My father was based at El Firdan then (I think it was our last year there). When the accident occured (we heard the awful noise: the bridge was only a few hundred yards north of the station) he rushed there with some of his sailors, and me (I was at school in Ismailia and, during the holidays, was visiting my parents at el-Firdan).

The men were afraid to climb at the top of the bridge (possible explosion and fire from the fuel carried by ' le benzinier'), so my father went up there to have a look and release a cable which got stuck on the girders: I remember him badly injuring his hand in trying to do that......

Also, I remember there was - behind the station - a small camp of Sudanese of the Camel Corps...very smartly turned up in their special uniform and turban! I wonder if such units still exist?

Ma-a Salama
Vasko