Published on Feb, 2020
Through Orbitz, I signed up for Sun Pyramids Tours “Private El-Alamein Day Tour from Cairo”. Since I try to learn history from primary sources, I was interested in the WWII events that occurred near El-Alamein, approximately 3 hour drive from Cairo. I was fortunate to have Mohamed Alfayed as my guide today as I experienced the events from almost 80 years ago. The memorials to the fallen soldiers were moving and remind us of the significant toll taken on those serving from the “Commonwealth” countries. Often missing in the discussion of who won and lost is the realization that those who died fighting for the Axis Powers, were also husbands, fathers and sons to families back home. Mohamed provided additional background and insights to bring these elements to light and set the stage for the visit to the El-Alamein Military Museum. A wonderful combination of historical artifacts and video presentations, the contributions of the various counties involved in the events surrounding El-Alamein were described, illustrated and put in context. Mohamed also emphasized the important role played by the Egyptian troops, both in supply logistics and combat, a contribution often overlooked by academics, but not by someone who grew up in the shadow of where the history took place and with direct family connections to those who participated. The tour finished with a wonderful lunch, included in the price, with more delicious food than I could eat. As I reflect back on the events of this day, it does not get much better than this tour. Thank you Mohamed.