MOSTLY "BROKE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 74, 28 March 1940, Page 8

MOSTLY "BROKE."

TROOPS IN EGYPT. CAIRO IS EXPENSIVE. " DUST IN EVERYTHING." (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. Life in Egypt for members of the first echelon o£ the New Zealand Expeditionary Koroe containe plenty of variety, accorilin'r to a WeJlington officer who, though he devotee much of a long letter to activities on leave in Cairo, makes the point that the New Zealanders are not leading a life of leisure, but are. working liard at their military dutie* under c-»>nditiou«i which to most of them are exceedingly strauge. "From all accounts." he writes, "our arrival has been greatly featured, both here and in London, and, I presume, in New Zealand. Why that should be, we in our modesty lind it difficult to understand, as we are under no delusions ;ie to being a more drop in the bucket. However, propaganda seenu> to be about the only form of attack so far. Much has been made of our welcome by Mr. Anthony Eden, yet few of Uβ so much as knew he was about, much Ws saw him. The official reception was on another ship, while ours was favoured by a later and unheralded inspection. It was all very caeual, and with u* training at the time the big once had come and gone before the majority of us knew anything about it ...

An Expensive City.

"This place is eo terribly expensive we are all —privates and officers—entirely "broke, , except for such private money as we brought with us. Cairo, cheap in some ways, is twice as expensive ae London for the ordinary amusements, such as drinks and dancinjr, which quite naturally we look for aftc.r hours in the desert. The only thing to do if to stay in camp, and if you could see our surroundings yon would understand how little that appeals.

"Some foods and drinks are to be had for a sonjr, but again*t them, as, in other matters, we have had the strongest of medical warning*. They come, from sources incredibly filthy, and all our fruit, for example, is washed in Condy e fluid before consumption. Salads and ice cream we may not touch. All drinks served in bare have, to be cloeely examined. One favourite trick here is to bore a hole through the bottom of a genuine bottle of whisky, drain it, and refill it with tea. Everywhere we have to be careful. "All prices have soared, and the charges for food, drinks and dancing in the better-clase placee which we frequent are beyond ordinary pay, unless one keejxs out of town for longer than canvenient." A Dusty Life. "Our tents are quite large,"' says the corresjtonddit, "the fortunate officers being placed in twos, while the men eleop six to a tent. All round us is dust, not the stand which I understood prevails in the real Sahara. With constant treading it has become very fine, so you can imagine what happens when it ift windy. Unfortunately, that has been the position for almost a week on end —not real sandstorms, but winds which would not disgrtaee Wellington. The dust gets into everything. While we are training it finds the eyes, ears, nose and throat, and it gets right through the clothes. The tents protect as best they can, yet we work, sleep, and eat in dust. This (February) and the next month or so are accounted the windy season. ... A complete bath here consists of standing naked outside the tent precariously balanced in « basin and squeezing the invaluable sponge of cold water over the body. Mixture of Nationalities. "Every nationality under the sun and mtany mixtures of them are to be found in the cabarets. One is absolutely fleeced, for each drink, and if you don't gire your partner, plenty she leaves you. Te*,! it's a great racket, and such fools, are we that we put up with it. Every place is the same." * \