Author: Abigail Jefferies

I was orderly officer; took the exercise at 6:30. Mails came in about midday, the letters which had been posted about the 10th at home. I heard from everyone at home. They told me about poor little Terence, I had just a hope it might be a mistake in the casualty list, but I am afraid not.

I hear that Vectis and Sir Roger also did very well at London, it is quite the most successful London show we’ve ever had. I heard from C.A.P. giving me General Malcolm’s address in Cairo. I must call on him if we get there.

Some of the men have caught a chameleon and have got him on a palm branch in their tent, and are busy feeding him with flies. Very hot again all day but light breeze this evening thank goodness.

A nice breeze blowing all day. I had a bathe about midday. Went into Port Said in the afternoon with Franklyn. Talk about Alexandria being a dirty hole, it is clean compared with Port Said. I saw a biggish flock of flamingoes on the mud flats from the train; awfully pretty when they raised their wings and showed all the red.

We caught the 6:30 train back this evening from Port Said and had our horses to meet us at the end. I managed to get hold of a Times of the 17th in Port Said and it was a dreadful shock to see poor little Terence’s name in the casualty list. It is most awfully hard to realise it’s true, his letters from France were always so cheery – I shall miss him most dreadfully.

More comfortable this morning. I rode out to the guns again this morning; the C.R.A. was having a look round. One of the men fainted – it really was horribly hot; but he is better now.

I watched a team of six camels trying to drag a gun along, but they were no good and more stubborn than mules. I did not bathe today, and shall only bathe after the sun’s gone in in future. I saw some big carrion birds today, not as big as the kites, but white with black edges to their wings, rather like small vultures. They were very tame and sat about close to the camp.

There was an observation balloon up over Kantara this afternoon, I wonder if the old Turk is thinking of trying again?

I felt quite fit again this morning; got into a real muck sweat in the night after the aspirin. Several of the Essex officers down with fever today and several of our men. I rode out over the pontoon bridge to the gun park this morning, about three miles away; got back about midday and had a bathe. A broiling sun, the hottest days we’ve had so far.

My back was awfully painful all this afternoon and evening after bathing. It was too tender to dry, owing to getting so badly sunburnt the other day, so I had to let the salt water dry on it. I smothered myself all over in Vaseline tonight and feel a bit more comfortable. The mosquitoes were rather lively tonight, so I shall sleep under a net. I have just administered some aspirin to one of our mess servants who is feeling a bit down.

Nothing much doing in the morning except stables and letter censoring. I had a topping bathe at midday. Mails came in after lunch; great excitement, I heard from everyone at home. I am awfully pleased about Egret’s premium and the foals. Also heard I’ve been asked by General Powell to be his A.D.C. in France – very nice if it comes off alright, but it might be awkward to arrange now I’ve got here.

I went for a ride later in the afternon with Alan Franklin. We came upon a caravan of between two and three hundred camels on the side of the canal. We saw lots more of those big carrion birds; they tell me they are kites. We also saw a good many kingfishers, a pair of hoopoes, and a lot of herons and kestrels.

A battleship came down the canal from Suez way this evening, she looked enormous in the canal. Felt a bit better tonight – I think I’ve got a bit touched up by the sun. I have been to my medicine chest and taken 3 squares (7.5 gms) of aspirin and shall go to bed.

I saw a caravan of about a dozen or fifteen camels going through camp soon after breakfast this morning. The general commanding the division, General Lawrence, inspected the horses of the Brigade this morning. At midday we went for a bathe over the canal and went for about a mile into the desert the other side, wading and swimming through the salt lakes we came across. I saw a lot of wild guinea pigs, also some herons, cormorants and stone curlew, also lots of wading birds. I hadn’t seen some of the sorts before. I am rather sorry we spent so long exploring about as tonight my back is simply burning where the sun got hold of it.

This afternoon one of the staff gave a lecture to all the officers on the cooperation of aeroplanes with artillery. There is a biggish aerodrome here somewhere. He seemed to think the Turks might be going to have another shot at the canal soon and said we are going to act as a mobile force, and are not going to entrench and wait for them, but are going to move out into the desert, if they are reported to be approaching, and fight a moving battle.

Badcock and I went for a ride down the canal towards Ishmalia tonight, saw another camel caravan going along the other side of the canal. My little mare was full of beans.

Woke up about six this morning; we were going through some very pretty country indeed, all palm groves and cultivation, with little villages of mud huts at intervals. Hooded crows were as common as sparrows – saw hundreds of them – also saw a lot of great big birds like very big hawks, they say they are carrion birds of sorts but I haven’t found out their name yet.

After a bit we began to get into the desert and saw lots of camels. We stopped at one small station, where we had a big camp, but I don’t know what units. We saw a camel corps there.

The next place we stopped at was Kantara (8:30 am) just where the line joins the Suez Canal. I saw Kenning on the platform and he told me the Brigade has been in a rest camp at Port Said and were moving to this place on the canal today, so we got the men and kits out there instead of going on to Port Said. Went up to the camp which is just back behind the canal in the desert. I spent the rest of the day getting straight in camp. I believe we are to move over to the other side of the canal in a day or so. This is just where the Turks attacked last year, but I think it improbable we shall get any scraping here, though the Turks have got a post 50 miles away.

There are two squadrons of Mysore Lancers here, fine looking fellows, they’ve been out occasionally and had a skirmish with the Turks, but I think it’s pretty quiet now. It’s very funny seeing nothing but sand all round; we had a beastly sandstorm this afternoon and it gets in everything. We are a very cheery little mess, though only six officers now, as Powell and Poulteney mess with the Col., and Gassell, who is vet to the Brigade, messes with headquarters. I am in a tent with Badcock and we are getting quite snug.

Very hot. I went up into the town in the morning to change some money for pay. Payed the men out at eleven o’clock.

I had orders from head-quarters at Alexandria about midday that we were to entrain for Port Said at 11:30 pm and join our units. We packed up during the afternoon, then had a special train to Sidi Gaba station. There were about 300 men and 60 officers to go by the train, so we were packed like herrings. The train left at 12:45 and we are going to do our best for 40 winks.