Last Saturday I went into town [Cairo] with a cobber. The population is very mixed here. The better class Egyptians and Arabs are in some ways very fine as are the French residents. However there are far more of mixed blood than pure and they grade from fair to the lowest imaginable. The female of the species is of course far more presentable than the male.

Some of the girls have beautiful hair and figures although their faces are often not made to match. You have no need to fear for any changing of affections on my part. The lowest classes are detestable, filthy in body and mind and ignorant in everything but low earning and petty thieving. A soldier has to be very careful not to have his pocket rifled and it is not safe wandering off the main streets by oneself in the dark.

We have, of course, had no rain. I have been surprised by the amount of wind we get here at times. Every evening quite a stiff breeze arises. Through the days whirlwinds are frequent and raise the dust. Sometimes a strong whirlwind raises dust and litter in a spiral to a great height, often blocking three or four huts from view.

Your transport meetings must be quite interesting. I'm really glad that you are keen on it and hope you do well because the knowledge will be very useful in the future. When we are out driving I can see myself pulling out a cigarette when the old bus breaks down and having a smoke while my dearly beloved wife carries out the necessary adjustments. Well so much for a little sentiment and a little leg-pulling! Lell wrote to me the other day. Can you keep a secret Jean dear? She is very happy and tells me that I will be an uncle in March very likely.

Jean and her Morris 8.

Jean was a land girl during the week and WWSA (Women War Service Auxiliary) at weekends. She was in the transport division of WWSA and drove officers around on home guard manoeuvres. Jean's father bought her a Morris 8 to use because he did not want her driving his Oldsmobile.

Denis, middle, in Egypt with "the best pair of pals a chap could wish for" Jim Choat and Ken Turner, October 1941.

On 12 September 1941 the New Zealand Division marched to Baggush, and on 18 September they moved to the south-east corner of the Baggush Box, a fortress by the Mediterranean coastline, 30 miles southwest of Mersa Matruh, and trained for attacks with Valentine tanks.

The road into Mersa Metruh.