Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 13

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went first to the 50th Bn (partly

old 10th Bn) who very kindly

marked them 10th Bn and sent

them on to France! I suppose

10th Bn will mark them "Camel

Corps" and send them back to

Egypt. By that time I'll 

be on my way to France.

I suppose I'll get there some

day.

Thursday 20^th

Very hot. General Murray made

an inspection of the camp and the

battalions at work this morning.

Expressed himself as very pleased

with the progress made.

Got two letters from England today,

dated April 3rd & addressed

direct to 48th Bn. Wrote Mater.

The results of the Court Marshal
came out today - one year's

imprisonment with hard labor. I read

him out on battalion parade; the

general opinion is that he deserves all

he's got.

April 21^st - Good Friday

But no hot cross buns. Services

were held during the morning,

and work was carried on as

usual. I put in a portion

of the afternoon getting a couple

teeth drilled out. They've been

nagging a lot lately so I'll get

them filled, and as the Field

Ambulance is right next door

the present is a good opportunity.

Saturday April 22^nd

Today has been quite a

gala day. During the week

we have been making a

 

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cricket pitch and building

a Stadium. They were

both opened today. During

the afternoon Headquarters

played "B" Coy. They beat us

by about 17 runs, but we

had an enjoyable game.

I played for Headqrs and surprised 

myself by getting five wickets

and making five runs. We had

just finished the match when

a message came out from

Brigade asking me to send in

 mounted officer to meet a

party at Serapeum main station

& guide them out to the camp.

They also wanted transport

for their kits. As it was

urgent I went in myself

Got to the Canal to find the
bridge closed, so had to go over

in the punt. Eventually got

over to the other side and

met a portion of the party

on the road. Gave them

instructions and went on for the

rest. Met two of the officers

about half way across the desert

who informed me that the rest had

decided to bivouac the night.

Went back to the Canal for the

limbers, to find that the punt

was closed to horses, and would

not be available until about

11 pm so several big boats were

coming through. However, a

bit of judicious bluff worked

The oracle and I got across

- and every other horseman stood

on the bank and snorted. Found

 

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the limbers on the other side, 

gave them instructions to get

over as soon as possible and

bring back the kits, and then

rode back to camp reaching

there about half past nine.

I had had no tea, so was

fairly hungry.

We gave a big concert

on the Stadium in the evening

but of course I was not there-

I got back just as it finished.

Quite a big crowd attended.

Afterwards the officers from

the various battalions and

Light Horse Regiments came

into the mess for a drink and

stayed for more drinks, and

eventually it was after 1 a.m.

before I got to bed.
Sunday - April 23^rd

Twelve months ago today, Kiddie

(Sunday April 25th, 1915) I was

getting my first taste of war.

And what a taste it was!

Taste! It was a whole blooming

meal. Poor old Anzac.

What a waste of life, and

energy, and money. But we

made the name of Australia.

I had a bad head

this morning. The heat was

very intense also, and was

almost unendurable on Church

Parade. The parson called

for a volunteer choir to lead

the singing this morning; no one

seemed to be rushing into the

job so out went Ray, and

we all followed. Even the

 

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Brigadier had to smile to

see the 48th Officers going out

in a body. Anyhow, the

singing went well, and

we won by about three

words in_∧ almost every verse.

This afternoon Last night

while the C.O. of the 10th L.H. Regt.

was in a convivial state of

mind we extracted a promise

from him to lend us four

horses while we are in 

Egypt. So this afternoon I

took along a party of five

of our officers ostensibly

to witness a cricket match

which the L.H. were playing,

but really to get the horses.

I could see from the jump

that they didn't want to
remember the promise, so I let

them go for awhile and we

talked about everything

except horses. Eventually

I got my fish landed and

secured saddles & bridles as

well as horses.

Tomorrow they are starting

a riding school, so I think

I'll go.

We had an oyster supper

tonight. A couple of our

officers struck a big oyster

bed in the Canal this afternoon

so brought back a couple

bags full. They are

fairly small, but very nice.

So I can see  more oyster

suppers ahead.

 

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Monday April 24^th 1916

Getting more summerish every

day. I pity any poor

Turk who has to march across

the desert to attack us this

weather. Yesterday a 

German aeroplane came over

our lines, and this morning

about 700 - 1000 Turks attacked

our line at two points. Of

course they were repulsed.

A party was sent out later

to cut them off, but failed

to locate them. A party

of Light Horse is going out

from our position (Gebel

Habeita) tomorrow morning.

Tuesday April 25^th 1916

ANZAC DAY. I wonder

what all you dear folk
in Australia have been doing

today. I can just imagine

the celebrations - the memorial

services; the processions; the

sports; the sad hearts and

the proud hearts; the

tears and the "Thy will be done",

and the thankful heart and

the "Spare him in the future

as in the past."

For ourselves, we made

it a general holiday. At

seven a.m. special services

were held to in memory of

those we left behind, and to

give thanks for being spared

ourselves. After breakfast

we marched to the Canal,

where a big aquatic sports

meeting was being held. The

 

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day was very hot, but the

water was very cool. I put

in the morning watching our

own brigade sports and in

swimming. After lunch Ray

and I went along to see the

Divisional events. We were

invited on board the launch

provided for generals & officials

and other big nuts (like

ourselves), and were thus able

to watch the events in comfort

and shade. Also we had

afternoon tea and sundry wet

refreshments - which was

very welcome. At four

o'clock the Prince of Wales

came along on a steam

launch, and stayed until

the conclusion of the sports.
He seemed very interested and

took several snaps. I used

about 3 spools altogether. I

hope they come out well.

Ray went to Cairo in

the evening. He comes back

Friday or Saturday.

Wednesday 26^th 1916

Nothing startling today.

Thursday 27^th 9 pm

120 reinforcements arrived

no rifles, bayonets, or dull

clothing. This afternoon

I went down to the Canal for

pay. Took Perry with me

as escort. I got the pay

(£1250), and then we had

a swim. I am going out

presently with Major Imlay

to visit the outposts. I expect

 

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to get back about midnight.

Two new officers - Lieuts.

Caldwell & Elliott - reported for

duty today.

The  dentist had another go

at my teeth today. He

couldn't kill the nerve

in one of them, so took

it out alive. Jove, and 

it was alive. I still

have to make another visit.

Full particulars have

come in about the scrap

down El Kantara war.

It appears that we suffered

rather badly over it. We

lost an outpost position,

about 200 men and 700

camels captured.

Rather good for Jacko

Wrote Mother today as it is her birthday.
Friday April 28^th

This morning we carried 

out a Divisional Field

Scheme. We were the

Brown Force, and had to

attack the White Force

between here and the Canal.

We had Reveille at 0400

and established touch with

the enemy at about 0700.

We were opposed by about

3 to 1, but the criticism

at the pow-wow after was

all in our favor. We

were back in the lines by 10 am

In the afternoon I rode down

to the Canal again to get some

more pay for the battalion.

Our new Stadium came into good 

use this afternoon. A corporal

 

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and a private had an argument

over some issue stuff this

afternoon and the private 

- a big fellow - called the

corporal some nasty names.

Instead of "criming" him

the corporal invited him

out to the Stadium, and 

to the stadium they went,

followed by half the battalion.

They had a very willing go-in,

but dusk came before

a decision was arrived at,

so the fight was adjourned

until tomorrow.

Funny thing last night

you remember I told you

I was going out to visit

the outposts with the 2^nd

in command. Well, we
started out about 9.30 and

headed for No 3 post. After

about half an hours ride

a dark shape suddenly

loomed up and a voice

called out "Halt! Advance

one and be recognized." That

was No 3 Post. From there

we struck No 2 post without

much differently. And then

we headed for No 1 Post.

We rode and rode and

crossed the same road

twice without knowing we

had turned, and eventually

we got hopelessly bushed

and had to leave it to our

horses to take us home -

which they did unerringly.

It is wonderful how easily

 

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you can lose your way

in the desert, and once

you lose your sense of

direction you are done.

It was after midnight when

we did get back eventually.

Saturday April 29^th 1916

My friend of the last

Court Marshal who got a 

year's hard labor has been

playing the fool again.

Today I got word that he

had knocked out one

of the Police Sergeants, so I

had to ride in to the Canal

again to take evidence.

These military police are

usually of the bully type

and the one in question

is no exception. He got
scant sympathy from me.

Nevertheless, the prisoner had

no right to strike him and

will have to pay.

In the afternoon we had

a cricket match on with the

Light Horse. I was down

to play, but had an

appointment with the dentist

so couldn't. He finished

my teeth alright. At 5 pm.

I had to go down to the

Canal again to attend a

conference of officers. It was

about half past seven when I

got back. At about 9 pm

two of our officers who had

played to dinner at the L.H.

mess came down with the

startling information that the

 

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Light Horse had just got an

alarm and were turning

out immediately. We know

that there are a number

of troops about 50 or 60

miles out from our front

so perhaps they are going

to make a hit. We may

have to turn out tonight.

I hope so, any way.

I would like a good old

scrap before I leave here, and

it would settle the boys

wonderfully.

Sunday 30^th

I received a parcel from

you today sweetheart. A

bonzer too - cake, pudding,

sweets, tooth paste, shaving

soap, figs etc - I have
written you a long letter today

out of sheer gratitude.

Nothing came of that little

affair last night. Today

has been quite peaceful.

We held the usual Church

Parade this morning. During

the morning the Pioneer

Battalion came out to the

lirst line, so there is

evidently going to be some

more trench digging to

improve our position.

Ray came back last

night. I asked him, when

he went, to buy that scarf

for mother, and also some

presents for the good people

in England. He got the 

scarf, he says, and also