'Stretcher-bearers': (32) Egyptian Interlude

Egyptian Interlude

July-August, 1944.

A part of our journey south was in railway cattle trucks where we stayed for three nights, 30 men to each truck. There was little room. After a few hours we looked like extras in a film about POWs. Harold Bailey, head upright against the side of the wagon, was snoring, mouth agape.
Jock Cochrane, Smith and Laverack were slumped on the floor, regardless of enmeshed legs, obstructing packs, water bottles and webbing equipment.
Four of us were trying to play bridge with a sticky pack and grimy fingers. Young Marks, Charlie Hutton, Davies and Robinson were sitting at the open wagon door, their legs swinging from it, shouting at those they passed. One or two were reading paper-covered novels with gaudy covers , while others sat on their packs, overheated, vacant pawns.
In this fashion we covered about 30 miles in the first day, spending many hours stationary and sometimes travelling backwards in the wrong direction. The first night was the worst. There were so many rows that sleep was difficult. Legs kicked out and nose breathed on nose at point-blank range.
The second morning we stopped at Benevento, where several of us were crossed the railway lines and collect hot water from another train for a wash in our mess tins, the first hot water for days.
We endured the third day patiently until about 7.30 p.m., when we were some ten miles from our destination, Taranto. Here indecision ensued whether we should spend the night on the train or should strike out for a camp.
At first orders came to pack everything, then to unpack and, finally, to re-pack. We bedded down on the train about 10 p.m., were rudely stirred at 4 a.m. and finally marched off to camp at about 6.30 a.m.
And so to the boat.
* * *
A week later.
We made the voyage in a one-funnelled packet steamer converted into a troopship to carry 1,000 men. It was over 30 years old and about the most sluggish ship in the convoy.
As usual, we were assigned to "E" deck. We were informed that no other rank lower than sergeant could hope to be berthed higher than "D" deck. In fact, some others less fortunate than ourselves were given quarters on "F" deck.
We fed 19 to a table designed for 12, slept in hammocks slung above the dining tables, and spent four nights on board.
The first meal was a shambles, since nobody had more than a plate's width of table space and it took some time to learn to eat with our neighbours' faces and elbows in such close proximity.
Sleeping space was solved more easily, when several of us decided to spend the night on the open "C" deck higher up. Even so, bed spaces had to be booked immediately after tea.
The second night at 5.50 p.m. some of us queued at the ship's canteen for lemonade and chocolate. The canteen was open from 6.30 p.m. until 9 p.m. In fact, we had come within eight places of the serving hatch, when its shutters came down. We departed empty and did not queue again.
We had the usual boat station drills and there were two genuine alerts, one for enemy aircraft, but both came to nought and we docked safely at Alexandria, before embarking on lorries for a desert location.
Reveille from this spot was at 3.30 a.m. Since we were trying to sleep 12 to a small bell tent, the early rise turned out to be no loss.

At dawn we were travelling again along a straight black thread of road bordered by sand and scrub. When we approached the Nile we saw green grass again, but soon veered away from it to desert wastes..
Eventually we reached the end of our journey at Qassasim where tents were awaiting us with bamboo beds on wooden trestles.
Moved with an advance party to a sandy spot between two groups of pyramids near Cairo. Here we erected 40 large tents in two and a half days, before the main party arrived to fill them. Although this was very hot work, seldom less than 100 degrees F, fortunately a canteen was established, a veritable oasis.
When the main body arrived, our Field Ambulance settled down to some training.
Outside news.
About this time came news of landing in southern France and rumour has it that we may go there, or back to Italy, to Palestine, to Algiers, or to Greece. These guesses are without any solid foundation. Return to Italy seems the most likely.
Regular changes in personnel are now taking place as we convert to the 1942 Field Ambulance scheme. This is intended to speed the evacuation of sick and wounded and economise in MOs, by the appointment of Stretcher Bearer officers. These are now placed in charge of small sections of 18 men that, on section, supplement the regimental stretcher bearers. It needs emphasising that the regimental stretcher bearer is not a member of the RAMC, but nevertheless faces, together with the regimental medical officer, the greatest danger of all those concerned with the evacuation of the wounded.
July, 1944. More outside News.
Western and Southern France have been invaded. Rumania has turned against the Germans and Bulgaria has sued for peace..
Mild training, mostly in the early mornings, when it is coolest, is the present order of the day. We have PT (Physical Training) as early as 6.30 a.m.., occasional medical lectures and route marches. One such march across sandy wastes in the general direction of the Mena pyramids was organised by a ginger-haired sergeant who had heavily underestimated distances. He transformed us into a gangling rabble when, failing to realise on the outward march that the pyramids never became appreciably nearer, he at last gave the order "About Turn" and we straggled back again, parched and exhausted. He was not very popular.
Men continue to be posted from the unit, the latest batch aged about 40 +. Some have not wanted to leave, but they have certainly deserved a quieter posting to a general hospital.

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