Diary of Cyril Strahan Parry - Part 11

186
Serapeum Rail Head to-day. They went
out East a few days ago & are now
Bringing back with them 30 Turkish
Prisoners & 1 Austrian officer of Engineers.
This is the result of a Scrap about 50
miles out. The enemy were digging a well
& were suprised by our men & only 2
got away. Several big ships went North
late this afternoon. The first was the 
Orient Liner '' Oroova'' with troops, the
next was a Supply ship, then a dutch
liner with her name painted all over her
& Electric Signs Etc. proclaiming the
fact that she was a neutral & the fourth
was a tramp. the ships seem to make
a point of going through late in the
afternoon, just as though there is a 
special time table laid down for them.
187
Each ship has a Guard on board which

they pick up at one end of the Canal & drop

at the other.  Even the small fishing boats

in the Canal Lakes are not allowed out

unless with a Guard. All the small craft

such as River boats & Motor Launches

are armed with Machine Guns. & quick

firers for use along the Canal. There is a 

Hospital Ship that makes the daily trips to all

Canal Ports in the vicinity & takes the 

patients back to the Hospital at Ismalia

She is a flat bottomed stern wheeler with

3 decks & red Crosses all over her.
16.4.16 Sunday
Have nothing at all to do to day as we

have run out of cash & are just waiting

to go up to Cairo in the morning.
Spittal has gone over to the trenches to get  

188 

some snapshots if he has a chance.

This morning we tried some indoor

snaps inside the hut. It is very hot

here today so we don't mind having

nothing to do. Today I have arranged

to have a Guard put on my hut tomorrow

morning & to remain there till

I return from Cairo, then I will have a 

double Guard put on, on account of

having so much cash with me.
17.4.16.  Left. Terry Post for Ishmalia

Station at 9am by motor & took

Spittal arrived at Cairo 2 pm.
At the office all the afternoon. Went to a 

Cinema with Wickham in the evening.

18.4.16  Counting cash all the morning.
at the office all the afternoon.
Uncle Alf came in to dinner & 
 189 

stayed the evening.

19.4.16 Wednesday.

Left Cairo at 11am. with Cash. Had a 

reserved carriage joined at the Cairo Stn

with 2 other Cashiers, who left us at Tel-el-Hebir.

Had dinner on Board & arrived at 
Ismalia at 2pm. Met at train by motor

& went to Terry Post Command paying

at 3pm & by 7.30 had dispersed of

nearly £20,000-0-0.

20.4.16. Thursday.
Paying [[?aily ]] all day.

21.4.16 Friday.
No hot Cross Buns today, in fact there

was nothing to suggest it was ''Good

Friday'' except a few Church

Services none I which went to. 

190

22.4.16 Saturday

S.S. Vernon & Sgt Reid of the A.P.C. came

in to see me also Lt. Bourke of the 3/Inf.

Enemy aeroplanes came over today and

dropped bombs on the Kantara & then retired.

23.4.16 Sunday

Today it is exceptionally hot & oppressive

& am very thankful I haven't to do any

hard work. There is a terrific din going

on all day as the troops are having

a 'Grenade School" nearby.

24.4.16 Monday

The Turks attacked today with a mixed

force of 4000 including German &

Austrian Troops with Artillery. They

came S.W. from Katra & first encountered 

the British Yeomanry east of

Kantara, 3 squadrons of Yeomanry

were cut up after having been

191
 surprised. Reinforcements came up &

Turks retired in our direction only to be

cut up by 5th L Horse. & a few Yeomanry

Turks then retired East.

25.4.16 Tuesday "Anzac Day"

Church Services were the order of the

morning & in the afternoon Sports were

held in the Canal under the management

of the 15th Infantry Brigade.

26.4.16 Wed.

Turkish planes about, & Turkish Troops

reported withdrawn.

27.4.16 Thursday.

Had a swim in the Canal this

morning with Members of D.H. I. Staff.

28.4.16 Friday

Busy all day getting in Requisition for 

cash in connection with the Pay next week 

192
29.4.16. Saturday
Turks reported to be inforce at Several
points along the Canal even as far South as
Suez. Very little traffic along Canal 
saisd said to be due to enemy aircraft
Port Said having a bad time from
Bombs. Nothing doing in the office.
30.4.16 Sunday.
In the office all day. Very hot.
1.5.16 Monday.
Left for Cairo at 9.15 by Motor arrived
Insmalia 10.am & got to Cairo 2 pm.
At office all the afternoon.
Spittal & I had a meal on the Train
from a tin of pineapples & half a cake
mother sent me, & jolly good it was too.
2.5.16 Tuesday
193
Counting £28000-0-0 all day at the Bank.
3.5.16 Wed.
Left Cairo 11 am (Same proceedings as on 19.4.16)
4.5.16   Still Paying.
5.5.16}    Busy collecting the Acq.
6  ''    }    Rolls & Balances of the
7  ''    }    last Pay & doing
8  ''    }    Imprest account.       
9.5.16 Tuesday
Left for Cairo by 10am train with
all the Pay Rolls of the Div.
While we were at the Station an Egyptian
Band entertained us with Tunes that
were hardly recognizeable. They marched
to the station Playing a "german"
March, then a few National Airs
including "Tipperary" which took us
quite a long time to decide whether it

194
was a Rag , the British or French
National Anthem or something classical.
In the midst of this a train load of sick
Egyptian Troops came in, Poor Beggars
They could hardly walk, many couldn't
some had to be dragged, while each
had to carry his few belongings in a 
Bundle on his back. They were just like
animals, no heart at all, & had to be
driven. It seemed cruel but I quite
understand knowing the natives as I
do now. Arrived in Cairo just in time to
find the Pay Corps packing up to go to
England. Squared up my [[aft?]] & went to
York House & here met "Bill" Collins
10.5.16 Wed
Pay Corps left at 9am. I left for the 
Canal at 11 am & returned to Ferry Post
195
about 4.30pm. "bill" Collins cam down
in the Train with us. uncle Fred came
in to see me last night, Monday night
also Stan Laurence & they both had some
of the Maters Cake. They are both in the
54^th Battery F.D.
12.5.16 Friday
went to Cairo by afternoon train.
13.5.16 At office & counting cash
at Bank.
14.5.16 Sunday At York House
15.5.16 Monday Returned to Ferry
Port & Paid Troops. While in Cairo this 
time I stayed at the National Hotel
as there was no room at York House.
Saw Uncle Alf on the Saturday afternoon.

196
16.5.16} Exceptionally hot days & most
17.5.16} of us were "Out to it" at the
18.5.16} "Front Line" water was at a 
premium & as much as 16 P.T per
Bottle is said to have been paid for it
& a very poor sample for water at that.
19.5.16} Very busy trying to get in
20.5.16} my Acquittance Rolls from
21.5.16} the Units. All of which seemed
22.5.16} very loath to send them in. The
delay they caused has caused me
to be 3 days late in going to Cairo & then
some thousands of pounds worth of rolls
were still outstanding so I had to  go
to Cairo without them. This delay 
has been their own undoing, as owing
to not being able to collect all rolls till my
return from Cairo, it is too late to make
 Photo/Picture - see orginal document.

197
another payment before they leave for
France, Much to their inconvenience
They suffer, not me.
24.5.16} At Cairo Saw Col. Fair
25.5.16} after his return from
26.5.16 } France. Made the necessary 
arrangements for the changing of money
at Alexandria & also for a supply of 
Cash the other side.
27.5.16} At Ferry Post doing very
28.5.16} little.
29.5.16 Spittal goes to Cairo to get £1000
just to see us out till we go. Our 8th
Brigade moved out of Camp this
morning for Moasear (just next of
Ismalia, where they will remain for a
few days before leaving for France
the 150th Brigade of the 53 Div (Welsh)
are coming in now to take their places.

AWM2017,725.1
79/6

8
Distance between Direction Isp
Nth Keeling is about 15 miles
W.J & Cable Station on Direction Island
NTH.
KEELING.
IS
diagram - see original document

2.
On the evening of the 8th November (SUnday) just
before dusk the peopl on Direction Island
saw a strange warship with 4 funnels come
up over the horizon, cruise around for a
while & disappear as she had come
Again next morning just after sunrise she
again appeared & while all were watching
her & endeavouring to make out what she
was , her "after" funnel was noticed to
"wobble" & then drop overboard. The cruiser
then came towards the Entrance of the Harbour)
(To the west of direction Is.) & sent ashore a 
steam pinnace & 2 cutters full of German
sailors armed with rifles and maxum guns.
It was at this point that the wireless
operator sent the message "S.O.S. - S.O.S.
Strange Warship at Entrance of Harbour

3
that was picked up by us that morning
The Sydney was immediately despatched
at full speed in a South Westerly direction
& in a few minutes signalled "Enemy in
sight" (as she carried 8.6" guns against 
the Emden's 12-4" guns) advanced to
within her own range & turned North & fired
a "Salvo" which fell too far, the second
fell short & this having formed a "Bracket"
Her third one hit the Emden. The enemy
endeavoured to sail up close but the
Sydney kept her distance & continued
shelling her. A shot from the Sydney
put out of action the "after" gun of the
Emden & blew the guns crew (7) into the
sea. Another shot hit the centre funnel
& it toppled over & lay across the deck,
the next funnel fell soon afterwards.