finances
slide and we did not have any ready cash and the lads
in consequence had large bills and had spent their money
in Cairo. The situation had to be faced as an unhappy
mess reflects right through the work of the Battalion. Theo
wanted to know why we could not do anything about it so
I offered to go into Cairo and buy some things and to use
the least possible cash. At the same time the question of the
party to the nurses at Heliopolis cropped up and we
decided to hold it on the Saturday night. I was sent with
the invitation to twenty nurses and given four days to
free up the mess. Incidentally I was without my side
partner who had against all his wishes been sent to
Palestine to take over the newly formed Training Battalion.
Harry took it very badly and looked on it as want of
confidence in him and that he was being shoved off out
of the way. In spite of the Brig's advice I think he left feeling
this way. He was half right and half wrong as our Brigade
sent their best but others got rid of the misfits. Old Stan
told Harry that a good job in Palestine meant his command
and in the end he was right although he had to wait
until we were captured. Anyway I took the car and
started off with the definite idea of curtains, tablecloths
flowers and a spot of paint. I called on a lass that
Gunn and I had met and more about her later.
She shared a very small flat with the wife of an Air
Force Officer and my call was for information as to
where to buy things most cheaply. Although they
themselves did not know they called in their landlord
who ran a couple of other Pensions or Boarding Houses
and he took me around to a wholesale cotton goods
house. There I bought enough bleached linen for
tablecloths - some green linen for curtains and
some towels for washing up. In all I spent about
£2.10.0. I then had some difficulty in finding a paint
shop and paint costs made me shudder. I bought some
quick drying enamel in red - brown and gree green
That about took up all the day except their landlord
took me back and introduced me to the manageress
of another his interests - a private hotel and stood
me a drink. I think he wanted me to see the place
and stay there whilst on leave. I went back to camp
and early next day had the mess Corporal and the
batmen hard at work reinforced by the tailor and

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his machine which we brought up from the battalion
headquarters. Whilst he hemmed the tablecloths and
made the curtains I had the windows washed, the floor
scrubbed and another team painting chairs, stools and
tables for the lounge portion. Whilst they were doing this
I went scrounging and exchanged tables, pinched odd
stools chairs and tables and got another couple of
lamps from the store by digging around in it and then
flinging my weight about because they had not been
issued. In the afternoon I went into Cairo again and
tried to buy some potplants. Flowers are terribly expensive
and after a days bargaining I got three small ones for £1.
When we set up the mess with curtains and tablecloths
and our brightly colored chairs and tables it looked
such a contrast. I also scoured Cairo and got some
more travel posters which with the ones I brought from
Palestine and had been lost but found in our stores
it covered the bare walls and broke the dreariness.
The potplants and the curtains were the best feature.
We then had to think out our entertainment. We could
do nothing with the concrete floor but we decided to dance.
We made up a band from the troops of four performers
Squeezebox, Drums, Cornet and Saxaphone and to have a
sit down supper of Ham, beetroot, pickles, prawns,
asparagus, fruit salad and icecream from the canteen.
I also got some sherry and we brought up the Refrigerator
to keep the icecream. One other thing we had to do was
to arrange lavatory accomadation which for a while
was a difficulty. In the end I took a spare tent
and erected it for the night next to the Mess and
divided it in half with a side. In one half we
placed a specially made thunderbox and in the
other a table with my red cloth on it. Somewhere
or other my Pioneer Platoon had pinched a beautiful
large mirror and now was the time for me to show
my knowledge of its whereabouts. I really think they
thought I knew nothing about it. We placed it on
a table with two hurricane lamps one each
side and to me it looked rather like a
dressing table particularly with a low stool in
front. Well the great night came and the Brig loaned
us some cars to transport the nurses from
Heliopolis Hotel. I must admit I was like a cat on
hot bricks as we had never met any of them and
they were all British nurses. They arrived all
right and we showed them to their tent and
waited a while. They came in a bunch looking

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all demure and scared and I did not know what to
do to break the ice. Fortunately the two Russes had
been passing the time waiting for our guests in having
a jam and when I suddenly ushered in about a dozen
nurses they were doing an amazing dance. Godby who
is Ballet mad was doing a Russian dance and
Savige some weird idea of his own. They did not
stop but whooped it up and everyone caught the
infection and laughed. A sherry and everyone
soon knew everybody else and the evening went with
a bang. The supper which had worried me seemed to
please the visitors as they were heartily sick of hotel fare
There was one little dark nurse I think you know. She
came from Canterbury and was named Douglas. Anyway
she lived in Ian Hanson's street. The evening did not
pass without other excitements. We had an airraid alarm
and I had to leave and go down to Bn. Hqrs about
half a mile away. All lights had to go out and they
just tacked in the dark until the alarm was over. Hardly
had I got back there when there was another and this
time we heard a plane overhead. At least they did
but I was in a Morris Truck on the way to Bn Hqrs
again. This was a false alarm as the plane continued
on and dropped some bombs at Maadi about 8 miles
away fortunately doing no damage. Most of these nurses
had been in France and Norway and were the
least excited of anyone. The evening ended and we
sent them home and although I carefully checked
and counted everyone twice after the cars had gone
I found one nurse still left. She had been parking with
one of the lads and he got the rough edge of both my and
Theo's tongue. There were no more cars to borrow so we
had to beg an Utility Truck from Brigade and she
went home in that. Four or five of the youngsters took
our guests home and we old stagers had a few more
drinks and then Theo and I decided to rout Bob
Knights and Samford out of bed. They slept together
so we had a decent go. Bob was easily tipped out
of bed but Bamford was another proposition. He
dived for Theo who fortunately swung round a tent
pole and he missed and allowed me to fix his
bed. We then left them to it and went our various
ways. The reason for our deciding to pull them out
of bed was that we had found our tents well
fixed and reckoned they would be the culprits.
I feel very restless and unsettled tonight darling.

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When we arrived at Helwan we got a tour of security duty.
We had to send a Company to Helwan aerodrome and later
another to Tura Caves where all the ammunition was stored.
Miller had the Helwan aerodrome first and the only excitement
over his tour was one of his Sergeants went batty for a few days
He chose the middle of the night for all the trouble. I forget
his name but we did not risk having him back. Henry
had the second tour at Tura. Sol Green had the first and
they had a helluva time with bugs. They were nearly eaten
alive. I believe they had built new barracks. Henry on his
tour met a RAF Squadron Leader - all I can remember is his
nickname of Ginger who introduced him to a lass named
Winnie Trattles who worked in British Imperial Airways. I
don't know her tragedy but her fiance had been killed just
before the war. She has apparently got over it as Henry tells
me in a letter she is now married and living in the Sudan.
So one of my food parcels has gone west for [[?]] to her. She
was a very charming English girl and the lass I went to
for advice. One day Henry took me to meet her and we
did not know how to spend the afternoon. So as neither of
us had seen Heliopolis we went out there. The method
of travelling is to catch a super tram from outside the Continental
Later it gets on to the railway and scoots along at about
60 mph and then gets back to a tram again. They are
very modern, luxurious streamlined all aluminium
color trams and really very beautiful. When we arrived
we engaged a taxi for an hour and went sightseeing.
We passed the Heliopolis Racecourse and in our usual
style bowled in. A very polite Egyptian asked us
our business and we persuaded him to show us the
horses. Beautiful beasts and the whole affair an
amazement to Winnie at our methods of getting our own
way by bounce. She had still more to come. We had
a short walk and saw the sign Flat to Let so we
went in. I forget who was chosen by the Egyptian caretaker
as her husband but we soon found something the
matter and left. She forgave us in five minutes for
our foolery. By the way Flats and in fact all rooms
in Egypt are tall and roomy and airy and strange
yo our eyes there are no fireplaces. Cairo buildings are
now very palatial particularly in the City and
all have mosaic halls and passages. They were
rather dangerous for our still studded boots. We
arranged to take her to dinner and a dance and
she promised to find a friend for me. As working hours

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in Cairo are 8 — 12 and 5 —7 we had to leave her at her
job. Henry arranged the date when a friend arrived for the
weekend from Alexandria and when calling on the Brig
mentioned our arrangements. The old man immediately
said he would come in and meet them. We did not really
believe him but he carried out his promise. Winnie told
me whilst we were waiting in her flat that her friend had
been divorced twice - was an authoress and was now in
love with a White Russian in Alexandria. I can tell
you I did not know what to expect. I had visions of a
willowy lady with bad eyes and trouble ahead for me
and a lot of very risque conversation. Winnie said simply
she was pretty hot. Nothing further from my imagined picture
was possible in the result. A woman of about 28 very stout
very quiet and with no claims to beauty turned up. She
was just a good companion but she could dance like
some stout people like a feather. We went along to the
Continental and sat at a table on the verandah - no not
that the terrace in front and waited for the Brig. He turned
up having made a special trip to keep the appointment
and was his own delightful self although a bit tired. As
soon as he found Olive was an authoress he and she
started discussing the trials of authorship. You know he
has written a book don't you. I had visions of being odd
man out and having to invent an excuse. He finally
sent us off with his blessing. We had dinner at the
Kursaal and danced on the floor there until midnight
when we returned the two lasses to their homes and
then went home ourselves. Whilst at [[Turu?]] Henry was
introduced by Ginger to the club at Maadi not far away.
It is the same type as Gezira but not so expensive but
nevertheless a delightful place. The whole village I should
call it is full of trees and is very quiet and restful
and occupied by lots of English, French and
Continental people. Henry with his usual gift for
finding people he knew discovered that the wife
of the Secretary was an Australian who was born
in the next street from him. He knew her parents
very well. I went down there one afternoon and
had a couple of drinks on the way to a job. If I
had not met her he would have been annoyed. He
also spent some time trying to find his cousin in
the RAF but missed him although he found his
wife. His cousin had been invalided somewhere or
other. The rest of my recollections are just little
incidents. One night after a few beers Miller and 

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Halliday were skylarking and wrestling and Miller
through Halliday over a small bank. He hurt his
shin on a stone and though no more about it. Later
a clot formed and if it had travelled upwards would
have been very dangerous. He had to have complete
rest so he was sent to Hospital. He was given a fortnights
leave after that and had a good time in Cairo. He
stayed at the Victoria Hotel - quite a comfortable place
taken over by the Comforts Fund for leave parties from
Palestine. Russ Savage went in one night and the pair
of them made a night. It was unfortunate that Russ
should have crept into camp at reveille right into
me - I made him go on church parade although he
asked off. It was a definite penance as his head was
splitting. On the same parade whilst Dakers was giving
his sermon a newspaper seller came past gaily shouting
his filthy language. The troops were rather amused
as by this time Dakers sermons were so rambling
and silly that no one took much notice of him. By
the way as I told you we sent him off to the Convalescent
Depot before we left Palestine and we were without his
services at our first Church Parade. So Henry chose
the lessons and he and I read them and Theo
conducted the Service. His choice of lessons was very
apt and he displayed a greater knowledge of where
to look than I knew he possessed. Just before we left
Theo sent me with the band to a meeting called by Ivan
and I have never spent such a terrible time for a long
while. After all preparations for this momentous affair
with aides dashing around marshalling everyone into
the picture theatre our respected Div. Cdr. stood up and
lectured us about bands, bugle calls and the need
for exactness in calls etc. He even whistled the damn
thing himself. It disgusted me that he should waste
both his time and ours on such a stupid thing.
But he had a kink that way and manifested it with
buglers on the Guards at Gaza. Again just before
we left we were visited by Anthony Eden and each
unit had to turn on a demonstration of some
part of their training for his edification. I hate
these affairs which are so stupid unnecessary
and boring and the preparations are in inverse
ratio to the time he spends looking. Its like the
review parade - days spent in organising the move

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and the affair and then the General arrives, shakes hands
and departs without doing any reviewing. We had
another job whilst at Helwan. We did for the New Zealanders
what our first Brigade did for us. We fostered them and erected
their camp for them at Maadi. It took about three days and
a lot of hard work as the ground there was hard and not
sandy. Their GOC Freiberg recognised the help given
him by the Australians and gave a very elaborate
cocktail party which I attended as Theo's deputy. he
was very charming and tried to make Ivan drunk
but did not succeed. Ivan is very temperate. Most
of the others went on to make a night of it in Cairo but as
I was Administering Command I went straight back
I always feel I would be unlucky and that something
would happen or I should be wanted if I had not
obtained leave. Needless to say nothing happened
and everyone was out of Camp. We had rather a funny
visit to Div. Hqrs one day. It was just before leaving and
I think it was Russ Godby and I had to call at Div and
we improved the shining hour by calling on the senior
C of E padre who was also the mess secretary. He knew we
wanted a drink and turned it on. It was rather late in
the day and their tables were set for mess. Lots of white
tablecloths and silver. By the way they had two messes
A mess for seniors and B mess for juniors. It had not rained
in the memory of anyone since we left Australia and
suddenly it broke and poured. Everybody went outside
and admired the rain when but suddenly our attention was
drawn to ominous sounds inside the mess. They had
never finished the roof - that is if [[?]] had been put
on it had been done badly and a rain of muddy water
was pouring over the white tablecloths at exactly the same
intervals as the cracks in the boards of the ceiling. Months
of dust had made wonderful mud and the cheery room
soon looked bedraggled. We left. I cannot give you any
details of the nightclubs or bars. The two most popular
were the Kit Kat and Bardia. Both very expensive and
places I have never seen. The plan of all this type of
entertainment is to have cabaret turns and after
their item is finished the entertainers - women ones
will sit and drink and talk with you and gain
a commission from the house on all your orders. The
usual ramp is for the girl to order some expensive
drink and get water or some other colored innocuous
fluid. In return they will also dance. The whole racket 

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is horribly expensive and £6 or £7 goes no where for a night.
I think I once called in at one of the two with Sol Green and
Co for about half an hour on the way home and can only
remember it as a place of noise and bad drunks. There
are many others whose names I cannot remember. I can
only remember one night when we sent Bob Knights, Bamford
Soll Green and Halliday out. During the early morning
we had an airraid alarm and whilst Theo and I were
waiting the celebrants came home in a wonderful state
of exhiliaration. Halliday had bought or pinched a bunch
of roses and refused to be parted from them. They were full
of their evening and of how they had met Howard Ramsay
and of how he had taken them to his night club discovered
on a previous school in Cairo and of how he had been
made to pay the charges. The Brigade Entertainments
Officer made himself a bit of a nuisance at Helwan and
one of his bright thoughts was to arrange a basketball
match for us as the Brigade Champions with one of the
local clubs. I have explained the Club system like
Gezira and Maadi which are the centre of all sorts of
sporting activities as well as social. This one was as far
as I could make out a French and Continental and
Egyptian Club called the Tewfikich Tennis Club. I knew
that we were a bad team and was not very anxious
to go but my hand was forced. Due to some very vague
directions we finally arrived and found a clubhouse
with lots of tennis courts - a very beautiful swimming
pool and a basketball court. We turned out and as
I expected they were too fast and good for us and had
been playing together for a long while whereas our
games had been three only when we played in the
Brigade Championships. They beat us I think 19 points
to three although we made them move. I am afraid
too they were unused to and did not like our Australian
methods of highmarking and devil take the hindmost.
One little Frenchman tried conclusions with me in
the air twice and although I did not fell him he
landed six feet away flat on the hard ground. I
would have liked a swim but we were not invited
and I rather expected a drink but they only turned
on some cold soft drinks which disgusted the troops
very much. Their showers were very good however.
We were invited to a return match but left before

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the date. I have not described the natives we saw on our
way into Cairo. The road trip for the most part was delightful
mostly along the banks of the hill or in sight of it. It was very
broad here and there was always plenty of interest on the
river. The native boats were called Dahabryeh's and had
huge Dhow or Lateen sails nearly three times as big as
themselves. They carried all sorts of goods and we passed
their docks or rather wharves nearer Cairo. There was also
a big cement works with its own private wharf and a big
overhead "flying fox". There were a number of villages along
the road which for the most part was tree shaded. We
passed through the native fields and they must be seen to
be believed. They are so wonderful that they seem to bear
four crops a year and are wonderfully irrigated from
the Nile and the network of canals running all over the
country. I am afraid that I could never be persuaded to
do anything but look at the waters of the Nile and more
particularly the smaller canals. They are used for
everything. I have seen a native washing his false teeth
in the water not far from where another had relieved
himself. The whole native family works and it is very
understandable to see why there are two classes only in
Egypt. The rich and the very poor. There are some very
beautiful women and handsome men in the fellaheen
class bu they are ravaged by all sorts of diseases. The
government is making great strides in improving matters
but it will take them years. It is impossible to change the
habits of centuries overnight. I find it a bit difficult to
describe the country around Cairo in words - the only
lasting memory I have is how prolific all growth was
and how little loss of any ground was allowed. If anything
would grow it was grown. I think I told you of the
dangers of the Nile and you mentioned reading about it
in a book. Belhazia was rife and it was very dangerous
I have seen natives bathing in it and some doctors
say you can get immunity to it. They were dressed
in the supposedly white flowing robes for the men with
the red fez as the universal headgear. No matter what
age or rank all Egyptian males were these and there
are many shops doing nothing else but press and clean
them. The native peasant women usually wears
a shapeless dress of some heavy dark material but
enlivened with beads and color. Some wear the veil
but this is not common. Most go about barefooted
although the city dweller wears shoes or light sandals. 

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The 6Bn gave a dance to the nurses at Heliopolis and
I was invited over. I only stayed a few minutes as the
guests were an entirely different set to those who came to
us. Jack Bishop walked back with me to collect some such
for Theo who was away on his job. After picking up the money
from the safe at G.H.Q we walked over to the mess for a final drink.
It was practically deserted but two or three of our brighter
spirits were imbibing more spirits. One of them was flourishing
his revolver and threatening to shoot holes in the roof.
I cooled them off and talked as much as possible to cover
all this and I think I was successful for Jack said nothing
at Brigade. Later when I blistered them properly I found
that just before we came in he had actually shot two
holes through the roof. I lived in fear of enquiries from
Brigade regarding this for the next few days but fortunately
for me they received no report of the shots. As I was
administering command I should have got the kicks.
During our last two weeks we knew movement was on foot
as the first Brigade had left and all sorts of odd units
just dropped out of sight. At the same time contractors
arrived and commenced building permanent huts
with a three foot splinter proof sidewall. The rest was
lathe and straw instead of plaster. It was I believe
cooler and not so likely to burn quickly. Roofs were
of the same material - rather like seagrass blinds as
galvanised iron would be both too hot and too expensive.
We finally received our orders to move and everything
was again packed up. About 5 oclock one day I marched
the Battalion down to the siding and waited for the
train. Due to some muck up our train did not
arrive and we sat around until well after midnight
waiting for our missing train. It was at last discovered
some miles down the line and finally brought to me.
And so commenced another train journey with
our destination Amyinya and our new camp at
Ikingi Maryut about 15 miles from Alexandria and
just on the edge of the Western Desert. As we were passing
through Alexandria our train was halted for an airraid
alarm for about half an hour. As it was close to a
high brick wall we could see and hear nothing of what
was occurring. On the subject of airraids we heard later
that two days later the Italians bombed Helwan
Camp and a bomb landed between our Mess
and the Canteen and destroyed both. This time there
was nothing in either building as all the Canteen goods

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had been cleared out before we left. Before I leave the Cairo
area I must tell you that some British Ladies had formed
themselves into a club called the Tipperary Club and
taken rooms and supplied meals and entertainment for
troops on leave. This they did voluntarily and kept their
prices to a minimum and it provided an oasis for me
who did not know what to do with themselves. As well as
this and some other organisations whose names I do not
know the Aust. Comforts Fund as I told you had taken
over the Victoria Hotel - a three or four starred building and
whilst firstly for leave from Palestine it also offered
facilities for meeting and drinking in their bar and
a bureau for advice and commencement of tours and
a writing room and lots of other things. I never saw
the YMCA - no I am wrong I did. It was in Alex. I
missed their show. They had a very nice situation
very near Goodyear and supplied meals in a sort of garden
atmosphere. They also arranged for bands to play and our
band went in once and had an engagement again but
we moved before fulfilling it. They ran an information kiosk,
as well and also hairdressing and generally provided for
the troops needs. I think I have covered all the Cairo area
events and will now get on to the Western Desert. We
passed through Alexandria in the early dawn and saw
little of it - then through Amirya and to our destination
Ikingi Maryut. As usual our transport had gone ahead by
road. Ikingi Maryut is a small station like one of our 

smallest country stations. It serves a little township of
all sorts of houses from very beautiful and large to weekend
shacks. The town itself served as a weekend place
for the wealthy of Alexandria and other places to take their
mistresses and some of the homes are palatial. Ikingi
Maryut is native for Desert Home and one very beautiful
building was also named this. It was said but for the
truth I cannot vouch that this was Farouk's own private
little pleasuance. Each house had its own windmill
pumping artesian water for baths etc. A couple of houses
had swimming pools. I arrived with the last company
my own and was shown our Battalion area. All that
had been erected was a water tank of stone and five seven
tin sheds for kitchens (5 Companys - Officers and Sergeants)
all in echelon along a dusty unmade track. I
then had to allot the Company areas and as we were
now definitely in the bombing zone all tents had
to be spread at least 100 yards apart. After some
changes I finally got then in and the troops erected 

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them. That took all the first day. For the next week we
were busy digging out the inside area of the tents to a
minimum depth of three feet and dropping the whole tent into
the hole. This to minimise any bombs and so make only a direct
hit damaging to sleepers. The ground was terribly hard and
rocky and I had to borrow a forge and keep one of my
pioneers resharpening and tempering our picks.
Further each tent had a slit trench dug outside about
four to six feet deep with traverses /\/\ (Hand drawn diagram – see original)
to hold the occupants
and on an alarm everyone had to go into these. From our
experience now I know that we dug them too deep but as the
ground was so hard and rocky I think there was no great
harm. Had the ground been sandy a bomb landing
close would have buried the occupants - but I don't think
it would have happened. In my first tent I was having
a slit dug and we struck so much rock that a chisel
and sledgehammer had to be used and the trench was
never finally completed. Later when I moved into the
second in command's tent I adopted Theo's idea of only
digging out half the inside for my stretcher and table
each in a separate bay. OLoughlin during our stay
here was at [[ME?]] in Cairo and Theo who was not
satisfied with him applied for and was granted his
clearance. He went direct from the school to Division
as a Staff Officer. Henry was asked for and for a long
while I carried out the duties of H.Q. Coy Cdr and
Second in Command as well. Two or three times Henry
nearly got back to us but I have never heard the full
story of his difficulties and finally he did not come at
all. Our kitchens were nothing but tin sheds and a
concrete floor and we had to go back to cooking in
Sawyers stoves until we built some oil burning ovens.
These could only be used when we had supplies of
used sump oil and this was not so plentiful as possible,
and they could not always be used. I saved a lot of
oil for our Christmas dinner of which more anon. These
ovens are made from 40 gallon drums also as scarce as
hens teeths - some water pipe - two kerosene cans for
oil and water and taps made out of wood. The drums
were covered with clay and the outside built up of
stones. Both for this and for our tents to keep the earth
from falling in we went and collected large dressed

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stones from some scattered and old fallen down buildings
We got all we wanted and then an order came out that
no dressed stones were to be taken as some Australians
had been seen carting away parts of Cleopatras
weekend homes. Needless to say I did not disclose how
many we had or from where we got ours. I really don't
think we were the culprits about Cleopatra. The collection of
stones was always exciting as there were many snakes among
the Arches and when the Medical Authority wanted some
we were able to flood them with more than they wanted and
a halt on collection was soon called. I gave Russ Godby
two tent for his RAP and these were joined together and
the whole lot dug in. As he could not keep any patients
here he made himself a consulting room, a sleeping
room and a dressing room. From our rock source the
troops got him a couple of beautifully carved stones
from the tops of pillars and he used these for pedestals
for basins and water. They rather looked like Christening
fonts. For the two messes we were only allowed two tents
each laced together but we did not dig these in. Instead
we dug ample slit trenches for ourselves and visitors.
I divided the mess into two parts - a small ante room and
a large dining room and used our green curtains
for the [[?????]] door hangings. It was very cramped but when
the Brigadier saw it he was very pleased. Our potplants
and imitation windows with green curtains made the
anteroom and bar look very neat and airy. Combined
with a floor of fine gravel it looked something of a
garden. I'll admit it was a helluva squeeze when
everyone tried to drink at the same time. The road
along the kitchens was unmade and as it was a
through road until we educated the passers through
to drive slowly we had dust everywhere. Whilst we
were here we were able to send Fletcher in to Alex
about twice a week and buy fresh vegetables and
fruit although very dear formed a very acceptable
addition to our diet. Whilst the moon was full we
had nightly airraid alarms - I think now it was
very foolish to have broken our rest when the attacks
were on Alexandria 15 miles away. Still it was
better to be sure than sorry as one unit some
miles from us had casualties from overs of the
Anti Aircraft fire and also we never knew when a