Diary of Gordon Colin Cooper, 1917-1918 - Part 9

OCTOBER 1917
6 Sat
Played the B.W.Is
cricket lost by 31
runs: real good
afternoons sport
7 Sun
Scored some "arrowroot"
from one of the lads in
the Divsnl Dump
Wrote No [shorthand]
1917 OCTOBER
8 Mon
The rest changed
guard: got a few
letters, little doing
9 Tu
Quiet but dusty day
went over to YMCA
& pinched some
boxes at A.I.F. for
firewood 

OCTOBER 1917
10 Wed
Spent most of the
day preparing for
big Feed up with
two Sgts of the Connaught
Rangers (10^th Div) real
good night
11 Th
Nothing doing
B.W.I band played
at YMCA at night
1917 OCTOBER
12 Fri
Quiet day but 
pretty dusty
13 Sat
Irish band played
near our dump 

OCTOBER 1917
14 Sun
Hands very sore
Darkey Haynes came
back from Cairo
15 Mon
Had photo taken
of "Dumpitees"
1917 OCTOBER
16 Tu
Taubes over, one
brought down near
Gamli.
17 Wed
Got two parcels from
Aunt Rose. - the other from
Dorothy. good concert
at YMCA by The Tanks
had good supper
when we got home 

OCTOBER 1917
18 Th 
Quiet day. got a lot
of new gramophone
Records from 1^st F.A.
dump
Read after supper
19 Fri
1^st Anzac Moto Divsn
moved onto Shilal
helping the lads pack
up
1917 OCTOBER
20 Sat
Neal Ward came back
from Port Said.
Had good feed of steak
21 Sun 
Quiet day Wrote 
Nos. [shorthand] 

OCTOBER 1917
22 Mon
Concert at YMCA
by Leinsters:  good
turnout.
Had supper on return
23 Tu
Got mail 6 letters &
pocket book from Theo.
1917 OCTOBER
24 Wed
Limbers came in &
I came out as guard
to Fucari
The Squadron left the beach
5.30 & got here about
8.30.
25 Th
Good mail in 20 letters
all pretty old ones
Big rumours of large
'Stunt'. 

OCTOBER 1917
26 FrI
Packing up all the
morning and left camp
about 2.30 & proceeded
to Hassarne, arriving
about 11.30: (about 18
miles) pretty tired: had
a little supper before
retiring.
Pump Fatigue.
27 Sat
Revaille about 5.30: watered
up during day. on Mess
orderly:
Good shower of rain
during the night.
Stand to at 4 AM: Waking
up xxx xxxxxx to xxxxx
Asliy
1917 OCTOBER
28 Sun
Stand to 4. AM.
Usual Routine:
Packing up ready for
move to Asliy. long
stunt: stopped at
Khalassa: arriving
at 10.Pm. (On picquet)
Stayed.
29 Mon
Left Khalassa about
5 & proceeded to Asliy
arriving at 8.45. good
short stunt beautifully
clear moonlight night 

OCTOBER 1917
30 Tu
Usual routine. issued
with a days rations.
prior to another big
stunt round Beersheba
saw some of the Sheiks
of Mecca's troops
Left Asliy about 9.30 - travelled
all night, towards
Beersheba
31 Wed
Got close to Beersheba
early & started attack
about 10: at 6 oclock
Beersheba fell to our troops
pretty heavy days fighting
we werent actually in
the attack, but we camped
quite to the town at night
1917 NOVEMBER
Nov. 1 Th
Had a good deal of
trouble in watering
the horses; not very
plentiful: got a few
curios from disbanded
camp: Carl Hargraves
Killed in action previous
day.
2 Fri
Had to go down to 
acquaduct to water 
up: pretty slow process
but got fixed up
eventually
Left Beersheba about
5.30 for a stunt towards
Erk: travelled all 
night 

NOVEMBER 1917
3 Sat
Left Beersheba making
towards Erk; arrived
at redout about 9. & attacked
redouts. very heavy
firing & a lot of casualties; 

kept position till
dark & withdrew;
Alec Guthrie & Jack Wright
killed. Came back to
Beersheba
4 Sun
Arrived back to camp
about 12.30, very tired
No stand to: slept well
Quiet day, tent all
very tired:
1917 NOVEMBER
5 Mon  Went over to Brigade
to see Tonie.
Preparing for Stunt
6 Tu
Stand to at 4. Saddled
up at 11, & walked
till late, left Beersheba
about 5.30 travelled
most of the night 

NOVEMBER 1917
7 Wed
Took up outpost about
3 A.M, then followed in
Infantrys tracks right
to Sharfia, where we
made a big flanking
movement & captured the
railway and 2,000,000 rounds
S.A.A. & 3,000 odd shells
Went on advance screen &
had to wait till dark to withdraw
8 Th  Following railway along
for several miles to Kebir
Bêrnata got a few prisoners
artillery opened on us soon
as we stopped, returned
almost to Sharfia & went
round on left flank as far
as Huj Camped the night
22 of our planes went over
to bomb Jacko. saw about
300 Bedouin camels
1917 NOVEMBER
9 Fri Left Huj making for
the sea, travelling all
day, passing through
plenty of villages. Turks
left plenty of food behind
in their trenches We got
watered up at Maeldel
& then came onto outpost
at El Murriq almost 5
miles east.
10 Sat
Came off outpost -
shelled upon the didy we
formed up, moved to
El Beitani & watered
up & had dinner, plenty
of shade left about
dark to As outpost
in Wadi N.E. of Butani 

NOVEMBER 1917
11 Sun
Shower of rain in early
morning; relieved off
outpost in Wadi at 2 P.M.
went towards beach for
reconnesence, watered up
in beautiful fresh water
stream joined up with 2^nd
Regt & did outpost
12 Mon
Rained in early morning
returned to Butani & drew
rations, formed up for scrap
at El Burka, on infantrys'
left flank, very cold because
had to carry ammunition
long way; held on till
dark. Turks evacuated
later in the night
Returned to Mildel 
1917 NOVEMBER
13 Tu
Left Mildel & made for
beach, had a swim
& had to come out almost
immediately travelled
N.E. to Yebnar & camped
the night
14 Wed
Left Yebnar making N.E.
& formed up near Kububa
proceeded to Daran
where we got plenty of
oranges, beautiful village
make wine, inhabitants
speak French & English
Did outpost with 3^rd
Regt.