WAS “MAYOR” FOR FIVE DAYS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 48, 26 February 1941, Page 6

WAS “MAYOR” FOR FIVE DAYS

N.Z.E.F. SERGEANT THREE ‘DIGGERS” RESTORE MUNICIPAL CALM AQUATICS ON THE NILE (From the Official War Correspondent with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in the Middle East). CAIRO, Feb. 24. Not a king for a day, but a mayor for live, a Wellington staff-sergeant : of the New Zealand Field Park Engineers, was the central figure in an extraordinary and amusing episode In the final stages of the British occupation of Cyrenaica (Eastern Libya), reading a small advance party from the company into the town of Appolonia after the fighting troops had passed hurriedly through and beyond, Uie sergeant found himself stepping into the role of protector and administrator, with the duties of doctor and midwife thrown in tor good measure. The townspeople, who were mostly of Italian, Turkish, Greek and French extraction, and were living in fear and disorder, had established themselves in caves. When the sergeant, accompanied by a lance-corporal and a sapper, entered the town they met an earnest plea for aid in restoring normal community life. So the three New Zealanders took over the patrolling of streets and helping distre&ed families. By afternoon of the second day most of the people had moved back into their homes and businesses. Installed in a palatial house of the former Governor, the New Zealanders called a meeting at which a city council was elected by the choice of a leading member of each racial group. The sergeant, in turn, was elected Mayor. He took over the keys of the bank, the municipal offices and assize branch. He called for a neighbouring Arab chieftain and was promised his co-operation in maintaining law and order. Every hour saw a further return to normal by the townspeople. The Mayoral responsibilities did not end with police duty, currency control and general supervision. On the third day the New Zealand Mayor, after dressing shrapnel wounds sustained by an old woman, was invited to join the celebration and christening of a new-born baby and. moreover, was asked to name it after a Dominion statesman. The next day "Baby Michael Joseph Ebico” gave the Mayor real trouble. He kept crying and would not feed. So his anxious parents again called the sergeant who, “after much perspiring and hard thinking,” did the right thing and won profuse thanks. On the arrival of an Australian administrative party a few days ago the New Zealanders left Appolonia with mixed feelings, amid handshakes, kisses, salaams and cheers. Presents were literally showered upon them and included a beautiful silk municipal flag, now gracing the company orderly room. A carnival scene on the River Nile provided a fresh example of the flavour of novelty with which the .intensive training of the N.Z.E.F. has been spiced. In a full day’s water sports the troops cheered representative teams to victory through a series of races in which army bridging equipment was used exclusively. Culminating in a period of bridging training by day and night, this unique regatta introduced a competitive element as a means of perfecting skill and confidence in the handling of reconnaissance and assault boats designed for transportation of troops across waterways. Having held eliminating trials to select teams ,the units gave an interesting and instructive programme of events, which were based on the regular operations for which the craft are intended. For instance, the main event, which was an assault boat relay race, might have been a demonstration of infantry sections crossing a river to go into action on the far bank. The regatta officials used a felucca as a flagship, while the riverbank and a sandspit formed a grandstand for the spectators. The boat crews showed an excellent standard of watermanship, but one provided unscheduled entertainment when it collided with a native sailer in the muddy Nile water. Various brands of New Zealand beer, tobacco and cigarettes have been put on sale to New Zealand Expeditionary Force troops for the first time lately. All the products have been extremely popular and rationing has been necessary to ensure the widest distribution of the present consignments.