New Zealand - El Ballah?
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
Ummm in reference to WW2 it was the location of the 2nd Division New Zealand General Hospital.
http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2MMed-c10-14.html
Correct MontyB, and you are spot on the website. I only just found it. Did you spot the last paragraph. 'Ready for the rush (of injured) from El Alamein.' And they had come from what is now Israel.
I feel like Michener sticking a pin in the map of America and stabbing Centennial to write about. El Ballah is just a rail halt in the desert and it late became a British Station Hospital at the time of The Forgotten War, of the early fifties. Insurgency was at its height from the Moslem Brotherhood, the spawners of Al Quaeda, based in nearbu Ismailia andwhich still exists at the political source of the Islamic Caliphate.
The period 1951-54 key, but unrecognised after the Suez attack fiasco of 55, and campaign medals have only just been awarded.
When I served at El Ballah, it had become a battle camp, just a barbed wire perimeter around tents, very exposed in hostile territory on active service.
I was surprised to find it has a few of its own websites with photos and details of many who served there, including 'colonials'. I particularly like the photo galleries of guys, depicted then young now old, one with his son and grandson, and the latter was about to take up his stint in Iraq.
Looks like you 'colonials' travelled well. Well, here's a belated thanks from folk who needed all the help they could get.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
Hehe have you ever tried to keep a Kiwi or Aussie out of a fight?
If we aren't fighting a common enemy we are generally fighting each other on a sports field.
As far as WW2 went New Zealand had forces all over the place, I had uncle's who served in Scotland, France, Greece, North Aftica, Italy and the Pacific so yeah they got around and surprisingly none were injured or arrested.
Infern0
Banned
As far as WW2 went New Zealand had forces all over the place, I had uncle's who served in Scotland, France, Greece, North Aftica, Italy and the Pacific so yeah they got around and surprisingly none were injured or arrested.
my family fought in greece, North africa, italy and above europe in WWII
hell....just look at the reputation the 28th (maori) battalion carved for itself.
i've always believed that both the aussies and kiwi's punch well above their weight in battle.
but then again, im biased lol
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
The funny thing about the 28th Battalion is that while they created an excellent reputation for themselves amongst allied units they annoyed the hell out of other New Zealand units because they seemed to like German equipment more than their own issued gear and having read the 22nd Battalion war diaries it was reported as very disquieting to suddenly have the sound of enemy gunfire coming from positions that were meant to be your own.
A Can of Man
Je suis aware
Nothing wrong with using the enemy's stuff against them.
MontyB
All-Blacks Supporter
That may be the case now when you have constant communication between units but it wasnt 65 years ago.