During our tour, it was not uncommon, given the thousands of people in the Royal Air Force, to meet someone from home, and in Elhamra I did just that.

His name was Harold Batstone from Exeter, a friend of my brother Ron from school and ATC.
We three used to meet and talk about past times and the coincidence of him being stationed in El-Hamra.

On the 1st of January 1953 we played at a funeral parade in Fayed military cemetery and as usual the slow march was the dead march from Saul. This was followed by the burial and the traditional quick march away.

Several days later Ron and I saw some of Harold's friends and were shocked to learn that he had died from appendicitis and had been buried with full military honours in Fayed cemetery on 1st January.
What about that. We didn't even know at the time.

Harold's name is on the Roll of Honour of those buried in Fayed cemetery.

Dennis Ginger