Saturday 30th January 1915
At 4 a.m. orders reached Coy Headquarters to concentrate immediately at El Kubri about 2½ miles further north on the Canal. Orderlies were soon dispatched to the different platoons and at 4.20 the Company had assembled and was marching to the rendez-vous. It was smart work especially on the part of No 1 Platoon who received the message last, had the greatest distance to come and arrived at Hqrs first. We reached the Rendez-vous complete in 70 minutes from receipt of the order at Hqrs. Considering it was fairly dark the whole time, the time taken was not excessive. Kits however were short and we had not a full ration, our rations being ready for issue at 6 a.m. It proved when we got to El Kubri that the move was an experiment in concentration and after waiting for dawn we returned to our trenches which had meantime been occupied by the Otago Regiment. It was a bright sunny day and most of us viewed for the first time an aeroplane. One of our machines had been out to see if the Turks were still maintaining their position about 12 miles out. During the afternoon Coy Commanders in company with O.C. Battalion visited El Khubri post and inspected the trenches and field works. Night settled down quietly and the men having little else to do and little inclination for anything but sleep were soon in bed. Our friends the 2/7th Ghurkas are to day shifting across the Canal to occupy some of the posts. Capt Whittaker their Q.M. had tea at our mess and we hope to pay them a visit so soon as they are settled down.
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