1st ARAB – ISRAELI CONFLICT – 1948-49
188 A.A.F.C. Bty & 2 A.G.R.A.

As Remembered By Bill Underwood

On May 14th 1948 the State of Israel was created, although no boundaries were proclaimed. The Arab League, consisting of Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria and Iraq, sent their armies against the new Israel State. Dr. Chaim Weizmann was elected the first President of Israel on the 16th May. That same evening in the village of Homs, some seventy miles east of Tripoli in Libya, R.S.M. Baily of the 74th H.A.A. ordered me to pack my kitbag and be ready to move off at dawn the following day.

He informed me that a small group of men were being sent to Zarvia to join 188 A.A.F.C. Bty. Whilst packing I suddenly remembered that some of my clothing was in the village being laundered so late that night I rushed down to the house of the young lady that did my laundry. She informed me it was still soaking in a large tub of water – I had no option but to pay her and take it as it was. With the wet laundry in the top of my kitbag, I was packed and ready to go.

Five of us left Homs the following morning – Gunners Jack ‘Mashi’ Walke, Vic Valentine, Alan Withers, Lt. John Bennet and myself. That evening in Zarvia, 188 AAFC Bty was assembled and B.S.M. Hutton informed us that we were going to Egypt for six weeks as part of the advance party of 2 A.G.R.A. We were each given a tin box to pack our winter clothing in for storage until we came back. I, foolishly, packed all the wet clothing in the box with my two battledresses and a few other things.

The following day we assembled at Tripoli Harbour with the advance party of 71st HAA Regt. After a long wait we boarded that Tank Landing ship “Dieppe” and another Tank Landing ship took all the heavy equipment. Four days later we arrived at Port Said and then traveled by rail to Fayid where we spent three or four days with the 1st R.H.A. We then set up a sire near the Treaty Road opposite RAF Fayid.

The next five months was spent plotting aircraft and guard duties – with “24 hours on and then 24 hours off”. During the early part of this period I plotted an unidentified aircraft flying from the direction of Israel towards Lake Timsah. “Mashi” Walke took over from me as it was my turn for guard duties. The plane wss then plotted to Cairo and back to Israel. We heard later that a bomb had been dropped on Cairo. No one had informed the Egyptian authorities.

On the 1st June Israel and the Arab League agreed to a request by the U.N. for a months’ truce. About this time the rest of 2 A.G.R.A. had arrived from Libya. On the 9th July Egypt and Iraq attacked Jewish positions.

On July 17th another truce was agreed but fighting broke out again for a few days in August. In October the Bty moved to a site just north of Lake Timsah. But on 15th October fighting broke out again between the Arabs and the Jews.

Some time in October our tin boxes arrived from Zarvia. I opened my box with some trepidation, remembering the wet clothing I had packed back in May. There before me were the ruined contents of the tin – mouldy and smelly. The whole troop soon came to my rescue conjuring up replacement articles of clothing. Even our Troop Sgt, Geordie ‘Aqua’ Waters gave me a good quality Canadian Battledress.

On 17th February 1949 I celebrated my 20th birthday while on exercise with the Bty somewhere near Kabrit. Peace was declared between the Arabs and the Jews on the 19th February 1949. 188 Bty and 2 A.G.R.A. stayed on in Egypt.

“We Did Run Well!”

“Bloody hell” said Ginger, “We did run well
Much faster than any gazelle”
For on that day the stakes were high
Near fifty of them against Ginger and I
Rocks and stones hurtled through the sky
But none of them hit Ginger or I

“Bloody Hell” said Ginger, “We did run well”
*Enkeliz askari yallah imshee!
The mobs were screaming in old Tripoli
But as Ginger said we ran so well
We survived that day to tell the tale
“Bloody Hell” said Ginger, “We did run well!”

(This Was During The Tripoli Riots – February 1948)
{ *polite version of - English soldiers go away}

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