Diary of Gordon Colin Cooper, 1918 - Part 5

FEBRUARY, 1918.
Sunday 24
Remained at Khudr
all day: drew rations
also two lot of Canteen
"grantered" some N.Z.
Canteen stores which
the "Newsies" could
not take.
Leave was granted
to Bethlehem and Jerusalem
did not go. (Mafeesh please)
FEBRUARY, 1918.     
Monday 25
Left fairly early and
proceeded to near
Zacariya and camped
the night
Travelled with limbers
had to guard some
canteen stuff. dished
it out at night 

FEBRUARY, 1918.
Tuesday 26
Left Zacariya early &
proceeded to Junction
Station: then proceeded
after watering up to
Ekrun where we
had dinner then
proceeded to Rechon.
to our old camp
All pretty weary after
our 11 day stunt & covering
over 120 miles.
Wrote Nos 103.
FEBRUARY, 1918.
Wednesday 27
Usual routine: fixing
up camp after stunt
had to draw several
bags of stuff left in
ordinance
Wrote Loo. 

FEBRUARY, 1918.
Thursday 28
Usual routine: M.Gs
played 1^st Regt. lost 15-0.
Went over to Y.M.C.A. at
night
Good mail in: but only
a few letters.
MARCH, 1918.
Friday I
Usual routine: got
a small tail end of
mail.
Went over to Y.M.CA at
night. supposed to
be a lecture but slipped
Mrs Rickman.
Jean Paine (P.C.) 

MARCH, 1918.
Saturday 2
Nothing doing.
MG Played B sq. 1^st won 5-O.
Mrs Branch
Mr Scott-Ireland
MARCH, 1918.
^{3rd in}. Sunday 3

 ^Lent
Went over to 1^st to fix
up a water Fantazzi
for pack.
Horses out grazing.
No church parade.
Great lecture by Pardre
Bates at night at the
Y.M.C.A. on Palestine.
France, & Italy & to
say nothing of Salisbury
Plains: quite a good
lecture with plenty of
wit & solid too.
N^os 1 x ∈. (PC^s)
Mrs Branch
M^rs Walker. 

MARCH, 1918.
Monday 4
Usual routine. Rather
busy during afternoon
preparing to go on
'stunt"; destination unknown:
The Divisional Band
gave us quite a good
evenings entertainment
with numerous selections
and a chap out of the
7^th gave some good songs
accompanied by the
band.
Inoculated for Cholera in
morning and Delousing
parade immediately after
to "Kilo 295" very busy
morning indeed.
MARCH, 1918.
Tuesday 5
Revaille earlly & got away
soon afterwards: and
proceeded to Ranile where
we camped the night
Saw some potteries where
they were in full process
baking in underground
ovens, marvellous work
in the old ruins where
the clay was obtained
is where a great many
aerial bombs for Taubes
were found after we
captured it.
Pretty bad headache after
the inoculation.
Very windy & dusty trip 

MARCH, 1918.
Wednesday 6 
Revaille early whence
we left at 9. and
proceeded along the
Jaffa-Jerusalem road
past Latrun dump. to
Kuryet en Enab; where
we camped for the night
Still pretty crook headache:

MARCH, 1918.
Thursday 7
Left Kuryet en Enab
and had to go about
1½ miles to water then
we proceeded along the
old Roman road to
Beitûnia where we stayed
the night: arriving early.
Quite a lot of Turkish
big shells lying about. 

MARCH, 1918.
Friday 8
Left Beitûnia at 12.30
with 1^st Regt. (1 & 2 Sections)
and proceeded to Ram-Allah
where we drew
rations; & proceeded along
the Wadi Muheisin to
Rumman where we
camped: drew rations
and fodder after dark.
very rough track all
the way from Ram Allah
a Taube flew down low
over Ram Allah & put in
a burst of Machine Gun
and off for its life; the
Antis giving it a parting
Shot.
MARCH, 1918.
Saturday 9
Revaille at 3: and proceeded
on a few miles to Tayeb-Eh
where the infantry were
in action: stayed there
all day: & saw the
'Cheshires' capture Pear
Hill: the bombardment
was a glorious sight
with H.E. & Shrapnel it
seemed as if it were
impossible for anything
to live in it. At 4.30 we
again pushed on to the
right where we had to go
over some rough country we
eventually got to our destination:
& took up outpost
line at dark: and shaft
on gun. 

MARCH, 1918.
Sunday 10
Stand to at 4. & then
after breakfast went in
with pack horses to draw
rations: good trip only long.
Got back 1.30, section had
moved out but I found
them & issued out rations
etc: and went back to
camp at dark & watered
up.
"Right Gun" on post so
had a sleep in.
MARCH, 1918.
Monday 11
Left Camp (Left gun only)
at 5.30 & went round to
Pear Hill & took over
from a troop of the Regt
stayed on outpost all day.
Jacko shelled us about
dinnertime: a couple of
shells got very close to
the horses, we had to
shift them.
Did picquet at night
Raining off and on
practically all day
& part of the night 

MARCH, 1918.
Tuesday 12
Rained the best part
of the day. watered up
early & grazed during
day: taubes over but
very high.
drew rations & usual
routine.
Picquet at night
MARCH, 1918.
Wednesday 13
Fairly clear in
morning: did some
washing: and had
hot bath ("quici")
Usual routine:
Picquet at night. 

MARCH, 1918.
Thursday 14
On outpost at Pear
Hill. 1^st Regt buried
all the defunct "Jackos"
during day: got some
firewood: & otherwise
usual routine
Picquet at night.
MARCH, 1918.
Friday 15
Still in outpost at
Pear Hill: raining most
of the day: very cold
wind blowing all day
and had a very bad
night with the horses
as it was so cold &
they were very restless
On picquet..
Turks put over a few
shells but did no
damage.