Diary of Frederick Phillimore Howell-Price, 1918 - Part 3
APRIL 1918
SUNDAY 14
Arrived Salem 1000. Had
cup tea on arrival at
house. Plenty of work
waiting in the office.
Got it all away. Over
to w'shops after lunch.
Warned Norton probably
have to go to Ludd shortly
Hardy out. Notice that
some of Indian Cavalry
arriving shortly. Warned
S.S.O. YeoDiv to see about
the necessary rations.
Letter from Gen'l Chauvel
re sub's to Monument
at Jerusalem.
Man to replace Barrass
arrived today.
APRIL 1918
MONDAY 15
Fair amount of odds & ends
to do in the office. Ordered
2 Officers Yeodiv to proceed
Kantara Base Depot also
Thomson 7th Mtd Train. Over
to w'shops after lunch to
see about things in general,
Dickenson in from Jericho,
also Whitty from Ausdiv.
Had them to lunch. Then
left for the Train. Col Farr
got the D.S.O. at last. G Trew
C.M.G. Looking up. All the
Staff soon be decorated
Saw Gen. T. ref. extra. t'port
for Yeodiv owing to increase
in personnel & horses of
Indians.
APRIL 1918
TUESDAY 16
Sent letter to D.A & Q.M.G.
asking for 17 extra G.S.
wagons & necessary Dr's
and animals for Indian
regt's. Over to work shops.
No 6 to go to Ludd soon
as possible. Orders out
today. Saw Gen T as to why
had not gone thro' this
office. More trouble.
Advised Yeodiv Train ref
arrival of Indians.
Rothschild arrived in
village today Great fuss
made by locals. Three
officers ordered to move
yesterday have left for
Kantara
APRIL 1918
WEDNESDAY 17
Over to w'shops see about
Norton going. Will be
O.K. Am asking to keep him
until 20th. Plenty of repairs
required now. Yeodiv with
5 cars. Conference on tonight
tomorrow instead of tonight
Hear all are moving out
Jericho way. Good to be doing
something. Saw Coates re
Charters & "C" Martial. No
evidence. Suggest he be
asked to transfer. Appl'n
for transfer, of Wesley
from ausdiv Should go
thro' "A." Nearly all outstanding
requisitions
fixed up now, by Anzacs.
APRIL 1918
THURSDAY 18
Orders for more of Ausdiv
to Taalet Ed Dumm area
received. Others to follow
when ready. Plenty of work
ahead. Good job. Conference
at 1800 @ "Q". Corps takes
over XXth area. Rotten place
we go to T.ed D.
Get our 3 Divs I.C.C. I.S.C.B. &
I.S.S.B. Take about 220 lorries
to do it. Will want an S.M.T.O.
etc. thank goodness.
Probably take over Bivvys
& Staff. Hope so.
APRIL 1918
FRIDAY 19
Conference with D.S.T. off.
Saw Gen T. ref various items
Austdiv to draw proper Iron R.
before leaving Deiran.
Wired for Butters & men @
Belat hand over any details
to Yeodiv & report to own
Units. Rang up A.D.S.T. XXth Corps,
ref dump @ Taalat Ed D. No
reply so far.
Leave on W'day morning
with Gen.T. close office down
this place. Men all packing
up. Stuff goes @ 0700 Sunday
also nearly all the men,
3rd Bde to Deiran
APRIL 1918
SATURDAY 20
Across to G.H.Q. see Col. B.
Getting 4 Coys Lorries Nos.
347 (90L) 1038, 1039, 907 (60ea)
Total 270 all Peerless. also
A.MTO. probably Major Leard &
adjt Lt Dowd Also 7200
camels & two D.I.C.T.C.'s Corps
based on Jerusalem.
Going start Corps dump
at Jericho. Alroe to be in
charge, Errol to forward
on from Jerusalem. Hope
to get in a reserve. Ausdiv
moved Deiran today. Some
to tea. Out to Harlass to
dinner with Young & others.
Very nice. Wire Pitfield
returning today. 3rd Bde
to Latrun today. Butler
goes to Junction.
APRIL 1918
SUNDAY 21
All baggage & men away by
tractor. Fearful load. Will
have to reduce a great deal
in next camp. Ausdiv
move Latrun today. 3rd
Bde to Enab, Up to see Gen. T.
talk over things. Cut camels
down to 6,600. Very short. Will
have to manage. Leave at 12 noon
with the General for Jer. Conf
there @ 1500. Wired Ausdiv
and Anzacs ref. supplying
issuers etc. Latter are bucking
Taking Robins in S'beam
tomorrow. 5th M.R. Unit
has to move to Jerusalem.
Hardy to come across early
tomorrow. Wired Ausdiv
leave their men with Alroe at
Jer.
APRIL 1918
MONDAY 22
Left Deiran at 1200 with
Gen T. & various others.
Arrived Jerusalem for
conference XXth Corps
at 1500. Are to take over
tomorrow afternoon
3 M.T. Coys. & 1 (B) Coy Camels
On to Camp site for Corps
Hqrs. Rotten place. No
rations arrived & no
petrol. Gellibrand
slipped. In to Depot get
some. Williamson did
not feel inclined to
issue it at all. Silly ass.
APRIL 1918
TUESDAY 23
Back at 0100. Pretty
tired. Down to Jericho
with Gen. T. see Anzac
dump and arrange for
taking it over. Did so.
Will take Alroe down
tomorrow. Also arranged
for 7 men ea. Ausdiv &
Anzac Trains to run
Same. Errol to do the
Jerusalem end of it and
will have a rotten job.
APRIL 1918
Saturday 27
Conference with Gen T.
& rep's from Divisions.
After that to Jericho
pick site for a forward
Supply Depot. Plenty of
room. Gen. T. arranging
for Admn. Hqrs, go into
house in Jericho for operations.
Area C'dant to fix up. Also
Camp sites for trains near
Depot & water. Trains carry
from Depot to S.N. Thence
camels to the troops. Had
bit of lunch with Alroe then
saw Maunder & Lore ref.
handing over Depot Units,
Lore objected strongly, so
gave him letter signed for
O.C. A.A.S.C. in E. They hand
over from tomorrow afternoon.
Stayed in at night
doing office stuff.
APRIL 1918
SUNDAY 28
Up to Jer. left at 0500
Saw Errol & lorries l'ing
Great shortage of labor.
Back for breakfast. Took
morning in camp. Pretty
busy. Down to Jericho
in afternoon. Alroe
& men working very
hard. Long hours and
dusty.
APRIL 1918
MONDAY 29
Adm. Hqr's moved to
Jordan today into
Hotel Jordan. Seems
alright, but a bit lively.
Down to Jericho depot,
got stocks from Alroe,
Up to Jerusalem,
arranged for extras to
come to make up to
2 days mobile 2 days
Mob. issued to Ausdiv &
Anzacs. New Depot opens
tomorrow. All O.K. Alroe
ready to go down with
his staff. Gen T. seems
quite satisfied.
Same tomorrow at
0500 to Anzacs, & at
0630 to Ausdiv 2 days
for Camels, & all troops
APRIL 1918
TUESDAY 30
Over to Depots, Camels
loading, 2 days for
Troops in front. Anzacs
& Ausdiv Anzacs clear
by 0800. Fearful lot
of Traffic 60 Div Train
all over the place.
Dump shelled. Had to
move it further back.
60 Train Idian Reg
Bde " across tonight
Rest still waiting
orders. Lorries fearfully
mixed up. Will come
right later on Gen T.
getting very panicky
Col. back about
the 7th
Opened adv dump today.
MAY 1918
WEDNESDAY 1
Down to dumps, ll O.K.
Different reports every
hour of day. Cut down
convoy a lot. Only require
mostly haystuffs. A lot
req'd for Armies, Ordance etc
Turks gave us a great
S\surprise. Captured 4th F. Amb
& 9 guns & do not know
what else. MG. T'n' D.HQ anzacs,
4th Bde, 60 Div. I.S. Cav Bde
all out tonight. Four days
rations for most of the
troops in hand. Cut out
most stuff except hay,
& tibben. Eat down
some of stock.
MAY 1918
THURSDAY 2
Walker out early look
for Dead Sea Fleet. Have
not drawn rations from
us so far. Turks shelling
hard this morning.
New car coming for
C.R.E. Wire too late for
Errol. Had got Anzac
convoy away. Bad luck.
Must cancel tomorrow.
60 Div Train crossing @
1400. plus W'ton rifles.
IS Cav cross at 1730 today.
More S. to come, Can
look after them alright.
Walker to Jerusalem
to see about several
things & explain to Errol
what is required Asked
A.D.A.S. connect Alroe
by phone.
MAY 1918
FRIDAY 3
New Bde down at 0500.
Lorries thundering past, Jacko
giving our chaps a rough
time of it. All coming back
to a closer line of defence
tonight. Rotten luck, but
they are too strong. Pretty
busy day all round with
plenty of changes. Genl Davis
down today. Seemed quite
satisfied. Buckland got
it in the neck. Started to
load pack horses but
put off owing to retirements.
All going well so far, with
the supply part. Hope it
continues.
MAY 1918
SATURDAY 4
Orders out for troops to
withdraw to this side of
Jordan holding bridgehead
only. Moved forward dump
back. Kept the men up all
night, but done. All are
working splendidly. All
camels back to their
original camps from other
side. Various arguments
with Buckland. Wire
saying Col. S. arriving back
on 6th. Might have stayed
away a little longer.
MAY 1918
SUNDAY 5
All troops back. No indents
Just working on A.I.S. 30's.
Rations on camels to
Units lines to be
issued as S.E.R. or
Iron. Will then be all
clear. Car for Col. O.K.
Will not give us the
Vauxhall. Arranged that
Ausdiv use wheels one
day camels the next
Ought to work out O.K.
Arranged for troops coming
up to carry our rations
for issue Taalat ed Dumm.
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