NEW FISH STORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 250, 16 December 1940, Page 2

NEW FISH STORY

ITALIAN AID FOR ALEXANDRIA Here's a truo fish story sent over from Egypt bj" one of the first echelon bo3 r s. It came from an Egyptian. Any one who happened to be the sea front at dead of night immediately after the last air raid on Alexandria? would have seen a strange sight. People hurfying from every direction carrying receptacles of all sorts —baskets, suitcases, paper bags and so forth. To the beach they galloped, falling over each other pushing and being pushed—■ some squeaking and shouting cheerfully some, silent and determined. They were on their way to collect casualties, though this was not so grim as it sounds. The bomb had dropped into the sea and the poor fish, big and small who- happened to be present at the time were lifted bodily and shot out all over the foreshore, or else incapacitated by the explosion, stunned of slaughtered, were: washed up on the sands.

Such an opportunity w*as not to be missed—fish everywhere—take your choice, help yourself and no charge. Baskets full, hats or bags full and galabiehs hold up in front stuffed with Mussolini's little victims.

We read of the complete sangfroid of the people during the airraids over Britain, but Alexandria doesn't seem to be doing so badly either—and let there be no mistake about it, even a bomb dropped only into the sea isn't to be sneezed at as a shock to nearby nervous tems. It announces its arrival with a very nasty whistle which starts on the top note of the piano and runs all the way down ending with a .revolting thud ,on the bottom one. But the opportunists refuse to be shaken when there are pickings to be had for the mere picking. Out they scamper to stake their claims —and who knows the great fish rush of '40 may compete in history with the gold rush of 1896. (Klondike in case anybody would like to know).