Uniform Ban

Agreed Le. Absolute stupidity. But remember that we did not understand what was going on. Young National Service guys- not a clue and not given a clue. That strip of barbed wire around us a few miles from Ismalia - no-one ever warned us that The Moslem Brotherhood hot-bed lurked in that little town, committed to just what you have pointed out. Our dhobi-wallas were young locals, big guys full of Brit accents and banter, and they certainly were not intimidated by all our Glasgow hard men, which always surprised me.

We did not understand the politics or the risk, no wonder we lost guys on train escort. Lucky our guys kept bricks in the trucks for throwing back, and poles for pushing guys off donkeys, and were prepared for the driver's escort to reach out and grab the collar of any cyclist who pulled alongside, so they could go for a nice fast ride. That was why they got off the pavement when we approached - don't approach us - 'touch me not with impunity'. And that sten-gun was the reason for many of our losses, we were quickest but the buggers kept on jamming. Ah well, all in a day's work.
 
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You were pretty darn fortunate. I heard some similar stuff about the French Foreign Legion in Morocco from old times.
 
In trying to work out why I was so stupid, I think from sixteen, as a boy on cargo ships, i had been used to walking the seaports around the world, often through the night making my way back to ship after a late night out; always missed the last bus etc. Even here in Britain, I would walk the length of Liverpool Docks after seeing a girl home, from the Pier Head to No. 19 Gladstone Dock, cobbled all the way, big echoes ; same in Glasgow, where angels feared to tread, London ,Newport, Swansea etc. I certainly would not chance any of that here today. Hamburg, all night drinking in the Arnold Cafe, Saint Pauli, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Oakland, LA, Eureka, Tacoma, Vancouver, and nice places such as Auckland (Ma Grogans) Wellington etc. All without a thought and never a misplaced step. So I imagine that I was confidant to roam. That it why it was a crime that we were not armed with the truth of our situation; we thought they were just not too happy to have us around.

Anyway, it seems that they all eventually followed me home! I can't walk the markets of Slough or Whitechapel these days as comfortably. He he.
 
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