Egyptian Propaganda

We recently discovered a web page  called EGYPT & THE SUEZ CANAL ZONE 1940s/50s  the site has some of  the propaganda leaflets  that were dropped on our Camps, to scare the hell out of those on guard duty. The two leaflets which have reproduced here were given to us by kind permission of our dear friend and comrade Bill who was with  58 Company RASC, in Fayid and Bill  took these of the Perimeter wire at 58 Company back in 1953.   Bill has a great web site with many more great pictures of the Canal Zone then and now please take a moment to view his site. Thanks Bill   Keep well.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

A funny story, that comes to mind, although at the time it wasn't.   It seems that some Wag sent a copy of one of these propaganda leaflets to his girlfriend in the UK as a joke, well it back-fired.   The girlfriend showed it to his mother, who gave it to his MP, and you guessed it,  Parliament heard all about it when it was introduced by that MP a member of her Majesty's Loyal Opposition, The proverbial S..t hit the fan, and of course we were all warned that if it ever occurred again, there would be hell to pay.

When Company Pt 1 orders were typed, all Officers were given a copy, as well as all senior NCO's, for junior NCO's and other ranks a copy was posted on the bulletin board  in the Company HQ Office , and the platoon  Bulletin boards and two in the tent lines.   When new orders were printed and placed on the boards the old copies were disposed of  and placed in bins to be picked up by the Greek owned, and Palestenian-operated rubbish trucks. During 1953 these "old" copies of Company Part 1 orders found their way to the Egyptian Army, and were transmitted  by Radio Cairo, who announced not only the names of those on Guard duty, but other things as well.   It didn't take long before each morning it was the job of the each Inlying Picket duty NCO, to remove all copies and make sure that they were disposed of properly, in a small incinerator supplied for the purpose.

Jock Marrs