Diary of Frederick William Gadsby Annand, 1916 - Part 1

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Awaiting approval
Accession number:
AWM2016.30.70
Difficulty:

Page 1 / 10

TANUARY, 1916. Saturday, 100 gt of state tho 10 24 cvil inbet tie to finish t Sunday 2 Arowed by transport Sriffolk at Suey Rostster
Monday, 3 Tuesday, 4 TANUARY, 1916. TANUARY, 1916. Wednesday, Thursday, 6 Landed at Sancy & proceived by vail to E1N osin where we arrwere about t fin. Wit by Lier olive of 5 Engos. Baggage to cored on carrels to SERAPEUM on west bank of Son canal. Coy walted we. close & parly left at Lig to bring o vehieles fovd that supper for our afforeess by affis of 5
2 JANUARY, 1016. of hons &I anompanel Friday, Bangadin (Col. F1VE7) & Bre Mgn (21. co 621000 &LCol PRITCHARO Ho reconmot sast of canne & fix site of 3 redoubts to defend pooposed bose. Saturday, 8 TOLLEY &I rove sunt to EEBEL HABEITA to weet 2 Col PRITCHARO CR.t to recomnoitve the proposed deferoive line south of Cibel Haberta. Report of supposed ever patools caused porting of doubble sentures & all hinds sleepng boot &c TANUARY, 1916. Sunday, I kore oe country s. to TEKYE C2 HHBEISHA & pezged the proposed fout line. Beast of Morn Siars Monday, 10 Rove to HUBEISHA worke ban houth, defimitely hegging proposed works or front line & stron point in support Lost my ffountim pou hemie
N TANUARY, 1916. Tuesday, I1 Pegzed remainder section of poposed line up to bEBEL HABEITA Wednesday, 12 Inspecter defennve work mder constrution for post at Bebel Habertn being vore cy ly Klnoven to camp at Tenapimni wern JANUARY, 1916. Thursday, 13. Camp routine & & iispirted parons of our three works at our Divisional base Denver go to cono homorrow to doan coup pay & see about siples horses, batie it equipment to Friday, 14 Left Comp at 6a to proceed to caws. found the brans delayed by a derailment & only left Cin whseen at 12.5. Luticher at Frvailia & arrived at carro at 6 por. Pat up at Natirial Hatel fuent city. freet contrids Splendom & squitor
JANUARY, 1916. pen Saturday, 15 ot chy from pay office & longed at Bank. Inform cash not acailible bill Tuesday could not see commencont Intead Baic. Law about wail. only in wire from dving for me twent to OHE21RA Hspisne see Stonley who was out, dwent to to MENAPRAMID& Sphing went into interior of the reat poarned, Kings &queen's chambers Sunday, 16 Starly came in sosh & hat meat on, went out to Helipoles. Beautiful building Inpesb archibertine Interior Captie Chwrch (Baviliia) betp Lumchenar Nation apter went nto the bynor aegror & bought some presents to send hom Inett Col. Grank at Shiphen continente. Yol me ha BBovlon ontat Meliopale Kuwe Avte Henby stay an camp bal of his leas TANUARY, 1916. Monday, 17 Callid at Brilish ord ne sples be. Liferoed to And. Mt. Base who refersed me to Pet ot sLavis, (Col tiustin). Base sent me to Kemonvit Depot at aboussia re horses. Of mire seferver me to Col Law A0 at the Bose office. Sot baik to sit at 5.30 pr bos late to do any Tuesday, 18 Phote aores 336.t Shapping with shole tnct ot fou e hoves. Of net ed to svew cost & sent g io nome abtercen dent it
T TANUARY 1916 Wednesday, 19 nore shop it sent col boast Thursday, 20 2r Se Col. ha Loott & Stonleys Allowance, (igrs Code staff) o called at Tet el-Lobix wet stanly want Cam Labeatin & Bnherecal Juitl ptoco cetned its tamp. Lept t in from f Leamed that Sapper Spencer of N.1 Section was aniertully drowned cormy came by reft an Monday TANUARY. 1916. Friday, 21 Lent Col Mant calley to see us 30 chorse arrived from British Kemount Depot. frans & Lolle wetuved vor PAB.EC 1A8 E 17A Saturday, 22 Inspected the work being done by Coy fortyfying ceast bank of canil it Seratim bast ordered chalidng on Sunvery
TANUARY, 1916. Sunday, 23 Molidry Anbralian mail aroived. Two letters from wife two from sony one from Geoff & Wellie hore over bunie places of trioks Killed last year, many scrilly & other boves lying about tI much clothing Saw, Col. 7140y at the conssm t men of his Bde shipting send in migger Aboskets suggester eisiry horse scoops + offered to make then. offer accepted by Brigadier. Monday, 24 Mnet Bre Myos & Capta at me ispart. Sugester layn fram racts & running thi I trucks to shipt sand. Tskee us to take it on. Agreed to do so, found a lot of material up the Canal vails thrunks & aron; also a cheap of cape barley & wbeans. Pot a go guantiy canter down. offered to complete the sohaat. offe occepter JANUARY, 1916. 2 Tuesday, 25 J) whnl heand some wod boy stanted & got in brain Brought won & other untene also grain for horss from alo contractors camp uf the caral D. Co Merhen send message at 10 pam asking un to get out at6 an to put apontoon bridge across camed Wednesday, 26 742 go & N. 3 Sect. put pintoon ib ege across canet. atend it working at 12,30 pm. Lot of broops & iransport got over spenceut for ships at Spon. Fost stip to go down apter drawing off the bodge A23 onr tronport Saiffalk.
TANUARY, 1016. HMISdAY, 27, Laid more wood cribtio worked howbout od exter the west ibank wnb called on Bng tie tors Friday 285 Ce teol wert the Prato Brge waking of Contiiluen as whethe whot Iword cutting TANUARY, 1916. Saturday, 29 bvans & I wode ho Bincilia. Wet Prove MClemans at French Club Limcber who met my houffiths at Ho Ars. Had Iea with Griffith & Seneoel Lestie. Labter book in to Sineol Brudewell which said we are past of 20 owrs I will be mived to tevoy gost shoobl Sunday, 30 Loofer lot mert caller. codged mre timber Ihenon is build a &Fo but you Monere out on front live

Front cover - blank - see original document.

 

Inside front cover - see original document

 

Major F.W. G. ANNAND

7th Field Company

Engineers

A.I.F

JANUARY, 1916.

Saturday, 1

Hand Drawn Diagram - see original document 
100 yds of stakes driven
in 1 hr 10 mins 4 men
wire  24 coils barbed
 “        4    “      trench
  “       1     “      plain  128 ties
time 8 men to finish 1½ hrs

Sunday  2

Arrived by transport
Suffolk at Suez Road head
Hand drawn diagram - see original document.
 

 

JANUARY, 1916.

Thursday, 6

Landed at Suez & proceeded by

rail to EIN GOHSEIN where we

arrived about 6 pm. Met by Lieut

Olive of 5th Engrs. Baggage &c carried

on camels to SERAPEUM on west bank 

of Suez Canal. Coy walked over.

Close & party left at Suez to bring on

vehicles.

Good hot supper for our officers by
officers of 5th.

 

JANUARY, 1916.
Friday, 7 Evans & I accompanied

Brigadier (Col. TIVEY) & Bde Major (Lt Col BRIDGES

& Lt Col PRITCHARD to reconnoitre east of

canal & fix site of 3 redoubts to

defend proposed base.

Saturday, 8  TOLLEY & I rode out

to GEBEL HABEITA to meet Lt Col

PRITCHARD C.R.E to reconnoitre the

proposed defensive line south of

Gebel Habeita.

Reports of supposed enemy

patrols caused posting of double

sentries & all hands sleeping in boots &c
JANUARY, 1916.

Sunday, 9 Rode over country S.E.

to TEKYL EL HUBEISHA & pegged the

proposed front line.

Escort of Indian Suwars

Monday, 10  Rode to HUBEISHA &

worked back north, definitely

pegging ∧ sites of proposed works on

front line & strong points

in support.

Lost my fountain pen &

pencil.

 

JANUARY, 1916.

Tuesday, 11

Pegged remainder of

our section of proposed

line up to GEBEL HABEITA

Wednesday, 12

Inspected defensive works

under construction for post

at Gebel Habeita being done

by 5th Fln Coy.
Returned to camp at
Serapium in evening.

JANUARY, 1916.

Thursday, 13   Camp routine

&c & inspected progress

of our shore works at

our Divisional base.

Decided go to Cairo tomorrow

to draw Corps pay & see about

rifles, horses, balance of

equipment &c.

Friday, 14  Left camp at 8 am

to proceed to Cairo. Found that

trains delayed by a derailment &

only left Ein Gohsein at 12.5.

Lunched at Ismailia & arrived

at Cairo at 6 pm. Put up

at Imperial Hotel.

Great city. Great contrasts.

Splendour & squalor.

 

JANUARY, 1916.
Saturday, 15

Got chq from pay office &

lodged at Bank. Informed cash

not available till Tuesday.

Could not see Commandant Intenl

Base. Saw about mails. only a

wire from Doug for me.

Went to GHEZIRA Hospital see Stanley

who was out, went to to MENA PRAMID &

Sphinx. Went into interior of the great

pramid . King’s & queen’s chambers.

Sunday, 16 Stanley came in early &

had great yarn. Went out to Heliopolis.

Beautiful buildings. Superb architecture.

Interior Coptic Church (Basilica) beautiful.

Lunched at National. In afternoon

went into the bazaar region

& bought some presents to send

home.

I met Lt Col. Grant at Shepherds

Continental. Told me Sid

Barlow out at Heliopolis

Racecourse. Asked Stanley

stay our camp bal of his leave - 

JANUARY, 1916.

Monday, 17 Called at British Ord

re rifles &c. Reference to Aust. Int. Base

who referred me to Tel-el-Kebir (Col

Austin). Base sent me to Remount 

Depot at Abaussia re horses. O/C

there referred me to Col. Fair AD.R

at the Base office. Got back to 

Cairo City at 5.30 pm too late to 

do any more.

Tuesday, 18  Photo stores 338 P
62

Shopping with Stanley.

I met Col Fair re hor^ses, O.K.

met Col Frank.

Drew cash & sent QM home

Attended dentist

 

JANUARY, 1916.
Wednesday, 19

More shopping

I met Lieut Col Foott

Thursday, 20  2nd Div, See Col Blainey

Foott & Stanleys allowance (Hqrs Bde Staff) 

Called at Tel-el-Kebir &

met Stanley. Grant, Cam Robertson

& Brig General Jack Forsyth.

Returned to camp. Left

my whip in train.

Learned that Sapper Spencer

of No 1 Section was accidentally 

drowned crossing canal by raft

on Monday.
JANUARY, 1916.

Friday, 21

Lieut Col Martin

called to see us.

30 horses arrived from

British Remount Depot.

Evans & Tolley returned

from GABEL HABEITA

Saturday, 22  Inspected the work

being done by Coy in

fortifying east bank of

canal at Serapium East &

ordered holiday on Sunday.

 

JANUARY, 1916.
Sunday, 23 Holiday.

Australian mail arrived.

Two letters from wife, two from

Doug one from Geoff & Nellie.

Rode over burial places of

Turks Killed last year. Many

sculls & other bones lying about &

much clothing.

Saw Col. TIVEY at the crossing & men of his

Bde shifting sand in nigger baskets.

Suggested using horse scoops & offered

to make them. Offer accepted by Brigadier.

Monday,  24  Met Bde Major & Captain

at the wharf. Suggested laying

tram tracks & running tip-trucks 
to shift sand. Asked us to 

take it on. Agreed to do so. Found

a lot of material up the canal,

rails, tracks & iron; also a heap of

cape barley & beans. Got a good

quantity carted down. offered 

to complete the wharf. Offer

accepted.
JANUARY, 1916.

Thursday, 25 Started on job at

road from wharf. Laid some

tram rails & got infantry started.

Brought iron & other material,

also grain for the horses from old

contractors camp up the canal.

Lt. Col. Martyn sent message

at 10 pm asking us to get out

at 6 am to put pontoon bridge

across canal.

Wednesday, 26  Hd Qrs & No 3 Sect.

put pontoon bridge across canal.

Had it working at 12.30 pm.

Lot of troops & transport got

over. opened it for ships at

3 pm. First ship to go down

after drawing off the bridge

was A 23 our transport

'Suffolk'.

 

JANUARY, 1916.
Thursday,  27. Laid more track

for road cutting.

Worked pontoon.

Commenced extension

of the west bank wharf.

Called on Brig Genl Forsyth.

Friday, 28  5th Engrs took over the

working of the Pontoon Bridge.

Continued with the wharf

& road cutting.
JANUARY, 1916.

Saturday, 29  Evans & I rode to

Ismailia. Met Padre McClemens

at French Club. Lunched there.

Met Major Griffiths at Hd Qrs. Had tea

with Griffiths & General Leslie. Latter

took us to General Brudenell White

who said we are part of 2nd Division

& will be moved to Ferry Post

shortly.

Sunday, 30  Loafed a lot.

Called on Martin &

cadged some timber

& hession  to build a

hut. Found Forsyth &

Horne out on front

line.

 
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