NEWS FROM EGYPT

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 70, 24 March 1915, Page 10

NEWS FROM EGYPT

THE NEW ZEALAND FORCE FIGHTING AT THE CANAL. Writing to The Post from Zeitoun Camp, Cairo, Egypt, under date of 3rd February, a member of the Ambulance Corps of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force states :—: — The 2nd Reinforcements have arrived here from New Zealand, and the men and horses are very fit. The New Zealand Infantry Brigade have now all gone down to Ismailia, and the greater part of the Field Ambulance, under Colonel Begg, .from Wellington. The Ambulance men are particularly, well trained, and compare well with the R.A.M.C. in any branch of their work. Headquarters is still here, aaid everyone is well. Major J. Hughes and Lieutenant Cazalet have recovered from their indisposition, and have left Abbacsia Hospital, and are now in camp. The weather is lovely and fine, and only now and again we get most severe dust storms — worse than anything in New Zealand. Ere you get this the Turks will no doubt be completely outclassed and captured. Everything is in readiness to take them. ' Our New Zealand Forces are just spoiling for a fight. The greatest 6ecrecy is being kept as to plans for the present, and also the future movements of our troops. Over 1000 of the Australian Light Horse have joined this camp, and are attached at present to us. The whole of the Headquarter Staff are in for solid work, and the power of excellent organisation is easily manifested. Good-conduct men are getting in return extra leave, and every chance is being taken to let them see the sights. No humbug about those who repeatedly do transgress, and if they do, well, one term at the Citadel, Cairo, is enough ; for everything is done at the double : the spirit of the man ia knocked out, and he comes back a sadder and ( wieer man. The food is good, considering, and if we do not fare worse, well, it's jolly reasonable, considering this is war time. The future of this country is assured now the British have taken it over. Throughout the Egyptian Civil Service a great bungling occurs, and no good system is in vogue. We might well recommend them to borrow our Public Service Commissioner, Mr. Triggs, to straighten things up. Thousands and thousands could be saved in each year. The Wellington College old boys had a dinner at the finest hotel in Cairo (The Continental) the other night, and sixty sat down. It was a splendid success. Captain Powles took the chair. Have arranged with Dr. Giovanni Ferrante (Doctor of Law and Ancient President of the Society of Entomology of Egypt and Member of the Society of .France) to send to' our country specimens of Egypt in return for entomological ones from New Zealand. The Government of New Zealand should take ■ the opportunity of seeing that our empty troop transports ' returning should bring out anything of interest for New Zealand museums, and we could well turn over from, the various collections in the Dominion many curios, Native work, etc., that we have plenty of. Possibly we could also obtain 'a "few additional animals for our Wellington Zoo in exchange from the Zoo in Cairo. This is one of the best zoological gardens I have seen, and the returning troopships .could be again put into use. ' I' am going to see the curator and see what can be .done. ■ Colonel Bauchop is staying with his wife at the Zeitoun Hotel, Zeitoun, and the Misses Batchelor" daughters of Lieu-tenant-Colonel B. C. Batchelor, Senior Consulting Surgeon N.Z. Division Expeditionary Forces, are due here by the .Mooltan from Sydney and New Zealand on 23rd February. The Misses Batchelor will then proceed to England after a short stay in Egypt. No leave is granted when a feast or a native celebration is on. Between Cairo and here a great excavation and levelling of the mountain is being carried out. Some 2000 or 3000 nativea are at work, using small kits like those of carpenters; men, women, and children ,ar© engaged. Sets one thinking about the Pyramids, etc. ! In a further letter, under date of 7th February, the same correspondent states ; • Having just returned from a visit to the Kasr-ekAini, the Government native hospital, situated on the east bank of the Nile, I venture to give you some particulars of our visit to the wounded Turks lying therein. - Colonels F. Batchelor and Wills (Director New Zealand Medical Services) were met by the Director of the Hospital and Dr. Innes Bey (the assistant). We visited tlie beds of the injured; and had a look at their various wounds. Some were shot through the head and others in the body and lower parts. One poor fellow had his elbow blown clean off, and the bulk of those seen were very badly injured. The physique of those seen was indeed good, and though we could not speak much to them in their native tongue, they seemed cheerful and bright, and some, though badly injured, enjoyed Turkish cigarettes that had been supplied them/ One wa3 struck by the kindness of the nurses and those who are attending to their wants. The grim reality of the war was depicted. Each man was examined, *and the writer made a note .of the particular injury and the best operation to help the wounded man possibly to recover. Some moaned with pain, and various measures were taken x to alleviate their suffering. ' The New Zealanders have been in action already, and ere you have this note the news will have reached you of their engagements. The sand in the trenches at Ismailia is terrible, and greatly affects the hearing of the men. The Ceylon Tea Planters' Rifle Corps are down at the Canal, and many of the infantry who came with the last reinforcements received notice after only a few days here to move to the scene of 'action. . Lieutenant Kettle, of the Motor Supply Section, is unfortunately confined to the Abbassei Military Hospital, suffering from a very severe throat affection, but is progressing very well towards recovery. The bulk of our men are keeping in very fair health considering the sudden change in the atmosphere. One day the heat is intense, while the next morning it breaks bitterly cold, and dust storms sweep the desert. Every man who is able to parade on, the 10th February has orders to do so, and instructions have been given to take a full day's rations with them. Thus every soldier in Cairo will be concentrated at a given point, and we expect then to learn what our future movements will be. The hospital at the Citadel, Cairo, contains some of our brother Indian soldiers, who have been shot down by the Turks. They are in excellent spirits, and think nothing of the injuries they have received in fighting for their white King. We will fight on, every man of us.