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Private J. D. Caves: The Long Journey Home

Excerpt from official history of New Zealand in the second World War

page 39

Excerpt from official history of New Zealand in the second World War

24 Battalion moved from Baggush back to Maadi at the end of January. For a few days 6 Brigade was held in readiness to suppress civil commotion in Cairo, should such take place. King Farouk of Egypt was to be coerced by a show of force into a more amenable frame of mind. The 24th Battalion's part in this operation was to maintain order in the suburb of Sharia Shubra. Taking up quarters in Abbassia barracks, it staged a series of marches through the streets with bayonets fixed, the men having been previously instructed to look as grim as possible. After four days of this procedure, when Farouk had been reduced to a more pliable mood, the battalion returned once more to Maadi.

In early 1942 Vichy France had recently been dispossessed of Syria. To guard against the threat of an Axis attack on Egypt through Turkey or southern Russia, the Ninth Army moved into positions covering the approaches that led into Palestine through the ranges of Syria.

Author Stewart in 'Early Battles of the Eighth Army' comments on 'Auchinleck's readiness to load the blame for mishaps onto the shoulders of the men who were doing the fighting. He felt uneasy about the disrespectful soldiers from the Dominions. Perhaps this is why, after Crusader, the two finest divisions in the Middle East, 9th Australian and 2nd New Zealand, were kept uselessly in Syria - despite Churchill's protests - until it was almost too late.'

6 Brigade began to move into Syria at the end of February. The 24th Battalion crossed the Suez Canal by ferry on 12 March and continued its journey alternately by train and motor transport via El Kehir, Haifa, Beirut, Rayak, and Aleppo, finally arriving late on the night of 14 March at Afrine camp.

6 Brigade established its headquarters at Aleppo to provide a measure of surveillance over the Kara Sou valley from behind the Syrian border. The 24th Battalion occupied the salient of Syrian territory jutting north-west towards Anatolia, and commanding the most likely way of approach for a hostile army.

The 24th Battalion had its headquarters at Afrine, a large village 35 miles north-west of Aleppo, where there was a well appointed camp of corrugated iron huts, but only a small portion of the unit remained there. A control post, one platoon strong, was maintained at Meidane Ekbes, where the railway entered Syria at the north-westerly salient of its territory. A forward headquarters was established at Radjou, another village 20 miles north-west of Afrine, under command of Major Webb. At an equal distance to the south-west another control post was stationed at El Hamman, where the main road from Afrine crossed into Turkish territory, and due east of this point, eight miles within the Syrian border, another company was maintained to supply detachments in this part of 24 Battalion's zone.

The New Zealanders were ordered to adopt a policy of 'showing the flag' whenever and wherever possible. The culminating stage of this policy was a ceremonial march through the streets of Aleppo by New Zealand infantry and artillery, the Royal Air Force and Free French cavalry, in which A and B Companies of 24 Battalion took part.

Rations were lean in Syria. In fact this was probably the only period of the war when the men were really
Eastern Mediterranean.

Eastern Mediterranean.

page 40hungry. The mountain sheep from which their meat came were chiefly notable for a wealth of inedible by-products. Bone, skin, and gristle they grew in abundance, but very little meat. The vegetable was mainly native spinach, a large amount of which would boil down to almost nothing. Attempts were made to supplement rations by using grenades to kill fish in the streams, but on the whole there was little to be drawn from a country bordering upon a state of famine.
Syrians watching a distribution of flour to their men by 24 Battalion from American Red Cross supplies.

Syrians watching a distribution of flour to their men by 24 Battalion from American Red Cross supplies.

British and American Red Cross authorities were arranging for food to be sent to famine threatened areas, and one of the first duties the New Zealanders were required to undertake after arriving in Syria was the equitable distribution of these supplies. On 17 March 5000 pounds of flour were distributed at Radjou, and a larger amount at Afrine a few days later. From outlying villages came men with scores of small donkeys to collect their share and pack-load it home. The ceremony of distribution, though organised by the methodical West, was thoroughly oriental in tone and atmosphere. Stately elders and headmen of villages vouched for each man and the number of his dependants as he came forward to collect his share. There was some chattering and delay-for here in the East time is neither valued nor measured-and then the loaded donkeys, guided or driven by men, moved off to return to their own places. Thus might the scene have appeared in a pageant of some ancient, patriarchal period; thus it might actually have taken place in the days when Joseph's brethren went to buy corn in Egypt.

Heavy rain deluged northern Syria when 6 Brigade first arrived there; then came frosts and cold winds by day. Not until towards the end of March did the sodden ground become passable for motor vehicles. Though the climate was invigorating, the country was far from healthy. Malaria was always rife in the hot season, and this inflicted the necessity for irksome precautions. The men slept under mosquito nets, carefully tucked in to avoid leaving gaps which might admit mosquitoes; huts and tents were sprayed at dawn and dusk; boots and anklets had to be worn after dark; hands and faces were smeared with mosquito ointment, which lost its effectiveness after two hours and had to be reapplied. A battalion malarial squad was formed to see that all preventive measures were carried out, but even so there were omissions and oversights.

Breaking camp at Kabrit en route to Syria.

Breaking camp at Kabrit en route to Syria.