FROM EGYPT

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 261, 22 January 1941, Page 5

FROM EGYPT

CAPT. C. F. THOMAS WRITES

LOCAL MEN CONTACTED

Writing from Egypt, Capt. C. F. Thomas, of Whakatane, forwards a copy of the 'Egyptian Mail,' an interesting paper giving details of the activities of the colonial troops and 1 setting out in no mistakable terms the warm feelings of goodwill cherished the soldiers of the South- | ern Cross by the Egyptian ' people. Capt. Thomas writes: The 'Wogs' (Egyptian boys—a name commonly applied to all native workmen or labourers) appear to do all the work around here. There are millions of them, so I suppose it is only to be expected. Since landing here I Wad a bit of a look around. Like every-* body else, I have visited the Pyramids, Sakhara and Memphis and can now find my way around Cairo. The East does not appeal to me, what with sand, flies and cadging 'wogs' it makes one's life fairly full trying to preserve one's dignity and self preservation.

I have struck quite a few of the Wliaknta nc hoys, Herb Brabant, Jack Connolly, Keith Watson ancl Alf Yeoman are as you know officers in our Battalion, Keith being our padre, and a good one too. We also have Stan Miller, Glen Hayden, Jim Howat and a few others, I have also had visits from Ollie Martin, Freddie Burt, Bill Sargeant and quite a few of the Whakataneitcs, but have not yet run across Jack -Sic wart, Fay Waugli, Lance Preston or Ralph Penny. They are in the First Echelon and are not nc\ar us at present.