Tara, Cairo
Encyclopedia
Tara was the name given to a villa in Gezira Island
, Cairo
made famous by its inhabitants during World War II
. The group of Special Operations Executive
agents who lived there, together with Countess Zofia (Sophie) Tarnowska
, turned the villa into a centre of high spirited living.
First found, in 1943, by Capt Billy Stanley Moss
, a British officer in the Special Operations Executive
, it was a spacious villa, with a great ballroom with parquet floors, which four or five people might share. Moss chose the villa rather than live in the SOE hostel, “Hangover Hall”. He moved in alone at first, then bought his Alsatian puppy, Pixie; Xan Fielding
, who had worked in Crete, joined him. Next was Countess Zofia (Sophie) Tarnowska
, forced to leave Poland in 1939 by the German invasion, followed by Arnold Breene of SOE HQ. Finally Patrick Leigh Fermor
, an SOE officer who had spent the previous nine months in Crete, joined the household.
The villa's new inhabitants called it Tara
, the legendary home of the High Kings of Ireland.
Sophie Tarnowska and two other women had been asked to share the house with the SOE agents, but only she went through with it, after the men pleaded with her not to let them down. She moved in with her few possessions (a bathing costume, an evening gown, a uniform and two pet mongooses), and had her reputation in the all-male household protected by an entirely fictitious chaperone, "Madame Khayatt", who suffered from “distressingly poor health" and was always indisposed when visitors asked after her.
They were later joined by SOE agents Billy McLean
, David Smiley
returning from Albania (“David deciding that it would be cheaper to live in Tara than to come in every day and be tapped by the cook or Abdul for money to pay for meals"), and Rowland Winn
, also active in Albania.
Tara became the most exciting place in the city, the centre of high-spirited entertaining of diplomats, officers, writers, lecturers, war correspondents and Coptic and Levantine party-goers. The resident adopted nicknames: "Princess Dneiper-Petrovsk" (Countess Sophie Tarnowska) and the young buccaneers, "Sir Eustace Rapier" (Lt-Col. Neil (Billy) McLean), "the Marquis of Whipstock" (Col David Smiley LVO OBE MC), "the Hon, Rupert Sabretache" (Rowland Winn MC), "Lord Hughe Devildrive" (Major Xan Fielding DSO), "Lord Pintpot" (Arnold Breene), "Lord Rakehell" (Lt-Col Patrick Leigh-Fermor DSO) and "Mr Jack Jargon" (Capt W. Stanley Moss MC).
Tarnowska drew on memories of liqueur-making on her father’s estates to produce the party drinks, adding plums, apricots and peaches to raw alcohol (as a substitute for vodka) purchased from the local garage, in the bath. The results were disappointing as, rather than being left to mature for three weeks, the mixture was drunk after three days.
At the end of their first ball, Leigh Fermor fell asleep on a sofa which ignited, before it was thrown burning into the garden below. Over the course of the winter of 1943, a piano was borrowed from the Egyptian Officers' Club, light bulbs were shot out. On one occasion, King Farouk arrived at the villa with a crate of champagne.
By the winter of 1944, the Tara household had to leave their rather battered villa and move into a flat. Their landlord secured their eviction on the grounds that the villa had not been let to "Princess Dneiper-Petrovsk" et al., as stated on the villa's name plate.
Gezira Island
Gezira Island is located in the Nile River, in central Cairo, Egypt. The southern portion of the island contains the Gezira District, and the northern third contains the affluent Zamalek District....
, Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
made famous by its inhabitants during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The group of Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
agents who lived there, together with Countess Zofia (Sophie) Tarnowska
Sophie Moss
Sophie Moss , founded the Cairo Branch of the Polish Red Cross at General Sikorski's request.-Early life:...
, turned the villa into a centre of high spirited living.
First found, in 1943, by Capt Billy Stanley Moss
W. Stanley Moss
Ivan William "Billy" Stanley Moss MC , was a British army officer in World War II, and later a successful writer, broadcaster, journalist and traveller. He served with the Coldstream Guards and the Special Operations Executive . He was a best-selling author in the 1950s, based both on his novels...
, a British officer in the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
, it was a spacious villa, with a great ballroom with parquet floors, which four or five people might share. Moss chose the villa rather than live in the SOE hostel, “Hangover Hall”. He moved in alone at first, then bought his Alsatian puppy, Pixie; Xan Fielding
Xan Fielding
Xan Fielding, born Alexander Wallace Fielding DSO , was a British soldier and writer, noted for his English translations of Planet of the Apes and The Bridge on the River Kwai, both by Pierre Boulle....
, who had worked in Crete, joined him. Next was Countess Zofia (Sophie) Tarnowska
Sophie Moss
Sophie Moss , founded the Cairo Branch of the Polish Red Cross at General Sikorski's request.-Early life:...
, forced to leave Poland in 1939 by the German invasion, followed by Arnold Breene of SOE HQ. Finally Patrick Leigh Fermor
Patrick Leigh Fermor
Sir Patrick "Paddy" Michael Leigh Fermor, DSO, OBE was a British author, scholar and soldier, who played a prominent role behind the lines in the Cretan resistance during World War II. He was widely regarded as "Britain's greatest living travel writer", with books including his classic A Time of...
, an SOE officer who had spent the previous nine months in Crete, joined the household.
The villa's new inhabitants called it Tara
Hill of Tara
The Hill of Tara , located near the River Boyne, is an archaeological complex that runs between Navan and Dunshaughlin in County Meath, Leinster, Ireland...
, the legendary home of the High Kings of Ireland.
Sophie Tarnowska and two other women had been asked to share the house with the SOE agents, but only she went through with it, after the men pleaded with her not to let them down. She moved in with her few possessions (a bathing costume, an evening gown, a uniform and two pet mongooses), and had her reputation in the all-male household protected by an entirely fictitious chaperone, "Madame Khayatt", who suffered from “distressingly poor health" and was always indisposed when visitors asked after her.
They were later joined by SOE agents Billy McLean
Neil McLean (politician)
Lieutenant-Colonel Neil Loudon Desmond McLean DSO, known as Billy McLean , was a British Army intelligence officer and politician who led a celebrated Special Operations Executive operation in Albania during the Second World War, and later attempted to overthrow Communism in the country...
, David Smiley
David Smiley
Colonel David de Crespigny Smiley, LVO, OBE, MC & Bar was a British special forces and intelligence officer. He fought in the Second World War in Palestine, Iraq, Persia, Syria, Western Desert and with Special Operations Executive in Albania and Thailand.- Background :Smiley was the 4th and...
returning from Albania (“David deciding that it would be cheaper to live in Tara than to come in every day and be tapped by the cook or Abdul for money to pay for meals"), and Rowland Winn
Rowland Winn, 4th Baron St Oswald
Rowland Denys Guy Winn, 4th Baron St Oswald MC DL , was a British soldier and Conservative politician.St Oswald was the eldest son of Rowland George Winn, 3rd Baron St Oswald, and his wife Eve Carew, daughter of Charles Greene...
, also active in Albania.
Tara became the most exciting place in the city, the centre of high-spirited entertaining of diplomats, officers, writers, lecturers, war correspondents and Coptic and Levantine party-goers. The resident adopted nicknames: "Princess Dneiper-Petrovsk" (Countess Sophie Tarnowska) and the young buccaneers, "Sir Eustace Rapier" (Lt-Col. Neil (Billy) McLean), "the Marquis of Whipstock" (Col David Smiley LVO OBE MC), "the Hon, Rupert Sabretache" (Rowland Winn MC), "Lord Hughe Devildrive" (Major Xan Fielding DSO), "Lord Pintpot" (Arnold Breene), "Lord Rakehell" (Lt-Col Patrick Leigh-Fermor DSO) and "Mr Jack Jargon" (Capt W. Stanley Moss MC).
Tarnowska drew on memories of liqueur-making on her father’s estates to produce the party drinks, adding plums, apricots and peaches to raw alcohol (as a substitute for vodka) purchased from the local garage, in the bath. The results were disappointing as, rather than being left to mature for three weeks, the mixture was drunk after three days.
At the end of their first ball, Leigh Fermor fell asleep on a sofa which ignited, before it was thrown burning into the garden below. Over the course of the winter of 1943, a piano was borrowed from the Egyptian Officers' Club, light bulbs were shot out. On one occasion, King Farouk arrived at the villa with a crate of champagne.
By the winter of 1944, the Tara household had to leave their rather battered villa and move into a flat. Their landlord secured their eviction on the grounds that the villa had not been let to "Princess Dneiper-Petrovsk" et al., as stated on the villa's name plate.