Figure 1.--This is the El Shatt camp in Egypt near the southern end of the Suez Canal. It was one of the MERRA camps. It consisted of tents pitched in the baking sands, without as the residents pointed out without a blade of greass. Note the Yugoslav Army caps.

The British weere not in a poition to offer much assistance to refugees, esprcially after the trimphant German Offensive (May-June 1940). The few refugeees that made it to Britain were cred for. But food was a major issue for Britain as it as not self-suffucnt in food prduction. And while the vaunted Luftwaffe failed to break Britain in the Nttle of Britain (1940), Adm Dönitz's U-boats attempted to cut off Bitain's North Atlantic life lines. There was no way Brtin could aid refugees on the Coninent. here was one areaa Britain could offer some aid--the Western Desert from their bases in Egypt. The Germans and Soviets as allies invaded Eastern Europe and the Balkans (1939-41). Refugees tried to escape the chaos and geocidal actions mneant thousands of refugees in motion. Some manafed to escape on boats across the Mediterranean. The only haven was the British position in Egypt and Paklestine. Those that made it were in desperate condition. British authoritiues attmpted to aid with limited resources on ad hoc basis. Britain seized Lebnon and Syria from Vichy Fance (1941). The Bitish then established the Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration (MERRA) which set up a series of camps in Egypt, Gaza, and Aleppo. American aid provided much of the neededresources. The MERRA camps provided havens for over 40,000 displaced Europeans. One very special vgroup was the Poles. After the NAZI invasion of the Soviet Union, Stalinm allowed Polish POWs he held tofight the Germans either with Siviet firces or the Allies. They made the way oveland out ofdreadful cmps to Egypt. Some civilians that the NKVD had depoted, including children mangfed to accompany them.

Created: 4:27 AM 5/15/2022
Last updated: 4:27 AM 5/15/2022