Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 3

30

tonight. It was OK and greatly

appreciated by all six of us.

We each had a large helping

and there was still a piece 

left for the cook. I do hope

you are putting in a lot

of time learning to make

puddings while I am away

chicken. They are undoubtedly

one of my weaknesses.

Wednesday 15^th 1916 -

Confound these Court Marshal

cases. I haven’t been able to

go for a ride for two days

on account of them. And

letter writing is absolutely out

of the question.

Thursday Jan 6^th 1916. -

More mail —— 88 bags of it.

Poor postman! He hasn’t 

 

finished sorting his last batch

yet. I did not fare quite

so well today —— just one

package, a paper from mother.

It was the paper that had

the list of those mentioned

in Sir Ian Hamilton’s despatches.

I suppose the dear old mater

is as proud as a dog with

two tails — or, to use good

old Pierre Becker’s expression

“proud like Punch” — to have

two of her sons mentioned in

despatches. Well, it is an

honor, and I confess that I am

a bit proud myself to have

been sent on. Still, Ray

deserves much more than a

mere “mention”. He ought

to get a D.S.O. or a military

 

32

Cross at least. Perhaps he

may yet, for this list

only includes a certain

number of engagements, and

the taking of "Leane's Trench"
was subsequent to these.

These Court Marshal cases still

keep me busy.  I got thirteen

more sets of papers away 

today and have five 

more _^yet to do. There are such

a lot of papers necessary for

a District Court Marshal —

very different from the

rough and ready Field General

C.M. You can guess the 

amount of work entailed in

preparing the papers when

I tell you that it took

the CO. over an hour to 

 

simply sign his name on them,

more rain  again today. It

has it’s favorable side, however,

in that it keeps the sand

firm and hard.

Friday January 7^th 1916

Kiddie, you know how you

used to feel in the dear

old “hard-up" days when

you saw us getting deeper

into debt and no prospect of

getting it wiped off (not

that we ever got seriously into

debt, but just the few

little pounds were a source

of worry, weren’t they?)

Well, that is how I feel

now. Five more letters, and

I feel that I want to sit

down and answer each one

 

 

34

right away. But I haven’t 

an earthly chance, and

can’t see any immediate

prospect either. Today’s batch
were from mother, Jack Mossop

Miss Dean, and Reverand

Doc Short. There were

also three more parcels

— one from Miss Dean with

socks and safety pins; one

from Uncle Arthur with —

listen — 2 tins delicious

shortbread, lunch cake,

a big tin of chocolate biscuits,

a cocoa ration, a tin of

cream, a tin of milk, and a

packet of sweets. Doesn’t it

make your mouth water?

Also one from Aunt Agnes

with a tin of fancy biscuits

 

a magazine, and good old

"Punch". I have never

been so thoroughly spoiled

in all my life. It has

undoubtedly been the most

generous Christmas I have

ever experienced. Everyone seems

to have thought of me, and  

to have put their thought

into vary generous action.

It makes me feel ashamed

that I can do nothing in

return except just write and 

thank them all — and I 

can't even do that yet.

Major Lorenzo flew in about

2 o'clock this morning, and 

happened to shake my tent

first, so woke me up.

I put him up a bed on

 

 

36

the floor for the night, and

as tents are rather scarce

just yet he is going to share

mine with me until his own

comes along. I could 

easily have a more

uncongenial tent mate.

I got one of our chaps 

who went up to Cairo

yesterday to get me a 

used Pocket Kodak. xxxxxx

I have frequently called 

myself names for not 

getting one before I went

back to the Anzac last August,

so don't intend to miss any

more chances of getting

interesting snaps.

Saturday Jan 8th 1916.

Major Lorenzo has gone

 

up to Cairo today & so I have 

the tent to myself tonight.

It rained very heavily

last night, and several

light showers have fallen

today. Twenty two bags

of mail today, out of 

which I received three letters,

one xxxx from each yourself, 

mother, and Norman. Poor 

old Norm seems very down-

hearted about not being

able to get away. I wish

the dear old chap could 

manage to come over.

Some blighter with more

taste than honesty pinched

one of my tins of shortbread

today, so I opened the 

other forthwith and devoured

 

 

38

it. I now am torn between

a feeling of sympathy

for him in the sore temptation

he was put to if he knew

from experience what delicious

those flat round tins contained, 

and a desire to search

him out and "crime" him 

for having deprived me of 

the gluttonous pleasure of 

scoffing the contents of both

tins. However, the better 

feeling shall prevail.

Sunday January 9^th 1916-

I has been a real Egyptian 

day today — a warm sun,

a cloudless stay, and clean atmosphere. I attended

Church Parade this morning, 

when Padre McPhee held

 

his farewell service. He

leaves for dear old Australia

this week. Afterwards

I attended Communion. This

afternoon I went for a ride

across the desert with Major

Lorenzo and Capt Jacob. Enjoyed

it thoroughly, and did 

not have the least bother

with Ochre, except coming 

home, when as usual it 

took me all my time to hold

'him' in. My arms ache

with it. He is a fine beast

though, and acknowledged to

be one of the best in the line.

I can tell you I am 

very proud of my mount,

and wouldn't change him

for all the quiet, sedate,

 

 

40

and obedient steeds that 

ever went on parade. I

am getting more and more

fed up with my job 

though. On rather, it is

not so much with the job

as with the C.O. If good 

old S.P.W. would only 

come back from England

and take command I 

would be happy as 

Larry. But this old josser

is making everybody fed

up. If I were the only 

one I would think that

perhaps the fault lay with 

me, but he is at logger-

heads with nearly _∧all the officers,

and the men openly make

a joke of him. I asked 

 

him today to get somebody

else as adjutants and let 

me go back to my platoon.

He "hummed" and "hah-ad"

and said he would think

about it, but would give

me not satisfaction; so

when tonight a memo

came from Brigade stating

then an Australian Camel 

Corps was being formed, and

that officers and men would 

be selected from the 1^st and

2^nd Divisions, I at once

put in my application for

a transfer to it. I don't

know whether anything will 

come of it. I would be 

sorry in many ways to leave

the old 10^th — but then,

 

 

42

it isn't the old 10^th after 

all, and I am afraid

it will grow less and less

like the old 10^th the longer

friend Beevor is in command,

Major Lorenzo also thought

of putting in an application,

but in the end decided 

not to do so. I got

a big swag of letters and 

parcels for Ray today.

I must go up to Cairo

soon and see if I can 

find out where he is.

Wednesday Jan 12^th 1916

I made a break and

got away to Cairo Monday

afternoon. Went up with 

Shaw, [[Moule?]], Minagall, and Seager.

left Tel-el-Kebir about 3.30

 

arriving at Cairo shortly

after six. We got a couple

[[arabeahs?]] and drove up

to Shepheards' where we 

just managed to get a

couple rooms. Shaw and

Moule shared one, and

Seager, Min, and self shared

the other — big soft

double beds for each of 

us — oh yum yum,

I did wish you could 

have been with me.

As dinner was until 

eight o'clock I slipped out

and put in a busy hour

shopping. Bought myself

a new cap, pair of boots,

suit case, pyjamas, and 

several other little items.

 

 

44

Dinner was just it.

Shepheards', you must remember,

is the swank 

hotel of the East. At

present it is full of

generals and their staffs.

We had the next table 

to General Munro and his 

staff, but it did not 

prevent us enjoying our 

meal. We shouted ourselves

wine and liqueurs,

and generally did ourselves

very well indeed. After

dinner we went for a 

walk in the streets for a 

while, and then back to 

the hotel to sit in the 

magnificent oriental lounge

and later to the orchestra

 

Two officers of General Munro's

staff came in a little later

with the General, and sat 

near us. The General got 

himself interested in a discussion

with another brass hat, and 

the two officers came over

and joined our group. They 

proved to be very decent

fellows, and seemed very

interested in Australians, 

generally. They expressed 

great admiration for our

fellows and wanted to know 

all about our methods of

training etc. It seemed to 

puzzle them that we could 

be on such easy, friendly

terms with our men and 

yet get so much out of

 

 

46

them. They could not say

enough in praise of the 

conduct of our fellows at

Gallipoli, and were very

apologetic about their own

men. Wanted to know

if our chaps bore the Tommies

any grudge about the 

miserable Suvla affair.

I told them that they blamed

the officers more than the

men, and they could not

but admit the justice of it.

We went to bed about ten,

had a bath, and turned 

in. Next morning we

had tea and toast in

bed about seven o'clock,

got up about eight, had

breakfast, and then continued

our shopping. I went 

round to the Ordinance Offices

as I had heard that Ted 

was in Cairo on business. Sure

enough he was there, but 

very busy, so I only

waited long enough to get

our introductions to Mr Bardak

the manager of Stein's, who

fitted me out with a 

swagger drill uniform at 

a very reasonable figure.

I also go a darker cord

jacket and trousers made at

Davies Bryant, so am fairly

well fix up with clothes

now. These things run

away with a lot of money

though. Still, I must have 

decent clothes. In the

 

 

48

afternoon Minagall and I 

motored out to Heliopolis to 

see Morlet. Unfortunately

he was out, so I left the 

mail I had with me,

and we motored back

to Shep's: again, where we 

had afternoon tea, did

some business we had 

to do, and caught 6 o'clock

train back to Tel-el-Kebir.

We found that a large

portion of the dining car

had been reserved for 

General Munro and his 

staff who were on their

way to Florence, via 

Port Said. However, we 

managed to secure a table

and enjoyed and excellent

 

dinner. It is surprising what 

an excellent dinner they

can turn out on the trains.

The menu is quite as

elaborate as Shepheard's

and just as well served.

Today I have been on

those blessed old C.M.

papers again. Padre

McPhee leaves us tomorrow.

He is going to take back nos

2 & 3 of my diary with him,

and get them to you

either personally or by 

post.

Thursday Jany 13^th 1916 

Colonel Dollman^(27th), Col. Collett ^28th, and

Allan came over to dinner tonight.

I saw Major Brennan today, who

says he has heard that Ray is