The Road to Chunuk Bair

Washing and cleaning up camp. Last night was a sharp cold night and today is going to be very hot. General leave after dinner.

Battalion paraded at 7.30 and with the Brigade marched out 7 miles to the Divisional Rendez-vous for Divisional Training. Our Division was pitted against the English Territorials. The day was cool with a fresh northerly breeze and though in the course of the day the men covered 20 miles they were not distressed and we [...]

Mataria and Musketry. Mataria is the only green spot about here. We get shade and the eye rests on fertile fields of Oats Barley and Alfalfa. One sees the two team oxen drawing an old wooden plough along the heavy earth, camels in the fields kneeling to take their huge loads of forage, and here and [...]

The Battalion paraded at 7 a.m. and with the Brigade marched out about 6 miles to take part in a Brigade attack. Our Brigade was opposed by the 4th Australian Infantry Brigade and an interesting days training resulted. Our Regiment was in the advance guard and got into action very early. We were able to [...]

Devoted to Drill in vicinity of the Camp. In the evening a night march or rather a night advance was practiced by the Brigade. The Brigade moved in line of Regiments in column of platoons at deploying interval. The Brigade thus extended advanced for half an hour and distances and direction were very well kept. The [...]

The Battalion marched to Mataria and spent the day in musketry instruction. There was a stiff wind blowing all day and heat and dust had everyone in a bad temper by 11 a.m. A D.C.M was held for trial of S.M. B Woodhead.

A windy hot and disagreeable day. Dust rising every where and the atmosphere in a tightly laced tent choking. Single skinned tents are no good in this country in the summer time. The sun strikes through so fiercely as to compel the wearing of a hat even in the tent on the sunny side. There [...]

The day was spent quietly. Leave was general after 2 p.m. Being Saturday night Cairo was crowded and very busy.

Company training 8 to 11 a.m. We expect to have Divisional operations again tonight though no definite orders were issued this morning. From  2 p.m. we were standing by waiting for instructions. About 7 p.m. Brigade orders came through for a move at 8.40 p.m. It was a dark night with a good moon rising about midnight. [...]

The work today was of a light nature following the heavy demands made on the men yesterday. Platoon and Company training in the morning and Regimental parade in the afternoon.