Author: Alice Rhodes

Church parade at 8:30. Bathed after stables, A1. Siesta during the afternoon. I had my hair cut after tea; we’ve got a man in the battery, Taylor, who has become barber to the brigade and does it very well. Bathed soon after six, very nice as long as you were in the water, but the mosquitoes let us know as soon as we got out. Tomorrow the colonel, battery commander, and a subaltern from each battery – I’m the lucky one – have got to leave here at four o’clock in the morning and go to Railhead. There we shall get horses from the Anzacs and then ride eight miles across the desert to a place called Mahamdiya, which is on the coast in line with Romani and Katia, to reconnoitre for a position for the brigade. They don’t know if the place is held by the Turks or not – we shall very probably have some excitement. If the position is alright, the idea is to send a big force of infantry there with our brigade, so we shall be able to get in behind the Turks and cut their lines of communication when they attack down the Northern Route.

Franklyn and Elliott have just come in with four very decent bass, one weighing over four pounds! I will turn in early, it’s been so hot all day, the shade temperature was 98 degrees at midday and a great deal more in the tents.

At nine o’clock this morning there was an alarm, and our battery was turned out, and all ready to move off within ten minutes, which is pretty quick work. The alarm was only a false one for practice and I hope they won’t ‘cry wolf’ too often.

Two battleships from the French navy, which are allotted to this section of the canal, were doing firing practice this morning. This afternoon the colonel, the battery commanders, and us, and a subaltern from each battery went up to Railhead. The line has got about twenty-five miles out now and is just short of Romani. A funny jolly old train, but she does the work alright. Not a wildly exciting journey as it is desert the whole way, though there is a good deal of scrub in parts. We passed a good many Anzac patrols but I don’t think the Turk would find it very hard to slip between them, because although the country looks flat, it is far from it, and the patrols are a mile apart.

The 156th Infantry Brigade were at Railhead with some sappers, and they said they found it a bit lonely up there and seemed anxious for us to hurry up and come there, but I think our next stopping place is going to be further than that and more to the north. We got back soon after seven and Elliott and I went and had a bathe about eight; the water was very warm and full of phosphorus. Franklyn caught a bass of one and half pounds while we were there.

 

Orderly dog today, the usual routine of duties. I had a heavenly bathe about midday; it’s been exceptionally hot all day.

Jeans rode out today with General Parker and the artillery brigade commanders on a reconnaissance between Hill 70 and Turks Top, and got an idea of the position we shall have to take up when the attack comes. A Turkish German aeroplane flew over our camp at about seven o’clock this morning but didn’t drop any bombs; I expect that to follow later.

Elliott caught two bass tonight, both over 2lbs. Our battery is ‘standing by’ tonight till five thirty tomorrow evening. Each battery in our brigade is taking it in turns now to stand by for 24 hrs.

Our shoot began at seven o’clock this morning. Badcock, Franklyn, and I were the F.O.O.s and we each took on a target and fired the battery from there. The General was very pleased with the shoot, and Col. Robertson congratulated Jeans on the shooting and the steadiness and fine discipline of the men – so we all feel several inches taller. I had a topping bathe at midday. This evening the battery piscatorial society (Elliott and Franklyn) brought in three good bass, the smallest weighing about a pound.

We ‘stood by’ all last night and all today till six o’clock but have not been called out. The West Riding battery have got to ‘stand by’ tonight. We had a swim this morning, but had to go down in twos and cannot be away for long, so it wasn’t as nice as usual. A squadron of the Bikanir camel corps were drilling close to our camp this morning, fine looking men and big strong camels with a double saddle on each. A ‘pow wow’ by General Parker this afternoon. He told me several details about the Katia fight on Easter Sunday – it’s been a bad knock for us. He also read us some news that has been collected by our Intelligence Department, and it looks very much as if the Turks mean a serious attack on us before long.

This evening we took the guns out and got them into a position for a practice shoot tomorrow. It seems rather a waste of ammunition when we shall want all we can get before long in all probability. One of our aeroplanes has been reconnoitring over El Arish today, and it seems that the Turks are making great preparations there. Another of our planes that was reconnoitring today hasn’t come in yet and they are afraid it has been shot down.

From 6:30 till 8 o’clock this morning we were over at the aerodrome practicing cooperation with aircraft. We had the bass for breakfast – top hole! Had our usual swim and diving stunts at midday, and a siesta during the afternoon. Working with the director from 5 to 6 this evening.

We’ve been told tonight to be ready to move out at a minute’s notice. All leave has been stopped throughout the division, and it looks like we are going to have some exciting times in the near future, as there are fifteen thousand Turks and Germans massed mostly at Bir El Abd, which is between Katia and El Arish and on the direct route to us at Kantara, and they’ll probably mass plenty more now they’ve have finished the Kut siege. They have also got three heavy howitzers, 20 centimetre guns at El Hassana, which is further down about opposite Ishmailia.

Elliott and Franklyn went fishing tonight and got five more good bass – cheers for breakfast tomorrow morning.

Just going to bed when orders came in that our battery is to stand by. It seems as if the old Turk means business earlier than we expected. I must go and pack up my saddle bags.

Orderly dog today, took the early exercise. Bathed at midday. Three porpoises came along quite close to us when we were in the water. Same old routine during the rest of the day.

This evening Elliott, Franklyn, and Bradley went fishing and had a good haul of bass. Elliott had four; Franklyn and Bradley one each. The two biggest weighed about a couple of pounds apiece. Great rejoicings in the mess tonight at the prospect of fresh fish for breakfast tomorrow morning.