LIFE AT EL ALAMEIN

Camp News, Volume 3, Issue 147, 6 November 1942, Page 4

LIFE AT EL ALAMEIN

Wellington Soldier’s Pen Picture Writing from the El Alamein 'line in August, Sergeant J. Armstrong. Wellington, gives a picture of life there before the present advance. “We have now been here for eight weeks, a long time for front-line troops, and for. the last fortnight or so it has been very quiet,” he says. “We have advanced two or three times, and now hold high ground, but generally it is a bit of a stalemate. The infantry have done some marvellous

work. They are the 'best in the world without a doubt. After we put down a barrage for them : to go in under we hear what they have to advance against, yet they always get there.',.’. . “Our biggest' worry are the flies millions of ’em. The ground we arc on is very foul, through having been fought over for the last six. days, and the dead bodies lying around helped the flies to breed. Sometimes they nearly drive, one mad. We have been issued a special hood to wear over the face to keep the flies away. While one has to use one hand to eat with, the other goes into action to keep off the marauding flies. We have rigged up fly-traps, laid poison, and indulge, in vigorous swatting, and believe that we are slowly, getting them down. . . . We do a bit of digging to keep fit, and do some shelling periodically. The rumble of guns can be heard all the time up. and down the, line, and sometimes at night the whole line can be detected by the flicker of gunfire. “We have the Maoris near us, great lads, who are having the time of their lives. ' They have captured a German gun, and blaze away with it when they can raise the ammunition. ... One of the funniest things seen during a recent attack of infantry' was an Italian, with a shirt on only, being chased by a Maori armed with a bayonet. Phar Lap could not have caught them. Being a gunner, the Maori did not know how to use a bayonet to the best advantage; so, when he got back, they handed him a Tommy gun. We can now look back and laugh at some of the incidents that happened, but actually these attacks are the most terrifying things one could wish to see. “Our food is quite good, as fresh meat and vegetables ' are coming in now, and about three times a week we can buy a few cans of beer, so we are not doing so badly. Nights are the most pleasant , time. We boil the billy just before dark, make a piece of toast, and sit round the fire to smoke and yarn. We never get a full night’s sleep, as the guns have to be manned by one unit or other all through the night, so it is a matter of dropping off and waking up all the time, but it does not seem to affect us. . . . The mornings and evenings are, the usual hate periods when, we fling a few shells at one another, but during the day, due to the heat haze, visibility is very poor, and we try to get some sleep.”