Page 76 - Belgrave Diaries 1945_Neat

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Fort. Strong shamaal, cold day, very pleasant weather. Very few men on parade these days. HH & Sh A
came in, also Sh M but didnt stay any time as they were going off to visit the Kadis religious school, a
ridiculous affair, mostly the means of giving paid jobs to a few people who are quite incompetent to
s teach, one being a Kadi's son. The difficulty appears to be to find students of any suitable age & quality.
The Shaikhs discussed it for awhile, Sh M being most sensible about it. Went to see Smith about rice,
meat & various matters & then to the hospital to see Dr Doeg & Sister Ellson about Fatima Zaqani who is
now to be promoted to a sister, senior to the Indian nurses. Went to Mhq in the afternoon, there was a fire
there & a lot of destroyed. The SNO came in, rather sorry for himself, still sore from riding & a
tummy upset as well.

Wednesday 25th April

Rode round the race course before breakfast. Went out with M. Khali to see about the road widening, it is
now in a great mess, very dusty & seas of oil in some parts but it will be a fine job when it is finished. A
compensation meeting at the Agency - which I nearly forgot to go to. Anderson gave me an oil cooker
which he got from Cairo to try out, burning diesel oil. Office, had M Khali for a long time about land
affairs. Didnt go out in the afternoon but later to dinner at Rafaa taking with me Hams & Smith, a huge
party, eight sheep & about seventy guests, about thirty Europeans & the rest Arabs, but as usual no
mixing. It would be so much more satisfactory if they didnt keep separate camps, only the uncles sat