El Gedida
Jean Brown, WAAF, newly arrived, billeted and assigned quarters (May 1945).
"roomies" on the balcony
My mum's mates and Mohammed, one of the resident houseboys, posing on the balcony.
"roomies" on the roof
L to R (at back) : "Billy", "Murphy" and Jean (my Mum) woman standing in front left - name unavailable
our barracks
WAAF personnel quarters were usually local hotels or apartment buildings retained by the military for female non-combatants.
sprucing up the balcony
Making the balcony a little more "homey".
A parade of goats
Goats being shepherded down the main street to market ...annoying,and usually in the early mornings.
On duty
WAAFs were assigned various non-combative duties including administrative, ground crew, nursing, and communications support.
Winding down
"Our gang" on leave in Cairo.
inside our barracks
WAAFs were assigned shared quarters in groups of two, four or six (depending on rank).
the gang sight seeing
My mum - seated 2nd from right.
"Mutzy"
Our adopted mascot (Mutz for short) on the balcony waiting for a treat.
A day out with my "besties"
A carriage ride in Cairo.
The Cairo album
WHY THIS SITE? This website is dedicated to the Womens Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) in Great Britain and the tens of thousands of women who served throughout WW2. It is also dedicated to the memory of my mother, Jean Ingleson (neé Brown) born Nov 7th, 1913 - died Oct 31st, 1999, who first served with hCoastal Command communications & intelligence operations in London after which she was transferred overseas to the Sudan, North East Africa and assigned to RAF Squadrons No 6 and No 237 in El Gedida from May 1945 to April 1946.
All photographs copyright © 1945-46 Jean Brown and are the sole property of the estate of Jean Ingleson.
cairo album page 1
Service portrait of Jean Brown, WAAF 1940-46
Attained rank of Corporal in 1945 and "de-mobbed" 1946
(Awarded Star of Service)
cairo album page 2
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Billy, Murphy, Jeannie and I (my mum) / The "Listeners Inn" / The gang and Mohammad / BOTTOM ROW: Our balcony / Goat Parade / Jeannie and I on the roof top.
cairo album page 3
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: "Stinker" Brown (my mum) / Irene, Bonny, Effie & Hilda / Jeanne / BOTTOM ROW: Jeanne again / Jeanne, Hilda, Gladys, Irene / Jeanne & I (my mum)
cairo album page 4
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW:Babs & Mary / 3 of the "Cads" & Hassan / Jeanne / BOTTOM ROW: Us again / "Shoe Shine" / Irene & Effie.
cairo album page 5
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Jeanne / Catholic church Heliopolis / Self / BOTTOM ROW: "Smile Please" / Self & Boyfriend" / East & West.
cairo album page 6
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Mount Tabor Nazareth / A street in Bethlehem / Saluzian School Nazareth / MIDDLE: Sea of Galilee - Tiberias / Sea of Galilee - Tiberias / BOTTOM ROW: Arabian coffee stall / Water Carriers / Hot springs Tiberias.
cairo album page 7
Caption: "Our gang" at a party - Field Security Intelligence (unit) - Cairo (my mum front right).
cairo album page 8
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: The maintenance staff & Hassan / Our mainentance staff & Hassan / MIDDLE: Number please !! / BOTTOM ROW: Donald D.K. / Bottoms up!
cairo album page 9
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Dorothy, Eileen & Terry / Our balcony / Jessie, Eileen & Terry / BOTTOM ROW: A corner of our room / Three of the "Cads" / Another corner.
cairo album page 10
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Sea of Galilee Tiberias / Church of Annunciation / Tomb of St. Joseph /BOTTOM ROW: Tomb (outside) / Orthodox church / Tiberias.
cairo album page 11
The Cairo Zoo (AKA Giza Zoo & Orman Gardens) which opened in 1891 and was the first zoo in the Middle East.
cairo album page 12
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Milk grotto / The Bells of Bethlehem / Grotto of Nativity / MIDDLE ROW: Grotto of Nativity /Bethlehem / Basillica / BOTTOM ROW: The Star / Altar of St. Virgin
cairo album page 13
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Terry / Where we stayed at Luxor / Self (my mum) with "boyfriend" / MIDDLE: Shoe shine? BOTTOM ROW: Crossing the Nile / "Our gang" / Our trusty steeds.
cairo album page 14
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Karnak / Valley of the Kings / Obalisks - Luxor / MIDDLE: Tuht-Khan-Amons Tomb / BOTTOM ROW: Rachels Tomb / Temple of Luxor / Church of Nativity.
cairo album page 15
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Jackie / The Citadel / Jackie / MIDDLE: Irene & Bill / BOTTOM ROW: My "bruv" - West Africa / Mary & John / Irene.
cairo album page 16
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW:The Blue Mosque (& us) Jerusalem / "The gang" outside the Church of St. Peter / MIDDLE:Virgins fountain / BOTTOM ROW: Grotto of Virgin Mary - Nazareth / Grotto of Annunciation - Nazareth.
cairo album page 17
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW:The Pyramids / The Pyramids / The Nile / MIDDLE: Nathanya /Nathanya / BOTTOM ROW: Desert patrol / desert patrol .
cairo album page 18
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Effie / Heliopolis pool / Self (my mum) / BOTTOM: "our gang".
cairo album page 19
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW:Tommy / English school / Self / BOTTOM ROW: Bonny, Tish & I / Audrey / Just up ('orrible sight!.
cairo album page 20
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: The gang after the "do" / Bonny & Ian (bride and groom) / Slightly "pickled" / BOTTOM ROW: Eric at Lydda / Dorothys happy day / "Mac" - Abbassia.
cairo album page 21
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: United Services Club / Day out for "the Gang" / United Services Club / BOTTOM ROW: All aboard for Cairo / Arab bazzar / "Mac" - Cairo .
cairo album page 22
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW:Joyca at Syria / Weekly performance at El-Gedida / Troopship on the Nile / BOTTOM ROW: George - Toronto / Stanley Bay Alexandria / Joyce at Syria.
cairo album page 23
More zoo / Dick - Port Said / And again (Dick) / BOTTOM ROW: "Shufti" the "bod" - Port Said / Tommy - Abbassia / Port Said
cairo album page 24
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: (Tour of the Citadel & Memphis) Front door / The Citadel / and again / BOTTOM ROW: Alabasor Sphinx / One of the relics / The Dead City .
cairo album page 25
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW:The Nile & Jack / Ismail Pasma Bridge (from Gezireh) / The Nile / BOTTOM: view from the cave.
cairo album page 26
Captions: left to right - TOP ROW: Bethlehem / Church of the Twelve Nations / Road to Bethlehem / MIDDLE: Distant view of church of 12 nations / BOTTOM ROW: The old city / River Jordan / The Old city
cairo album page 27
Miscellaneous photos no descriptions available.
cairo album page 28
BOTTOM: The Sphinx Alley at Karnak.
cairo album page 29
The Army Corps was quick to invite the newly arrived WAAFs to a dinner dance.
cairo album - Page 30 (inside back cover)
Collection of ticket sutbs, stamps, mess hall and hotel menu clippings.
Photographs © 1945-46 Jean Brown and sole property of the estate of Jean Ingleson (née Brown)