Chapter 9b On Active Service

CHAPTER 1X ON ACTIVE SERVICE - PART TWO

Exactly 90 hours after leaving Toulon we sighted Port Said in the distance. By two o'clock we were anahored in its dirty harbour.

The inevitable 'bum-boats' surrounded the ship. Some did a little trade. A few of the 'jocks' explained in no uncertain terms what they should do, and how they felt they could best dispose of their rotten produce, much to the amusement of all the officers. In the evening, we pulled into the quay to offload all the hold baggage, ready for an early start in the morning.

The following evening we arrived at Almazza Barracks, Cairo. My draft was then snatched from me, and posted piece-meal to various units of every description.

I was soon down to Cairo to try and get some of those many articles we could't get at home. I hated it. The town was a seathing mass of dirty, shouting, wogs. They all seemed to want to sell something at an exhorbitant price or give you a shoe shine. The stuff I'd hoped to buy was terribly dear. All prices were a 150% or more, than at home. I had a meal, again, quite a reasonable one, but at an exhorbitant price.

I walked round again amidst the almost unbearable noise. I watched the streets. The drivers were a terribly mad-headed crowd and had no discretion with their horns which they blew continuously, only adding to the pandemonium.

I returned to camp convinced of one thing, I must get out of Cairo.

Back at camp, we all met up again. To judge by the experience of some of my friends I had been lucky in escaping the attention of a pickpocket. The Cairo ones seemed past-masters at their job and had plenty employed in the profession, 'clefty wallah'.
I was posted to a company for my stay in the camp. The two permanent staff officers were a grand pair. I had an excellent time with them.

On my fifth day, GHQ forewarned us of riots, and ordered troops into Cairo. A batallion was organised from the troops in transit. I found myself in charge of a company's reserve platoon, a platoon made up of seven different regiments.

At three o'clock the nextcmorning we moved out. The idea was that by getting into position before dawn we would not alarm the wogs. But had they seen the convoys of troops proceeding to every strategic point, they might have realised it wasn't worth rioting.

Their systems of intelligence were first class. There was no reason why they shouldn't be. Even our nerve centre GHQ employed many arabs. They must have known full well our orders 'to withold fire unless arson was attempted or British subjects were in danger of losing their lives'.

These orders did not leave us much scope, especially as 'only single shots were to be fired, and these must be controlled by an officer. The shots were to be aimed at specific rioters. If possible, photographs were to be taken.' We knew misinterpretation of these orders inevitably resulted in a court martial which would take months to examine a decision we had to take in a split second under very different circumstances.

The company I had joined was to take over from an RAF guard which had been looking after The Teddar Club. They had had a very rough time. Some windows were broken, it was touch and go for them one moring as the rioters tried both to break in and burn the place.

We were not, thank heaven, ourselves molested. Some other units had to open fire.
The Club was very good to us. They did our cooking, supplemented our rations, and allowed us endless tea and sugar which we used to brew during the long nights.

Apart from long hours, and not being able to leave the building, the time passed quite pleasantly.

One read in the paper of Military Policemen being beaten to death. If anyone had suffered that misfortune this time, I am bound to say that they, or rather the people who sent them out, were provoking trouble. All troops were confined to their quarters or posts. Instructions had been issued that any British troops seen, should be taken into safe custody. Despite this, we saw a foot patrol of three Military Police out patrolling the streets with nothing but their revolvers.

It was a happy day when the ban was lifted. We stayed at the Club temperorily, but were allowed out. I dashed out for some exercise. It was strange to walk about in the streets amongst the people we had been ready to shoot a few hours before.

I felt somehow insecure without the weight of a revolver still in my pocket. A revolver may be a comparatively useless weapon, but one felt much safer with your fingers curled round the trigger guard. We tended not use holsters. A revolver is easily stolen from a holster. Soon our time in Cairo was finished. We moved back to barracks and began again our boring wait for our postings.

I was inerviewed by AG 3, Who was responsible for all infantry postings. I suppose when I entered, he saw I was young, keen, and an easy piece of meat. He suggested a job roving round the desert with three trucks and five BORs (British Other Ranks), looking for graves.

There was, he explained, excellent prospects for promotion even though the job had only nine months to run. The idea of graves work seemed a little morbid. The alternative was a staff job in GHQ in Cairo and I couldn't stand the thought of that. So, in innocence, I accepted.

AG3's remarks had little connection with the truth. Not one single item was correct. I was not on my own. Neither did I have three trucks. As often as not, we had German prisoners of war as our labour. The job was supposed to last three months, but dragged on a little longer. As far as promotion was concerned, it was an absolute blind alley.

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