IN EGYPT

Opotiki News, Volume III, Issue 317, 30 September 1940, Page 3

IN EGYPT

OPOTIKI BOY’S EXPERIENCES EAGER' NEW ZEALANDERS Writing from Egypt, C'orp. G. G. Roc, of Opotiki, gives some interesting particulars of his experiences in Egypt, following the taking of an instructor's course, in Palestine:— He writes: I had a great time in Palestine and saw practically all the places of interest. The country is much more cultivated than Egypt, there being very little , desert in comparison.

I passed the course easily .and am 'now a qualilied instructor, fit to instruct a battalion, which means' Pm , supposed to be able to teach n.c.o’s., w.o’s., and junior officers to become instructors. When I got back T was recommended for an officers’ training course, but so far nothing has happened. We have had a terrifically hot summer here, the temperature quite often going up to 117 degrees' in the shade. The sand blows round all the time and gets into everything—food, blankets and clothes, etc., — and is very uncomfortable. The Hies are worse still and give you no

peace. Everyone is supplied with sleeping nets, but asi the mosquitos never worry me and I have never used mine. Some of the chaps get blood poisoning through bites. Some mosquitos carry the malaria germ, So far I haven’t had a, day’s sickness or any injuries, so I have been one of the lucky ones’. Although our camp is situated in the desert we are only a little way from one of Cairo’s most beautiful suburbs —Maadi —which is a mass of beautiful llowcring trees, crec-p ers and winderful gardens. The people for the most part are British

and French, with a mixture of other Europeans. Their homes are marvellous, and I have been in one or two. We travel to Cairo on leave in very modern rail-cars, and the cost is I piastre (about 21d.) You have to bargain for everything you

buy in the shops and usually got what you want for a quarter of what was first asked. The natives are terribly filthy and the stench as you go through the native counters is pretty awful. However wo arc getting used to it now. The Nile Delta, is well cultivated and everything grows very quickly. Lately we have had boiled maize and water melons and an abundanco of bananas. In season we also gel plenty of oranges. On the whole the food is much better than we had in New Zealand; a curious fact, but perhaps our cooks have learnt a lot since then.

I have seen one or two air raids and as far as the Italians are concerned there is very little to worry about. Jt’s a great sight seeing the anti-aircraft batteries in action. 1 have been out in the desert a couple of times on manoeuvres and on both occasions was in charge of the platoon as our officer was away. 1 also hud to organise the air defence for our battalion when Italy declared war, and we have been on our toes ever since. We hope to see some real action in the very near -future and then all of us will be satisfied.

It is terribly monolous doing the same thing day after day; but in the last few weeks things have brightened up considerably, as wo have been taken out on picnics—combining pleasure with transport manoeuvres. The first time we went to the zoo, which is wonderfully laid out with Buddhist temples, island tea-gardens, grottos' (caves), trees and shrubs and the exhibits are really good, especially the snake section. (We have caught quite a few snakes, by the way, in-the desert, as well as lizards and scorpions.) The second time we went to the “Grotto”, which is really a garden in which they have built an aquarium, and this is situated on the Island of Cczirah, at the head of tho Mile Delta, in Cairo. The third trip is on to-day, but I was not able to go. There' are some wonderful stage

shows put on and you would never see such talent in Mew Zealand. They range from acrobats, dancers and magicians, to some of the. best singers in the Middle East. Lately we have had two wonderful sopranos singing for US', Talking about censorship, ordinary letters from Mew Zealand are not censored, but all the air mails are, but there is very little cut out of them. There isn’t very much you can’t say. We are restricted in certain things and of course can’t ment.on anything that is liable to be made use of by'our enemies.' When wo lirst came here one of the first places 1 visited was .the Pyramids, but I did not climb them then. However, I went out a few •' weeks ago and managed to produce the necessary energy. It's a very stiff climb, but it was worth it. We got some excellent photos, too, and the view was marvellous.