NILE CROSSINGS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20490, 26 February 1941, Page 7

NILE CROSSINGS

N.Z. TROOPS’ TRAINING COMPETITIVE BRIDGING i BOAT TRANSPORTATION VICTUALS FROM DOMINION (Elec. Tel. Copyright-—United Press Assn.) (Prom the Official War Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East.) (Reed. Feb. 26, 9 a.m.) CAIRO, Feb. 24. A carnival scone on the River Nile provided a fresh example of the flavour of novelty with which the intensive training of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force has been spiced. In a full day’s water sports, the troops cheered representative teams to victory through a series of races in which army bridging equipment was used exclusively. The culminating period of bridging training by day and night in this unique regatta introduced a competitive element as a means of perfecting skill and confidence in the handling of reconnaissance and assault boats designed for the transportation of troops across waterways. Assault Boat Relay Race

Having held the eliminating trials to select teams, the units gave an interesting and instructive programme of events which was based on regular operations for which the craft are intended. For instance, the main event, whicn was an assault boat relay race, might have been a demonstration ot infantry sections crossing the river to go into action on the far bank.

The regatta officials used a felucca as a flagship while the riverbank and a sandspit formed the grandstand for the spectators. The boat crews showed an excellent, standard of watermanship but one provided unscheduled entertainment when it collided with a native sailer on the muddy Nile water.

Various brands of New Zealand beer, tobacco, and cigarettes have been put on sale to the New Zealand troops for the first time lately. All products have been extremely popular and rationing has been necessitated to ensure the widest distribution of the present consignments.