TO TRIPOLI

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5604, 12 April 1943, Page 6

TO TRIPOLI

ADVANCE OF Bth ARMY MAJOR TONG WRITES HOME “We have been continually on the move for over two weeks, at times both day and night,” writes Major E. J. Tong, of Te Kuiti, in a letter to his wife, Mrs V. Tong, who is now in Te Awamutu. “You will now know where I am, as it has been announced over the air from London,” he continued. “The general surroundings are a wonderful change after being so long in the desert. Trees surround the camp. My headquarters are in a vacated “Itie” colonist’s cottage which is a four-roomed concrete building bounded by hedges and tfees —very comfortable after living so long in the open, but it seems we are not going to enjoy the comfort for long as we are due to shift again very i shortly,” he added. I Major Tong describes the general j conditions prevailing. There were | hundreds of cottages similar to that ‘ occupied by him on small farms. It i was one of “Musso’s” “big”_schemes. The main crop grown was wheat. Orchards of citrus fruits were plentiful but the trees were just commencing to blossom. The few grapefruit and oranges available on arrival did not last'ling. Fresh vegetables; such as cabbage, cauliflower and carrots were plentiI ful, and had already been sampled. Water for each cottage was derived from deep wells pumped by windmills. The Prime Minister, Mr Winston Churchill, had recently reviewed his division. The writer took part in the parade as second in command to the battalion. He had managed to have some snaps taken of the proceedings which should prove very interesting. Major Tong acknowledged with thanks receipt of a letter and remittance from the Waitomo Electric Power Board. THE MARCH TO TRIPOLI An original copy of General Montgomery’s message to the Bth Army prior to their march into Tripoli, as was previously published in the papers, was enclosed in the letter. Information on the town of Tripoli is also included. Capital of Libya, it was really a combination of two towns, the old town (Cita Vecchia) in the neighbourhood of the harbour and the new town (Citta Nuova) which lay to the south. The Old Town was the native quarter. It was surrounded by a town wall and its appearance was that of a typical Arab town with buildings close together and artisans working in their open booths. In pre-war days the Italians had boosted Tripoli as an attraction for seekers after Oriental glamour. Among the seafront were fine esplanades lined with palms. The new Governor’s palace was situated in this locality. The streets were wide and straight except in the new quarter. The residential centre of new Tripoli was said to resemble the Cairo suburb of Maadi in some respects. The public buildings were modern and the dwelling houses were very up-to-date and in good taste.

The main products of the native industry were hand-made silk, wool and cotton materials and gold and silverware. Among the more normal industrial enterprises were mills, tobacco factories, breweries, tanneries and building concerns. The population of Tripoli was 110,292, of which there were 40,786 Italian civilians, 18,423 native Jews, 47,238 Moslems*, and 3845 foreigners (60 per cent Maltese).