The bell from El Alamein train station (inset top left) was presented to the Alamein club for British and Empire troops, Cairo, in 1942 (inset bottom left). It was then presented to the Village Centres Council, Enham, in 1945 along with a grant of £225,000 from the Egyptian people. Set up in 1919 the Village Centres Council was effectively the first Help for Heroes, looking after injured veterans of the First World War and getting them back into work. Their sterling work continued after the Second World War when the Enham village was re-named Enham-Alamein in commemoration of Egypt's generous gift. The charity still runs today under the name Enham, caring for the disabled.
This bell could tell many stories of transport (Egypt being the second country in the world after England to operate a railway), war and gratitude. It was a symbol of the strong bond between Britain and Egypt and is still used today to signal the beginning of the commemorative church service held every Alamein day at Enham-Alameins St Georges Alamein church.
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