NEW ZEALANDERS' GRAVES IN EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3092, 24 May 1917, Page 6

NEW ZEALANDERS' GRAVES IN EGYPT

OrPICIAL CORRESPONDENCE. Tiie Minister of Defence has received a communication from Major-General E. W. C. Chaytor, officer commanding tho New Zealand Mounted Riflo Brigade, regarding the condition of New Zealanders' graves in Egypt an a the Sinai Desert. He encloses reports from Major E Dalryniple, Deputy-Assistant AdjutantGeneral, General Headquarters, Egypt, and Captain W. ,7. Master, officer com-manding-Grave,? Registration Unit iV.) E.TS.T?. Base, Alexandria. Major Vafrympte, under rfate Jw\xm-T ( Sr, «W, regard to the I question, of criwra«>A\oTi 0 5 "hofiks huried i in isolated graves in the desert, so Ion? as steps are taken to ensure that, as! lax as possMe, these graves are marked \ with woodden crosses, noTurther action is ' considered desirable nl: present. On the I conclusion of hostilities it is anticipated I that the Egyptian Government, workio°m conjunction with the National Committee, will reopcrf the whole, question as to the maintenance of these graves anil the general policy rn he adopted. Tt is not considered feasible to take anv action during the conditions now existing.-" . Captain Master, writing in Jfajiv. General Chaytor under date March 13, 1017. states:—"Tt has own decided that, during the continuance of hostilities, no bodies are to he disinterred. A. registration officer has visited all, exonnr H-o. pvave sites renorted ; n the Eastern Desei t from Kantara to El Arish. and it was noted that all graves of the N.Z.E.E. which were found arc marked with wooden crosses. Where necessary, eraves have already teen s;ind-l)a.<"jcd: this refers to those at Tlii- el Ahd especially. A suKscction of this unit in charge of ."n officer is now established on (he "Astern front. Tt will be lfiWstnnd thi+ this unit is dnin<* evervthinq- in its 'nower tn beln in the preservnfion of the "'•nves. but. '•-'>»» to «.« .•n nr ,„„, n ,i.„ ;„. ■formation rendered hv chnnlains or others " 3 to the site of the graves, a nnnibc of graves reported have not hecn found, lint nlans have 'been mi)r l«. showing all . graves found to date. Crosses Inst August a-re found in be still In their place, nid even the "raves on sand ridges can still ho oasilv identified."