The Road to Chunuk Bair » Campimento

Wednesday 24th February 1915

lynley — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:00:21 +0000

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.

Tuesday 23rd February 1915

lynley — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 23:00:37 +0000

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.

Wednesday 3rd February 1915

lynley — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 23:00:51 +0000

Between midnight and 1 a.m. we were awakened twice by heavy bursts of firing from the direction of El Kubri post. Men were quickly in their trenches on the look out for a likely target, but again we saw nothing. At 9 a.m. the Company marched to Campimento siding. Nos 2 & 3 platoons and 23 men of No 1 under Lieut Turnbull proceeded to Port Tewfik Base depot where we relieved the Ceylon P.R. Corps who were doing garrison duty. We arrived about 4 p.m. and in quick time the 5 guards scattered over all parts of Suez were quickly relieved and the rest of the men settled into the base depot. We had great difficulty in getting our kits and rations down, some coming by steamer others by train but eventually all were landed and distributed to the different guards at 11 p.m. It rained heavily for several hours during the night and we were thankful to be in comfortable quarters for the night. The base depot for the Suez Defence troops is situated at the termination of the main Railway at Port Tewfik and is close to the docks. We are actually in the quarantine station Bldgs. The officers have beds with mattresses and there is ample bath room and washing accommodation.

Tuesday 2nd February 1915

lynley — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:00:43 +0000

Today we finished a new trench on the South side of Gare 152. It was a windy day and the dust was very unpleasant. At 7.30 pm. orders came out that we were to move tomorrow. Otago Battalion taking over our trenches. 129 men & 4 officers of our Company proceed to Suez as Garrison, the remainder are to be in reserve at Campimento. We tossed with Hawkes Bay for the job at Suez and won. Last night there was a small affair at El Kubri Post with firing intermittently for an hour or more.