Loose page diary of Clarence Herbert Dakin, 15 August 1915 - 12 March 1916, Part 9
33
Australia Hill
Arabia
Feb 5 1916.
Had an urgent Telegram from Dick Tomlinson
to see him in Cairo but was refused leave.
All our men (13) went to the Gun School (Zetoun) today
for a course lasting 3 weeks. 80 5th Rein. arrived
today. Taken on 28 men for the reserve
Section.
Wed. 2.
Half Holiday to day. So Sgt. Rentoul & myself
broke bounds & walked into Ferry Post a
distance of 6 miles over the sand we got in
their & bought bread & other things at the
canteen there & carried them back arriving
in a pretty tired condition.
34
7.2.16
To day we have moved
again this time we only
had to shift camp
about ½ mile round the
hill. that is. A & B Coys with
all the details & C & D Coys
have taken up a position
beyond the 17th Some 2 miles
distant we have made
another attempt on our
Mess making a fourth try
we hope this will be a
successful one
35
Wednesday. 16.2.16
Everything has been very quiet. About a week
ago we marched over to Railhead where our
Black Bags a were we were then allowed to
take anything we required leaving our black
bags behind. I put the box containing
the 18lb. shell case & curios from Gallipolli which
I intended to post but did not get the opportunity
to do so. We see a great lot of our
Aeroplanes. flying out of over our position
They report a fair number of Turkish patrols.
moving about. Leave is now being granted.
& I am down for Sunday we are only allowed.
24 hours. which is not very much to get to Cairo in
We had a heavy shower of rain with some hail
today. Our Mess is doing pretty well now
so that we are living pretty well. We are
busy now instructing our reserve. To day we heard
some very good news. The Brigade M. guns are being
formed into a Company. with 6 Officers 8 Sgts & so
on. apart from that each Batt. will have
4 Lewis guns. Also an Officer & Sgt. & men from the corp.
the Sgt. being one of our pts.
Our Batt. is busy digging trenches out in front of
us. it is rather a difficult job on account of
the loose sand, but they are making a splendid
job. as they are supporting the front of the trench
with lattice work & rush mats. making a
very fine trench.
36
21.2.16
Just arrived back from Cairo after
having a days leave left camp on Saturday
night & slept at Ferry post. proceeded to Cairo
in the morning It was a splendid trip the
country as usual looking so beautifully green as
far as one could see. left Ismalia at 6 a.m.
& arrived at Cairo at 9.30. then started to enjoy
oursevels first we met a couple of chums
walked round Cairo a while then had a
good Dinner & then went out to the pyramids
After leaving the tram just at Mena House.
we each hired a donkey for 5 pt. it was great
fun & we enjoyed it to the full racing about
on these donks. Inspected the pyramids &
Sphinx, they are truly wonderful & well worth
visiting, it is also a very fine trip out in
the tram, the line passes over a splendid
bridge which spans the Nile after doing this
trip we paid a visit to the Kursaal
that is the Tivoli of Cairo they have a fairly
good show. We are hearing great rumours
about us going to Mesapotamia also that
we are soon to be split up into 2 Batt.
Machine guns are to be formed into a Bgde
Coy & the Battallions will each have 4
Lewis guns under a separate M.g C.
Sunday
5.3.16
Am now in at the Hqs. Machine G. School
at Ismalia for a 5 day refresher course this course
being for the Coy. OC. & Coy S.M. of the M.G. Coy's.
The 5th Brigade are moving to a camp the other side
of Ismalia where the 2nd Div. is concetrating, it is
said for the purpose of moving to France. they are pushing
ahead quickly with the Musketry at Kanimbla Valley
& the 20th will be moving on Tuesday. the N.Z. Mounted
rifles are releiving us, Our Maxims are being sent in to
day & Vickers guns taken in place. We are still
having heavy winds making it very dusty indeed.
A big lot of comforts arrived at camp yesterday.
there was a great lot of stuff.
The Bn. are getting Mack lV rifles & sending all the
old one in about time, for the majority of them
were condemed before we left Sydney with them
& they have done a lot of firing since then
37
10.3.16
In camp now at a place called Moaskan
a lump of the desert just outside of Ismalia.
The Brigade arrived here last Tuesday I only came
in yesterday from G.H.Q. M.G. school down in
Ismalia where we had a splendid time for the
5 days we were there under Maj Charters we were there
for a refresher course, it consisted mostly of Tactical
work. Only the Coy O.Cs & C S.ms. were there of the
different M. gun Coys in Egypt.
Our Coy is formed now, & we are away from our Bns.
We have got our Vickers guns. the Maxims being sent
into store. We have all been armed with the
H.V. Rifle & had to give our old rifles in.
Everybody is of the opinion that we are off to France
shortly, everything points that way. On the other hand
it may be Persian Gulf or Mesapotamia, it is
said that we are leaving here in a day or two
for Tel-el-Kebir again, where we are to be re-equipped
We were releived out at Australia Hill by N.Z troops.
Our First Div. has all been split up each Bn. being
made into 2. our Bn. is not splitting that is why
we are told we are going straight to France.
They have now done away with 2nd in Comand of Bns.
& Coys. also with Sig. & Transport officers
At present having very windy weather. The dust being
really awful.
Egypt &
Gallipoli 15-8-15 to
12.3.16
38
Sunday. 12.3.16
After Church Parade. Lieut Gen Birdwood spoke
to all of us. saying what a fine lot the
5th Brigade were etc. He said that we would
not see him again until we met in France.
where He was proceeding in 2 or 3 days & we would
follow a few days later So that all our
rumours we have been getting lately were fairly
correct. the 7th Brig. is off first then the 5th.
The 2nd Div. are going first. We were rather
unfortunate in leaving Australia Hill so soon
as a party of the Enemy attacked just where the
19th Bn. were that is just on the right of where
we were. the N.Z. troops are there
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