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1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - Printable Version +- Forums (http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/forumnew) +-- Forum: World War II (http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/forumnew/forumdisplay.php?fid=43) +--- Forum: ANYTHING WWII (http://www.6thcorpscombatengineers.com/forumnew/forumdisplay.php?fid=12) +--- Thread: 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa (/showthread.php?tid=1995) Pages:
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1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - arve - 09-25-2007 I have a "Pocket Guide To North Africa" given to the GIs in '42. It's got alot of instruction as well as information & some of it is pretty humorous:
" North Africans are great eaters of bread. If you enter a bakery, leave your shoes at the door, as the baker slides the loaves pit of the oven onto the floor and the customers object to having dirt tracked in from the street."
"These few rules are to be strictly observed with relation to the Moslem women: Never stare at one. Never jostle her in a crowd. Never speak to her in public. Never try to remove the veil. This is most important. Serious injury if not death at the hands of Moslem men may result if these rules are not followed."
"The social life of North Africa is very different from our own...because Moslem men do not make companions of their women. A man's wife attends to the home, bears children, and may work in the fields, but she is in the position of chattel. If her husband cannot afford to support more than one wife, he can still divorce her with ease and be free to marry again."
"When Moslem men want the company of women at a party, they engage a troupe of professional dancing girls. These professionals have a unique social position, not as low as that of the prostitute, but still somewhat degraded. They are said to be more interesting company than the Moslem wife because they get around a great deal and know all the answers. They dance for the men, not with them. Men have dances of their own, but when a Moslem gentleman is seen dancing it is usually a sign that he is a bit plastered."
"When you meet a Moslem he will want to shake hands. Do it gently! Do not pump his hand or squeeze too hard. Many of them, especially the city Moslems, have fine hands which are easily hurt. A Moslem may even kiss your hand...do not laugh at him; it is his way of showing politeness. If they laugh at you, take it; don't get angry. Above all, NEVER STRIKE THEM. They do not know how to box; one right on the jaw would knock a Moslem down. You would make an enemy of everyone that saw you, and word would spread around that all Americans are bruisers. Moslems fight with knives, and they probably are alot better at it than you are."
In the list of "Do's and Don'ts":
Don't drink liquor in the presence of Moslems DON'T enter mosques. Discuss something else - NEVER religion or women. Don't refer to the people as heathen; they are very religious.
don't bring a dog into the house Leave food in the main bowl - what you leave goes to the women & children. When you see grown men walking hand in hand, ignore it. They are not "queer". Avoid talking about or praising Europeans. 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - Walt's Daughter - 09-25-2007 Yeah, it had to be a difficult transition for almost every GI overseas. North Africa to them was like another planet. ![]() 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - Walt's Daughter - 08-18-2008 Hey kid!
Could you possibly do me a favor and scan the cover and possibly a few pages from the booklet for the documentary? I am feverishly working on segment two, and am compiling all the documentation for this chapter. Would be a fine addition.
Also, it's kind of hard for me to find and scroll through all the great entries you have posted. Is it possible you could send me any pages you have copied from your dad's diary? I know it's a big order, but would love to use some within the documentary. Also, if you have already done this...please forgive, and remind me you already did.
One of the toughest jobs is just gathering all the material together for each of the segments. I have the process down pretty good now, but always afraid I will miss something I wished I had included.
Much love, M1 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - 206thmpco - 08-18-2008 Will do M1! It'll be an HONOR! I'll locate the booklet tonight & have it scanned & also Dad's N Africa info.
I can't imagine the work involved with creating your documentary. It took MONTHS for me to organize my father's things within the WWII timeline.
Gosh, Dad would be THRILLED that his info was being included in your documentary!!!
thanks M1!! 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - Walt's Daughter - 08-18-2008 Have I told you lately that I
The head "peep" 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - roque_riojas - 08-18-2008 SORRY LADIES, BUT I NEVER SAW A BOOK LIKE THIS IN ORAN OR CASABLANCA. WE WEREN'T TOLD THE DOS' AND DON'TS OF MUSLIMS, BUT THEN THAT WAS 65 yrs. AGO. MEMORY HAS FADED. BUT AS FAR AS A BOOK ON MUSLIMS, NEVER SAW OR HEARD OF ONE. HOT SAND AND KEEPING OUR WEAPONS CLEAN FROM SAND.
MAYBE YOU CAN SHOW A PAGE OR TWO OF THE BOOK. ole doggie!!-- 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - 206thmpco - 08-19-2008 Dear "Head Peep" (I think you should have a better title M1. Something like Grand Exalted Poobah Peep
I've got the book & will ask my pal Tom to scan portions (he's got the lastest photoshop software etc).
It's says: "Pocket Guide To North Africa For use of Military Personnel only...prepared by Special Services Division, Services Of Supply United States Army". "War and Navy Departments". It's got a cute cartoon on the front cover. On the inside back - it says: "US Government Printing Office 1942". It's 4" x 5" & 44 pages.
Contents:
Introduction Three Years Of Struggle Springboard to Europe We were there before People of North Africa The Bond Of Islam Political Divisions Country Of Contrasts Town and Country Dining With Moslems Customs At Mealtimes Details Of Native Dress Shops & Markets North African Social Life Warning The Women Study The Language The Faith Of Islam Land Of The Living Saints Rules For Health Some General Rules Check List Of Do's & Don'ts Other Arabic Phrases
It also has a North Africa Map. Let me know which things you want me to have scanned. The intro says:" You are to do your duty in North Africa as a soldier of the United States, and this guidebook has been prepared to assist you in serving in a strange country as well as to give you a more complete understanding of why you are fighting there & to make your service a more worthwhile experience.
No other American Force has been given a more important mission..." 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - 206thmpco - 08-19-2008 Hey M1! I found it online. Here it is:
http://ia360624.us.archive.org/1/items/APo...frica/NorAf.pdf 1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - Walt's Daughter - 08-19-2008 M2: Bless you my child. You get a whole container of holy water today!
Baraku laufik
1942 Pocket Guide To North Africa - 206thmpco - 08-20-2008 From Dad's 1943 diary ( from departing the US to departing to Oran for D-Day Salerno):
FEB 20: no liberty, wrote Joe, talked to Pa from (Fort) Devens FEB 21: beautiful day, getting ready to move FEB 22: left Fort Devens at 5AM for FT DIX NJ, arrived at 5pm, worked till 5AM FEB 28: went to church & received Communion MARCH 2: sent $30home MARCH 4: BOAT MARCH 5: left the US MARCH 19: North Africa MARCH 24: Went to Oran MARCH 25; Company split up, went to Siddi Bel Abbis April 4th: church Siddi Bel Abbis April 7th: Payday 1770 francs, wrote home April 13: mail received from Joe & Mary April 14: Our 1st PX opened, wrote home April 19: received letter from Mildred Younts & also Ruth Miller April 25: church in Siddi Bel Abbis May 3rd: payday - 2105 francs, sent money home May 5: haircut 30francs May 16: moved to Ain Temouchant May 17: moved May 18 arrived in Rabat May22: wrote home May 23: received letters from home dated May 3rd, also a letter from Trudy May 24: received first issue of "The Townsman" (the Wellesley MA hometown paper) May25: went to the Red Cross Theater, saw picture "Hit Parade of 1943" May 26: received letters from Trudy, Mary, & Ruth May 27: Went to the hospital June 5: wrote home June6: letters from Joe & Mary, wrote Joe June 7: 2 letters from home June8: came out of hospital June 9: wrote home June 10: Phil Hughes died, sent insurance form June14: received "The Townsman" June27: received letters from home, wrote Mary June 29: received letter from Joe, he made PFC July 1: wrote Joe, bought a watch 10.00 July3: letter from home July 4: Big parade in Rabat with 1st Armored & 36th Div July 7: to Casablanca July 14: Parade Bastille Day July 16 received letter from Ma July 19: wrote Mary & Ma July 20: wrote Joe July 21: wrote home to Ma July 24: Lt Scott & Lt Garra(???) visit us (from Dad's former infantry regiment) July 25: letters from home, went to Communion July 27: sent letter to Ma July 28: received letter from Joe July 29: received letter from Mary, Mary Hutt is engaged (the Hutts were Wellesley neighbors Aug 1: wrote Ma Aug 2: getting ready to move (this would've been Dad's 31st birthday) Aug 3: part of Company went by train Aug 4: left Rabat Aug5: bivouac at La Senica (???) Aug 6: arrive at Port Aux Poules, went swimming! (this makes me chuckle because my father must've been so sick of the sand, dust storms, & flies & he LOVED to swim) Aug 9: received letter from Mary O'Neil Aug 11: cabled money home Aug 12: wrote to Ma, went to Oran & saw the movie "Hurricane" with Dot Lamour Aug 14: received 2 letters from home. Ma received my cablegram. Aug15: church (his parent's 32nd wedding anniversary) Aug 19: 26 wks ( I wondered what this notation meant & then realized that it was the # of weeks since he'd been home & seen his family. Little did he realize how many more weeks,months, years he had to go through before seeing them again) Aug 20: received new "6" (6th Corps patch?) Aug 23: ready to move again Aug24: moving Aug 25: moved to staging area, saw "Random Harvest" Aug26: went to Oran, saw Al Jolson in person, Red Cross show "Abe Lincoln in Illinois" Aug 28: 22 new men arrived, promotion T/4 Aug 29- Aug31: staging area "ASSI-BEN OKBA" Sept 1: left area, arrived at dock, board boat Sept2: in port of Oran, very hot! Sept3: at port Sept4: received mail from home Sept 5: left port at 16:00 hours Sept 6-Sept 8: At sea Sept 9: left boat, boarded LST at 07:30, beach, air attack
(and so begins Salerno & the Invasion of Italy)
I'm having the diary cover scanned & will send to you M1! |