As the last contingent of British troops left the Suez Canal this week-end, turning over control of the largest military base in the Middle East to Egyptian troops, concern was reported in British Parliamentary circles that vast quantities of British Army munitions would “vanish” to find its way into Egyptian Army storehouses.
The Sunday newspaper “Empire News” reported that MP’s were shocked by reports that complete trains of British ammunition, mostly artillery shells, had disappeared. The government would be queried on this matter when Parliament reconvenes, the newspaper reported.
It revealed that Egyptian Army troops are responsible for guarding 100,000,000 pounds $280,000,000) worth of equipment, supplies and installations. “Everyone is uneasily aware that if the Egyptian soldiers relax their vigilance, War Office stores will vanish quicker than snow in summer,” Empire News said.
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