Diary of Frederick Trouton Small, 1915 - Part 5

46

February  15 MONDAY  1915
 

At the S.O.R.E. office at 6 30 am as Major

Russell was off on a tour of inspection to

Suez. M Colonel Wright accompanied him

as far as Serapeum.

Capt Wilson took charge of the office

& is a very decent sort. Had an extremely

busy day as the "Imprest" a/c had to be

got in order, left the office at 11 p.m.

In reading over a letter of Lt. Taunton's the

following idea struck me as an improvement on

the present system of breaking the ignition for

"flares".

Hand drawn diagrams - see Original document
47

1915  16 TUESDAY  February
Very quiet today. Hearing compliments about

our tower. Major Mousley states in a

letter to the S.O.R.E. - "The Australians

have made a fine job of the observatory".

I hope to get the letter later on.

Major returned about 9 am & found us

in the middle of the imprest a/c: weary

job clerking.

Made several tests with the"flares"

Buried the tins in the sand

put in "stops" & wired up in

front of our training trenches.

Flares set 100 yds apart. Wire

concealed in sand. Troops not

informed of the flares instructed

to ascertain if trenches were "held"

& to return & report without

making presence known. Two

outer flares were ignited. The

brilliant white light threw

troops into relief. Distance OK
Inner flare tripped troops

easily discernable. Three flares

failed. No yet fool-proof. Tubes

scarce: will try pine for

next trials as travel must

be sufficient to break glass.

48

February  17 WEDNESDAY  1915
Pretty heavy day.

Major very pleased with my flare

arrangement and said "its quite a good

plan Small. I like the idea of the

travel".

Got away a big business mail including

many orders.
 49

1915  18 THURSDAY  February
 Up early to get the "Imprest" a/c under

way but as the Major had been innoculated

for "enteric" very little was done till after

breakfast.

Major Clogstoun paid a pretty

compliment to our "tower" & was rather

puzzled as to how it was erected.

Received letter from London Bank

stating that £12. 2. 10 had been placed

to my credit in the Anglo Egyptian.

Bank Cairo. Wrote to the latter

for £8 5.

Mail from Mater Con Bank Mrs Woolcock

Auntie Eff.

Just heard of poor Mrs Grutton's death.

50 

February  19 FRIDAY  1915
 Put "flares" into action this morning &

they were a great success. First I tried

wood instead of glass tubes & it broke

the wood. I then placed the glass

tube & at 10 yards it broke beautifully

Some wase soaked in parafin was

then placed under the parafin ignition

tube & at 120 yards the "snap" saw the

waste blaze away beautifully

Major Russell has decided to adopt the 

idea throughout the canal defences
 51

1915  20 SATURDAY  February
Flares now perfected. The Indian officers

appear enthusiastic as to their possibilities

52

February  21 Sunday  1915
Wrote Capt Bage re pay

    "   Mrs Catt, Bielby , Eric, Les, Con, Aunty

Eff. Auntie Flo.

Had a distasteful job today as I

to tell Jim Campbell that his

methods did not meet the approval

of a few of us but as he was

anxious to regain the good opinion

of a "few" it passed off a deal better

than it might have.
53

1915  22 MONDAY  February
It seems as if our Company is to be

recalled from Suez C. altogether The

Major informed me that it was

beyond his power to keep us ( & I

know he tried) & that we returned 

with his very best recommendations.

I wired to "Cloqie" on his behalf the

following "your company ordered to

concentrate Ismalia without delay

prepare transfer for Cairo"

Whether I am to go, is still a question

but I hope not, so long as we stay

in Mena for I consider I can

learn more here than I can in

"forming fours" "about turn" for

inspection "post arms" etc

Major Russell left for Cairo today

on business he will probably return

Thursday morning.

54

February  23 TUESDAY  1915
Any amount of work.

Mr Barber called in and congratulated

me on my "tower" He considered it a

fine piece of work.

55

1915  24 WEDNESDAY  February

The company returned today from

Kantara and are to leave tomorrow

at 8.20.

5 officers 144 men

5      "    chargers

4 G.S. Limber Waggons.

Saw Chas Hudson- making the

best of things. While Norm looks A.1. -

big brown & burly describes him

aptly.

Wrote the Mater a long letter.

How I wish my own were alive.

56

February  25 THURSDAY  1915

All our crowd got away by 8.30 am

for Cairo & seemed quite ready to be on

the move again.

Personally I'm glad they are off

as I have heard that there is to be a 

big "move" shortly & Major Russell

told me that they will be jolly pleased

they returned.
57

1915  26 FRIDAY  February

Quiet day

58

February  27 SATURDAY  1915

Major Russell went to Kantara re

innudation cuts Had a fairly

heavy day.

Notice Major Mousley barge is

loaded with Materials for defence

works.

Nice mail from Con, Little Aunt,

Mrs Scott Fletcher, Mater & good old Shirty.

59

1915   28 Sunday   February
 Got a jolly fine letter from Allan

Row last year's Rhodes Scholar

I spent most of the day writing

letters instead of office work  "

I was thus able to write to Prof.

Gibson, Rowie, "Shirty", Con, Auntie

& old Buzz (Scott Fletcher) I

must get these "Censored" & away

before 9 o'clock tomorrow morning

62
March  3 WEDNESDAY  1915
Not feellng at all well; the
Indian stretcher bearers took
me up to the Hospital

63
1915  4 THURSDAY  March
Major Russell came to the
hospital to see me bringing
numerous papers etc
The orderly left me 20 minutes
with a thermometer in my
mouth.  The other patient wanted
me to "leave it in till it busts"
I do not know if he expected me
to work myself up to a welding
heat.

60
March  1 MONDAY  1915
Awfully annoyed because after
all my care I missed the mail
Any amount of work to be got
through but some blithering
idiots with a hell of a lot of
facings will come and talk a
lot of twaddle.  I'm sure the
Major does not want them & I'm
damn sure I don't.
Sid Lamb the other office boy
had just received orders to rejoin
his regiment.  I suppose I'll be
next.
61
1915  2 TUESDAY  March
Sergt Cook came around to take Lamb's
place.  As the work is getting somewhat
lighter he should have an easier time.
Not feeling up to scratch so Major
Russell sent me home!!!

64
March  5 FRIDAY  1915

Was feeling much better when all
of a sudden I was sent up to
Cairo by the hospital train.  I was
left standing in the cold street for
about 10 minutes with only an overcoat
around me & a pair of boots on.
In the train there were no blankets
& if Stevenson had not been there I
would not have had any covering
at all.  He got my own blankets out
of the kit bag.  The Australian
Motor took me to the Citadel &
I was two hours here before I got
into bed.  Thank goodness I was on
the mend. had it been two
days ago I would have collapsed.
65
1915  5 SATURDAY  March
"Out of bed today & discharged on
Monday" is the verdict of the
doctor.  Hooray!  They were
making me a blooming milk
testing machine while I was in
bed.
I consider I worked the bluff well.
Enjoyed the Westerly view of Cairo
from the Citadel immensely  It
is truly wonderful.  Some of the
patients & myself spent hours out
here