The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-06-24
IN N. AFRICA WITH THE
BRITISH EIGHTH

Dbl
(By George Lait, init News Serv-
ice war correspondent, who is back
after 81 months continuous action
under fire, first in the London
blitz, then in the eastward British
retreat and the triumphant west
ward Romel-rout to Bizerte with
Montgomery's Eighth Army. He
lived in the desert for a year and a
half, was wounded three times and
frequently cited for valor)
1t gets really hot in the Western
Desert-130 degrees and no shade
being quite common during the
Summer season. But it is no more
uncomfortable than New York at
95 degrees. In the desert it's just
heat; in New York it's humidity.
The American flyers and British
TONNES" wear lightweight cloth
ing for comfort, but the Arab wraps
up in heavy wooden blankets and
half q dozen flannel nightshirts ito
keep out the heat" Everyone's I'M
comfortable.
The Boche and Ginzos are scrup-
ulous observers of international law
as regards rendering useless the
infrequent wells in the desert. In
stead of poisoning the vital water
supply, which is prohibited by agree
ment, they pollute wells as they re-
treat by killing camel, sheep or
goat and tossing the carcass into
the well. Makes water temporarily
unfit for human or animal con-
sumption, but doesn't permanently
destroy the spring. Several times
during the Eighth Army's 2,500-mile
chase after Rommel this was the
only water we had; we drank it by
holding the nose, retained it few
moments and then did railing-of-
the-ship act. But managed to gain
just enough moisture to keep 60
ing. When forced to abandon huge
hogshead of wine at Tobruk, the
running Italians paused just long
enough to pour gallon of gasoline
into each barrel. So we used the
wine in the radiators of our desert
cars and drank the water originally
intended for the radiators.
Mail deliveries to the boys out
there vary, in my own experience,
from one week to eight months
Through the U. S. Army Post Office
have received airmail letters from
New York to Tripoli in seven days
Through the regular steamer mail
via Cairo and the civilian delivery
set-up, a Christmas package from
Sherman Billingsley was delivered to
me in July. 1t contained six not-too-
Sedate neckties - for which an Arab
offered to exchange a wife or a
camel-and 100 books of Stork club
matches, which are priceless out in
the blue. In Tunisia, where the
stork Is considered a bird of favor
able omen, Sherman's match-books
were highly acceptable gifts and
valuable articles of barter in our
dealings with the Senussi, Taureg
and Berber Sheiks. The rate of ex-
change was one book of matches for
OAAC S66S OAAC DOOh Va lltdGCllCS 1Ol
one scrawny chicken, one book of
matches for one meal, one book of
matches as wedding present for a
SenuSsi marrying his fourth wife.
A Mohammendan may have four
wives at any one time. Concubin-
age is unrestricted. A man may di-
vorce a woman by repeating the
word "Talak" Goo thrice to her
in public. Then he may take an
other wife as replacement. But
there Is no rule against the di-
vorced lady remaining as con-
cubine. In modern parlance, the
Islamic OPA grants an A Card on
wives, c Card for mistresses.
Ordinary dry tea leaves are the
most valued article of barter be-
tween the troops in the desert and
the Arabs. A pound of tea is worth
about S. in the desert region of
Egypt, Libya, Cyrenaica and Tripoli-
tania. Sugar is second in the Arabs
choice; hasheesh prohibited by
law GLiilAs WITCH llloO III
the African Desert, the normal rate
Of exchange was rs eggs for can
teen cup of dry tea. AS more and
more soldiers, unused to Arab GUS
toms, poured into North Africa, the
rate dropped to "one cup of tea, one
egg"
Certain Bedouin tribes and also
the famous Indian Ghurkas of Mont
gomery's Eighth Army never drew
their knives from the scabbardS I'M
less the blade draws blood. To ex-
pose the naked blade without
"blooding" 1t makes the weapon lose
face. So when a Bedouin or Ghurka
takes his knife out to show a pal, he
cuts his own finger to draw a drop
Of blood before returning it to its
xheath.