EXCITING TIMES IN EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3056, 18 April 1917, Page 6

EXCITING TIMES IN EGYPT

WITH THE Y.M.C.A. IN THE FRONT LINE. , Gradually, but surely, our army, has moved towards El Arish, building a splendid railway as it proceeded (writes Mr. W. Owens, Australian supervising secretary of the Y.M.O.A. in Egypt). In August the Turks .tried ,to ,stop this forward move, at the Battle_ of Romani, hut were unsuccessful. Since then the troops, with their railway, 'have pushed forward with great "rapidity and'dash, and a few days ago. without much opposition, occupied El Arish. about '97 miles from_the canal. This has been a groat military font, and one. of''which it'is imnossible to ,'sppak too highly. Almost all the Australian troops in Egypt. have_ been employed' in ibis great offensive movement, .and have acqnitted themselves well. Throughout the whole of this movement, the Y.M.O.A. ,has ever'been present with the troops./ Commencing at Kantara in March, as .the' troops moved forward, we Went with them, with the result that all along the rail; way line and also nut in tlie desert from Kantara _ to El Arish,, there is now ono long line of Y.M.O.A. centres. Tnthe.battle of Romani we were established in the front line; with five centres._ and our secretaries were right on the job, during the whple show. When the Turks retreated,'" and the troops" moved forward, we Were with them again, -When we established 75 miles out some weeks' agol-oho of our marquees was blown to pieoes by a bomb from an enemy aeroplane at 7 o'clockin the morning. Furniture and eouipliient were scattered in all directions. "'When the smoke.and dust had cleared away, although the tent was in ribbons, the Y.M.O.A. Ensign 'was still flying at • -the • centre pole, flaunting itself' iii the face of the ejiemy 'planes. At the time of writing, we. are established'-'S- 1 .- miles this side of E) Arish, about 95 miles from our starting point, and within a few davs expect to erect a sectional hjit in the town itself. I question whether there is any snhere of Y.M.O.A, work where the Y.M. Kent so close to the front line during the whole period of an_ offensive movement. When, you consider that' the whole advance _ has taken place throughout a scorching summer, over a barren waste of desert, vou | will understand that onr secretaries ,hnve put in a splendid piece of work which ' rnniiot" be too luVhly com-,! mended."