Diary of Gordon Colin Cooper, 1916-1917 - Part 3

JANUARY, 1916.
Sunday 30
"Sky Pilot" parade: got out
of going by doing fatigue.
Wrote Home & Jess [*shorthand*]
JANUARY, 1916.
Monday 31
Mounted parade all
fairly fast: principally
all "scouting".
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Tuesday 1
Mounted parade during
morning played 2^nd
LH footy again, this time
resulted in a draw of
3 all.
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Wednesday 2
Big parade: heavy
work. about 100 of the
2^nd L.H. horses got away
& came home with
nose bags on: the sail
of a "dhow" frightened
them & they stampeded
several were lost I believe
being suffocated
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Thursday 3
Usual parade from
9 till 2.30, had a game
of footy just to Keep a bit
fit
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Friday 4
Usual parade
Played 1^st Welsh Field
Ambulance, & won
18-3 very good game
but they are bad losers
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Saturday 5
Kit inspection
Bakseish parcels given to
all the troop from Mudgee.
Queenslanders held a sports
meeting.
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Sunday 6
"Sky Pilot" parade, was
on duty at the railway.
Football C.V. B sqn B won by 3-0
AWHQA won by 6-0
Wrote Home & Jess {*shorthand*]
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Monday 7
Mounted Parade. 9 A M till 1 P.M.
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Tuesday 8
Parade from 9 till 2
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Wednesday 9
Mounted Parade
C Sqdn represented enemy
and D & B Sqn attacked
very fast work & good sport
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Thursday 10
Usual Parades
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Friday 11
Usual Parades
Lecture by Col at 3.30
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Saturday 12
Got leave for Cairo.
went out & saw Mrs B.
coming home bought
watch and pumice
stone.
Word of us leaving immediately;
got straight & away
left Beare Mazaar Wardan at
about 2.30 for Beni
Mazaar; & got there
about dark camped
in railway yard
& left left next morning
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Sunday 13
Left Beni Mazaar about
10 oclock for Bahnasa
about 10 miles distant. got
there about dark. had to
cross the Canal on
"dhows" with all stores
rotten camp, right out in
the open in the middle of
a graveyard
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Monday 14
Revaille at 6. put
camp together all day
horse lines & tents
dug up several skeletons
putting down lines
Wrote Home & Jess [*shorthand*]
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Tuesday 15
Revaille at 6.
Made fortifications
round camp.
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Wednesday 16
Usual fatigues &
making fortifications
The Qindah of Bahnasa
sent us up all sorts of
Bakseesh," from the village
camels, sheep, butter, eggs
etc.
 

FEBRUARY, 1916.
Thursday 17
Nothing doing in particular
went over to ruined
City to try & find some curios.
FEBRUARY, 1916.
Friday 18
Nothing much doing
had quite an easy day
with usual fatigues