DP Camps in Egypt

El 'Arish

El Shatt, on the Red Sea
Dear Olga.
I spend five years in a refugee camp in El Shatt, Egypt, east of Suez Canal on hot  desert sand living in tents. There were 29,000 refugees mostly from Croatia  (Yugoslavia).

After World War II in 1945, most of them returned to their homes.  About 4,000 of refugees did not returned due to political reasons and continued to stay there until November 1948. Is there any history or information on a refugee camp El-Shatt, Egypt? I would like to write, so my children can have some information how I ended in this part of the world. If there is any information anywhere  please let me know . Thank You very much.   Joe Talaich joe@talaich.com

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"We settled in a Displaced Persons' camp in El 'Arish, Egypt in 1945. I was eight years old. The huts were brick, white washed, and the sand was so beautiful. There was a school there as well.

We were here for three years, living in huge desert tents; there were four families living in our tent."

"From El 'Arish we were sent to another Displaced Persons' camp called El 'Shatt near the Suez Canal. We were here for three years, living in huge desert tents; there were four families living in our tent. The desert tents had seven linings to keep out the cold night air but because we did not have any money to buy clothes we would take one of the linings off and make shorts or a skirt. There was always someone with a sewing machine! The bamboo reeds that held the walls up, they were covered in a soft, sock like fabric. We would take the covering and pull it apart and use this to embroider, knit jumpers or crochet pillow covers, doilies or collars.

In refugee camps in Italy and in El Shatt, Egypt where an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 died. ... A 1945 report concerning war crimes in Kastav near the city of ... [New link not available - check Library of Congress]

266 people that died as refugees in El Shatt,Egypt
http://forum.axishistory.com

Most of the population seeded refugee in the Sahara Desert in El Shatt, Egypt
http://www.nakovana.hr (Croation language).

The Exodus of the Dalmatian Population to El-Shatt (Egypt) during WW II (1943-1946)

If there are any people who still remember anything about this issue (British internees, soldiers etc.) please contact Mr. SC Mateo Bratanic at: bratanic@unizd.hr