Gallipoli Diary

[March-1915]

Monday Feb [ gap — reason: illegible]Mar 1st 15

Company parade 8 to 11 am
afternoon battalion training
2 to 4 pm. Mr Heslop
came into camp to tea and afterwards I returned
with him to Cairo. He was
to leave for
Port Said at
11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Tuesday Feb [ gap — reason: illegible]Mar 2nd -15

Company parade in
morning & afternoon the
battalion went for short
march through Helmilh
passing the Obelisk of
Ons. (the oldest in the world),
and the Virgins tree etc
in the vicinity. The
country round here is
very fertile though our
camp in the desert is
only 2 or 3 miles away.

The obelisk of Ons is
said to be 4000 years old.

I was Captain of the day
so spent evening on duty.

Thursday 4th

Training near
camp — easy day.

Monday Mar 8th 15

8 am to noon. Company parade
exercised men in musketry etc
at Matarich. Afternoon off
5 pm to 8.30 pm practiced
night advance towards
Biet el Shat on the desert
East of camp. The N.Z. Inf.
Brigade being engaged.

Wednesday, Mch 10 — 15

Divisional training all
day in vicinity of No 2
tower on Suez Road. Exceptionally
hot day and hard work.

Returned to camp by road
via Heliopolis.

Friday Mch 12 -15

Short battalion march in
afternoon through Palais de
Koubbeh & Zeitoun.

Saturday Mch 13 -15

Morning occupied in
general clean up in camp.
Afternoon off. I attended
races at Gezireh Club.
Afterwards dined with
friends at Shepheard's.

Monday Mch 15th -15

Officers of the battalion
went under Major Hart
to Flagstaff Hill on Staff
Tour from 8 am to 3 pm

Rain fell during evening
the first for some weeks.

Wednesday [ gap — reason: illegible]Mch 17-15

3rd Reinforcements have
arrived at Alexandria and
includes Maori contingent
we are told.

9 am Officers of rank of
Captain & higher went
out on instruction in
Ammunition supply in the
field. Lieutenants with
the companies marched to
Mataria about 2 miles away
& carried out sectional work.

2.30 pm. I sat on a
D.C.M. in Cant'y Batt'n
lines.

Friday Mch 19th

Day off after night operations

I went to Citadel in morning
on duty & attended at Abbasia
Barracks 4 pm on D.C.M.
went out on Indian motorcycle.

Sunday Mch 21st

Divine service 10 am.
Mr. Holt visited me at
camp 4 pm & stayed to tea

As usual had beautiful
weather but rather too warm.

Note for Thursday 18th

The Egyptian High Com'er
(
Sir H.McMahon) visited
camp & inspected our lines
with General Godley & staff.

19th

H.M.S. Ocean & Irresistible sunk
by floating mines at Dardanelles.

Monday Mch 22nd. 15.

9 am. Divisional mobilization
parade on camp grounds.

N.Z & A Division was inspected
& marched past
Sir H. McMahon,
Generals Maxwell & Birdwood.

Other persons of note resident
in Egypt being present. The
whole of the troops paraded
on a war footing ready for
the field, this probably being
a final inspection prior to
our departure for active service.

In afternoon companies were
marched out from 2 to 4 pm.

Diary continues from
page 100 in previous book.

Monday Tuesday March 23rd 1915

I was Capt of the day. Companies
paraded under own arrangements
from 8-11 am & 2 to 4 pm. I was
[ gap — reason: illegible]sent out to
[ unclear: Tawfiqia] Canal on reconnaissance
& to make a sketch of position
allotted our Bat'n for Outpost work
next day. Ret'd camp 6 pm.

Wed. Mch 24/15

Brigade was
exercised in outpost work on
Ishmalia & [ unclear: Tawfiqia] Canals about
4 miles from camp.

Friday Mch 26/15

Arrived Luxor
9 pm. proceeded to Luxor Hotel.

In company with a dragoman
visited temples of Karnak &
Luxor & afternoon crossed the
Nile in boat & proceeded by
donkeys to tombs of the queens.

All these are wonderful
places & well worth the
trip. Left Luxor 6-10 pm
& arrived Cairo 7 am Saturday

A hurried visit owing to
longer leave being unobtainable

Saturday Mch 27/15

Arrived Cairo 7 am
returned to camp 9-30 am
& had a quiet day.

Maori contingent and our
3rd reinforcements arrived in
camp at Zeitoun on Friday.

They report a good trip and
all well.

Monday Mch 29/15

Review of the
NZ & A Division & march past
Sir Ian Hamilton at Zeitoun
Camp. — 3rd reinforcements and
Maori detachment participates

Fine day and splendid spectacle
but dust caused by so many
troops in movement was most
unpleasant — to say the least.

I heard a very original expression
today. One of my men came to
enquire of a man who was being
invalided home. When I asked
where the man was he replied
“over at the scrap heap sir!”
Further enquiry proved that this
was the soldiers designation of
the camp where men to be
returned home are situated.

Wednesday Mch 31st

Easy day. Battalion marched
to Pont de Koubbeh & exercised
by companies returning 4 pm.

Spent evening at bridge party
at Mr. Watkin's Zeitoun