Diary of Gerald Eugene MacDonald Stuart - Part 5

& a certain amount of our work
for the delivery of the two motors
present would have been avoided
not to mention the greater comfort afforded patients   
by having a more rapid means of evacuations
It has always been understood
(1) That the S.M.O. of a Brigade
was responsible for the health
care treatment & transportation of
sick & wounded for this post of a
Brigade (2) that for this purpose certain
equipment was allotted him
(being definitely laid down in
Establishment) (3) that this
equipment ^of which motor Amb form a part was directly under
his charge & that he was
responsible for it. Yet this part
of Ambulance equipment is detailed
detached & distributed without
the Amb. commander being considered
in the slightest
The question of a motor amb
being detached with D.M.O is
open to controversy. If the  

2
for the purpose of evacuating
Sick occurring on trek 

officer acting as Medical Officer to Div^nl [[?]]
ADMS considers that D.H.Q
should have a motor Amb
attached ^∧such &c matter should ^∧might be
brought before the A.D.M.S for
reference to the DDMS [[?]] 

who if he thought fit would
attend to the matter but if not
in any case there is no reason
why a Brigade should be
penalized by being deprived of one
its few & ^most valuable means
for transporting its sick or
casualties ^& to which it is entitled 

The matter at present is ^by establishment
most unsatisfactory &
it will be an interesting point
to note whether in the future
some improvement occurs
& That the improvement is
rarely is an urgent prayer  

Left [[?]] at 1930, carrying
patients in Amb wagons
& dispatching two cars with
patients to Ludd. Some motors
loaned by 8th Reg^t proved very useful
to transport Tent Division
personnel, ^some confusion amongst transport & commencement of journey
Journey to Ludd very monotonous
26/8/18  Arrived Ludd about 0115.
Fair camping ground in Olive
grove, Marred slightly by a
small amount of rising [[slime?]] on
E side
Arranged Camp with supposedly very
transport area of all to [[finding?]] the area [[?]]
evacuated patients to 75. The CCS
Ludd amongst them has three

cases of Jaundice. ^ The question now is when the [[?]]

& be signs & [[?]] of those

cases were in
Capt Shelley resumed duties at 9^th 
Regt. having completed raids
at Cairo [[M?]] at 78^th Dvⁿ.

Meeting of TC units at BHQ
1630 to discuss training
discipline etc while in the area
27/8/18  ^Wheeled Transport inspected &
reported on by Transport
Sergeants & wheelwright
The wagons to go immediately
to Workshop
One L Amb motor returned
from D.H.Q
Presence of M.D Unit found
extremely useful. Officer in charge
Capt Christiansen had not reported
for duty as yet, having had an attack
of Phlybotomus fever Work however
is due to a certain degree of orderly [[adu?]]

[[not given ?] slightest [[predujice?]]
28/8/18 Personnel being throughout
the day cleaning horses and
saddlery etc & training camp
e.g. sinking grease traps  

29/8/18  Campaign instituted against V.D. on both
medical & ethical sides of question
The latter is left to the padres.
Nothing particular to report regarding
the unit Ordinary Camp routine
Patients admitted moslty Pyrexia
& turning out to be Malignant
Malaria. Prophylactic V.D. huts to be 

instituted & administered in lines of all large

foundations of Brigade.
30/8/18  Communicated with
ADMS Aust Div with a 
view to obtaining an EP tent
for Hospital purposes.
Some difficulty experienced in
making grease trap owing to
soil affording little soakage
Established Prophylactic  VD tent for
Amb being in charge of Cpl Thorne
31/8/18  Some canteen stores
including eggs purchased for
unit out of [[?]] funds

Beer apparently is not easy
to obtain. 

10.30   11.30.

Tuesday 
(Morng)  Dismounted Drill
(Afternoon) Stretcher Drill
(essential very)
Wednesday  M  Dismounted Drill. [[Rifles ?]]
A. Section to F.D & harness
on 1^st Aid in the Field & demonstration
first principles application 1st Field Division

training etc.
Thursday. M. Gas parade. Rifle inspection
General fatigue for clean up 

camp
A. Stretcher Drill
Friday ^∧ M [[?]] Loading of wagons ^∧[[ie with Casualties?]], TD leaves
------     Drivers attend to Harness
A. Lecture on 1^st Aid in Field
went [[^∧& ẇ dealing ?]] [[? ?]]
Splints of Thomans
Saturday  M General House cleaning 
--------        Inspection of lines in general
by O.C 11.30 Harness to be ready for inspection by 11.45 

Sunday. Inspection by OC
of men's Kits which are
to be laid out
Lines to be in good order

1/9/18  Nothing to report
2/9/18  Nothing to report
3/9/18  Cases of Influenza appearing
Capt Baker departed for Gaza
4/9/18  Influenza fairly prevalent
in 9^th L.H. Regt M.O.
Capt Shelley admitted & large
number of R^s from 9^th 
N^o of cases malaria subsiding
Obtained EP tent from
5^th Brigade
Sick Parades of 9^th 10^th Rg^t 
B.H.Q., attached unit & M jab
done in Amb line -
(5/9/18  Sick parade of 10^th done
in Amb line.  9^th parade
in their own lines.  

(6) Informal Inspection of
DSMS. CMF.  General
Fetherston.
Owing to shortage of M.O.^s Amb
work & medical attention to [[brg & r ?]] is as 

follows
(7) Communicated with Bgde
ref : obtain few E.P. tents
for isolating patients
8/  Report by Corp Wheelwright
that certain duplicate
parts unobtainable
for Amb wagons at [[?]]
Ludd. Those parts are
necessary.
Have communicated with
Bgde accordingly.  

9/9/-  Nothing to report usual routine
10/9/-   ---
11/9/18  Hospital accommodation now
very satisfactory. 3 E.P.s
12/9/18  Matter of spare Parts for
Amb. wagons being rectified
This was referred through Brigade
to Divⁿ
13/9/18  Some little difficulty
experienced as regards dividing
unit into Mobile & Immobile
owing to unit not being complete 
as regards saddlery shoeing etc.
[[A?]]  have consequently to
be retained in Mobile lines
14/9/18  Parade Divisional in
the morning of Mobile Section
Satisfactory Harness
Very good.
Immobile Section. left to
join up with corresponding section
of 5^th LH.F Amb under Lt Col Meehan  

in the afternoon.
two officers 39 ans & 4 indian
drivers marched out with
16 draughts & three lightings
4 donkeys. Wheeled transport
consisted of 2 G.S. wagons 1 l.g.s.
1 w cart
Collected 4 eight gallon pannikins from Ord
"Churra" equipment for water purpose
will be difficult to carry with limited transport
15/9/--  Nothing to report. Collected
14 lying down cacolets
Farriers sent to workshops for repairs
16/9/18  Collected  Camels 20
Six cacolets, 14 mules (small
riding) 10 light Stretchers
17/9/18  Camp extremely busy
collecting new & despatching
old ordnance equipment, pouring
dumps etc,