Diary of Trooper Ion Llewellyn Idriess-Oct 1916-Part 5

their machine guns
were the main trouble.
They appeared to be
behind every bush and
sand mound. Again,
we hear that something
happened to the camel
camel corps. Their camels
appear to have knocked
up. Sept 27^th We would
give all we've got for
the war to end and get
back to Australia once
more. We are sick to death
of this accursed country
and of military routine.
How I would love
to be far out North
again, away in the
mountains way back
of Cooktown. The day
a man is handed his
discharge will be
21
other men could hear
the fight too. We were
dropping asleep in the
saddles. A horse would
walk up through the column,

his riders head swaying
over his chest, quite asleep
in the saddle. A comrade
would touch the man,
he would wake up with
a sudden jerk, there
would be a low laugh
and the man would
wait for his section.
At last we reached
Oghratine, fell off our
horses, pulled them into
line, fed them, rolled
on the sand, and
listened to the plop,
plop, plop of bullets

as they embedded themselves

21
in the sand
around. But not for
long. Imagination had
no chance against that
over-powering sleep. I
was glad I was not on
duty that night. It was
a late stand to next
morning. It must have
been four o'clock
before the regiment
awakened. Horses were
fed; quart fires lit,
and we had a good
solid breakfast. Then
straight into the
saddle again, about
turn, and back
after the Turk again.
We reached our
old camp, and off
saddled, not going any

his day of Paradise.
Good luck to the lucky
ones who get back alive.
Sept 28^th. The Turks have
evacuated Bir-el-Mazar.
Yesterday it was read out
xx to us in orders that we
had to salute all officers,
and a great deal such
more such rot, also that
we still have to ride in
third class carriages when we
get leave. So we can fight
and die on this accursed
desert, and when we get a
few hours leave must
ride in the filthy, lice
infested carriages that in
peace times are reserved
only for the Egyptian
Fellaheen. Curse everything
that is Military. The V.R.C.
has again sent us out a
great deal of tinned fruit
stuffs and splendid tobacco.
That indeed is practical
patriotism. Good luck
22
further out that day.
One Brigade was
annoying the Turks. All
that old Jacks was
thinking about was to
place as much desert
between himself and us
as possible. Every hour
of the night and day he
was getting his stores
and wounded away
behind him. Next day
was a great day, that
is for the section. Our
regiment was the first
out that day, but only
to make a strong
reconnaissance. Very
soon, on our right,
came the Crack, Crack,
Plop, Plop of the first
rifles, the desultory

22
firing broke out on
our right. The second
brigade was on our
left, but there was no
sign of them. Our section
was sent out to find
them. So the four of us
started away. We went
a mile, fair into the
desert, edging all the
time into the Turks
country, but I'm damned
if we could find
the Brigade. Every
here and there were
dead horses, and in one
tiny oasis, a blood
stained hat, with the
poor owner lying a few
yards away, his shattered
body telling of close
bursting shrapnel. In

to them. About 27^th Sept
Tomorrow we are
to leave here to Kantara
for the much vaunted
spell. There is also a
rumour that we are to
be trained as cavalry
and be issued with
lances and swords. More
damned weight to carry.
Since we came on here,
a railway has been
building across the
desert behind us, and
also a p water pipe line.
The infantry have been
following us up as the
railway line advanced.
No doubt it is a splendid
undertaking. But now
the Turk has gone like
dried leaves before a
23
one gully we came on
some New Zealand
dead, close by a lot of
dead horses. The Turks or
Bedouins had st mostly
stripped the dead of their
clothes. We kept a very
sharp look out for
snipers, for we were in
the enemys country all
on our own, and death
from the hands of an
isolated sniper or band
of looting bedouins was
not to our liking. In
an oasis, of all things,
we came on four
long haired goats, tied
to the palm trees with
roughly made Bedouin
rope. We were delighted

23
for this meant fresh
meat for us. x There
were earthenware water
bottles and jars and a
lot of Bedouin rubbish
lying about, and
some melon vines, but
the fruit to our sorrow
was not ripe. There
were many fresh
tracks, but we could
not find the owners.
About a mile further
on we met two New
Zealanders, coming in
with three Turkish
prisoners. We had a
yarn, and they pointed
out the whereabouts
of their brigade to
us. We went on, and 
found the regiment,

storm. Infantry
and Yeomantry are to
hold the positions we
have won. What will
be our be our next move? Who
knows? For a time at
least will be a spell
from the long dreary
marches, the thirst, the
sleepless nights, and
all the weary rest of
it. But we are all
very glad for the
campaign, it was
greatly interesting, and
as for me I gots lots
of excitement out of
it. And then, the
whole campaign was
a victory for us.
I will tell you where
the heart-ache comes
24
the Canterburys, or perhaps
a Wellington regiment,
I do not remember for
certain. I told their major
where our regiment lay,
and off we went again.
Soon we met one of
our own regiments
patrols, and we took it
into our heads to go up
one of the big hills where
the fighting was the
day before and have a
look at the Turkish
camp. So very cautiously
we climbed the hill
past some poor stark
New Zealanders, with
a dead Turk here
and there, on to the
shell holed crest of the
hill. Below us was the

24
Turkish oasis of EL
Ab. We could see
camel train after camel
train leaving the oasis,
packed with Turkish
stores. The Turks were
making very good use
of their respite. After
a while we decided to
go back, there was
nothing doing there for
us. Now the regiment
was not going to get
into a scrap that day,
so us four decided to
go for a good long
cruise on our own.
So away we went,
and made a real
good old day of it.
We visited every

in, God knows
there should be no
heart ache on leaving
the desert. But this
afternoon at the orderly
room I saw a number
of little wooden crosses;
no doubt they will be
placed by the sand
mounds where our
mates sleep. Oct 1^st.
Romani We left the oasis
of EL Fatia yesterday
morning after daylight, and
reached here some time
after one O'Clock. It was a
lovely morning, and the
whole Brigade were
laughing and joking as we
rode over the everlasting
sand hills, the weary weary
hills over which have
passed the fighting armies
25
oasis we came across
looking out for watermelons
and ripe dates.
In all these oasis there
were old Bedouin
belongings, hidden under
old bushes. Mostly rubbish
that an aboriginals camp
would be ashamed to
own. We boiled our
quarts in an oasis and
had dinner, bully beef
and biscuits, but we
were hungry. In this
oasis there were fig
trees but the figs, like
everything else in the
cursed desert, were poor.
That was one of the
good days the four
of us had together.
We were glad to be

of many, many ages. We
cut across country until we
struck the railway line

that stretches across the
desert, and here we passed
a battalion of Tommy
infantry, who came out of
their bush gunyahs to have
a look at us as we passed.
It was very complimentary,
or else the Tommies
were interested in these
soldier cousins of theirs,
mostly in their flannels,
a lot sleeveless, others in
shirts in singlets, a few
in tunics, some shaven, others

not, some in shorts, some
in riding pants, a few
with puttees, some with
holes in their hats, a rough
looking lot and no mistake
But we have proved that
we can fight. So also,
have the Tommies, and
25
alive, and glad to be in
each others company.
In the afternoon we
went back for the goats,
and silly old Bert, for
some unexplainable
reason, let the damned
goats go. Away they
went, hell for leather,
straight for the Turkish
camp. I chased one for
half a mile, then wild
with rage, jumped off
the horse and fired
at it. Damned if I didn't
miss. And the goat doubly
startled ran all the
harder. It was in full
sight of the Turkish
camp before I could run
the horse over the thing
and stop it. Stan