24 - 30 October 2002 Issue No. 609 Home news	Current issue Previous issue Site map
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875		Recommend this page

Remains of the day

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Almighty and Everlasting God
Help us to think rightly,
To resolve bravely,
To act kindly,
To live purely,
Bless us in body and in soul and make us a blessing to our comrades

THESE words were printed on the first page of soldier John Charles Smith's Bible. The Bible is one of many war remnants displayed at the El-Alamein military museum, which was officially opened in 1965. The museum, writes Dena Rashed, includes maps showing the battle-zones of El-Alamein. Various rooms show the history of the battle, the uniforms that different forces wore, and most importantly, artifacts from the battle. In the German showroom, a picture of Rommel, the "Desert Fox", is displayed, together with his cap and scarf. The contents of an American Ford vehicle found by the Egyptian Armed Forces in1995 are also displayed.

A British Spitfire airplane, found in the Mediterranean Sea, on 20 July 1999, is among the most important exhibits at the museum. Montgomery, the commander of the Eighth Army, visited the museum in 1967 during the 25th anniversary of the battle. It was reported that he spent long minutes just looking at Rommel's statue. Ted Newell, a veteran from the Eighth Army did not miss the opportunity to visit the museum on Sunday. He stood in front of one of the maps, recounting his memories of the war to companions. "With all the losses, I was lucky to survive," Newell told Al-Ahram Weekly.

As visitors wandered around the museum, replaying memories of the battle or their loved ones, the words of Marco Brodi, the Vatican's Cairo representative, come to mind: "Prayer remains the only weapon against war. Be it for Muslims or Christians."

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