N.Z. ENGINEERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 62, 16 March 1943, Page 6

N.Z. ENGINEERS

SUPPLYING WATER TO TROOPS OPERATIONS IN DESERT (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) Recd. 6 p.m. Cairo, March 11. Fighting troops have now disappeared out ot the scope of the engineers engaged on the important work of supplying water to men of the Eighth Army, but there are still supply columns to be maintained and New Zealanders have been doing this job since early 1941.

In those days the pipeline from Alexandria ran only to Daba and a separate pipeline system ran west by old Roman aqueducts to Charing Cross. At Matruh there were also facilities by which Army tankers could pump into the system water carried by sea from Alexandria. If more water was required at Matruh it .was carried forward on the railway from Alexandria or Daba in tanker trains under the supervision of engineers. Towards the end of 1941 the main pipeline extended west from Daba to join with the Matruh system at Sidi Haneish. This work was done with the assistance of Royal Engineer sappers and at the same time the line was extended west from Charing Cross by Indians under New Zealand supervision. By the end of the year water from the Alexandria town supply and an Army filtration plant was being pumped about 250 miles across the desert to Misheifa, south of Sidi Barrani. The engineers were also responsible for the maintenance of the pipeline between the pump stations. This entailed the repair of damage resulting from enemy air activity and the efforts of natives, who either shot holes in the pipe or dug out the lead caulking from ioints to get their own easy water supply. New Zealand engineers operated all the heavy equipment used in constructing new* pipelines in the area. They also built and operated a “canning factory,’’ where captured or salvaged 44-gallon drums were cleaned and filled with drinking water as required. At times drums were cleaned and filled at the rate of 1000 daily and a total of about 60,000 drums passed through the factory. At sea New Zealanders operate 200-ton water barges self-propelled by Diesel engines. These barges, which generally travel along the coast under a Navy escort, have had their share of enemy air attacks. When the Eighth Army moved back through Mersa Matruh last year, a detachment west of El Alamein was ordered to maintain the water supply to the last minute, and then demolish or immobilise the pumps and get out as best they could. At Daba similar orders were successfully carried out.

During the El Alamein days the engineers supplied the Armv with water by pipeline alone at a rate up to 5000 tons dailv. When it was evident that the Eighth Army was about to advance, orders came through that the New Zealand engineers should prepare to re-establish pumps in stations west of El Alamein as soon as possible after the evacuation b” the enemy. Other sapper units were given the iob of repairing the damage done to the pipelines. The railway moved forward with the advance and arrangements had to be made to complete water filling systems for locomotives at railway stations. The New Zealanders were instructed at El Alamein to erect two water tanks on 40ft steel towers as soon as possible, after the main attack commenced. Speedy work was done in f hr erection of tanks—the tower c< one was assembled and erected in 8* hours—and the system was in working order when the first train arrived at El Alamein.

When on November 4 word was received that the enemy was retiring, forward detachments were ordered to pack and be ready to move. Earlv the next day it was reported that Daba was clear. The numning station there and another were occupied by dusk and a start made with repair work. The enemv had considerably damaged the system, but by working long hours New Zealand .engineers had the Daba station readv to nunin forward when water arrived from El Alamein five days later. Meanwhile further parties had gone ahead to other pump stations where destruction was found. After the Eighth Armv had moved beyond the area allotted our sappers a message of appreciation of

the speedy. effective restoration work carried out was received from the chief engineer.

I During the El Alamein days, when :there was not room for all the men Io be emnloyed on the Western [Desert water supply, the Middle East , Director of Works ordered the detachment elsewhere to construct new [works as a change for the men after (Spending so long in the desert.