Diary No.4 of Rupert Major Downes, 24 April - 25 July 1916 - Part 8

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
AWM2017.6.202
Difficulty:
4

Page 1 / 11

EHanley aftergoing to 2nd LAH. t tod maft node over tolee cutton akanntary section, Chapman Dis & Greer at Brd Lowland Am Sexond rn bi ambulance convoy sde went on tagain a tnight when io came in who had had one men killed in d Regt during another demonitration at oghration &a section of Ayrshire gund Lenemy plance over in the wening but away quickly was a finesleep atnight. 21.16. Not much change; varioe og officers out & punders enerally, shent much of day bielening to examination 44 weonere & excuse of looking

Hanley after going to 2nd L.H.F.A.
& 1st too. In aft. rode over to see
Sutton at Sanitary section, Chapman
R.T.O. & Greer at 3rd Lowland Amb.
re his ambulance convoy Second First
Bde. went out again at night when
1st came in who had had one man
killed in 2nd Regt during
another demonstration at Oghratina
 a section of Ayrshire guns.
2 enemy planes over in the
evening but away quickly.
Had a fine sleep at night.
22.7.16. Not much change; various
G.H.Q. officers out & joyriders
generally; spent much of
day listening to examination
of prisoners excuse of looking

 

out for cholera which is said to
be raging in Syria but they have
heard nothing of it. Another
8 were captured during the day,
= total 18 all but 1 who was a camel despatch
rider giving themselves up & the
former got bushed. First lot of
5 had deserted at El Mazar &
came in to the W. & said 35 to 40
were following them; one was a
gunner onbashi or corporal &
on a Sgt. Major signaller at
H.Q. of a regiment (= our brigade).
The other part of 7 were brought
in near Es Sagia bytheir Sgt.
a fine intelligent looking
Albanian. Was surprised to
find how intelligent, bright &

 

civilised looking some of them were
- different to previous experience
of them.  They consisted of Albanians,
Bulgarian & Roumelian refugees,
a policeman, a dragoman at Russian
embassy who knew lived near
where Whittle the interpreter used
to live do so. All looked tired but pretty
fit & strong but their clothes
were a bit ragged and boots were
few. Some were cunning &
clever looking blackguards
but some pretty thick headed
but all wore the most delighted
looks imaginable at the fact
of being out of it: some hated
the German officers 5 of whom
are each battn & 1 each battery 

 

but they say they get on well  
the soldiers. Learnt that 2
more divisions, 19th & which
have been lost for a long time
are following on & 1 battn of
Germans & 2 of Austrians; all
stick to it that attack is to be
made on ROMANI in 8-10 days
time: they live on well water &
some hard biscuits they shewed 
us - big round oatmeal like
things & v. hard which they
seem to be v. sick up. They
have about 40 bullocks each 
battn & so have meat at intervals
& a captured despatch says they
have already up up close to
us supplies up to 28th - their e

 

transport is wonderful. They say
that the Germans are bringing
al 6" howitzer too. 2nd Bde. came
in in evening & 1st went out.
All have been in continuous
touch scrapping the outposts 
ever since they turned up - no
casualties to us. Went over to
1st L.H.F.A in a.m. & in aft. after
lie down rode round to see
3 R.M.O's. of 1st Bde. to see if they
had their stretcher bearers &
blanket stretchers all right,
then to R.T.O. & had a jump on flat.
Had to work a bit in evening.
Sent Hanley in to Hill 40 for
some clean clothes & c. Lots
of new troops & guns coming in

 

& posts which were largely non
existent or weak on the S. side
are being fixed up: there is a
feeling of delighted expectancy
amongst all our people especially
as we seem to be likely to be
outnumbered a bit. We are in a
peculiar position however
as a mounted division for we
are very close to the front
line of posts & though no doubt
when the shew starts we'll
up & out somewhere, yet I'd
not be surprised if we got back
out of this before that if
they only wait for a few days
more. An enemy plane over
us but it scooted hard when

 

shelled & chased by our battle
plane.
23.7.16. Sunday. Scrap in a.m. between
enemy plane & our battle plane
waiting for him - no result probably.
Weather which has been cool now
jolly hot as breeze dropped.
Wrote this diary, which had no
right to be here, up to date.
Loafed round for most of morning
& slept a little in aft. & then
rode over to see R.M.Os. of 2nd Bde
& Croll. Worked a bit in p.m.
24.7.16. Rode down to S. Genl 
Brown, & Walsh to have a lookout
from a sand dune which was
a devil of a climb & puffed me.
El Odi was name of Hod just to N.

 

of it. In aft. rode over to 3rd
Lowland Amb. to see McIntosh & had
a long yarn & tea there. Had a
jump as yesterday aft. over some
sand bag defences on the flat.
& back to camp. Bullant turned
up & told us was going to Ballybunion
One killed & 2 wounded in a demonstration
today: 1 killed & 1 wounded previously.
25.7.16. Got D. 81 yesterday back
from France. German plane while
at breakfast dropped message close
to us thanking us for warning re
their hospital at El Atshan &
stating that they could not recognise
ours & so would we put
Red Cross flag on ground: sounds
like some bombing coming but

 

very civil of them if they dont
intend to bomb the hospitals when
they can see them. Rode over to
R.flying corps & had talk officer
there & found out what a disadvantage
we are at compared Germans whose
machines are so much better, we
having nothing to touch a Fokker.
We are beginning to wonder now if
the Turks do really mean to come
on as there is no sign of more than
a division of them & they are entrenched
well at Oghratina. Two German
planes over us this a.m. who
must have done a good recconnaissance.
Did a little work in
aft. & read & tried to sleep.
Listened to 3 prisoners being

 

interrogated and found that Cholera
stories were probably true &
that there was some in the civilians
at Beersheba but the troops were
not allowed near i them.
This diary which seemed likely
to be more warlike than the
last has not been very much
so but the next if written
will probably have plenty of
it & near the beginning too.
Sending this by McKee to Maclive
to keep out of the way.
Cheer on dearest.

 

3 DRL 518
Australian
War Memorial 

Last edited by:
Jacqueline KennedyJacqueline Kennedy
Last edited on:

Last updated: