CWGC in Egypt - I'm here and taking photos

9 February , 2007

Hi gang,

I'm on sojourn from bitterly freezing cold Canada. Been in Egypt for the last 2 weeks. Primarily taking photos for the South Africa War Graves Project but will take requests. I completed all the Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and scores of Brits years ago, but didn't do the South Africans and Indians and Colonies. Please don't reply here, but send me an email at: ralph@southafricawargraves.org

I've already been to Cairo War Memorial Cemetery (can go back), Heliopolis War Cemetery (can go back), Alexandria Chatby, Hadra, Manara Indian, Brit Protestant and Jewish, last two done. Chatby and Hadra I might be able to sneak back to if you send me an email by tomorrow.

I did about half of Halfaya Sollum and had to leave because my driver was getting ansy and the batteries for my camera where drained. I'm going to El Alamein the day after tomorrow. I'll be there about 2 days I figure. No internet there as it is just the cem and desert. I'll be staying at a ramshackle hut only used by long hauldrivers in case of an emergency. Trust me,not a fun place to stay. Did it 4 years ago and was caught in a sandstorm for 2 days. Again send requests by tomorrow night.

Then I'll be heading down to Aswan, small cem will get it all. Back upto Cairo to collect the pass of military passes to get into Moascar Cem (likely the hardest cem in the world to visit...have to apply 30 days in advance at brit embassy and then only maybe you might get a pass). Then head out to Suez Canal area cems. I'm going to try and get all of Port Said, Kantara, Ismailia, Tel-el-Kebir, Fayid and Suez cems.

So you have a day to get me requests for El Alamein and Alexandria cems. Again email don't post.

If you think you can reciprocate with photos in your area it would be much appreciated. See South Africa War Graves Project www.southafricawargraves.org

Jim Strawbridge, Terry emailed you that I got your women. I'm still getting them.

As a rule, if I can't complete a cem (minus Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, Soputh Africans and India & Colonies) I try and do as many Brits as possible, generally by unit rather then block or section. Usually go for RAF/RFC/Navy/Medal winners/women/oddball units that catch my eye/unknowns (I have a thing for them). So if you don't get a request to me in time there is always a chance I might have collected the stone up.

It all depends if my camera/cds/batteries decide to be finnicky that day or not.

9 February , 2007

Ralph

Re your offer for photographs. If it is at all possible any or all of the following please.

STEVENS, Lottie M. Staff Nurse Alexandria (Chatby) Mil & War Mem.Cem. Q -565 15.03.1916

BUTLER, S. E. Sister Alexandria (Chatby) Mil. & War Mem.Cem. Q569 14.04.1916

HAWLEY, Nellie Prob. Nurse Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cem. B -46 31.12.1917

COOKE, E.K. Staff Nurse Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cem. B - 25 08.09.1917

GROVER, Alice Jane Sister Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cem. C - 176 06.02.1919

PARKER, Elizabeth Kelly Matron Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cem. B - 4 16.10.1916

ROBERTS, Margaret Staff Nurse Alexandria (Hadra) War Mem. Cem. B - 44 31.12.1917

JOHNSTON, Margaret Staff Nurse Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, D84 05.09.1915

PEPPER, Edith Dorothy Prob. Nurse Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, O - 145 07.04.1918

REID, Annie Campbell Staff Nurse Cairo War Memorial Cemetery, Q - 281 04.03.1919

TURTON, Alice Mary Staff Nurse Ismalia War Memorial Cemetery, A - 31 07.05.1917

Will be most grateful

Cheers, Tony

Didn't read your instructions correctly - email, on the way

9 February , 2007

Ralph

E-mail sent with regards to:

Private 15/999 Edward Collingwood Wintle The 15th (Service) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment KIA 8th February 1916, Kantara Military Cemetery.

If you get the chance.

Regards

Andy

9 February , 2007

Ralph, appreciate your kind offer.

I would be grateful of grave photos and general view for the man below when you get to Ismailia.

I have a photo from 1940-41 but nothing more recent.

JAMES ALEXANDER BRANDER

Marine

PO/X4529

H.M.S. Ramillies., Royal Marines

who died on

Wednesday, 27th November 1940. Age 20.

Commemorative Information

Cemetery: ISMAILIA WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY, Egypt

Grave Reference/

Panel Number: 2. B. 1.

9 February , 2007

Fantastic! Lucky man Ralph, glad youre having a blast! Keep us updated so we can all dream of hot weather and cemeteries in far off lands wont you?!

10 February , 2007

Pals,

Email me please, no PMs or posts. The reason behind this is not every internet cafe is as good as the one I'm currently in. Some the keyboards are sticky, keys loose or missing or letters worn off and when using an Arabic keyboard this tends to be a problem. But usually I can print off requests no problem. I leave tomorrow for Alamein. So you have until tonight to get those requests into me. This includes Alexandria graves. Cuz after those requests, I'm going back to Cairo.

I don't want to sound prickish, but can you meet me half way? This means, names & plot numbers, not any grave to the "umptotheumpth" battalion. While I may remember this, I may not. I'll still do those no problem but I still need names and plot numbers. If I have a name and plot number then all I have do is look at the list. If you have a number of requests from the same cem, put them in order by plot number not alphabetically. Helps when walking amongst 2000-8000 graves.

Remember no PMs or posts to me, I may not be able to read them. Emails only. If some kind soul wants to collect up all the requests and put them into an orderly list for me, that would sure help, then email them to me.

My plan of action is, back head back to Alamein and try and stay there, else I'll be bussing it in every day to Alamein. My camera and batteries are only good for 4-5 hours a day and there are still 6000+ graves I need to do in Alamein, at least 1000 will get done if not more. Then head back to Alex, can clean up requests there, then back to Cairo. Then Aswan, back to Cairo, then Ismailia, then Port Said, Kantara, Tel el Kebir, Fayid and Suez. I fly back out of Cairo so might be able to tackle the extremely late request at the last second in Cairo and Heliopolis. Otherwise the early bird gets the worm.

Remember, some kind sould collecting everything up and organizing it for me, makes life and snapping pix a lot easier. Haven't found an internet cafe yet in Egypt that has MS Word on it that I can sit here and collate on. Oh, and no attachments, just cut and paste into the body of an email, that helps.

I'll cut and paste what was sent so far. And maybe some kind soul will help.

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All are Bedford Regiment graves and any Other Ranks that happen to jump out at you as you are around and about would be wonderful! There are too many to list so I did not feel it fair or appropriate to ask!! Also (sorry!) if you are standing at any memorials to the missing and see a panel with Bedfords, I would also be very grateful to see a snap, especially if the names are visible as I am sometimes asked for that kind of things and have almost all the French ones but no Mediterranean ones!

Cairo:

2/Lt Leonard Leader Brereton

Suez:

2/Lt John Leonard Dawson

Hadra:

Lt GO Lydekker

Lt George Harold Pinchin

Kantara:

Major Frederick Gordon Owens

-------------------------

ELLERY Horatio SS/15314

Buried ALEXANDRIA (CHATBY) MILITARY AND WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY D. 7.

ANNEAR JAMES HENRY SS/14103

Buried ALEXANDRIA (CHATBY) MILITARY AND WAR MEMORIAL CEMETERY F. 39.

------------------------------

Cairo New British

Denham - Protestant (Plot J Grave 136).

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If you manage to get to Kantara Military Cemetery and you get chance could you please take a picture of:

Private 15/999 Edward Collingwood Wintle, 4 Section, 9 Platoon “C” Company The 15th (Service) Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment KIA 8th February 1916, Kantara Military Cemetery, Egypt

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In my enthusiasm I posted my request then re-read your post and obeyed your instructions