Diary of Trooper Ion Llewellyn Idriess-Oct 1916-Part 6

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then came galloping
up, and slung the
thing across his saddle
pommel. We expected
a shot every second,
but I expect the Turks
were too busy getting
their stores away to trouble
much about two men
and a goat. We hurried
back to catch Morry
and Bert. They had the
devils own job driving
their goats back to
camp, but we managed
to get the four there
a little before sundown.
We killed two straight
away, and when the
regiment came in, C
troop had fresh goat
for supper. It was a 

they can fight well
too, but somehow
we are two different
races of men. Before
dinner time we came in
sight of the big bare
hills of Romani, and
soon we were winding
in between the redoubts
that put up such a good
fight in the Romani
battle. We watered our
horses at a small oasis
where the water was
drawn up by means of
the Egyptian fellaheen's
well, which he invented
10,000 years ago. Then
up a few more sand
hills until on top, and
here we are now. Around
us for miles are many
camps, mostly Tommy
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great feed. But best
of all, Bert found
that the goat which
had given me as much
trouble had a lot of
milk in her, so I held
the old beggar while
stan milked her. We
got half a quart of
milk from her, and it
went grand in the tea.
Next morning the
patrols brought in word
that the Turks had
evacuated El Ab,
We were just having
breakfast, when came
the familiar cry, "Taube,
Taube", the rush for
the horses, but it was
too late. Through the
air came a Whir-Whir 

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Whirrrrrrr - "Bang/"
and a few yards
behind us dropped the
first bomb. Whirr -
Whirr - Whirr, would
she just reach us as
she flew over "Whirrrrr
"Bang" a few yards
ahead of us, and black
smoke and sand
splashed over our
breakfast things.
Just missed, by a
few yards. We stood
then and watched
the other bombs
falling among the
New Zealanders
and Headquarters. And
all she had against
her was a few machine 

and Scotch infantry.
We are camping here a
few days, and then in some
where near Kantara, we
will go. ....  Last night was
a bit lively.  There is a
large wet canteen here
with plenty of beer,  You
can imagine what it was
like when the whole
Brigade arrived, men
who had been out in the
desert for so many months
By 7.30 there was the
hum of many voices coming
from the canteen, and
much laughter.  Bert, Morry,
Nix and myself took our
quart pots, and went up to
see what was doing. Bert
had been there earlier in
the afternoon, and he was
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guns. Had she been
one of our own
'planes flying over the
Turkish camp the air
would have been
rent with the explosions
of anti aircraft guns.
But Great Britain
seemingly cannot
afford one anti aircraft
gun to defend her
troops in this part of
Egypt. Anyway,
with all her bombing
the taube only killed
a few men, wounded
a few and killed
some horses & mules.
Just now, to my
surprise, I found
that my horse had
been struck in the 

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leg. Just as the
regiment was moving
off to occupy Quatia EL Abd,
a lot of us, mostly to
our disgust, to were
told off to return to
Deuidar, as our horses
had such sore backs
it was hard for them
to walk. I was one
that was picked out
and very unwillingly
joined the little troop
with the sick horses
which had to return
to Deuidar. But the
fighting was over.
The regiment went
away past EL Ab,
and have hardly
been seen since. Our
orders were to follow 

just a little happy,
laughing a lot, singing a little,
and half inclined to dance.
The canteen was the
usual big marquee tent,
and the noise coming from
inside and outside was
deafening. All around
the big tent, were sitting
and standing groups of
men, some talking soberly
together, others talking and
laughing loudly, some
groups singing, all happy.
Each man had his quart
pot full of beer. There were
a few little groups gambling
at Crown and anchor a
box and candle being
most of their equipment.
Outside in the canteen
was a long string of men
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them no further than
El Ab. After a
dreary, weary ride,
we got to Deuidar
that night. I had been
counting all the way
in of the great feeds
would have from
the canteen when I
got in but immediately
I felt the tunic pocket
I knew it was all up.
The money was gone.
Now most of us were
very anxious to
return to the regiment,
but without horses
it was impossible.
So that night I took a
walk down to a
squadron of New
Zealanders horse lines. 

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I had been there
no time when a New
Zealander walked
up to me and said,
"Mate, just clear out
of it this. We want
no more of our
horses stolen." It
appears some of our
chaps had been there
before, I got back to
camp, and found
that two of our fellows
had got a hotter
reception than me,
They went over to
the Scotties officers
horses, but a sentry
came at them with
fixed bayonet and
five bullets in the 

going in at one door
with an average of half
a dozen black quarts a
man, and coming out of
the other door the long
string came tumbling out,
only this time with full
quarts. There was a very
fair sprinkling of Tommies
and Scotties, and By Jove
they do like their beer.
It A man had to be
dashed careful walking
/ in among those groups
of laughing beggars in the
dark, if he happened to
stumble and spill all
his beer down another
a mans neck, it meant
some choice curses and
another struggle to get
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magazine. They
had to retire. We
were disgusted and
downhearted. We
next paid attention
to the off Indian
officers horses of the
camel corps. But we
found that the Indian
grooms slept with
the horses halter
strapped to their arm.
Next morning there
was a bit of fun. Two
Indian grooms, who
most evidently did not
know the run of things,
brought two Tommy
officers horses into the
lines, and lay down
under a palm tree 

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a few yards away.
Instantly Spencer and
Young had their saddles
on the splendid horses,
the bridles slipped on,
and away. Some few
hours after they came
back. This is what
happened. Nearly six
miles out they met a
few camels and Indians
evidently line repairers.
The Indians called
out to them, and our
two fellows, unsuspecting,
walked over. Then
two Tommy officers
appeared, behind the
camels. As our fellows
appeared close one of
them called out, 

his quart filled again.
Some of the groups were
so far gone that each man
was shouting his experiences
of the fighting to his neighbour,
who took not the
slightest notice of him,
but kept on explaining
his own experiencess, all
to the never listening air.
We stayed there until
closing up time, and then
made for camp, Nix
reckoned he was not
drunk, but as he pointed
a wobbly hand to the
whole sky in general,
and stuttered something
about following 'th
Sthar a' Bethlemen home,
I decided I'd be safer
going back with Morry,
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'Hullo Prince' and
the horse pricked up
his ears and looked
pleased. Then "That is
my horse you are
riding", And the other
officer said "And that
is my horse you are
riding. How dare
You ride my horse?"
Of course our two
fellows tried to bluster
it out, but after a
bit of argument one
of the officers said
"Come now, You are
Caught Own up" And
Young said "Yes, we're
caught, fair and square."
Then the Tommy said
"Well we want to