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General Freyberg (Cairo) to the Minister of Defence

I am pleased to report that I have met the Third Echelon who arrived safely at Suez this morning. The troops are well and appear page 181 fit, and their journey was without incident. The 6th Field Ambulance and the reinforcements are still at Bombay but join us in the course of a fortnight.¹ Disembarkation of the Third Echelon will proceed on Monday and Tuesday, then they will commence training at Maadi. Equipment on a training scale is coming to hand and I hope in the course of a few days to have 50 per cent Brens, 100 per cent anti-tank rifles, two 2-pounder anti-tank guns, and 50 per cent of our 18-pounders. Other equipment is on an adequate training scale. I am glad to report that the First Echelon are now in process of being issued with sixteen 25-pounders.