Diary of Henry 'Harry' Langtip, 1916 - Part 3

JULY 1916

2 SUNDAY 

Up at 5 O'clock latest

time for a long time

Been writing letters

to Frank, Bob, Ruth &

Steve 

JULY 1916

3 MONDAY 

Been paraded about 

all day got issued

with legging putties

and are ready to move

out at a moments notice

Brought 3 prisoners down

to No.1 training but refused

to take them so had

to camp all night in

the mess hut.

Makes me feel mad

to think we are treated

like dogs by some

of the Tommies officers

JULY 1916

4 TUESDAY 

Woke up this morning in 

the mess hut at No.1

came down to the

station & walked till

9 O clock before we

were relieved 

JULY 1916

5 WEDNESDAY 

Still terrible hot

mail arrived but

no mail for me

There must be some

mistake in the

add as I have heard

nothing about the

things we sent

home from Colombo

JULY 1916

6 THURSDAY  

5^th xx Getting ready to 

move out don't know

where we are going

but think it will

be down to rail head

leaving to morrow

morning at 6

camping out to night

It feels like the

first time I came

into camp.

I keep thinking of

the time we left

Port Melbourne

6^th Shifted down to the Suez & am

shifting out to the trenches. been

on guard over baggage all

night. having a good time. 

JULY 1916

7 FRIDAY  

Shifted out to camp

on the moter train

Call camp Rail

& is the first line

of defence. Gardener

Engines 4 cilinder in

the Locos & do about

15 miles an hour on a

line about 2/6" gague

On baggage guard &

had to throw out the

kit bags. no tents

ready when I arrived

JULY 1916

8 SATURDAY  

Saw the first airoplan

this morning flying

over our camp it was

flying at a great heigt

very little to do now

we are in the first

line. 

JULY 1916

9 SUNDAY 

church parade this

morning. Chaplin

made a point of the

ten commandments

& said ten was enough

without eleven. Saw

Billy Lear at Church Parade

Bill was down to see

us. He is in the AMC

with Syd Collis

JULY 1916

15 SATURDAY

On guard at the

canteen which was

taken over regimentally

and I think it will

be a great improvement

to the old style of

letting the Greeks &

Egyptians run the 

place

the airoplane circled

around the camp

this morning

Saw Bert Stevens

tonight.

JULY 1916

16 SUNDAY

It is very hot to day

Was going down on

swimming parade

but the train was

too late. so didn't

go. Wrote Ruth. Steve

& Lily. 

JULY 1916

17 MONDAY
Same old heat

went on dental parade

to day. Teeth pretty

bad am afraid I

might have to go to

hospital. Les going to

hit Banks. Lock Down.

[[ie]] & another had a

fight in lines to day

Out in the trenches

now with Sergant

Farmer.

JULY 1916

18 TUESDAY

3 Oclock standing to

arms. Then back to

breakfast.

nothing to do all

day

Shifted camp

up to the top of

the hill
JULY 1916

19 WEDNESDAY

fixing things

up.

warned for guard 

at the last moment

Getting used to

this climate

now but the

cold nights

have a tending

to give you a cold

JULY 1916

20 THURSDAY

On guard at the

canteen & hundreds

of bottles of beer are

drunk every night.

We were given half

hour to get ready to 

move for the front

but didn't go although

every one seemed

anxious to go & were

disapointed.

Got 3 letters one from

Eileen Ruth & Frank

and was greatly pleased

as it is the first from

home 

JULY 1916

21 FRIDAY

Troop drill this morning

Paid 200 and am

going to be careful

of my money as I

want to buy something

when I go on leave

on outpost in the

trenches to night

but I dont think

any Turks will

come here

JULY 1916

22 SATURDAY
down to the canal

for a swim 

JULY 1916

23 SUNDAY

Church parade

and get ready to 

move out in two

hours at 9 pm.

got ready and moved

out to the canal

& camped all night

without blankets

it is terrible cold

sleeping in shorts

my knees were

nearly frozen 

JULY 1916

24 MONDAY

got up feeling tired

& cold. Had a poor

breakfast then marched

across the bridge on 

to the railway then

away out to El [[?terdam?]]

had to martch 6 miles

to over the camp where

we are now. A lot

of our men were

dead beat & droped

out. I was terrible

tried & the rough

road made us

stumble but I got

there allright. 

JULY 1916

25 TUESDAY

Slept in my great

coat last night & had

a good rest had a

poor breakfast.

This is a fine camp

plenty of water &

a good road coming

right up from

rail head but worse

luck we have to

shift out to the

first line closest

8 miles from the canal