REVIEW IN EGYPT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2375, 3 February 1915, Page 6

REVIEW IN EGYPT

F.• 9 : I WELCOME TO OVERSEAS ! TROOPS

j EMKTHRODGH CAffiO | : FINEfIF.Z, CONTINGENT I {By the< MelS>unro Repreeenta- | -.trw with, the' Expeditionary' force.) i Cairo, December 23.' I Egypt S ave her welcome to the Doj bunions' troops,to-day, when the Ausi itraliaa Light Horse Brigade and the jcwhole of ttie New Zealand forces passed 'through the city. Tons of thousands of | (people lined the route. They cheered :-and applauded the khaki columns as ithey swung past, with bands playing airs. As filo after file of flight Horse rode by the native populaj.tion was roused to a pitch of intense enthusiasm. The French people led the Isheering, and the natives followed. Indeed, they found this military display, i&hat lasted for nearly .two hours, more !«f a pageant than had been the procla-i-iuaiion ceremonies a few days before." |Over 10,000 troops were on parade, and '.the- greater portion were mounted. _ It vwas the first time that the Australians ilad come in force to the city; the first itone that the people had had a chance to judge their military bearing; the first I time, too, that the British generals had previewed them. [ "When. I saw onr Light Horse last it 'had been through a drizzling rain, passling down Collins Street. Now there was »a brilliant morning sun shining right an the tanned faces of the men as they irode' into the great Opera square, the atieetiiig-plaee of many main thoroughfares entering the, city. It was not long since British troops had marched along the same route, and the natives Iliad not forgotten that review. Now they were watching the men from the i'urthest point of tho Empire passing rthrough their ancient city. This was no ilonger the army of occupation. 'That [title had died when the proclamation iwas' posted. Now thoy were the projecting army —the army which' would, flight alongside 'of. the Egyptian^army of the Sultan in time of trouble in the land of Egypt. : The streets were gay with bunting, rthe Australian flag having made its apipearance alongside the flag of Egypt and the red ensign and Union Jack of the Empire. Far from appearing jaded' -after their journey, the horses pranced and danced, and not a few riders (as,'light horsemen do and think nothing of it) were unseated. It was questionable whether the horses would be fit to stand the long ride from Maadi and back, nearly- fourteen miles, being as yet only a bare fortnight off the boat transports;, but when they passed through the city they had not turned a hair. The New-Zealand horses looked equally fit with oil®..

Head the Column. • 1 It was arranged that the march post the saluting base, which had been fixed it Opera Square, should commence just itfter 10.30, but it was 11 o'clock ivhen the head of the column left'the railway station,..which was the renlezvous. At this point there were over 5000 people assembled. Delay had ieen experienced in bringing the Ausiralian. troops ■. through the narrow rtreets of Old Cairo, and the troops had io pass sometimes -in single file. The iatives-peered from-the doorways of ihe old houses, and looked with awe on he miles of horsemen-with their rifles eady resting -on their thighs: Used o Lancer -regiments, both-English and Cgyptian," these men with their rifles o handy were a new style of soldier hat-they, had not seen_ before. . I loubt very much if'they realised where he regiments had come from. Austraia, they believed, was some part of jngland.' . , feCJie Light Horseman is a very differttj" from the British mounted soldier a" seat, in the arms he carries, in genral ■ appeaianoe. It was no wonder hat these natives questioned one anther. As the troops drew nearer the ity'their welcome began. The crowd fas expecting them —a critical crowd ; was, too. It was a spontaneous reeting and well deserved, for never id our regiments look smarter. Colonel 'hauvel rode at the head witli his staff, nd 1100 men followed him. It has eea no easy task to get all the horses hod since they arrived at Cairo. Beide the small, ponies one sees in the images about the city the Australian orses are magnificent.

|,The crowded applauded first, and Sen cheered. At the saluting base as" Lieutenant-Get»ral Sir John Maxell, the officer commanding the forces i Egypt, and beside him on horseback as General Birrrood, D.5.0., C.8., who rrived frmo India only two days ago > take command of the Dominions' jrces.r- Behind these two offisrs was Major-General Brides, mmanding the Australian division, and ajor-General Sir A. G. Godley, who mmands the New Zealand force, with ;eir staffs. An orderly was carrying :Union Jack. The head of the column js hidden from view until it was alost at the saluting base. On© of the' inds of the New Zealand contingent id been stationed opposite this point, id it now commenced a brisk march, rery window and balcony was crowded ,th Visitors, who led the cheering now Light Horse swept forward, iere were 10,000 people in the square, arly all natives—Arabs, Fellaheen, ■yptiaiis of. one race or another, oop after troop went past without the ghtest hitch. The column wound >m one side of the road to tho other, j, columns do, and then straightened t into a well-kept line. Sometimes rses were frightened at the band; or 1 a nativo who dodged from behind 2 lines of native police until he was ollared" and taken back with many fits and much abuse. The Queensland »nd regiment, with Lieutenant-Col-bl r Stodart in command, got a fine ieption. The waving emu plumes in i I: hats appealed to the crowd,; who sered and cheered again.

The New Zealand Mounted Corpe. 3tfsely following our Light Horse ne the New Zealand mounted regiuts. It was the first time I had had I opportunity of seeing the Maorisders on parade. They are quite as II .mounted as our troops, and their rses look every bit as fit, and seemed ihave suffered little by their extra jis on thg transports. One can hardly tinguish the troops of One State from >ther, except by tlieir hats. "That the stamp of men wo want," comnted an English officer who stood tr.\me in. uniform. "I. have .seen ir Australians in South Africa, and sow their wortlr; and these men are iry bit as good." One felt that they •e alTthat.'.- Just a touch of a spur, 1 a .troop" Would' swing forward at rot, and make up the space that bad feared between them. There must ■e been twice as many horsemen here ■ Australia had paraded, and they 1 brought with , them their service ;ons and a' brigade of artillery as 1. The approach of the guns was the "applause. Infantry's Ffne Marching. 'here was a break in the column, r crowd thought that the line of Iki was ended, it was but half past i saluting base. The police crushed ! crowd back. The. appearance of •'.infantry in the' square was the l for a remarkable outburst of opuse/ After the horsemen, the sight the foot soldiers,, marching shoulder shoulder, roused the' imagination of crowd. The band at the head of.

the column struck up the Marseillaise, which touched the heart of the people. Looking at the uniform of the contingents, I find that tile New Zealauders' jackets are cut' longer than' ours— they are cut more to the figures of the men. The troops were marching light, without their war equipment, and 6mart indeed was their appearance. I turned to the officer who still stood by iny side, ajid he nodded and said: "Yes; it's excellent marching. Good as any goose stop the enemy can show." but besides this there was a great enthusiasm burning in them. The rivalry that has sprung up between the Australians and these troops of the Dominion is a healthy one. ■ It is not a jealous spirit, but one that is quickening the pride of tho young nations for their country's honour. The troops in the review are the finest lighting material that it is possible to obtain. But one thing is needed —''train 'em." At the head of the last regiment of infantry two sturdy bull-dogs were straining at their leashes. The Ceylon Planters' Bifle Corps were the last unit to pass, with their rifles at the trail They all wear cotton, khaki tunics and helmets. Their reception was tremendous. Just behind was a band of pipers, neiv music to the Egyptians. As*--they passed away up through the city I could hear their shrill music. The head of the column, was by this time well away from tho environs of the city, heading for the distant suburb of Heliopolis, near which city the camp of the New Zealanders lies. Our Light Horse had turned olf back through the native quarters of the town, and by noon were within-sight of their lines. The horses had stood the journey well, and it should 6et them up. Another week and they will he ready for hard work. . The whole review has made a deep impression on the people. The papers are loud in. their praise of our troops. Frankly, everyone has been astonished at the force, and most of all at the build of the men,* who are deemed to be equal to any British regiment seen in Egypt.