22 July 1916

Got into communication with the battery once every quarter of an hour during the night. The moon was very late getting up so it was lucky really there was no attack as I couldn’t have observed at all, and it would have had to be guesswork.

Two large train loads of natives were sent back to Kantara early this morning and two battalions of infantry from the 53rd Division came up later on the morning. About eight o’clock this morning an enemy plane came over; the mountain battery at once opened fire, but all the shells burst a bit too low.

Our aerial reconnaissance this morning has located the Turkish force which left Ogratina yesterday at Mageibra (supposed to be Joseph’s well) which is south of us. They also saw two thousand more Turks dug in at Ogratina, and their main body at and near Bir el Abd and Hod el Bayud.

Two more big troop trains packed with infantry came up from Kantara this evening. Our outposts have had a skirmish with Turkish patrols this evening, as some Anzac wounded have been brought in, also nine Turkish prisoners, including one officer. They don’t think it so likely that there will be an attack tonight, as the old Turk evidently doesn’t mean to be hurried, and is going to wait until he is quite ready.

21 July 1916

We heard late during the night that the Turkish outposts were in Katia. We stood by at the guns at three, but there was no attack. An aerial reconnaissance out towards Ogratina at dawn this morning reported 12 battalions of Turks with seven mountain guns leaving and marching southwards. It looks as if they mean to try and work round behind us and cut the line between us and Kantara. Three Turks was caught in the Gippy Labour Corps lines last night, and they said that their main force of about thirty thousand was advancing to Ogratina.

Finished getting the camp straight this morning and then altered the position of the guns, so we can shoot South and West as well as East, so can protect our flanks to a certain degree.

Two enemy planes made a reconnaissance over us about five o’clock this evening, our battleplane at once went up after them but they had too much start. The Ross Mountain Battery got some shells bursting pretty close to them.

Troops and stores are still pouring up here. The 156th Bde. which was resting at Sidi Bish Camp in Alexandria, have been recalled and arrived here this evening.Ā They packed off another big train of Labour Corps natives to Kantara this evening, and by the row they were making, they seemed to be glad to be out of it.

I am the F.O.O. tonight, so am just off there. The staff warn us that they expect the attack by the Turkish main body within the next 48 hrs.

20 July 1916

I went up to the O.Pip at two thirty this morning to give the Ayrshire observing officer any help he could have wanted with regard to the zone. I was up there till five but there was no attack. At six o’clock we had 35 camels, struck our camp, and sent it onto Romani and followed on with the guns; we’ve come into action in the open here, behind the first line redoubts. They sent up three more battalions from the 42nd Division tonight.

From our reconnaissance today the old Turk at last means serious business. One of the Anzac patrols went out to Ogratina Ā this morning but found it held by an advance guard of two hundred Turks who drove them back, though luckily with only a few casualties. This afternoon an Anzac patrol to Katia captured a patrol of these Turks.

Our last aeroplane to reconnoitre tonight has come in with the news that the Turks have now got eight thousand men and six guns at Ogratina (12 miles away) and are digging themselves in there. Their main body is at Bin el Abd.

Divisional headquarters have warned us that the attack is very imminent, and will in all possibility be tonight. If the chance offers, we are to go out on mobile column, but otherwise shall fire from our positions here.

We’ve got about ten thousand men in all here, including the Anzacs and the 157th Brigade at Mahamdiya so ought to be able to hold them; but the worst of it is they attack at night always and not by day.

One of our gravest problems here is the native labour corps. There are about eight thousand of them, and three time during this evening they have tried to break through the front line. They know what’s on just as well as we do, and there is no shadow of doubt that half of them are in the pay of the Turks, but the infantry have now rounded them all up and marshalled them back about three miles down the line.

It is very much a case of sleeping with one eye open tonight.

19 July 1916

Busy filling up wagons and limbers with ammunition before breakfast. Bathed later this morning. The Ayrshire Battery arrived tonight and took over our emplacements.

One of our aeroplanes came back from a reconnaissance this evening, and we’ve just had her report in. 3500 Turks and Germans, with seven thousand trotting camels are at Bir el AbdĀ , which has for the last month or so been clear of the enemy. Five thousand more Turks are in an oasis a mile or so behind it, about twenty two miles from us. An attack is expected tonight, and the Ayrshire Battery are in our emplacements. We’ve got to get ready to move out on mobile column at a minute’s notice. It looks as if our long wishes for a chance is now an absolute certainty.

If we are not attacked tonight we are going down to Romani at six o’clock tomorrow morning and shall advance from there when things begin to move.

18 July 1916

Stood by at 3 o’clock and dismissed at five, nothing doing. Bathed this morning, water a bit cooler. Small mail in this morning; heard from Mrs PellattĀ .

One of the officers of the Ayrshire Battery of the 1/2nd Bde. came here tonight to see our positions, as the Essex are still in quarantineĀ . They are going to come up here temporarily to take over till the Essex are fit, and we are moving to Romani the day after tomorrow, preparatory to pushing out further, probably to El Rabah.

17 July 1916

One of the men killed a snake this morning, 5 ft 1″, rather the colour and markings of an adder, a most poisonous looking brute. A Boche plane came over during breakfast, the mountain battery loosed off at him, but he was flying at a great height and they couldn’t touch him.

Bathed this morning. Good news from the French front in the official telegram this evening. Up in the O.Pip tonight.

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.