Month: April 2016

Up at half past three this morning, watered and fed the horses, breakfasted, and were away by six. The Essex battery shot first, then the West Riding, and we were to shoot third – but the West Riding didn’t finish till one o’clock so we had to put our shoot off. I expect we’ll get it in a day or two though. After the shoot, there was a “pow wow” with about six Generals present including General Horne, our army corps commander (1st Army Corps).

I got back to camp and bathed about 3:30. The divisional bands played tonight for an hour or so. We’ve had a very busy day on the whole and I’ve been Orderly dog into the bargain.

Away again early this morning to the guns; I got back and had a lovely bathe about midday. Rode out the other side of the canal after lunch with Elliott and finished getting ammunition into the wagons and Limbers  as we are going to shoot tomorrow. We have got to take up our position and do everything exactly as we shall if the Turks attack. I got the teams hooked in about dusk and took the guns to the position the brigade is going to hold. I got back over the canal to the camp soon after eight, ravenously hungry. Franklyn down with a bad go of fever tonight, but I expect he will shake it off in a day or two.

I do wish we were going to let fly at the old Turks tomorrow, but I don’t believe they will even try and attack the aeroplane. People tell us there is a strongish Turkish post about forty miles away; our flying men pop over and say good morning to them periodically, and drop a bomb or two.

We bathed before breakfast this morning. Kit inspections etc. took up the morning, we also had an officers’ “pow wow” with the colonel about various things. A flock of about thirty pelicans flew over camp this morning, but quite high up.

We had to ride over to another general “pow wow” this afternoon by the G.O.C divisional artillery. The authorities are very annoyed at the gutting of that canteen the other night and as a result the three artillery brigades this side of the canal (ourselves, the 1/3rd and 1/4th) have got CB until further notice, so not much chance of leave until they find out the culprits.

Very early – again – and I had all the work and everything finished by eleven o’clock, before it got really hot. Bathed at midday and thoroughly enjoyed it.

A mail came in after lunch, but I heard nothing from home. I heard from Cecil Ellis ; he is still a fixture in India and seems to think they will be there for some time.

Bathed again about three. The divisional band came and played again this evening. There seems to be some excitement about the burning of that canteen last night. The native says he had 150 [pounds] in cash there, so somebody has done well. I don’t think any of our men are responsible – probably the brigade next to us.

Orderly dog today. Rode out to the guns this morning and was there most of the morning. Had our usual bathe at midday.

The major got back from Cairo this afternoon and had thoroughly enjoyed it, climbing the Pyramids etc.

We had a tremendous blaze this evening. There is a fairly large wooden canteen shed here run by several natives, and apparently they’d been charging exorbitant prices for very moderate stuff. Anyhow, some of the men fired it this evening, and by jove it did burn, stores and all!

Church parade at nine o’clock, stables at 10am. I had a lovely bathe at midday.

This afternoon Franklyn and I went out for a ride, and took revolvers in the hope of getting a shot at something. He fired at two old hoodies on the ground but missed. We went through a lot of scrub and marshy ground, saw a few snipe and kingfishers, also some shrikes and redstarts and countless wagtails – which are very common here and very tame. We saw some very funny bird – I’ve noticed them before flying just above the water down the canal – they are black and white, about the size of a woodpecker and have got a long beak. They hover in the air over the water like hawks. I hoped we might see a jackal, but they say they are more common further down.

An enormous liner of sorts has just gone down the canal, with the decks very brilliantly lighted up.

I have just heard a Zep. has been brought down during the last raid in England. It is great news.

Not much doing today except stables and exercise etc. Bathed about midday. In the evening we had a great football match, the left section v. the right. I was playing for the left section and we won by one goal to nil after a very exciting tussle.

A very quiet day. I had a lovely bathe about twelve o’clock. A topping mail came in this afternoon, which kept me busy for a long time. This evening about five of us got hold of a dilapidated old rowing boat and had a row on the canal. It ended in a rag and we all got rather wet.

News came in this evening that General Townshend has had to surrender at Kut-al-Amara in Mesopotamia. I’m afraid it’s bound to have a very bad effect on morale.

Nothing doing today apart except the ordinary routine of stables etc. It will get pretty monotonous if the Turks don’t give us some more excitement soon. I had a topping bathe at midday. A fairly stiff breeze been following all day.

Gun drill from six till eight. I had an early lunch and went off with seven wagons to fetch over all the woodwork from the ammunition dugout at our old camp.

A large quantity of tinned food has been stolen from a Field Force Canteen near our line, so all the tents had to be searched tonight. Pretty certain to be one of the Scotch regiments I should think.