With The Boys Overseas

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 301, 20 December 1941, Page 14

With The Boys Overseas

WRITING from Egypt under date October 27, a member of one of the N.Z.E.F. bands said: "Last Wednesday we did a great job of a broadcast over the air on the Egyptian radio. Surely it is a pity we couldn't get it recorded to send home. Perhaps one of these days! On the same Wednesday morning we went into the Tommy barracks for a rehearsal for a parade which came off on Saturday, and in the afternoon we played a programme at the Maadi Sporting Club while quite a number of New Zealanders were playing bowls, tennis, hockey, etc.

"On Friday afternoon we played at a Soccer match (or should I say a football match?) between a Tommy garrison team and a Gippo club team. A real good game and just showed how the game ishould be played. There were a couple of English internationals on the Tommy side and the whole game was a close go, finishing up at evens (2 all). Afterwards we had tea at the barracks with both teams—a very good finish to a good afternoon. "On Saturday morning our band played at the big inspection-and passing out of the newly-qualified officers at the Tommy barracks. It was there that I saw what really persuasive powers a Tommy ser-geant-major has. In no mean way did he give those chaps once round the track. Everything was done practically at.the double and his yell was one not to be denied. On that parade 1 General Smith was the inspecting, officer. Our band played the General Salute inspection waltz and the miisic for the march past. General Smith is .from the Colastream Guards and. we played the 'Coldstream March,' 33 a tribute to his regiment;'; -'In his reiharks to the band afterwards he didn't forget to mention it. Evidently we made a fair job of it aind we were well pleased with our effort." Says another: ''This week I saw the Cairo premiere of the picture "Thief of Bagdad" and greatly enjoyed it, the more so because I was sitting next' to an English soldier who had recently returned from duty in that city of legend and Arabian Nights fame. He commented that it appears to have changed a little since those days. All

his efforts to flnd a magic carpet which would waft him miraculously back to "Blighty" and return in time for the next parade failed completely.

"Coming out into crowded city streets again after a fanciful hour or so in the company of genies (My! wouldn't one of those be able to lend a useful hand with the spud peeling!) flying horses, winged carpets, Grand Viziers, caliphs and so forth, it was a warning thought that, if one did not take care, one would find the thief of Cairo, not nearly so romantic a creature as his famous counterpart of Bagdad.

M A short -mille ago I saw tho former in audacious action. I was one of a party of five aboard a Cairo tram travelling at a good speed down a dark but busy street. In the same compartment was a uniformed Egyptian policeman, and, on the outside of the rest, clinging to the step, was a fairly well dressed native. No one took any notice of him, for in Cairo this is a recognised means of avoiding paying a fare. Suddenly this fellow leapt from the moving tram and in the moment of his lean stretched out a lean brown hand. He took with him the watch from my companion's wrist, and had vanished before there was hope of doing anything."