Letter from George McDonald from Tripoli.
An abridged transcript of the letter provided by Glenwyss Brooks:
My dear friends
I received your long-awaited letter about two weeks ago and it is only at this moment while we are in a static position that I have found time to answer it. I am writing this from Tripoli the goal of our long and tedious advance from Egypt. The campaign on the whole was a success and the English Army reached its objective. I was very disappointed with the city of Tripoli and what it contained, one can realise the shambles and ruins that greeted us as being the work of our Royal Airforce. The people here are friendly enough and seem quite content with life. One thing they couldn’t understand was why we (the conquerors) always offered to pay for anything that we required. Apparently, the Italian population had become quite accustomed to the bullying tactics of their allies the Germans.
The latter part of our journey was done on roads that equaled any that we have in New Zealand. On either side were towering poplars, green pastures and windmills for irrigation purposes- all these sights and many others reminded me of different parts of Taranaki district. The waterfront and wharves around Tripoli must have had a terrible battering from our bombers and fighters as the evidence showed. Ships were sunk and everything of any military value was hit. On our arrival the people were at first dubious about showing themselves but now they have become more or less used to us, they are carrying on with their usual duties. The city is of course completely under British rule and martial law prevails. When we took the city, the Maori Br. had the honour of leading the N.Z Division in. They regarded ours as the best in the Middle East and so that particular task fell to us. It’s a great honour not only to the men and officers of our unit but to the New Zealanders generally. We were actually the first British troops to set foot in Tripoli. Haven’t I been boasting a lot, but needless to say it’s true.
Xmas!—mine was spent in the heart of the great Libyan Desert and though minor things stood in our way we made the best of what was there. By good work on the part or our Q.M. we were able to have pork and one bottle of beer per man was issued. (I got three, an officer’s privilege) Better still though was the arrival of our Xmas mail and parcels the day before, they brightened our dreary looking tables considerably. Since my last letters to you we have covered approximately two thousand miles of bare and waterless desert in pursuing the Axis forces. Now we have Rommel just where we want him and it will only be a matter of time, we have the common enemy routed from North Africa. (Skiting again).
Well, I was pleased indeed to get your letter and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. With regards to myself, I am 100% fit and well, but war weary. I want to come home. Dancing, I’ve nearly forgotten how to. The last one I went to was an Officer Cadets dance, that was nearly nine months ago. I don’t bother much now though as I’m getting most of the youth knocked our of me,- getting old now you know- twenty four last November. My word age soon creeps on. Poor old Rap Baker was wounded the other day during the advance on Tripoli. As it happened it was only a flesh wound and it shouldn’t be long before he is up and about again. Your writing is not awful and I must say that I enjoyed every line immensely. All that I wanted to know was in it. Well Mr & Mrs Radcliffe, I think I’ve told you all there is to know and everything of importance so for now I will say goodbye and good luck.
Kind regards to all my friends in Uruti
I remain your true friend in arms,
George
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