p.

2.

to such a meeting during Recruiting Week. Ben came
with me to interpret & we set off at 8.0 & drove
the little Austin to death, in order to be there by
10.30 am. It had been intended that Major Aran
should go there but he had to return to Egypt &
so, having heard me perform on Friday, they asked
me to go instead - saying that it would make
all the difference , a British Major going all that
way especially to speak to them. Arrived at Zikhran
we found a hell of a lovely party going on & about
3-400 people in the process of forming themselves
into a procession to march to the grave. But
they were nearly all women & children. It seemed
the young men were either working or keeping
out of the way. I shook hands with the Major &
the Muktar & a few other walkers, who were very
polite & pleased to see me, but did not seem
to have much idea about why I was there. Then
the ex-headmaster of the local school took us in
hand, I asked him how many recruits could be
had - what was the potential. He weighed the
question very carefully & proudly announced that
he really thought that they could reach - 10!
I wanted to leave, but it had all gone too far.
So we tacked onto the end of the procession &
proceeded to the cemetery. Four or five speeches
were made & then it was my turn. It really was
a little awkward because it was a commemoration
& we were in a cemetery. Anyway, I said a
few words about Sarah Aranson's death having