The Road to Chunuk Bair » Cairo

Saturday 6th March 1915

lynley — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:00:13 +0000

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

Sunday 28th February 1915

lynley — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:00:20 +0000

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.

Saturday 27th February 1915

lynley — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 23:00:59 +0000

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.

Tuesday 16th February 1915

lynley — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:00:38 +0000

Definite orders arrived for our move tomorrow. We go to the West Bank of Canal above Khubri. A great part of the day was taken up with orderly room. The men who were found in Suez received 10 days detention each. Fortunately we were able to send them all away to Abbassia barracks today so that they receive the additional punishment of being returned to the base. It was an unexpected move so far as the detention men were concerned, and it will serve as an excellent example to the rest of the men. Lieut Turnbull left for Cairo by 7 a.m. train in charge of Turkish prisoners including the officer (bimbashi) who was captured at Tor. He returned by midnight train.

Saturday 13th February 1915

lynley — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 23:00:59 +0000

About midday word was received that we were to supply a guard of 3 officers and 45 men to take 104 prisoners from the Minerva and escort them by train to Cairo. The Minerva was expected to arrive at the docks about 3 p.m. All details were arranged and the officers detailed were very pleased at the immediate prospect of a night in Cairo and a visit to their various belongings. However at 4 p.m. this arrangement was cancelled as the prisoners were to be kept here for examination by the Intelligence officers. The escort were greatly disappointed at losing their trip to Cairo, one subaltern having lost his Saturday afternoon off as well with sundry pleasant invitations which he had previously accepted. The prisoners were disembarked at 4 p.m. and taken over by our escort under Lieut Turnbull. They were a very motley crew. Mostly Arabs in rags and of all ages from boys of 14 to old men of 60. Their weapons were like themselves. Old swords, jezails, and obsolete single loaders. One man had a double barreled Shot gun. Many had no arms or equipment. The Ghurkas had done a smart piece of work. Landing at midnight they had marched 10 miles surrounded the enemy and attacking at daybreak. After a sharp engagement had bagged the whole of the enemy, killing 60 mostly Turks. The Ghurkas loss was 1 killed and 1 wounded. Several wounded Arabs were also landed. The prisoners will probably be sent on to Cairo after being interrogated, going in small batches. One Turkish officer of the rank of Bimbashi was also taken. He is quartered near us with an armed guard over him. The prisoners are a wretched uncared for looking lot and there hardly appeared to be a decent fighting man amongst the whole crowd of them. Probably the Ghurkas finished what there were. There were two companies of the 7^th Ghurkas engaged.

Monday 8th February 1915

lynley — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:00:44 +0000

The day passed quietly in ordinary routine. The men’s Kit Bags arrived from Zeitoun and also a New Zealand mail which we were all very pleased to get. We heard that the aeroplane went out forty miles and reported that they could find no traces of the Turks. We are all wondering what this signifies. Since arriving at the Canal we are under very strict censorship regulations so it may be some time before this portion of the Diary reaches Regtl. Headquarters at Wanganui. It is rather a pity it should have to be kept until it is stale. We got rid of three of our prisoners by sending them to Cairo, the escort came down especially from Cairo to fetch them.

Sunday 7th February 1915

lynley — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:00:25 +0000

If it were not for the diary and the increased activity of the parsons one would not recognize Sunday in this country. We had a short service under Padre Green. About 11 a.m. two more prisoners arrived from the 2^nd 7^th Ghurkas. They were miserable looking creatures and seemed glad enough to be out of trouble. Prisoners are a damned nuisance to us, I hope they dont send many more. 2 p.m. Just got word that the 7^th Ghurkas are sending along another prisoner. I shall have to tell the Ghurkas not to take any more prisoners. They arrive under an escort usually of one man per prisoner with a corporal and file to spare. The Ghurkas take no chances each prisoner has a stout rope round his waist which his escort holds, the prisoner walking in front. The Ghurka always has his Kukri handy which he would require very little provocation to use. I don’t think I would attempt escape from a Ghurka escort. We expect definite instructions any moment to send the prisoners by rail to Cairo, and we shall not regret losing them. The ones that came in today were well clothed, had a bag full of big hard biscuit cakes, plenty of ammunition, and one man rejoiced in the possession of a pair of pyjamas (white.) A chuckle of mirth went round the Ghurka escort when these were sorted out in the operation of checking the stuff handed over.

Wednesday 23rd December 1914

lynley — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 23:00:51 +0000

March to Cairo past the G.O.C Sir John Maxwell. Inspection by him of N.Z. Division. A long march through the narrow native streets and quarters of The Mousky. Long time at the slope. Many amusing incidents en route. Much leg weariness. Halt 20 minutes for lunch then off back again. Men very tired and dusty. Glad to get back to camp at 4 p.m.

Sunday 20th December 1914

lynley — Sat, 19 Dec 2009 23:00:21 +0000

Reveille 5a.m. Breakfast 5.45a.m. Parade 6.30

2 oz[?]. Ball Amm[?]. A great scramble to get onto Battalion Parade. The notorious Jones parades blind drunk with his trousers wet and has to be shoved into Guard Room. Battalion moves off in column of bumps and companies rush for places in the train. Everyone gets aboard and 15 minutes sees us at Cairo. Company is sized in two ranks at once by impromptu method on Brigadiers’ order. Finally parade moves off. We are to line the streets on the occasion of the procession of the New Sultan from the palace to Abden Square to hear the proclamation of the protectorate read. We lined the streets and saw the procession. The Egyptian Cavalry are showy troops. Mounted on fine Arabs with brilliant blue and gold uniforms they make a brilliant picture. The Sultan looked old and worn. The G.O.C in Egypt Sir John Maxwell followed. We marched back to Camp after the procession had passed arriving at 1p.m. very ready for Sundays dinner. Our mess is now in full going order and is a great satisfaction. We are all pleased to have been present at what one might call the annexation of Egypt. It is an historical event.

Friday 4th December 1914

lynley — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:00:59 +0000

Fatigues finished cargo. 10.45. Orders received to entrain by 11.45. Great rush but entraining carried out. Departure postponed till 2p.m. Return to ship for lunch. Train left 2.15. 1 Coy Aust. & Engineers also Ruahine Coy. Major Cunningham in charge of train. Arrived Cairo at 8p.m. Changed trains. Great confusion of baggage owing to misinstruction given to R.T.O. All baggage got aboard by piling in carriages through windows &c.

Left Cairo 9p.m. and landed Helmieh siding at 10p.m. Go.C present when train arrived. Moved off for Camp about 10.30. No transport men carry kits taken from pile. Arrived camp 11p.m. Found Battalion area Bivouac. Kits safely sorted under friendly camp. Night cold. Men Cheerful. Rations plentiful. Showing wisdom of having issued two days supplies to the men. Ruahine had trouble owing to their rations being in bulk and being with the heavy baggage. No transport obtainable. We are camped on the edge of the desert.