The Road to Chunuk Bair

A cold sharp night followed by a characteristic Egyptian day. We moved out punctually to time. Each man carried 12 rounds Blank Ammtn. Pack horses 8 rds per man. Our Regiment was last in the Brigade. We marched by road to the ground in rear of Abbassia Barracks about an hour and a half’s march. Here the troops of the division not comprised in the Advance Guard assembled. At 10 a.m. we started to move to a fresh place of assembly about three to four miles distant. The route was across undulating stony ground. We marched continuously for an hour and three quarters, up hill most of the time, and across patches of sand. The men were carrying their full packs and soon began to fall out. Being the last Company of the last Regiment in the Brigade we got all the worst of the going and were practically at the double the whole time. At 12 o’clock there was a halt of an hour or so for dinner. Officers and section commanders had a look at the position to be attacked. At 1.15 p.m. the advance began. Auckland and Canterbury Regiments of our Brigade going in to the attack, Otago and Wellington following in Reserve. We advanced up to within 1400 yards of the position and when we were on the point of deploying to go in the Stand fast sounded. We were working with the Australian troops in our Division but being in reserve saw little of them. The men marched back to Camp while mounted officers proceeded to the position for the G.O.C’s conference. This lasted about an hour. The Stand fast sounded at 4.30 p.m. Units came home independently reaching camp at 7.30 p.m. where a late tea awaited them. On the way home the G.O.C Division stopped and congratulated Capt Cameron who was in charge on the excellent way in which the Company was marching, especially in view of the extremely heavy day which they had put in. It was about an eight miles march back to camp, but despite their great fatigue the men came back in good spirits. It was voted absolutely the most strenuous day the Regiment had had since its arrival in Egypt. 24 of our Company fell out on the line of march, while another Company had 22. Other Regiments suffered quite as much as our own. The men must have covered quite 18 to 20 miles during the day.

A quiet day. Platoon, Company and Regimental training. We move out at 7.45 a.m. tomorrow for a Divisional Field Day.

A hot dusty day. Platoon and Company Drill in the morning, Battalion parade in the afternoon. On Battalion parade the dust defied description. The desert was dry and in the vicinity of the Camp was powdered to fine dust. It was impossible at times to see more than a few files just ahead. There is some foundation for the belief that we are soon to move. Most of us possess a tremendous amount of unnecessary kit and it is going to be a problem to satisfactorily dispose of it. Orders for tonight are for a Divisional training scheme day after tomorrow, and bound to require some solid marching.

A quiet day. Windy and very dusty. Most of us spent the day in recuperating from the strenuous occurrences of the previous evening. There are rumours of our making an early move but so far we do not know our destination. The day was very dusty but most of the men drifted Cairo-wards again.

The morning was spent in cleaning up Camp and rearranging Company Lines. The reinforcements were inspected and proved a fair lot of men. In the afternoon there was general leave, everyone making a straight line for Cairo. In the evening the Company officers had a dinner party at Shepherd’s. Those present being Major Cunningham, Lieuts Cross, Bryan, Turnbull, Menteath and Hardie. Capt Cameron owing to his being on duty was unable to attend. We were all glad to meet Hardie on our arrival back from the Canal, and the men of the reinforcements were pleased at being absorbed into the Company, as they were today. They will thus have a chance, some of them, of getting into the first draft at war strength.

An early start was made with packing up. As cooking utensils were required at 7.30 a.m. breakfast also had to be an early affair. The Company moved off at a quarter to nine arriving at Campimento Station about nine oclock. After a wait of 2 hours we entrained about 11 oclock. The other companies Ruahine and Hawkes Bay getting away at 9.30. We arrived at Helmieh Platform at 5.30 and were soon marching back to our old quarters at Zeitoun. Our tents were ready when we reached Camp and our reinforcements helped us with our baggage. The transport of the Australian Infantry Brigade came down to the station and soon shifted our kits and baggage into camp for us.

Company Parade 7.15 a.m. Proceed to Range for Field firing. Carried out 4 practices by Platoons. So far No. 3 appear to have done best. Our orders came out about midday for our move tomorrow. It was a frightfully hot day. Our tents were packed up ready to go this morning so we had no shelter at midday while tonight we bivouac. It is glorious moonlight. We are all keen to see the reinforcements at Zeitoun and no doubt they are keen to see us. The night passed quietly.

Company parade 7.15 a.m. March to Campimento and Company training. The opportunity was taken of practising the field firing practices to be carried out tomorrow. The afternoon was a half holiday devoted to bathing. In the evening all officers dined at Company Headquarters. The dinner was a great credit to the cooks and batmen who took a keen interest in the success of the function. The chief item was a “Queen pudding” which every one enjoyed hugely. We received definite word today that we are to leave tomorrow for our old camp at Zeitoun.

The Company was on parade at 7 a.m. and proceeded to Campimento for Company training at 7.30 a.m. The morning was cool and fresh up to 9 a.m. and then the heat of the sun began to be felt and a species of small sand fly from the swamps began to make things very uncomfortable. We returned to quarters at 11 a.m. and a dip in the Canal soon cooled us all down again. This afternoon 2.30-3.30 p.m. is to be spent in improving trenches. Lieut Aitken is establishing a dressing Station with No.2 Platoon today and comes to stay at Coy Headquarters. [Later, different pen] Lieut Aitken arrived in due course and went to No.2 Platoon, the Store tent being sacrificed for their joint accommodation.

A very cold morning promising a very hot day. Two sea planes passed down the Canal this morning from the direction of Imailia. Midday found the heat fairly great. I hope we are not here in June. The Canal was a pleasant contrast. The work for the day was improving entrenchments and digging roads under cover. There is good moonlight now at night so we were permitted to reduce our outpost groups. Tomorrow we are to do three hours Company drill.