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Remembered Today:

Camp Wardan, Upper Egypt


rmcguirk

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I am trying to identify the exact location of Camp Wardan. It would appear to have been in Upper Egypt, perhaps near Minia. (Please note this is not the better known Camp Wardian nr Alexandria.)

Grateful for any help.

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Russell,

It would appear to have been in Upper Egypt, perhaps near Minia

I take it that you have already eliminated the wadi of that name on the west (Gulf of Suez) coast of the Sinai

regards

Michael

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Michael,

Thanks -- I didn't know about that one, though I’m pretty certain this Wardan is not on the W coast of Sinai. The context of my query is that a Light Car Patrol is at Camp Wardan for a few weeks in June 1917. The Patrol works entirely in the W Desert; and the OC, whose letters I’m looking at, takes leave and goes to Luxor.

There is another mention of Wardan I’ve found, googling -- Fred Garrett’s War diary, http://www.grantsmilitaria.com/garrett/html/feb1916.htm

where there is mention of Garrett’s brigade, also working in the W Desert, leaving Wardan for Minia.

The mention of Luxor and Minia has me assuming Wardan is probably in or near the Nile Valley and probably in Middle or Upper Egypt... but this assumption seems weak – a man’s leave and a Brigade’s transfer is not much to go on.

In addition to the Wardan you mention in Sinai, I’ve just found another one NW of Cairo and E of Wadi Natrun. This particular Light Car Patrol (No. 5) did work for months out of Wadi Natrun, but had (I’d thought) left the area by June 1917. You can see I’m going around in circles with this one...

Russell

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Russell,

In addition to the Wardan you mention in Sinai, I’ve just found another one NW of Cairo and E of Wadi Natrun. This particular Light Car Patrol (No. 5) did work for months out of Wadi Natrun, but had (I’d thought) left the area by June 1917. You can see I’m going around in circles with this one...

There was a Camp Wardan near the Wadi Natrun

Though just to keep you guessing, this one was also sometimes spelt Wardian

See these two photographs and their captions from the AWM

http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/C03541 and http://cas.awm.gov.au/photograph/J06073

As this camp appears to be on a rail line, then travel from it to either Luxor or Minia would be quite strait forward.

It is shown as El Wardan on the map below

MapElWardanWadiNatron.jpg

best regards

Michael

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There was a Camp Wardan near the Wadi Natrun

Though just to keep you guessing, this one was also sometimes spelt Wardian

See these two photographs and their captions from the AWM

Michael,

You’ve cracked it, I’m sure. The spelling “Wardian” in the first AWM photo is probably just an error due to confusion with the camp of that name at Alexandria.

Many thanks and best regards,

Russell

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  • 9 years later...

I have recently purchased items direct from the family of Major Percy William Smith who was the Commander  of  " Wardian Camp " in 1915. 

The name Wardian is confirmed in his National Archive records.

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Robin,

Welcome to the GWF

As Russell points out in his opening post, there was a camp named Wardian, with the spelling which you give, near Alexandria

The second camp near Wadi Natrun had a similar name - Wardan - see post 4 above

As you have checked the spelling with the NA, then I presume that Mjr Smith was at the one near Alexandria

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