Impressions of the Middle East

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 55, 6 March 1943, Page 2

Impressions of the Middle East

Writing from the Middle to members of the Palmerston North Sunshine Club in appreciation of a parcel received, Pte. J. S. Ensom, son of a member, stated that it could not have arrived at a more opportune time as they were then living on hard rations, mostly bully beef and hard biscuits. The food over there, the writer continued, was better than he had expected. In his observations of the country, this soldier says he does not think he could ever get used to it, although there were many places of interest. The only fertile land seemed to be along the banks of the Nile and everywhere else just plain desert in which,, he had spent most of his time. Syria was all under cultivation, but the crops looked poor with the exception of those in the lower end of the Lebanon Valley, which he considered the most beautiful spot he had seen since he left home. Palestine appeared the most fertile country ana crops grew as high as in New Zealand. The grape fruit and orange groves were a picture to see and remember. Nowhere had he seen a paddock or a hill covered in grass—and all the fertile land was under the plough and planted in crops. It was hard to realise these were three of the oldest countries in the world for nothing in the ground had been there any length of time. The villages and inhabitants on the other hand were still the same as their ancestors of Biblica.' days, in the matter of dress, ploughing with wooden ploughs drawn by camels, donkeys or cattle. The shepherd still walked the hills in a long gown, carrying a_ stave with his sheep following behind.