Diary of Oberlin Herbert Gray, January to May 1915 - Part 3

All the Arab horses are lovely
creatures - glossy coats - rather short
bodies - ears standing erect & tails
outstretched - very pretty seeing them
going across the desert - Also
camels with good load on - Swinging
gait - Arab perched on top - There are
five carriages, pr of horses & they
travel pretty fast, with a good swing.
A great many are stallions - Mules are
used a great deal drawing the waggons
etc.  Went out to some old ruins near
Helio. till it got dark & wandered about
admiring the many styles of architecture
Found the American Mission. A sweet
old lady there, with a flowing cap-
Reading & Writting room - & lunch & drinks
for 1 or 2 piastres - had a nice Service &
singing - the nicest since I left Tassy -
went round the Streets till 9.15
12  Warm day went for walk over
desert towards hills in afternoon
troops practising shooting & signalling -
Came back to tea - 4 of our chaps
CB for 3 days for being absent from
camp - Tyler got shik & got reported again
Clearing up Camp all morning - went
for a walk in aft over desert among the
trenches - troops practising shooting & signalling -
Went into Heliopolis at night -
across golf links, had a look at some
lovely houses - & a big temple on a mound
on one wall was a carving - an elephant
fighting a tiger dragon - a man with
Sword on one side & another elephant
on other - posted stones to McMay went
to American Mission & had nice Service.
Soldiers Brotherhood - Missioner from Zeithon
& his Scothch wife - very nice people - Had
some supper & retd to Camp. Got earache
Met other chaps - got some p.cs. -
13  Someone took our meat & bread &
some clothing from the Mess Shed - Had
to  buy our bread for breakfast & eggs &
butter - cleared up - bad earache.
In afternoon cleaning up mess room
Evening went into Heliopolis, saw
Sergeant & Bamford - Hear Greece
had joined in & sent 4000 to front -
3000 Aust casualties reported
from Suez - Had chat with
lady at American Mission - A sweet
woman - told me of her experiences
in Austria with her daughter
at the outbreak of war, - just got
out into Italy in time before
frontier was closed - & took boat to
Alexandria - Southey sick
in Hospital -
14 Wed.  In morn cleaned up -
Afternoon drew rations - 1 lb
Bread [[?]] - 3/4 lb vegetables 1/2 lb
meat - 3 lbs wood - tea & sugar -
& 6 day from Egypt govt. - Austn
mail comes in - Reported in Aust
papers Victoria that Runic was sunk.
glorious senset - over desert -
dull day - went over to Eng Barr.
Had a look at Camels in Camel
Corps & guns & mortars 1872
[*Incorrect*]

Route March to.morrow, So went to
Lecture on Turkish Army by Dr Kennedy
19 yrs in Turkey - Eng mission - he
was a prisoner 6 wks got released by
friend in Turk. Army - his wife is
still in Turkey - he had been in 2 Turk
massacres - In 1882 the Eng. occupy
Egypt - The British try to uplift
the people whose country they occupy
Turks are tax gatherers instead of
spending money on improvements -
Have been about 6 massacres a Century
The Country has gradually gone backwards
Turks occupied since 1200 - Turks
were 2 tribes - from Highlands East of
Caspian - Turkestan - First tribe
Salutes - took service under the Sahalins
& were soon Masters - 1098 The first
Crusades to deliver the Holy land from
the Turks - 1320? Mongol invasion
of Asia Minor - Ottoman tribe helped
Saluts - were given land & in time
became Masters - They crossed over
into Europe 1326 Adrianople taken,
Balkan States were conquered -
Mohammedan jurisprudence - Christians
were bound to pay tribute.  Turks
needed recruits to hold Country -
tribute was payment of best of Sons.
to Moslems - came to 40 000 a
year - called Janissories - Had to
fight their own people - Hatred
of Turks - 1453 Turks took
Constantinople - King
Constantine heard Christian
Service for the last time - next
day Turk Army attacked - The
Janissories drove Irregulars - Bas
Bazonks before them & took walls
over their dead bodies - City
fell - given to Soldiers for 3 days
richest city in World - Moslem
Services since held 1620 Tribute
ceased. - 1683 First great defeat
at Vienna - Defeat after defeat
followed - Turk Army is conscript
all Ottomans are liable - Turks
are a blundering lot. Conscript
3 yrs reserve 3 yrs - second reserve 6 -
then till 45.  pay 3/4 month.
Aug to Oct. great Mobilization -
German Officers - 500 000 added
Constantinople 200 000 Bagdad 150 000
Caucasus 200 000 Damascus 150 000
Smyrna 50,000 - ½ trained -
Bribery - Corruption Avarice &
persecution rampant.
turned in early
15 Thurs  breakfast - xxxxx xxxxx
xxxx - got ready for March - No
bread only couple biscuits & tin of paste
Fell in 9.30 joined in with other
companies & marched NE. past
Heliopolis -. Warm - dusty - past
power stations - Kept on for 2 hrs -
with one or two stops - lot of Arabs
followed - drinks - cigs - oranges
etc -

only 14 AMC went, some stayed behind
to cook - dispensary rations etc
Had lunch - turned back 12.30 &
with 2 or 3 stops reached camp
before 3 PM - Had good appetite for
tea - hot stew - retired early -
YMCA helping institution in camp
16 Ap.  Aust Mail - Saw an AM&Co p.c. also
Tas Mail. 10 Feb. got no letters - new
arrangement about rations xxxxx xxxx xxxx
xxxxxxx x x xxxx xxxxxx - Stew dinner -
expected to be paid - every one broke -
Shifted tents - Our tent split into 4
others - I went in with Tyler & some
chaps who have been here a long
time.  In afternoon went for a walk
out over trenches to old native Cemetery
Troops practising & shooting - Looked
about & found some fossils of shells & bits of
diff. stone - natives working close to old Cemetery
New graves dug - 20 - Some only 4 ft-5 deep -
got back to Camp 4.30 - Had tea 5.30.
Went to Heliopolis after - wandered about
& lost my way among Arab Shops. etc
Streets running into one one another
Had lemon & retd Camp - Saw E Lord.
Fine buildings in Helio.  Arab guide reckons
war will last 2 mths - America losing
trade & will intervene?  Rockefeller
Carnegie &c pull slopes?
17 April  One of chaps from Runic died of
Smallpox hear we are to move to Zeitoun
& Camp is isolated -.
9 paraded to Aspinall to get paid -
got 50 P.T.
Bought Silk scarfs. xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxx xxxx
In afternoon went out with Nicholls to
get rations - got wood in morn & rest in
aft. for 2 days - many mules used - all
carry a feed of lucerne with them -
Have to bargain with Egyptns - got silk hdkf
in evening & note book - Aft. troops
examined by Drs & large. no. revaccinated
3 or 4 cases of Smallpox. - Helped with vacc.
etc till 5.30 - All other chaps gone
to town - 8 or 10 left in Camp to tea.
I went in to Heliopolis after tea - went to
Amern Mission & P.O. sent scarf to
Clare & K Burcham.  Had supper, to G.P.O.
went round streets - xxxxxx xxxx xx xxx
off by xxxx xxxxxx x xx xxxx xxxxxxxxx  xxxxx
xxxxx xxxxx xx xxxxx xxxx xx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx.
Came back across desert at 9.30. Smith
had been to Cairo with Green hired 2 horses
for 2/- hr - went to Mena, retd 6 & couldn't
find stable so took them to Police Stn -
Green broke bank when came back
came in with 250 - Joseph & others went to
Pyramids. xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxx
xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxx xxx
18  Went round to Convalescent Camp
had to take patient round to Helio
Hospital - but car round to Dispensary
failed to find man so let car go. Waited
at Dispens for another car to go to Eng.
Barracks Hospital - had dinner -
got passes & no letters from Hd Qrs -
Went back to Con Cp - met motor

Had trip in to AMC Hosp. & then into
Helio across desert - Fine building made
splendidly apptd - Aust. Nurses - Had
look round town & walked back
After tea went to YMCA tent &
walk home - YM Sing Song - & short
talk from Chaplain - xxxx xx xxxxx
xxx  One chap I spoke had brought
£150 with him 6 mths ago & did it all in
Shifting camp to-morrow -
19 Apr.  busy day after breakfast
camp struck - tents rolled up
Kits packed & ASC waggons passing
to & fro Zeitoun all day - Helped
get together & look after things.  After
dinner got things out near Nth end
of lines - Helped shift & get dispens.
on waggon - I was one of baggage
guard - Stoxxx xxxxxx xxxx xx Cairo
Rxxxxxx Aust xx xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxx
is about xx xxxxxxx xxxxxx Brtitish
to xxxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxx
in xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx ist
of warrant xxx on xxxxx xxxx xxxxxxxon
ax xxx xxxxx xxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxx Egypt
xxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxrs
Stretchers others losing sight & others
xxx xxxxxxxxxx had to wait till 5.00
before could get waggons - got big
waggon 4 miles. put all stuff on
3 of us went with it - rest
followed after - arrived at
after
Zeitoun passing thro Heliopolis
long string of baggage waggons -
7 30 camped - pitched tents
& cooks got tea - dirty place
20  Nothing much to do all day - Only
bread & tea for break - Curry Stew
for dinner & bread & jam for tea - Not
good sanitary arrangements - Went
into Heliopolis after tea - had Supper at
American Mission. - coffee & cakes -
got some small coins at money changers
looked at shops & p.cards - met AMC chaps
in Silk merchants had look at beaut
Silks, Kimonos, fans, jewellery etc -
Wonder how Arabs live, they wander
about - play games dominoes chess etc
outside Cafe's - xxxxx xxxxxxxx xx xxxxx xxx
Mxxxxx - xxxxxx xxxxx - xxxx xxxxxx  -
Convales Home 6 AMC going to Eng in 10 days
very busy at hospital - xxxxx xxx xx xx xxxxxx
with xxx xxx xx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxxx about
xxxxx xxx xxxx xxxxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxx xxxx xxxxx -  Had to put tent up
in morning near Dispensary,
21  Other tents already moved - AMC had
to move - xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx xxxxxx
ground.  After dinner had leave 2 30
walked into Heliopolis - Caught car - ½ PT
to Cairo - Best tramways System in World
run like train - Swift Smooth - Arabs
Greeks Frch etc in car - through poor
& rich quarters to Centre of Cairo
near Esbekieh Gardens - went in
& called at Brit Cafe. xxxxxxxxxxxx

Went thro' fire Stn & through dirty
smelly streets - native water sellers -
cows, or goats being driven along to
be milked - vendors of cakes & shoe
cleaners by score - past Savoy Hotel
found way to Museum - No time to go
in - So went past Kais el Nil Barr
Arabs trying to play football - across
Kaisa el Nil Bridge - fine bridge.
2 big bears at W. end - tourist
taking snaps - French women - very
pretty but got up with paint & jewellery
& French poodle - beaut carriages
& horses - Saw flight of cranes?
(long necks) a big V each bird keep
exactly same dist apart - On
Round Is. about 2 m. long - conn.
to Cairo by 2 bridges walked thro'
lovely gardens, tall date palms -
about foot thro' & same width all way
up. boats all way along moored
to bank. gardens gay with Eng. flowers
creepers - masses of blossom -
trees purple-blossom - lawns - Some
ancient carvings in granite - fine
drive & golf links - walked back -
into gardens on left. Fch - Arabs
Egypt &c people - met well educated
Egyptian - studying Geog & Eng.
talked to him - he had been to
Manchester 2 yrs - Studying Engr.
Spoke English well.  When passed
Exams was going -
into Soudan - Spoke highly of Lord
Cromer's rule in Egypt, Lord Gorst had not
been so well liked - Retd to Cairo - Saw
Son of Sultan & his Steam yacht on
Shore of Is.  Sultans residence just opposite
Made appt. for Sunday at 2 PM - walked
round streets - Saw crowd waiting outside
Shepherds (largest hotel) to see Prime
Minister of Greece Veniselo - Had Supper at
Brit Cafe' - retd to Camp with RAMC men
Splendid train ride - express - Sultan
had been riding round Heliopolis & Cairo
that day - everywhere greeted with Silence
Man who had attempted his life was
hung to-day - tired after walking
across desert to Camp.
22 - In morning on duty - in Dispens.
dressing vaccination arabs - took
parties down to Doctor - party for Hospitn
xxxxxxxxxxxxx - Dinner Stew & tea
water is not as good as Abbassia - In
afternoon went to Dispensary - had a
shower, good, bit cold - Very dusty -
Walked out of camp & along towards Hehnich
Station - private villas lovely gardens
apricots trees mulberries vines lemons,
bananas - Many mud walls & stone
houses - houses of mud bricks - irrigation
ripe barley - green lucerne, maize - marrows
& other plants camels going along road
(use Coopers Camel dip) also long haired
sheep - persian cats etc along
past railway Stn Hehnich - many red
fez's in it - arab women & kiddies - went
up street in Mataria - kiddies very fair

skins - past Post Office

A scene at Mataria 2 waterwheels being
driven by oxen, donkey standing in
shadow of wall - 2 camels drinking
at trough - Arab women & children lying
about - oxen blindfolded - Egypt oxen
lying about - water drawn up by
little buckets on wheel from well far
below - green moss on sides - Channels
trading water off to parts required.
I also went into garden of Obelisk
Hotel - bananas hanging in big bunches
on trees long shady leaves, dk marone
flowers - well 40 ft deep - fringed maiden
hair fern - native drawing up water
in bucket weighted with Stone at
other end & emptying into Stone trough
man blind one eye - many such - beaut
flowers - red roses - golden roses etc - went along
street ←blind with 2 water wheels at far
end - old man sitting down, 2 ox going
round - camel feeding near - drank
of water & thought of Jacob - cool depths
fields close by, primitive plow diagram - see original document
Boy spoke Eng slight - officers
house near? - that village - past
mud banks, old remains of Nile floods -
group of camels resting - 2 baby camels - field
of barley etc & trees, stretching in all
directions - another well with camel blindfolded
- E. oxen, through the crops to Obelisk -
passed 3 tourists on donkeys - arab running
behind - avenues of mulberries - ripe
no taste - Obelisk about 60 ft. Suppose
to have been in the centre of
the ancient City of Om - old
Heliopolis - Stands about 60 ft -
From excavations Supposed to have
about 150 ft below ground, fenced
in - stone well - granite - on W. side
worn about 10 ft up - (water?) On every
side carving up to top - as clear as
4000 years ago. crane - key of nile -
scarabs - ears of corn etc - A Sister to
Cleopatras Needle - & a third one in New
York - intensely interesting - walled
village to North - Nile had covered
place with strata after strata of mud -
Saw it in one of cuttings.  Met Banford
& others with donkeys - 3 AMC walked out
w. camera. Retd with them - thro' Mataria
past Obelisk Hotel - they had been to
Virgins tree, passed troop of Lt. horsemen
Arabs playing games - many walls of mud
bricks - dried up water course.  Rubbish
tip outside Camp - crowd of Arab kids
& sheep hunting amon refuse - Aftn tea
walked into Heliopolis with 3 AMC - left them
& watched pictures - at 2 cafes, met Ray
Smith, walked back round about way
23. Took breakfast Grant 2 days quod 4 days
CB, late out - Tanner & Emmett late
7 days CB. - I was R Orderly - eggs & bread came
breakfast.  I went to Dead City for walk
10 min across desert - old Heliopolis -
went round walled in house & garden -
diagram - see original document  long wall - ancient looking -
thick - in places repaired mud bricks
lovely garden within & flat topped house
Signaller on top of it.  Went round
other side & came on old excavation

works - Many squads of troops drilling on
desert - party of signallers - hunted
about among many excavations of
tombs & vaults 3000 or 4000 yrs old
Most of them ½ filled up again - many
small holes - &c made in trying for
graves - Some up to 12 ft deep, many bones
skull arm leg bones etc lying about
bits of pottery etc. went down into
some of the graves - nothing of any value
left xx Natives look out for that -
Wandered about - watched chaps
digging with spades - they had found
a grave, one showed me where
to find some beeds - sorted some out
from sand - came out of deep vault.
got a little figure from an arab - picked
up some teeth - stayed till 11 30
retd to dinner - Curry & tea. Went
over to Obelisk with others through streets
of Matarich & round past police station
the Waili district - irrigation. lovely
(xxxxxxxx xxx xxxxx) country - gate
of lovely garden where the Virgins tree
grows, Mary rested under it
when she flight to Egypt - Close
by saw Arab in blue dress walking
beside donkey - woman riding
on with small child in front claspg
basket with duck in - donkey's
foal walking beside, went along
to Obelisk, calling to see wells
on way - Saw Arab praying
rising & prostrating himself -
turned towards East.
plowing just done - Camel working
wheel - Retd for tea - wealth
of flowers - Words have to be ready
at ¼ hrs notice ^to move - Went over
to Cemetery with Ridgell & Ludbrook
had look round & retd. after a
talk retired to Bed. -
24 Sat  Reveille at 5.30 breakfast
at 6.15 (or 7) &
parade 7.30.  I went over to the
Dead City with Green - took a
spade & scrapped about - dug in
one or two opened graves - found
nothing - most graves go down &
then tunnel at each end - I
was down one 12 ft deep.  Stoned
in - another had arched roof -
lots of bones - found good many
beads & teeth - scrapping about with
mans thigh bones - got 2 good ancient knee
caps - a party with picks & spades
digging out a grave - Ostrich farms
is the walled in garden near
Camp - got scarab for 2 P.T. Chap
found green ornament - retd at 11.30
dinner - reported at dispensary for
afternoon - good many out patients
turned out doctors tent - Hot tea at
6 after Davis - Missed drink tea -
Stubbings went in to Mena on car
after tea. I went in to Heliopolis
with Smith - Had ^lemon drink at

bar - then pudding & ice cream
at Lions in Heliopolis - xxxxx -
xxxxxxx - round to American Miss
& did some writing - very homey
place, piano - 2 nice ladies - back
to camp across desert Mrs Robertson & Miss S
Sunday 25.  Received Orders
1^st 2^nd & 3^rd Field Ambulance
to go to Heliopolis Hospital to day - got
ready after breakfast - Car came out
for baggage - Stubbings went Cook.
Vincent made Corporal - 4 Cars
came about 9 & take us to 1^st Aust
Gen Hospital - the Palace Hotel -
Losack - another object - the pointers &
go back to Zeitoun.  We are given
bunks by Corp Gordon - Orderly Corp - &
get our things away - Dinner -
best for weeks - All get leave for
afternoon except Self & Lynch - I was
nursing orderly till 8 PM - had to look
after patients etc - tea 5. PM. got leave
& went round for walk.  American
Mission met Miss Stephen, who asked
me if I knew OG. Gray - Oh yes, a bit.
She is a great friend of Aunt E's
& is a Friend.  Had to be in at
Hospital by 10 & to bed - had a
mattress on the Stone floor - One
of Runic chaps in same room -
Miss S. is going to Y.M. & will see
Aunt E.
Monday. 26  Rise at 6.  parade at
6 30 after washing & cleaning up
Then told off for general ward duties
with another chap in A1 Ward -
He is from WD & OH Wills - getting 2 30
annum as indent clerk - being paid
full while away - Carnaghan is
in ward, he went to day - One
xxx chap from Penguin Tas - very ill
Meningitis - another 11 wks ill from
pneumonia etc - going back to
Australia - Losack told me of a
chap he knew at the Citadel taking
£30 of Stores - a good deal of stuff
is taken & sold outside - Very
busy all day, looking after
patients getting meals - cleaning
windows baths etc., had a
cup of coffee in morning & aft.
Mess down stairs - fall in
at 8 30. break 7 45 - 8.30 dinner
12 - 12 45. tea 4.45 - 5.15 -
off at 6. - have leave till
10 & then have to bee in rooms
or dire penalties.
Tues. 27  Parade 6. very strict about
it - anyone a minute late paraded
Go upstairs & get sweeping douse
Six AMC return to Aust. with a
batch of medically unfit - Breakfast
at 7.45 - steak & coffe bread
& butter - Busy all day looking
after patients etc -, xxx xxxx

xxxx xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxx xx xxxxx
xxxxxx xxxx xxxxxxx x xxxxx xxx xxx
xxxx xx x - My mate. off at 5. I
had to wash up etc & got off at
6 30 had to wait for pass till 7.
At pictures - "Sad story of a wife
deserted then burnt in fire at
theatre & final reunion with her
blind lover" - Some of the officers
go about with very lovely girls - they
are usually got up to the minute
Went round with some of our chaps
& round to Mission - had chat,
with Miss Stephens about friends
She is going to Gen Mtg in a fort.
Very tired - home early -
Wed 28.  Just up in time 6 30 - tired
& not too good.  I was picked
to go to Luna Park the Isolation Hospital
to help shift to new premises at
the "Club Recreatif" - Went round
in motors just as we were from Parade
at 6 30 - nice morning - Short run
to Luna Park & then got busy
taking beds (made of wickerwork)
from the Skating Rink round
to the Club. which is used as
a grandstand for the Sultan to
watch the racing - We piled the
beds into the cars & some of us
went round & took them out &
carried them up a spiral flight
of stairs with landings abt 20 ft.
to next floor big room with 2
smaller rooms, & big semicircular
piazza which took 2 rows of beds
came back in cars to breakfast, then
returned & busy all morning carting
mattresses pillows patients & belongings
to new hospital, about 6 cars on
job - one given by a Miss Weatherby.
they are fine cars, & the drivers
are very efficient - Took one lot of
mattresses round & then had to bring
them back & take beds & ticks already
in wards - the beds were all
round upper story of rink - about
250 ft long - Then patients went first
those who could walk - measles etc & then
4 of us, stretcher bearers had to carry
the others down to cars - & another batch
took them out & to their beds.  Cars kept
us going - 3 cars - 2 in car - we were
busy till after 3 when we had got
all Kits etc away - Couldn't go back
to dinner, but when finished Q.M.
got sardines & salmon - bread & jam &
butter from Store & the Cook had some
good tea made - Then got all stores
on to cars, & tables, forms, soiled linen
etc - A local man had a squad of
Arabs & got to work cleaning out & scrub
floor - The Captain gave us 10 f. to get drinks
& after wards 4 cars went round & two of
us had a lemonade - Then returned to
Hospital - Had a wash & paraded
upstairs where we were under Corporal
Gordon - 2 trains expected at 7 30
& 9 - We marched out to Station