 |
 |
 |
 |
A far off land--oven hot
By those that served there ne`er forgot
Dates groing wildly up a tree
The terrible grinding poverty
Pitch black nights--starry strewn
Air thats a hundred and twenty by noon
Camels sitting--stomachs growling
Pyards at night--always howling
Faces soon a cherry red
Peeling skin on knees a dread
Then slowly browned--old sweats perchance ?
Get a bucket of sand
I`ll show you a dance.
John of Croxley
Ex 22395562 Pte Perry A J.
1st Battn; Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regt.
|
|
|
|
By Norman Edis
Just come across your site re the canal zone, and must report that I found t to me many happy memories of my time spent in that area. Better start from the beginning. I was called up into the British Army in February 1945, 2 weeks after my 18th birthday, and shipped out to the canal zone that October and stationed at Fayid (HQ Canal Zone South) as it was then known. My unit was 64 AKS, this being a film unit showing films of training and pleasure to the troops all along the canal, mostly outdoor somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Used to leave Fayid for a week at a time, only to return to pick up fresh supply of films, had to carry a sleeping bag with me as we were not allowed to travel at night. I well remember crossing the canal lower down from Fayid to a show films to a small RAF site that was connected to a target bombing range. What a place that was, miles from anywhere in Saudi Arabia, talk about roughing it.Of course had to spend the night there in most unpleasant conditions. Still the lads used to look forward to seeing us with a Betty Grable films etc. Looking at the map of the zone, names again brought back memories the Canal Road and Treaty Road I used many a time, although at that time army vehicles were not allowed to use the Canal Rd over a certain weight, but because I was carrying delicate instruments (film projectors) we had a special pass to allow us to do so. Yes stopped by the Redcaps many a time for being on Had some good times in Ismailia, and well remember a narrow swing bridge across the sweet water canal, going across there one day, looked in the back of the lorry and saw two locals throwing out all my bedding, not much I could do, they were off before I came to a stop. Spent 2 holidays at the army holiday camp on the shores of Lake Timsah, nice that, only time I got a cup of tea in bed, but used to like to walk around Ismailia Wonder if that football pitch is still there at Fayid, used to watch many a match there, it was about the only grass pitch around for miles, only about one mile from my base camp. Those were the days Bill, young, no ties seeing things I never thought I would see. Better bring this all to a close now, I left the Canal Zone and finished up just outside Baghdad, but heck ! that's another story........
[ Home ] [ Intro ] [ Gallety 1 ] [ Gallery 2 ] <Anti British Stuff ][ Site Map ] [ Web Links ] [ Poetry & Prose ] [ Service Org ] [ The CinCs RR ] [ Zone Map ] [ Odds & Ends ] [ Notice Board ] [ New Page 14 ]