In ANZAC footsteps

The convoy to Europe with the Australian Division and New Zealand Force formed the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps - the ANZAC's. On their way to Europe via the Suez Canal the ANZAC's were disembarked In Egypt where they encamped near the pyramids at Cairo ready for action against Turkey which had joined Germany in the war.Today the Bazflyers, with Eddie in command, traveled west from Cairo in Abdullah's taxi - to visit the locality where the ANZAC's encamped.

The road journey, although not that far as distance goes, was another world experience in itself. Start by imagining a seething mass of vehicles self organised into five lanes travelling at speed along a highway designed for four lanes. This means you could literally extend a finger out of the car window and touch the other vehicle on either side - or at least that was an overwhelming impression one got from the back seat. Then add the audio effect of endless tooting of horns. Perhaps all this helps explain why every car carries evidence of multiple contacts with other vehicles. However, despite all the on road mayhem we did not see an accident all day.

The visual impact of laying eyes on the pyramids for the first time would be a challenge for the well travelled Bazflyers to describe. We can only imagine how the scene might have appeared to the ANZAC soldier.

    Abdullah's Taxi

    The great Pyramids

    Bazflyers and Eddie with a camel

    Bazflyer "Camel Riders" near where ANZAC's were in 1915

   The Sphinx 

Heliopolis

The first NZ nurses deployed in WW1 left Wellington on the 1st April 1915. They initially served in Cairo with the Australian Army Nursing Corps until the first members of the NZ Army Nursing Service arrived. From the outset nurses of the NZANS were accorded officer status and this lead to many instances of disbelief in the military that woman were to be treated as officers. 

Eddie, our wonderful host had already researched relevant locations and with the skill of a practiced local he shepharded the Bazflyers around the chaotic streets of Heliopolis. A century ago Heliopolis was a newly constructed 'grand-scale' town outside of Cairo. It was here NZ nurses worked tending to the many injured New Zealand soldiers evacuated from Gallipoli and elsewhere. The ANZAC's operated two hospitals in Heliopolis, Australia had set up a hospital in the Palace Hotel which became known as the Palace Hospital. New Zealand used money donated from Wanganui residents to equip a nearby house that became known as the 'Aotea' Convalescence Hospital.

The tremendous difficulties which beset these nurses in Egypt during the summer of 1915 can not be underestimated. New Zealanders, who by their enthusiasm and devotion to duty established and built up an organisation that proved to be then and again in WW2, of inestimable benefit to our sick and wounded soldiers.

    Today the former Palace Hospital is the white Presidental Palace behind the Bazflyers

    An old Heliopolis building

    New tyres anyone?

Heliopolis street scene

General Aviation Support Egypt

The Bazflyers are being graciously hosted in Cairo by Eddie Gould and General Aviation Support Egypt. Do visit their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/AviationEgypt

    Eddie and Sandra in the streets of Heliopolis

Egypt during WW1

Egypt was occupied by British troops long before the Great War. The Suez Canal was a vitally important supply route for the British Empire. During the war, troops and equipment of the Australian, New Zealand and Indian forces passed this way en route for the Western Front, in addition to millions of tons of foodstuffs, minerals and other provisions bound for Britain and her Allies. The importance of the Canal had been recognised by the British Government long before the war, and steps were taken to provide defences.

For most of the ANZAC soldiers who left home with the 1st Expeditionary Force in 1914, Egypt was their first ever foreign country experience. Personal letters, diaries, photographs and historical archives all help us picture how Cairo might have appeared to those men and nurses. It was certainly like nothing they would have ever previously witnessed....the sights, sounds and bustling street life were so different to anything in New Zealand or Australia.

After an overnight twelve hour flight from Hong Kong in a Lufthansa B747 the Bazflyers are in Frankfurt waiting on a flight to Cairo. Over the next few days we will walk in the footsteps of those young men and women and endeavour to get a feeling of what it might of been like for them a century ago.

    Early morning at Frankfurt

Gate of Remberance

The Chinese Labour Corps is one of the almost forgotten contributors to the Allied Forces in WW1. The British and French governments recruited many thousands of Chinese labours throughout the war. Accurate numbers are difficult to estimate but some historians believe there could have been 200,000 men involved. Although the men were armed with picks and shovels rather than rifles and grenades this does not mean their contribution to the Allied victory was any less considerable. The men from China hauled supplies, constructed fortifications, maintained fighting vehicles and repaired roads and bridges – often under horrendous living conditions and frequently while under enemy fire. 

Somewhere around 10,000 Chinese lost their lives while toiling in Europe. Today the Bazflyers visited the only memorial dedicated to the efforts and sacrifices of these men one hundred years ago. It is an inconspicuous gate tucked away in a corner of today's bustling Hong Kong and bears the inscription- "In memory to the Chinese who died loyal to the Allied cause in the wars of 1914-1918 and 1939-1945".  

    Gate of Remberance at the Botanical Gardens

    Piggy-back anyone...!

Hong Kong

LLast time the Bazflyers stayed in Hong Kong it was a colonial outpost of Briton. This disclosure dates our experience as being prior to 1997 which was when the territory was handed over to China. Actually, we think the last time we were both here was more than 30 years ago. To put that in perspective we can vividly recall the arrival flying low over Kowloon into the old Kai Tak airport. It was in an Air Nugini B707. Anyone old enough to have had a similar experience can never forget peering out of the aircraft windows and looking horizontally into the windows of tall buildings either side of the approach, or at least that's what it seemed. These days this legionary airport that served Hong Kong for 73 years has a new role as a cruise ship terminal.

This time we landed at the new Hong Kong International Airport which was opened in 1998 following a.comfortable 12 hour flight out of Auckland in an Air New Zealand B777.

    A pleasing blend of old and new Hong Kong

    Hong Kong in the rain is a sea of umbrellas

    Shops and more shops

Taking-off for Gallipoli

Blogging is a feature of the Bazflyer's travels although one would have to admit the consistency of application has lacked somewhat over the past couple of years. Reasons why are now well in the past so let's leave these on the ground shall we and takeoff afresh for a Bazflyer journey to participate in the ANZAC centenary services at Gallipoli.

Well over a year ago, the Bazflyers entered separately in the ballot for a double pass to attend the ANZAC WW100 Gallipoli Commemorative Dawn Service at ANZAC Cove in Turkey 2015.

Months later Barry got the 'Sorry you have been unsuccessful email...', and with just a little apprehension Sandra opened hers, ' We wish to inform you that you have been successful...' "A double Pass, YES! We're going to Turkey."

   Bazflyers waiting for their boarding call

At the time Bazflyers agreed that if they were lucky enough to win passes they would fly their Piper Comanche (ZK-BAZ) to Turkey - from ANZAC Cove on home base Taupo Airport to ANZAC Cove in Turkey. Unfortunately, the Bazflyer's dream of flying themselves had to be abandoned only a few weeks out from departure. There already had been a couple of delays to the planned departure date and with still unresolved gaps in preparations remaining, combined with the need to be in Turkey by mid April, Barry reluctantly made the call....safety is paramount and these were not the sort of pressures to occupy the cockpit on such a critical journey. 

Maybe, the Bazflyers will pilot BAZ on similar long journey in the future when there is ample time available to sit-out unexpected delays or adverse weather. This time however, we are travelling by airlines and our first port of call is Hong Kong.