NEW ZEALAND MOUNTED RIFLES ASSOCIATION

Corporal 17582 Albert Anderson has posed me a little problem. He has written on the back of this intriguing photo - "Camp at Mansurah".
But "Mansurah" where?


The problem is that "Mansurah" is Arabic for "Victory" or "Al Mansurah" "El Mansurah" - The Victorious. It is one of those names that appears more than once on maps right across the Arab world.
There is Al Mansurah north of Cairo in the Nile Delta - another south of Gaza - another north of "Junction Station" (taken by English Yeomanry as the NZMR took Ayun Kara).

Steve, do you mean Albert Anderson and not Alfred Anderson. If you do then you should be able to follow his tracks as you have some of his material?? I believe this camp is the one near Junction Station.

Editor: Thanks Greg have corrected the name to Albert in the above post.

DO WE HAVE DATE?
REST CAMP IN GAZA?
THE SOIL LOOKS GOOD NILE DELTA ,THAT LOOKS LIKE A RAILWAY EMBACKMENT STOP BANK IN THE BACKGROUND!
WHERE WAS THE REMOUNT CAMP
THERES IS NO GUARDS ,MACHINE GUNS,SAND BAGS.
AL-MANSURA-ACRE
'" -KHIRBET
" -RAMLA
" -SAFAD
" -AL-KHAYT
' -TIBERIAS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Mansura ... mbiguation)

AT THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF PHOTO THERE IS A MAN STANDING ON WHAT COULD BE AN OPEN TOP RAILWAY WAGON LIKE THEY TRANSPORTED TROOPS BACKWARDS AND FOREWARDS ON. IT IS IN FRONT OF THE BELL TENT AND LARGER THAN THE HORSE DRAWN TRASPORT IN FRONT OF THEM.

THE JERUSELUM TO JAFFA RAILWAY WAS PULLED UP TO MAKE THE TRACKS TO BEERSHEBA .

AMR MOVE HERE AFTER THE CAIRO RIOTS (THE NEW ZEALANDERS IN SINAI AND PALESTINE pg268 -269)

Hi Hb - like the way we have come back to the delta in Egypt.
This could be the link (NZSP 268)and makes sense - Albert didn't leave the Middle East until 1919 so highly likely to be involved with the Riots after the Armistice.
The 3 and 4 storey buildings were a problem to place in the Gaza or Junction Station regions - or at least I can't recall any photos of buildings this high in Turkish Palestine.
Must have a read up and look for buildings in old El Mansurah Egypt.

Thanks hb -Malcolm,
I don't think the location of Mansurah in this photo can be challenged now. Just to make the point clear, Mansura - Mansurah - El Mansorua - Al Mansurah are all English spelling variations of the same place name.
Here is the relevant passage in Colonel Powles book:-

On the 20th [March 1919] the Auckland Mounted Rifles moved off to Tanta a town in the Delta. They were quickly followed by the Canterbury Regiment and later by the Wellington Regiment and Brigade Headquarters. The Auckland Mounted Rifles went to Damanhour by rail (about mid-way between Kantara and Alexandria), but after a few days were withdrawn and moved back to Tanta and from there to Mehallet Kebir and later to Mansura and then across the river to Talka where they remained until withdrawn for embarkation.