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This story is submitted to the People’s War site by a member of Market Harborough Branch, Royal British Legion on behalf of Reg Tarry and has been added to the site with his permission. Mr Tarry fully understands the site’s terms and conditions.

Reg Tarry, now a lively 94 year-old, kept a detailed account of his life overseas in the RAF Police from September 1941 until December 1944. This episode from the time he was stationed at a Middle East HQ unit near Cairo, is described in his “Journal” and dated Thursday December 18th 1941.

EGYPTIAN JAPANESE GARDENS

“Yesterday instead of going back to Camp for tiffen, I went to the ��ѿ��ýstead and had a snack and a sleep and then wandered round the village (Helwan). It is a pity the sand is not fertile soil for all the houses are large and have pretty big walled in ‘gardens’ which would look grand if they could be cultivated as in England. The houses themselves are all of 3 or more storeys and have an impressive front elevation with flights of steps to the front door and in many instances a portico supported by immense columns. All have flat roofs and, if not a complete veranda, they have numerous small balconies which give them a prosperous appearance. The halls are large and the rooms lofty, often 12 or 15 ft high. The staircases are wide and winding and impressive often with lovely wrought iron balustrades and handrails, the balcony balustrades are of wrought iron.

“In the grounds of the largest houses are smaller bungalows of about 6 rooms or so, the original reason for which I have not yet discovered, though it has been suggested to me that they were built for the use of the old folk when the son and heir took a wife or wives and occupied the big house.

“The Japanese gardens are a feature of the town. They must. have been laid out years ago but they are still lovely containing as they do a number of fish ponds, numerous walks which are surmounted by arbours which are or rather were probably used as tea garden shelters from the sun. They are thatched with straw and are in the typical Japanese style. Bordering the walks are flower beds and shrubs and in one place rows of stone gods whilst unexpectedly one comes upon a stone Buddha about 10ft highl

“A pagoda dominates a hill at the far end of the garden and one passes through lovely Japanese gateways from one part of the gardens to another. The whole occupies a large space on either side of the street.”

Reg continued his exploration of Helwan,

“During my walk I found the Springbok Club complete with Golf Course and tennis courts — all sand, of course, no grass at all — and the Kiwi Club, a rather more ambitious place patronised mainly by the patients of the N Z Military Hospital.”

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