RE, 10 RAILWAY SQDN 1952-54
'I WAS ONE OF THOSE BLOCKMEN'
As Remembered By Ted Woodall
Following Robin Thorne's article, “Yes, We Borrowed Your Railway”, in which he explained that Blockmen were sent out to man the signal boxes. I was one of eight Blockmen who were sent out from the UK.
I was called up on the 2nd February 1952, reported to Gibraltar Barracks, Aldershot where I did my Basic Training. At the end of training I was interviewed for employment training and given a choice – like everyone else I requested Driver but was informed by the Officer that he would put my second choice down as a Blockman. The only problem was that he did not actually explain what a Blockman was or what the job entailed. I was posted to Longmoor and then found out that the job was actually a Signalman on the railways. A six week course followed and it was then off home on leave.
Upon return we were told we were being posted that day and to report to the Orderly Office where we were informed that we were off to Egypt to join 10 Railway Sqdn at Moascar. After being kitted out we were packed onto a truck for Southampton to embark on the Empire Windrush.
We arrived in Port Said in early June and taken to 10 Railway Sqdn, Moascar. That was the first shock – the camp was built in the sidings at Moascar Station. Our accommodation was railway carriages which had been converted into quarters for sleeping. I cannot remember how many men were in each one but I do remember that they were hot and stuffy, and we shared our space with bugs and fleas.
The next day were posted for duty. I was to work at El Firdan Station Signal Box where we worked 12 hour shifts. We had two Beds & Herts squaddies working with us. The Station was approximately 50 yards from El Firdan Bridge which run over the Canal. We were told never to go over the bridge as the Egyptian Army were camped there. I was told that one of our guys did go over the bridge and was arrested by the Egyptian Army – how true this was I do not know.
We worked with the Egyptian Signalman and I never had any problems at all. Part of my job was to slow down the Egyptian goods trains to a walking pace so that I could make a note of the number from each wagon and also so that I could have an idea of what was under their sheets – was if a truck or a tank?
Every few weeks we would change over from El Firdan Box to Nafisha Farz Box. This was much more active as it also had a goods yard and workshops.
Later in the year – September if think – our jobs came to an end
and the whole camp was moved to Fanara.