Fernleaf Cairo

by Alex Hedley, Megan Hutching (Contributor)

Its call sign was Fernleaf Cairo and between 1939 and 1946 around 76 000 Kiwis of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force passed through Maadi Camp. Around 17 kilometres south of Cairo the camp appeared almost overnight as this country's permanent overseas base during the Second World War. By 1945 the camp had tar-sealed roads two cinemas an open-air amphitheatre canteens bars chapels sports fields a meat-pie and ice-cream factory and - thanks to General Bernard Freyberg - swimming baths. Egypt was a source of boundless amazement sly humour and some disgust to the New Zealanders an experience which left its mark both on our language - taking a shufti - and more tangibly the Maadi Rowing Cup. With unpublished images and first-hand accounts Fernleaf Cairo offers a fascinating insight into the unlikely bond young New Zealanders forged with the people and city of Cairo including their many highly colourful experiences on leave.

Genres: History

290 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

Reviews

[Doug Leveridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vast numbers of New Zealand soldiers transited through Maadi Camp en route to middle eastern and European theatres of war. Alex Hedley brings the history and particularly the soldiers' personal recollections into sharp focus, describing the day to day workings of the massive camp and its organisation. An accessible book, especially well suited to readers with limited background in matters military.