Lieutenant Colonel William McKenzie, MC, OBE - Diary - 1914 - 1917 - Part 2

18
which schooner they stole & escaped.
The "Empress of Asia" [[monited?]] around
on the look out for her, but
we did not hear the result yet.
Previous to our going the New Zealand
ships with our No 1 & No 3 lines left
ahead of us en route for Aden.
We overhauled them, all reached
Aden at 6 A.M. on Wednesday 12 hours
ahead of the other 2 lines.
Planted competitive Compy [[?]]
1^st RCCO on Satdy night a fine success
Sunday services as usual. The Dean
gave a xx 40 minutes discourse on
Isaiah & tacked on the present War.
On friday morning early we learned
that one of the boats bumped into
another ("Shropshire") & knocked two
men overboard, they were however
ultimately picked up. The leading
warship hurried back to ascertain
the cause & I guess there will be a
reprimand for someone. It
was the Benella that picked up the 2
men from the Indian Ocean.
Aden is a barren & desolate looking
place with a large harbour protected
by two huge headland Mountains
that runs up into sharp jagged
peaks & between these runs a
low sandy beach semicircular
in form, far out in the distance
is a range of Mountains in
Arabia & away across the
other side of the Gulf can be
19
seen the Mountains of Africa.
We left Aden on Friday morning
after gazing long at its red tiled
soldiers Barracks on one side
& the Camel Markets away
further in, one is not impressed
with its desiribility for a
lengthy residence there.
We passed into the red sea &
found the weather rather
trying. We had arranged
for sports for Satdy, but
these were postponed on a/c
of the heat. Word came thro'
on Satdy aftn that the Austn's
had to be landed in Cairo -
Egypt for training and other
purposes. Thus we had to set too &
pack, Sunday's Ch Parade was abandoned.
A number of Indian transports
in addition to Warships & other
merchantmen lay at anchor
in Aden Harbour while we were
there. Indeed there were over 60
ships all told. . . . 
We passed "Mt Sinai" on Monday
about noon & entered into the Gulf
of Suez on Tuesday morning.
The Scots celebrated St Andrews
Day (Nov 30th) by a dinner. It
was a rather lively affair.
Took prayers in 6 separate places
on tues morning. Dead sick.
We anchored at Suez for 9 hours &
then set off thro the Canal.

20
The Canal is closely guarded at
present with 15,000 troops (chiefly
Indians) [[("?"]] are in Garrison
at Port Said, which place we reached
at 12 noon, the Port was exceptionally
busy with Warships, Troopships and
other Merchantmen & Colliers.
The German Prisoners were transferred 
from the Orvieto  &
N.Z. ships to the "Hampshire"

which cruiser took them home

to England for safe keeping.

We coaled here & about 7pm

set sail for Alexandria which

place we reached at 10am on

Thursday morning.  The berthing of

the ship was a clever piece of

work.  An Egyptian Pilot was

on board & took the ship into

the Berth where we were much

cramped for room The disembarking 
began after dinner

& the first train load got away
in the evening & another late

at night. One train left at 10am

on Friday, another at 2pm.

We wait patiently for the final

three of our men deserted on Thursday

evening, but only got away about

250 yards when they were caught

& brought back. The sick were

removed from the ship & taken

in Ambulance Vans to the British

Hospital at Alexandria 3/12/14

A crowd of N.Z. Troops broke away

from 2 ships last night & bolted 

21

into the city from the flagship (Maunganui 

& "Athenie". A N.Z. Doctor (Lieut) broke

his neck in performing a shallow dive.

The Harbour at Alexandria is fairly

extensive. It is largely artificial,

protected by a long & solid to 

breakwater which was much

damaged by a very heavy storm 

on friday last Nov 28^th. They

have extensive piers & are building

several others. I was anxious

to view the City but was unable

to obtain leave. It rained considerably 
& my luggage got a 

soaking.  Captn Greene of N.Z. paid

me a visit today, 4/12/14.

We disembarked our troops on Thu,

Friday & Satdy. H Qrtrs staff including 
myself left on Satdy morning

at 8.30 a.m. after breakfasting for 

the last time on the ship. Had a

hearty goodbye from Capt Douglas

& also Commander Cayley R.N. who

was in command of 2^nd Division

(line of transports). Our train was

a heavy one & almost too much

for the engine which crawled along

for the first few miles stopping on

4 occasions (dead) owing to lack of

steam power & slippery rails, thro' the

rain. However, after the 1^st hour

we made fair headway getting

into Cairo; (190 miles) at 3.30, taking

6 hours to complete the journey.

We passed thro' most interesting &

picturesque country, all the way

22

seeing many cities, villages and

intensely cultivated lands on either

side with a fine system of irrigation

& a great variety of crops including 
wheat, maize, lucerne, Rice,

cotton & green feed, with many sorts

of vegetables, cabbages that eclipse

the colonial product in size & fairly

bursting their side with glad laughter

over their own prosperous condition

Celery that grows rank & good

while the Date palms yield a rich

crop of that luscious fattening fruit.

Then the watermelons possess

hearts of bright scarlet that will

entice even a fool to spend a 

sixpence on them. We had much

to do after detraining, on unloading

baggage & ammunition. We also

lined up in Companies and filed from

an improvised Canteen, when each

unit received a small loaf & hunk

of cheese, & a hot mug of cocoa &

this was greatly relished by the

men especially the rich cocoa.

We subsequently marched into one

of the main thoroughfares, where

we boarded trains & started on

our eight miles journey to our

camp at Mena, under the shadow 

of the large pyramid. The camp

is situated on the ^Nth West side of the

Pyramids, on the edge of the Sahara 
Desert. In a natural

flat basin protected on the

Eastern side by an extensive 

23

headland of limestone Rock & stretching 
away to the West is rising ridges

of sand with no green vegetation

to relieve the eyes. It was dark

when we arrived at Mena & had

over a mile to walk, ultimately

after much stumbling in the dark

we reached the newly erected mess

tent & enjoyed our first dinner.

A couple of blankets were issued to me

& I dossed in the sand with all

my clothes on & great coat likewise

still we felt fearfully cold from

3 to 6-30 a.m. There is a very great

difference in the temperature of

midday & midnight. Very heavy

dews fall each night & these

make the top coverings quite

wet if we sleep out. The sand

is feet deep in the Camp. It is not

supposed to rain on average

about twice a year here & yet

it rained on five three occasions

during the first five days in Camp.

The men have dug holes in the

sand and sleep in there, many have

laced their waterproof sheets

together & erected miniature shelters

under which 2 or more sleep

others have erected small frames

of wooden saplings & nailed planks

over them under which several

sleep close together.  Some of these

look like blackfellows Mia Mias.

It is a pleasant to witness 

a sunrise as it comes creeping

 24

over the rise on the east side of

the Pyramid. Each morning at day

break we can see a few xxx Bedouin

Arabs who sit crouched on the

crest of the distant hills, evidently

spying on the doings of the Camp. They

disappear as the sun gets over the

ridge. Our numbers & doings must

be a source of wonder and astonishment 
to them, & doubtless they

have passed on the information to

the Arabs in the Deserts & also to

the Turks massed in Palestine. The

sights around the Pyramids are

full of interest from a historical

and archaeological standpoint and

certainly a source of wonder to

us all. These sights are being visited

by a very large number daily.

The Camp keeps increasing in size

daily as more of the Aust troops

& horses arrive & more tents are

being erected.

The 4th Battalion went out for

their first route march on Tuesday

Dec 8^th led by the Major (MacNaughten)

who made the pace rather hot at

times we were away two hours on

the hard road all the time & did

something like 6 miles in all. I

joined in the march. Another

route march was led by the Colonel

across the Desert & eventually

around by the Pyramids where

we halted for 5 minutes by the

"Sphinx" for everyone to get a good

view of this lady. 

25
The feeding of the troops is a formidable  

contract in itself & certainly

not effected without friction and

grumbling by the men. The Australians

do not appreciate being reduced

from the Commonwealth scale of

rations to the British scale.

There are about 150 patients in the

Mena Hospital at present & quite

a few more in the field hospital

which is controlled by male nurses.

All the female nurses being at the

main Mena Hospital.

These I have visited already several times.

On Monday Dec 14^th the troops

started training in earnest.

The 4^th Battln going some three

miles or more out into the 

Desert starting at 5.15 a.m. &

headed by the piper playing "The

Blue Bonnets over the Border

the pace was a "cracker", the 

Major being in the lead, shortly

after we got ½ way out the morning

being hot, we all perspired most

freely & the troops began to

drop out. The final ¼ mile was

up a fairly steep pinch of

rubble & sand & this finished

many of them & many also fell

out exhausted. I had to return

immediately after reaching the

final spot back to the Camp

with a bugler who fainted.

Picking up others on the way,

we marched back to camp. The

Bugler on a stretcher, kindly

supplied by Dr Kane.

26

There are over 200 patients now

in the Mena Hospital & these

take some visiting.  Besides there

are quite a few patients in the

field hospitals. The Chaplain

has evolved a system of visitation

in order to save over lapping.

I had a good look around the

Pyramids & went down in to the

tomb chambers, there were 9 of

them in one Pyramid. It was a

trying hot dusty choaking

experience. Some of the journey

was down slopes of 45 degrees

& maybe 50. I had to crawl up

on hands & feet as the passage

in places was so low & steep,

besides being slippery.

Three victims have fallen from

the Pyramids, one broke his

skull & another his spine.

The stately ruins of the Great

Sphinx Temple are wonderful. Great

granite blocks & pillars up some

96 feet by 6x6 ft & all beautifully

polished & dressed & some of

the great blocks of sandstone, lime

stone etc are of immense proportions

& well worth inspecting. The

great blocks too, of alabaster

in the roof & floor area are wonderful.

Limestone is translucent

tho' not transparent. There are

Pyramid ruins covering many

acres of land in this limestone
27

ridge & many of these have been

covered with sand blown by the

winds. The enormousness of these

places have been opened up by

Archaeologists. An American Compy
are now at work & have been
for years, they have a lease of a
fairly large section of ground &
they are making some striking discoveries
last week they struck a mummy
sitting in a crouching position with
his hand clasped around his knees
& his head resting on his knees.
I learn with interest that the Army
Service Corps is cooking their
bread in the same oven that
Napoleon's troops cooked in over
100 years ago. Napoleon (then) had
a big battle near the Pyramids
in 1804 with the Mamelukes 
Mahomet Muhammad-Ali being the leader.
On friday morning Dec 18^th I
assisted the Dean of Sydney to bury
"Myles Cox" of Woy Woy N.S.W. a
Private of E Company 4^th Battln
who succumbed to Pneumonia (a
2^nd attack. His brother Bert died
in  Alexandria 6 days before from
the same complaint. They were
brothers indeed their affection
for each other was remarkable.
They were both engaged to 2 sisters
Another young man- Jeffries was
also in the Hospital with a poisoned
hand, he was the brothers great friend

28
& also engaged to another of the

sisters. A Father & his 2 daughters
mourn the loss.
I spent the Aft'n in Cairo, I had
a drive round the native Qrt
there was much to interest but
the filth & smells were awful
I had lunch at "Shepheard's" the
flashest & most [[Tory?]] Hotel in
the City, dined at the Y.M.C.A
after attending a chaplain's
conference in the C.M.S. Hall
then had another drive round
some parts of Cairo, finally
went into some dark lanes on foot
& there found some awful hell holes
out of which I dragged & ordered
well on for 100 men troops.)
some in a deplorable state. I had
them taken into the well lit streets
sent off to Camp. The tram took
1¼ hours to get out to Mena. I
learned that there are 3,000 of
British, 5000 of French, 17,000
Italians & 20,000 Greeks in Cairo
out of the 700,000 population.
The prostitutuon [[?]] is terrible
& the Egyptians are trying their best
to fleece the troops as indeed all
the buisness people.
I had a large Church Parade on
Sunday morning (Presbtyn) in front
of our own lines. This was somewhat
interfered with by the marching
past of troops & playing of bands.
29
I marched out on tuesday morning
with the troops. It was a long trail
& the men were awfully tired when
they got back at 12 p.m.
Dec 22^nd The 2^nd Battln had a great
uproar this night when 60 men
were roped down, a number also,
tried to break camp at 1 am. when
the Sentry called on them to halt
& they would not he fired & they
swiftly came back at the double.
We had some Carol Singers going at
night on Xmas Eve. and at 5 Am
a couple of the bands started to
play carols- "Hark the herald angels sing"
"Christians awake" "Adeste Fidelis"
etc. We held a monster Church Parade
on Xmas morning at 9 a.m.
All the men were given a great Xmas
dinner, besides beer & cigars. We also
had a royal time of feasting in the
Officers mess Turkey & Plum pudding
I afterwards journeyed in to Cairo
to meet Col Unsworth from London
where we spent the evening together
Also in company with Captn Green
N.Z. The Col & Captn came out to
Mena next day & I took them around
the Pyramids & Sphnix where we
had our photo taken mounted on
camels we rode then down from
the sphnix to Mena House.
A lot of the men broke Camp over
Xmas & failed to turn up for
some time, & some for days.
 

 30

Sunday 29 ^th
I preached the Sermon this morning
had about 1,600 present. Wrote

letters in the aftn. Met Col [[Haswood]]
at 5 pm. show him round the
camp & introduced him to the officers
of the 3^rd Battln who were greatly
pleased with his vivid a/c of
the condition of things in England
He gave a very fine address at
the Y.M.C.A. tent 2^nd Brigade on
Sunday night. I conducted the
Service. The crowd of men gave
him a great cheering at the close-
I journeyed in to Cairo on Monday
had lunch at "Shepheard's." Got
very foorsore & tired tramping around
the streets for 3 or 4 hours. I
met Unsworth & Green at the Y.M.C.A.
we went to Shepheards, where we
spent 1½ hours with Hon.[[?]] M^c[[Keys]]
from N.Z. & I shook hands
with Sir John Maxwell (Genl in Comm)
at the Continental I likewise saw
Sir Geo. Reid; We dined at teh Y.M.C.A.
& spent the evening to 9.45 then
finally tramming home & reached
my tent at 11.20 p.m.
Spent Tuesday at the hospital & Wedy
also. Col Unsworth came out in the
evening & we had a very finr meeting
with the 2^nd Brigade when the Col
gave a stirring address to the men
they relished it keenly. One man
gave a [[sov]] & another [[?]] a [[sov]] as
a token of their gratitude.
Dec 31^st
31
Thursday was spent in getting up a
Scotch Dinner for the Officers mess
We decorated the mess with the Colours
& fixed things up in festive fashion
Briges Maclaurin & M^cCay were present
& 16 offucers from the 5^th Battln
It was a huge success. A Scotch Concert
followed & this went with
abandon & vim, calling forth much
eulogy from the leading Officers
I had a holiday on New Years Day
& went into the city of cairo, while
I lunched with Col Unsworth at the
Y.M.C.A. & then visited the Citadel
& Mahamet Ali Mosque which is
a replica of St Sophia at Constantinople,
with chaste Minarets, Walls
of alabaster, a wonderful carpet
all over the floor, hundreds of
globes (clear) for lighting purposes
Electric light is now on, in place
of the old olive oil lamps. We
also visited the tombs of the
Mamalukes & had a drive thru
other interesting parts of Cairo
with natives everywhere many of
them dirty creatures too. The smells
& dirt of some of the streets is
appalling. We had aftn tea with Green
& I also returned for dinner at
7-30 & after a walk around I
set off home & reached my tent at
11-20 p.m. We had a quiet evening
save for the native incident. Hit
on head by Austn.

32
There was much excitement in Camp
over the New Year & it was celebrated
in a hilarious fashion
very many of the men were
drunk, the pipe band played &
other bands followed & the
racket was kept up tp 3 a.m
Another fine concert at Y.M.C.A. on
Satdy night - I was the chairman
Sir Geo Reid came out to Mena Camp
& addressed the troops in two
sections - Wedy & Thur Aftn's
he also visited the patients in
Hospital on New Year's day.
We had a very fine Church Parade
on Sunday morning larger
crowds than ever. Col Green did
the sermon, I the leading.
On Monday  Sunday night I with Col Unsworth
we conducted a great meeting in
the Y.M.C.A. ( 1^st Brigade) when the
Col delivered a stirring address
which gripped the men, with unusual
power & they listened
with noteworthy interest. The
singing too was good.
Another remarkable meeting was
held on Monday (4^th) in the
Hall at the 3^rd Brigade. This
was the biggest in the lot, something
like a 1000 men present the
Col spoke for an hour with
great acceptation. They always
want him to come again.
33
4/1/15
The reservoir burst tonight at 8
p.m. & flooded part of the Camp
causing great havoc & much amusement,
incidentally it shook up
the engineers & their language
was far from ^ being Scriptural.
Spent a busy day in writing all
morning & visiting the hospital
in the aftn on tuesday 5^th.
Wrote to the Genl & also Comm Hay.
5/1/15
On Tuesday I visited the hospital
& spent the evening in writing
letters to wife & friends. Including
my sister Mrs Campbell
enclosed ₤2 as new year gift.
Bought timber for Boxing
platform, but got it all stolen
by cooks etc:-
6/1/15 - Met Col Unsworth & Captain
Green had tea & then went off
to a meeting at No 2Brigade
in Y.M.C.A. tent, a cold blowy night
a fine meeting for the Col's final
effort, the boys were so very taken
with him. Here I met Private Blackman
(late school teacher from Bendigo
Gordon's teacher) he was glad to see
me & informed that the wristlet
watch presented by the school is
keeping excellent time.
Col Unsworth came out again
next Day (thursday) to interview
Col M^cCay & also meet a man
in the Hospital from Melbourne
a great friend of the Col's eldest son.

34
On Tuesday last I was kept busy
issuing the Gift Boxes of chocolate
& big knives to the troops of
the 4^th Battln. This chocolate is
a gift from the Australians in England
The knife is part of our equipment
Have visited the Arab Cemetery -
supposed battlefield of the Pyramids
where Napoleon gave his men a [[chance]]
at the Egyptians. There is certainly
a large quantity of human bones

lying about these parts, as if they
have been buried in the sands, just
under the surface, one sees a
quantity of human bones & dust
around these parts. The N.Z.
troops have dug up quite a few
mummies & find plenty of beads
& other relics.
On friday 8^th. I went into Cairo
in the aftn, did a bit of shopping
& then hurried out to Helmea
to visit the N.Z. Camp, where I
met Col Unsworth & Captn Green
We dined with the officers of the
Wellington Infantry & Ceylon Planters
here I learned that there were 60
of these men (Planters) learning 
almost immediately to take Commissions
in the Indian Army now at the
front.
It rained heavily & was extremely cold
we (Col & I) parted from Green at 8 pm
35
trained to Cairo & rode down to the
Y.M.C.A.where we yarned until 9-40
p.m. & I parted from Unsworth with
a warm comradely greeting. he
leaves for Port Said on Satdy at 11 a.m
& joins the P.& O. liner "Malwa" on
Monday Jany 11^th.
On Satdy night 9^th we had the 1^st
boxing Bout in No 1 mess Room
There are something like half
a dozen willing goes, 3 gor the 
knockout blow. M^cNaughlin gave
one of his sketches & songs.
It was quite a lively interesting
evening.
I preached to 1,400 men on Sunday
morning with much liberty on
"Save your souls" They sat down 
in the sand while I talked.
Visited Dutton & [[Paletna]] in the aftn
Saw Mrs Gunn an asssociate of
Florence Nightingale. (living in 
Cairo, 87 years of age yet possessing
all her faculties .We spoke of doing
something fro her in the way of
raising some money to keep her.
Held a very successful service in
the Y.M.C.A. Hall (1^st Brigade) at
7-30 p.m. after which I visited 2
very serious cases at the hospital
Bartlett (R.C.) Septic Throat following
Quinsy & Kemp (C of E) Pneumonia
Both grateful.
Next at Y.M.C.A. "This man receiveth Sinners"

36
Yarns ! Scot S.M. to a dour soldier
"I wish I could spell the word
"Insubordination" and I would
put you in the Guard Room".
Irish sergt calling roll - Smith Brown
etc. Private montaig, no answer
again twice more Private Montaig.
A soldier asks Pardon me Sergt
is it me you mean, My name
is Mon-tag-u' Oh is it,
said the Sergt, then Private
Mon-tag-u' take 2 paces to
the rear right turn, quick
march & you'll just be after
getting 24 hours Fat-ig-u'.
We had 4 days of a Sorocco and
the desert sand blew into everywhere,
which became very unpleasant
& we were glad when the
break came on Satdy morning.
There are now 40 odd venereal cases
in our Battln & the number is increasing
Some are bad cases too. I have
little sympathy with them After all
the warnings & informative entreaties
they have received from all
sources. I strongly advocate a
"lepers camp" & stop all pay while
they are there; Just giving them food
& careful medical treatment.
They are deliberately wilfully
bad & should be made to suffer for
their sin & feel the ostracism.
37A Sergt in 5^th was taken into field
Hospital in the evening, was talking
to a chum at 10-20 p.m. apparently not
very ill but suddenly collapsed at 10 45
pm & died immediately.
Another man (Macintosh) died
suddenly in the hospital on Wedy night
(13^th) from Pneumonia.
I spent Mon & tues aftn's in visiting
the Hospital as also interviewing
the men, & dealing with venereal
cases in the morning. They feel
their position very strongly.
While waiting to conduct a funeral
I dealt with an Army (S.A.) Backslider
for ½ hour, urging him to
return to God, which he did that
night, He also took out his Testament
& read that night to his
fellow bandsmen with good effect
and led a young man to God
He is bright & joyful over it.
We had a great night with the men

on tuesday Concert, Boxing etc
which is having a fine effect
in keeping the men in Camp at night,
and is giving pleasure to the officers/
I was very sick on Wedy with a Billious
attack from 3 a.m. to 10 p.m.
I had a pretty miserable day
visited some in the Field ambulance