16 July 1916

I went down and had a bathe before breakfast. We’ve started doing some of Muller’s exercises now, generally before bathing, as they are supposed to strengthen the middle against the attacks of gippy tummy. Checking the lines for the guns this evening. Intelligence report in today: apparently the Bedouin in Sinai have been informed of the revolt of the Sheriff of Mecca, but at present there are no signs of them turning against the Turks.

15 July 1916

Stood by and dismissed as usual. I went down to Romani this morning, and rode out on a reconnaissance this afternoon with the Colonel to Bir El Rabah. Apparently they are going to send a strong infantry brigade out there and our battery is going with them to protect the railway till it gets to Katia, and then I suppose we shall shove on again. Kitty went very well this afternoon.

We came back here this evening.

14 July 1916

Section gun drill early. Bathed this morning; water very hot and not a bit refreshing, though cleansing. Up in the O.Pip tonight.

13 July 1916

A very heavy mist up until breakfast time this morning. Had some section gun drill. My day in today, so I didn’t bathe, but the others saw three sharks down there.

Somebody who was staying with General Lawrence the other day told Garside this morning that he had told him we are going to make a big push here in October. I hope it will be cooler then. At present we are of the opinion that if the Kaiser really wants a place in the sun, he is welcome to come and shrivel in Sinai.

12 July 1916

A very heavy dew early this morning. Stood by at 3 am and dismissed at 5.

Busy helping Brigade Headquarters who arrived this morning. Bathed later. The Col., Kirk, and the padre messed with us today. A Bosch plane came over here yesterday while I was at Kantara. The mountain battery had four shots at it, but she was well out of reach.

The West Riding Battery arrived at Romani today and are going to dig themselves into a position there.

11 July 1916

I went down to Kantara by the six o’clock train from Romani this morning. I had breakfast with the ammunition column when I got there. Drew some money from the Field Cashier and payed off the men. I went and had a bathe in the canal with Jackson and Hawkins of the West Riding Battery. The water was very greasy and full of jelly fish. I lunched with the column, they were in great form.

The West Ridings are coming up to Romani within the next few days, so everything was in confusion. The Essex Battery are still in quarantine; it is paratyphoid they’ve got. When they are fit I believe they are coming to take our positions up here, and we are going to Romani to act as a mobile battery for any stunt that may come off. A battery of 60 pounders is also coming up here I believe.

Left Kantara by the four o’clock train and got here about six thirty. Divisional Headquarters are up here now and the new general was coming up in the train tonight. He has been brought from Salonika. General Lawrence has handed over the 52nd Division to him, and he himself is going to command No 3 Section Canal Defences, The Colonel came up for the night this evening as Brigade Headquarters are moving up here tomorrow.

10 July 1916

Bathed this morning. One of the 261st Bde. has come up to be attached to us to take charge of the ammunition dump, and Simpson of our brigade column, who has been doing it since Poulteney went, has gone back to Kantara.

I went down to Romani tonight as I’ve got to go to Kantara tomorrow to draw some money and pay off four men who are going home.

9 July 1916

Stood by at 3 am, dismissed at four thirty when everything was reported all clear, and came down to camp and finished my snooze.

Church parade in our mess tent this morning. I had to read the lesson as the padre had forgotten his glasses.

The major got back from Kantara this evening, and had heard good news from the Flanders and Russian fronts.

Mail in tonight, a lot of news from home. Jo and his squadron have gone to France with the 60th Division. Heard from Ben Stephens; he’s been invalided home after five months on Mudros and the Peninsular and three months here.

Very full intelligence report in tonight, the Turks are reported to have thirty thousand troops now.

8 July 1916

One of our battleplanes was circling about over us from about seven till eight this morning on the chance of the Boche turning up, but there was nothing done. Bathed this morning; old Garside bathed with us – his first for 15 years. He really is a marvel, over sixty and yet skips about out here like a two year old.

The major has gone down to Kantara to see the General, so Elliott has come up here tonight from Romani.

I heard from Cecil Ellis tonight, he has got his captaincy and seems to be having a great time. Up in the O.Pip tonight.

7 July 1916

Nothing much doing today. We hear from Kantara today that the Essex Battery have got over fifty men in hospital. There are rumours of leprosy, but we’ve not heard what it is yet. The rest of the Battery have been put in quarantine.

An agent who has just returned from the Turkish lines reports that he visited Shellal, Bir Saba, and Hassana; that the Turks are about twenty thousand strong, inclusive of Germans, Austrians, Afghans, Syrians, and Arab horsemen, and intend attacking down the Northern Route in the late summer.