TUIS’ WORK IN CAIRO

Southland Times, Issue 24651, 24 January 1942, Page 3

TUIS’ WORK IN CAIRO

NEW ZEALAND GIRLS AT FORCES CLUB

COMFORTABLE QUARTERS

Following are extracts from letters written to her mother by Miss Joyce Gilmour, or to give her her army style, Private C. J. Gilmour, W.W.S.A. (Overseas Section), 2nd N.Z.E.F., Middle East Forces. Miss Gilmour, who in civil life was lady editor of The Southland Times, was one of the 30 young women who, in compliance with a request from General Freyberg, were selected by the Women’s War Service Auxil- , iary to take up work in the New Zealand Forces Club at Cairo, where they arrived in October last. All the letters quoted were written before the general commanding the New Zealand forces received his knighthood and became Sir. Bernard Freyberg, and his wife is therefore spoken of as Mrs Freyberg. The letters cover the period from October 4 to December 9, 1941. THE CLUB We are here, and are practically living in luxury. Our quarters are on the ninth floor of the club and are very comfortable. The rooms seem large after a ship’s cabin. Our quarters are divided into flats of different sizes, fours, sixes and twelves. The two lieutenants and sergeants have a super one to themselves with their own sitting room. We have our own dining room, lounge, writing room and balconies and a staff of servants to look after us. We have not seen the rest of the club yet but hope to today. We are to have two days to get settled before duties begin, and we have not yet been told what they are to be. Mrs Freyberg came to meet us—she is charming, very English and jolly. There was a warm welcome for us here, and I nothing has been spared to make us comfortable. From what we have heard the troops have been keenly awaiting our arrival and are anxious to see us. As you know, in this place buildings are designed for shade and coolness, and I am certain we shall be very comfortable even in the hot weather. It is quite cool now and we are still in our serge uniforms. Mrs Freyberg has just taken us over this club and what an organization it is v There is plenty of work for us and for more as well. There are, of course, the offices, and the Patriotic Fund Board has its office here too. There will be clerical jobs in lots of those. There is a big newspaper reading room, a library and a writing room. There are officers’ dining rooms, lounges and bar, the same for w.o.’s and sergeants, and the same again for men. In the concert lounge, which is a lovely and huge room, light refreshment is served the whole time—sandwiches, cakes, fruit salad and ice cream, soft drinks, and so on. Some is prepared in the club and some by catering firms outside. Soon there is to be a milk bar and soda fountain

and .a tea bar. Both are in the process of being built now and will be ready for us soon. A section of the club is reserved for sisters and is beautifully furnished. In fact the furnishings throughout are lovely. No trestle tables and canvas stools, but gay glass-topped wood or wicker tables, cane chairs and easy chairs, all painted to match the; colour scheme in each room. Some are pink, others are green and many are cream. There is a shop where New Zealand produce can be bought; then there are inquiry offices, information bureaux, parcel depots, and so on. You can picture us as librarians, clerks, sandwich cutters, fruit salad makers, cigarette and chocolate girls and behind milk bars and soda fountains. All the rough work is done by natives. Prices for meals, and so on, seem reasonable. This brief look round has given me fresh enthusiasm to get on with the job. Hie club is maintained by the Patriotic Fund Board on behalf of the people of New Zealand and they can be proud of their efforts for that much-criticized fund. Quite one of the nicest rooms in the club is the common room. It is a common meeting ground for all ranks, and morning and afternoon teas are to be served there. We are allowed to meet our friends there whether privates, n.c.o.’s or officers. In the club there are also 200 bedrooms which officers, n.c.o.’s or men can hire. They get bed and bath for 2/- and breakfast is extra.

WORKING UNIFORM We have been here a week and it seems like five minutes. We have got our working uniforms for use on duty in the club only. They are very nice—holland in a serviceable unbleached colour. They button right down the front, have tailored and the breast pocket bears the New Zealand Forces badge embroidered in green. The epaulettes are green to match and are initialled N.Z.F.C. The belt is faced with green, too. We wear silk stockings and at the moment white shoes. When our regulation ones come they will be-summer sports shoes, the same colour as our frocks, and made of a light leather with a substantial sole to keep us off the hard concrete floors. There are not enough of us to be spared for anything but canteen work and if making sandwiches like a thing possessed and selling ice cream, softdrinks, tea and cakes over a counter is my share of helping to win the war then I shall do it happily. The troops do appreciate us and for that alone it is worth while. Time and time again they remark how good it is to see and talk to a New Zealand girl.

VISIT FROM BRIGADIER HARGEST Last week there walked into the preparation room in search of me none other than Brigadier Hargest! Wasn't it kind of him to come looking for me—a mere private. There and then we had quite a chat in among the fruit salad and tomato sandwiches! He looks simply splendid—at least 10 years younger and very happy. The next day we had tea at Shepherds—he stayed there—and considering that he had only two days in Cairo and is one of the busiest people in the Army it was kind of him to give up two hours to me. In that two hours he told me much about Army life that is helpful to me. Some of his stories about Greece and Crete tore my heart, thrilled and amazed me. He gave me a lovely tea party—lots of .cakes—and asked many questions about Invercargill and the people there. The next day I prepared and packed his lunch for him and put in a wish bone for luck! Needless to say I was thrilled that he sought me out and more than thrilled to have a talk with him. We have a date for dinner at Shepherds next time he comes back from the desert. (As it fell out this was Brigadier Hargest’s last visit to Cairo, for in the subsequent fighting in Libya he was taken prisoner and is now interned in Italy.) AT A BASE HOSPITAL Some hospitals, as you know, get a kick off by finding a ready made building or two about the place, but not so this one. It is a real field hospital and has arisen out of a vast desert waste. It was built entirely by the 2nd N.Z.E.F. and is still being added to. It covers acres of ground and as one walks about on tarmac roads and sees avenues of trees, and patches of green grass, and a show of flowers here and < there one cannot help but be slightly shattered

at the realization that two yeays ago it was nothing but sand. You go on a bit further and find an operating theatre as complete and modern as any in a hospital and you reel slightly again. Then there is the X-ray department, the massage department and lots I didn t see. The wards are big, airy and have concrete floors. Some are canvas and others are huts. The M.O.’s and sisters all say the canvas ones are easier to work. Then, of course, there are kitchens, offices, garages, ambulances, medical stores and all the vast array 01 etceteras that go with a hospital. There are sisters’ quarters and messes, the same for officers, sergeants, w.o. s and men, and all are canvas. There is even a skating rink, and tennis courts and hockey grounds. Perhaps you would like to know what kind of a house the S.M.O. lives in. Well, it is a wooden hut. You go in the door to his office where he proudly displays a desk of jarrah which looks a little incongruous against the rough wooden walls. Through a curtain is a would-be bathroom with no bath but an enamel basin on a deal wood box. Through another door is his bedroom, which contains an iron bed, two deal wood tables, a wardrobe (very posh) and a chair or two. The colonel proudly displayed his chintz curtains ajid two rugs which had been scrounged for him by the matron. The whole place, of course, has electricity and telephones.

REVIEW BEFORE BATTLE The Trooping the Colour referred to in the following extract is the worldfamous ceremony of the Brigade of Guards on the King’s Birthday, an unforgettable experience to those who have seen it:—. i You remember that we have agreed that Trooping the Colour was one of the most moving pageants of soldiering we have ever seen. Well', I was lucky enough to see one even more moving the other day. There were no colourful uniforms, no stately London buildings or green English trees, just a desert waste and column after column of stern men in khaki marching in a cloud of dust past the saluting base occupied by the C. in C. Middle East Forces, General Freyberg, and several others. General Auchinleck was in<specting our men. And there they were —all New Zealanders, every one a mother’s son, brown and white side by side and all jn it together. I think it was the grim realization that this time it was the real ghastly business of war right here beside us, with no time for the picturesque, that struck me most. I shall never forget that morning, and I couldn’t help wondering what was in each man’s mind 'as he marched past his C. in C. ANXIOUS DAYS There are rumours of a staff Christmas party here, and if it eventuates it will be fun, but one doesn’t feel much like celebrations just now with this bitter battle so close to us and with so many we know in the thick of it. The first hospital train has arrived and we are to start hospital visiting next week. We are to go with Mrs Freyberg in groups of three during duty hours. It will be a sad experience, I’m afraid, but if we can bring a tiny bit of pleasure to these poor battle-scarred heroes we are lucky to be able to do it. Mrs Freyberg is wonderful. Her heart must be as heavy as lead and full of worry for her husband and son, but she is never anything but bright and smiling and busy. I take off my hat to hej and to all the other women here who are like her.

Our thoughts are for ever with our men in battle these days. We are so close to it here, and all the time, rumours of death, wounds and prisoners pour in. We try hard not to believe them until we see them in writing. Equally distressing are reports of what is happening on the battlefield, but we don’t believe those either. We know no more than you do in actual fact. Mrs Freyberg is a shining example to all of us. She must be living in perpetual stress Und anxiety, but she goes about her work calmly and. quietly with her head held high and a smile and a word for everyone. She has time even to keep up her hospital visiting and that must be an added stress for her.,, My turn hasn’t come yet, but it will next week I think. Casualty lists will come soon and I’m afraid this coming Christmas will be a sad one, both here and in New Zealand. The coming into the war of Japan hasn’t helped and in spite of the fact that we all felt pretty certain that it was going to come, the blow was a heavy one; It makes one wonder even more than ever what has happened to civilization. SUNDAY AT MAADI CAMP Yesterday morning those of us not on duty went out to church parade at Maadi. Never have I, enjoyed a church service so much. Part of the Maori battalion was there and sang a Maori hymn. An excellent band provided the music. The padre is a son of the Bishop of Wellington, and talked sense. The tea party afterwards was great fun and later we had a tour of the camp. It is huge. You just can’t imagine it. There are shops, cinemas, recreation huts, a rugger field, basketball and tennis courts as well as all the military organization. The Lowry Hut is splendid. It has an open courtyard in the middle and off it are billiard rooms, writing' and reading rooms and a beautiful chapel. There is a concert platform at the end of the courtyard. In the courtyard, at tables under gay umbrellas, meals and teas are served. The New Zealand soldier is certainly well cared for, and so he should be. THE SHIP’S PAPER At a port of call on the voyage East the transport’s paper was printed and Private Gilmour describes the willing co-operation and kindness they re-

ceived from the Press people of the port: — We of the newspaper tribe had a busy day. We were fortunate in finding a tabloid the size we wanted. The newspaper people were wonderful. From the managing editor down they received us with open arms. We had worked hard to have every word of copy typed and had drawn up a dummy that quite impressed. the sub-editors, I think. We had just over a week to do the job, and with a limited staff there was no slacking. Everyone at was most interested in us females getting away to the war and such kindness was showered upon us. Some of the girls got as far as hobbing and nobbing with the Governor’s wife and ended by going to Government House to dance! The editor of the paper which did our job for us piled us into hii car in the afternoon and drove us round lovely gardens, golf course and beach. And such, flowering trees and shrubs I have never seen before. With petrol restrictions even more severe than ours it was very kind of him. Some went to the zoo, but I didn’t have time. We had a route march while we were in port—every man jack of us and we stretched for miles. We females were right in front behind the band and made quite a good showing. People clapped and cheered as we went past. It was great fun and very good for us. ODDS AND ENDS General Freyberg has seen us at work, and in our various uniforms. We were paraded for his benefit and our own, and he talked to us about our job and what is expected of us. He is an impressive figure with an impressive manner and bearing, and I should just hate to earn his displeasure! We are in the middle of a series of gas lectures and respiration drills. They are exactly the same as those I attended in England, so I am quite at home. We now know all about war gases—or hope we do—and have even been gassed. After church parade at Maadi on Sunday we went into a gas chamber, first with respirators and then without. You just should have seen us as we came out the second time—lo women coughing and spluttering, with pouring, stinging eyes and smarting skin. It didn’t add to our comfort when we found a miserable blighter had calmly taken a moving film of us in our agony! The effects wore off very quickly and it is a great solace to know our respirators give 100 per cent, protection? I have grown to regard mine as my closest friend.

Had a super evening on Thursday. We were invited to a dance on the Arabia, which is a houseboat and in normal times a luxury affair owned by Cooks and run for the pleasure of rich tourists who like to travel on the Nile. At present she is leased by the Signallers of the British Imperial Forces as a convalescent home and is a beautiful craft. She is huge, and we danced on the big open deck in the middle. Tables were all round and the band tucked away in a corner. We had some good dancing. There were some Australians there as well as the Englishmen and we had lots of fun. The M.C. was a Ser-geant-Major from Lancashire with a beautiful “Gracie Fields” accent! The Y.\y.C.A. has a similar house boat here-, abouts.