EGYPT TO SYRIA

Waikato Independent, Volume XLII, Issue 4002, 15 May 1942, Page 3

EGYPT TO SYRIA

A FASCINATING JOURNEY '

CAMBRIDGE MAN’S DESCRIPTION

A most interesting description of his journey from Egypt to Syria is given in a letter to his mother and father, Mr and Mrs T. F. Richards,

of Thornton Road, by Corporal T. |», w. Richards, who is now serving -' v %vith the N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East.

After breakfast at 5.30 a.m., and having all packs ready to shift at 8.30, we cleaned up the area and sat down to await the order to embus. Twelve o’clock arrived, and sitill no word of our transport, so we dined on bully and biscuits. A sand storm had started—the last we hoped we would have in Egypt. We waited until tea time, and then the convoy of trucks to take us to the station arrived, and we were on our way. ...

. The first stage of our journey with men and all their equipment in each carriage left little room, but one managed to gain a few winks of sleep before we arrived at our first change at the canal, El Kantara, where we detrained and proceeded across the canal and lined 'xip for a hot meal at the Cartier at ’"about- 11.30 p.m. On our way again, this time there was . a little more room, and one managed to get some sleep. We reached the Palestine border about 10.30 a.m., and about an hour after to have a meal. X Demand for Oranges Here we were able to,, buy oranges for practically nothing. In fact, some of the bartered and se- , cured about two dozen for a small .. tin of bully beef—or rations, of ' course; but that did not matter, as we.< had seen little of oranges and Jots of bully. On again through Palestine. One thing we all noted was the wonderful fertility of the country, especially when we entered the citrus fruit area. Trees laden with oranges, lemons, and grape fruit were everywhere. . Trucks laden, and piles of all of them were at every station shipment. A. Still the troop train steamed on further into Palestine, until we came along the Mediterranean coast. Then we stopped, and were told to detrain again, and that we would be camping the night. We camped about a mile and a-half away amid the olive trees. On Past Nazareth / We had breakfast again at 6.30 a.m., and soon were all ready to get going again, this time by bus. Our way lay through Haifa, over the oil pipe line from Iraq, out across the plains towards Nazareth and Mount Hermon, which we passed, and on toward the Sea of Galilee, and through the town of Tiberias , U pon into the plains again. [ Unfortunately, our driver was the driver-mechanic for the convoy. This meant that he had to repair any breakdown in other buses, and here the fun started. The first one had a broken intake packing, and | then there were others with minor troubles. To cap the lot, one burnt out a clutch shortly after we crossed the River Jordan and passed into Syria. This was fixed up, only to break down later on. Nearing Damascus It was about here, just after crossing the plafns, that we had our first glimpse of snow on the nills. We were now about 40 miles from Damascus—our next stop—so we opened our rations, and ate more bully and biscuits, while the driver was trying to repair the other bus. Finding this impossible it was decided to tow it into town. Darkness had now set in, and a cold wind yWp blowing, but considering thdjpxtra weight carried in the tow,.|Rk. made good time, and arrived in lpbiascus about 10.30. After some (fpculty we located our camp for the night, and, after a meal, turned™to bed. Wednesday morning we were up> again at 6.30, had breakfast, and l were ready for the last stage of our y * journey. The conVoy left camp at about 8;30, and lined up on the road to. Damascus waiting for the time to start. off again. Winding, Hilly Road A way. we went again through the main street of Damascus, out into the country, through narrow passes into the hills. We wound-up, down, and around, through deep passes and through small villages nestled close under the slopes, out into the plains again, and up into a winding, hilly * road. The area generally is rough, and strewn with small rocks. It would seem to be of little use, but it is cultivated, and in quite a few areas very fertile grape vines are in prominence. There were also a few cot and fig trees in bloom. Still we kept on, passing the ruins of old

villages, and past the old French barracks 1 . '<

filler 6ii;we passed the ruins of th^4emple~s, k "bf Venus and the jfire-worshippers* of the Old Testament. This isr one of the -'oldest buildings in existence, where pagan worship" of all kinds existed, including the earliest of the sunworshippers. It was built about 600 8.C., partly destroyed, and rebuilt ■later.- ! •'•.&'. .*>* ■■' ; ■ -i* &: ■ k oghe houses in the villages seemed ffr be ' far- cleaner than those -of Eiypt, although the streets are dirty. The people seem friendly when we pass, and quite a few French officers are to be seen. Suddenly the convoy stopped. We looked out of the truck, which was one of the forward ones, and saw a familiar figure—our colonel. This was the finish of our. trip through : three „• countries—Egypt, Palestine, and Syria—to our new camp. It was a really pleasant and interesting journey, ending among hills not unlike the Crown Range in Central Otago. After the sand of Egyot, the change will, be a pleasant one..' ,-.. ...'-.. v -:-.-.. !: . ■ >