大象传媒

Continuing my Egyption Interlude

My visit to the Pyramids was memorable, I went to my pal Charlie,met up there with couple of other fellows from another platoon and a South African Officer,we all went for the obligatory ride on the camels,and then decided to go inside the Great Pyramid.

Our guide was a rather wizened frail looking man named (naturally) Abdullah!
He led us into the pyramid through a small opening after we had climbed up up some rather steep stone blocks, the electric lighting was not working so all he had for our illumination was some small pieces of candle and some magnesium flare strips
which he set off every now and then as we went through the various chamber until we ended up in the central sarcophogus in the middle of the pyramid, a huge place, with massive polished stone slabs.

I am not normally claustrophbic, but while I was in there I suddenly had a very nervous feeling and wanted to get out, because I was thinking W"hat if this lot decided to collapse on us what would we do?" I mentioned this to Charlie who said a few choice things to me, then I said "I am stupid" which he agreed with, "This pyramid has been standing for over 3,000 years so it's not likely to fall down now! He said "Thank God for that!
We were however very pleased to get out and into the sun again.

After we came out I said to Abdullah,"Doing this must be very tiring for an old man like you"!, I knew I'd put my foot into the way he looked at me, and then said "I am not old I am 40 years of age and have just got married!" Charlie said to me "Why can't you keep your mouth ?"* shut! You scared me enough inside about that the lot could fall down! Don't annoy this chap I don't want any trouble!
When we got back I bought him a couple of Stella beers which cheered him up, me as well.

On the whole my experience and of my pals who were with me while on leave in Cairo was very good, true we were warned before going that we had to be careful of pickpockets,not to be taken by any vendors,and that one of the essentials in buying anything was to bargain, also to be careful of the type of places we went into.

The locals naturally did their best to relieve us of our money but we adhered
to those caveats,were careful, did not go out of our way to annoy anyone and as I said had a very enjoyable time,which passed too quickly for us and soon we were back in Qassasin.

Unfortunately not every member of the Div. did behave themselves and there was a bad case of rioting in Cairo. I'm glad to say that as far as know none of the men in our
Brigade were involved and our group that went on leave were back in camp when the rioting happened.

Rumour at the time had it that it was started by some men from the Kensington Regt. for what ever reason, perhaps they were drunk,or had an arguement with some of the locals when they were buying things,I know several our chaps complained that they had been taken by the vendors charging high prices for some cheap item, but we were warned.

Anyway a great deal of damage was done in the rioting, some of the men were arrested by our MP's, I heard that others were let go by them and told to get lost by some sympathetic MP's, but I don't know if any severe disciplinary action was taken other than the usual "Defaulters Parade"
What happened I think did cast a big cloud over the name of 78th.Div. and maybe hastened our return to Italy, as I know that originaly were slated to go on to Palestine for further training, but for whatever reason we heard the bad news that we were going back again, and in September we were on our way back Port Said then on to Taranto, after a miserable crossing this time on a Dutch vessel the "Niew Amsterdam"

We started to move north after a some more training and learned that we would be part of Xlll Corp attacking the "Gothic Line" not a pleasent prospect up in the mountains and the weather didn't help as it had turned very cold and rainy.

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