CAIRO

Evening Star, Issue 16049, 28 February 1916, Page 3

CAIRO

. THE AUSTRALASIANS' BASE. THE LEVANT ARMY. SOUTH AFRICANS ARRIVING. LONDON, February 26. A special English correspondent at Cairo reports that the three southern Dominions have contributed largely to the new Levant army. Anyone in Cairo might think that Australasia, not Britain, occupied the land. Big men with a rising sun badge are to be seen everywhere, supplying the guards and patrols and filling shops, thus imparting an appearance of martial prepn-redness. The numbers are rapidly growing-. Fresh drafts arrive every other day for the old Australian and New Zealand'divisions and the new formations. New Zealand is doubling and trebling its contingent. A southern Dominions' army may be formed from the Australians/New Zealanders, and South Africans present and en route. One could not wish for a finer body of men than the South Africans. They are not quite equal to the extraordinary "averago height of the Australians, but are second to none in physical fitness. The 19th have been hardened in German South Africa, and will not fail in, anv test of endurance. They are all" infantry. Many of them would have preferred 'to be in the mounted service, but, being eager to meet the Germans in Europe, thev enlisted as infantrymen at the British rates of pav, sacrificing the higher rates offered for service in East Africa. The Australians and New Zealanders prefer to do the same. All want to fight the Germans where- thev are strongest. The Australians, who, it is notable, love a fight for itself, are longing to disprove the German boast that the troops of the Fatherland are the best fighting men o n earth. After doing that thev sav they will again attend to the Turks'. Several transports with 2sew Zealanders recently arrived. The men are the kind who proved their mettle at Anzac. All are in the pink of condition. The men from this Dominion do everything well feeding, clothing, and fighting. The Australian and New Zealand annv will set a high standard in all things. "