FIND IN EGYPT

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21517, 4 September 1941, Page 6

FIND IN EGYPT

GREAT WAR OUTPOST RELIC OF FIRST N.Z.E.F. Little did a party of New Zealanders recently engaged on a night exercise realise that they would unearth relics of the First New Zealand’s Expeditionary Force’s association with the land of everlasting sand and eternal sunshine. It was an exercise in desert navigation at night carried out by headquarters of a New Zealand Brigade comprised mainly of personnel of the third contingent which left New Zealand. Included in the party were the intelligence officer, the signals officer, and the officer second-in-command of a southern infantry battalion. Something in the distance attracted their attention in the dim light. Investigation revealed that it was an old company post protected all round by dannert wiring. It was between 200 and 300 yards in diameter and obviously was in the same state in which it was left, perhaps by a party of New Zealand mounteds, over 26 years ago. There was only one thing to do and the party drove through the wiring in their desert car to make fuller investigation. The post had certainly been well dug in. Many years of desert storms and cyclones had assailed it. Sandbags at strong points indicated the positions of section posts, and it was only natural that the discoverers were eager to reconstruct the history of over a quarter of a century ago. Cartridge Clips Indicate Battle One of the first discoveries after a light sweeping of the surface sand and dust was a quantity of old “ bully ” tins only too well known to the original Anzacs and by no means unknown to the present-day New Zealand soldier. Farther afield an old i “ dud ” shell was found, indicating a battle had taken place in this area. The discovery of dozens of rusty cartridge clips or chargers confirmed the belief that here a battle had taken place. Further signs of last war activity were found beyord the old company post. Odd scraps of wire indicated where the outposts had been established. More interesting still was the unearthing of discarded horse shoes in some of the outposts. What memories will that stir in the minds of some of the old mounted rifles stalwarts of the Great War? What will be the memories of some of those who took | part in the activities in the Sinai Desert when they hear of these inj teresting discoveries? How many will | remember, for instance, a company I post of the diameter of the one mentioned earlier, protected with triple i double-apron wire fences? Dead-Reckoning Navigation ! “ The navigation was almost too | good to be true,” said an officer sub- | sequently referring to the night ex- | ercise. When the intelligence officer | was asked to give their position he i said they were near a certain well, j Navigation had been by stars and | dead reckoning. The barking of dogs | confirmed the statements that they I were near a well in the desert, and the light of early morning proved he was correct. There was a well a reasonable distance away. Unfortunately there are good rea- ! sons why the exact locality cannot be mentioned yet. Suffice it to say that the locality is but a few miles from a place associated with some famous football matches last war. These matches are perpetuated in the name jof a Rugby trophy so well known to I the secondary school boys of New Zealand.