Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 14

sent the mater a birthday
cable, but did not chose
anything for Uncle Arthur or
the sisters. I must try and
get up myself this afternoon week.
It looks as though we
are to go away very soon.
We have orders to get ourselves
completely equipped by
Wednesday next. Also
We were to have gone out
to the trenches tomorrow, but
the move has been cancelled.
I won't be sorry to leave Egypt.
Monday May 1^st 1916
Last night I was in yarning
to Ray just before going to
bed when the Transport
Sergeant sent up asking
to see me urgently. When 
I went out to him he stated
that ^the outpost commander's horse
had just come into the lines
riderless. Of course I didn't
know whether he had been
thrown or caught by the
Turks or whether his horse
had simply broken loose, so
I told the Transport Sergt to
get my mare saddled and 
sent up to me, and was
just putting on my belt
and revolver to go out and
investigate when a messenger
came in to say that the
horse had broken away from
the picket. So it was
alright.
Monday, May 8^th 1916
Its no good my attempting to

48
write up every day since
May 1^st, because I'm hanged
if I can remember it. I've
been to Cairo for four days
so the diary didn't get written.
I went up by the 7 pm train
from Serapeum, reaching Cairo
just before midnight. I got
a room at Shepheards and
you can bet I was not
long getting into bed.
And what a bed - so
soft, so roomy, so
spotlessly clean. One
thing only was needed to
make me think I was home
again. It was half past
eight when I awakened. Had
a hot bath & breakfast, 
and then went out to Zeitoun
with some letters for a couple
of our chaps in the school
there. Went across to
Heliopolis to see Claude Morlet's
mother, and had lunch
with her. Came back to Cairo
& reported at Headqrs, at the
Savoy Hotel. Made a few
purchases and then went out
to 3rd AGH with some letters
from various officers in the
battalion. On the way out
I met Butler of the Camel Corps
so he turned about and came
with me. I got rid of all my
messages and received  strict
injunctions to return on the
morrow for replies. One of the
girls came back with us to
drinks and in the evening we

50
move out to the Pyramids.
On Friday morning, I put in
nearly the whole time at
the Pay Office at Abbassia.
squaring up a lot of our records.
Afterwards I went across to the Camel
School but found it deserted.
All the companies are now
scattered over Egypt - Mersa
Matruh, Sallum, Assint,
& goodness knows where else.
I went back to the hotel for
lunch, and after lunch
went down the Mouski
Bazaar to get some presents
for Uncle Arthur & the Aunts.
and bang went several
sixpences ! I didn't know
what to get them, but in the
end got a silver ash tray
for Uncle, and a silver trinket
bowl for each of the Aunties. they
were all hand worked in
Egyptian characters. I also
got them an Egyptian brass
gong. I brought little Gwen
a spoon for her birthday - she
is a bit young for jewelry,
don't you think! Well then
of course I had to get something
for you. I hesitated a
long time between some pretty
jewelry and a scarab brooch,
and in the end got the brooch.
It is a genuine scarab of the
period of one of the Rameses, so
is thousands of years older than
you and I. The brooch
is beaten gold, of Egyptian workmanship.
 I hope you like it.

52
Well, then I had to rush
back to Shepheards to meet
the farrier and saddler of
the battalion in order to
buy a forge and anvil,
and other kit for their jobs.
It was nearly one when we
finished our shopping, so
as I had promised to be at
the hospital by half past
six I had to bustle some.
Eventually I reached there at
seven o'clock .Quite a big
mail was ready for me to
take back, so as a reward
I had to stay to dinner.
After dinner I went for
a drive. It was a very
hot night and driving ws
about the only way of
raising a breeze. Saturday
morning I met Col Lorenzo
and did the block with him
& made a few purchases,, and
in the afternoon paid a visit
to the Zoo. Caught the 6.15 pm
train down and arrived at
Serapeum at half past ten.
Perry was there to meet me
with my horse, and he
informed me that the battalion
had received sudden orders 
to move out to the trenches
and had moved out the preceding
afternoon. He wanted to stay
at Serapeum for the night; as it
was a ten or twelve mile
ride across the desert without
any marks or bearings to guide
us. However, I thought that

54
if the battalion had moved out
Suddenly there, must be a
chance of a scrap, and I
didn't want to risk being
out of it, so out we rode.
 Well, we rode and we
rode, and at about
2.30 am, we came to the
conclusion that we had better
sit down and wait for day light.
Poor Perry was in a
bad way ; he blamed himself
for leading me astray,
but of course I didn't blame
him because I know how
very difficult it is to find
your way across the desert
in the dark, especially
with only a general sense
of direction to go by. And
anyway it didn't worry me
at all. A night in the
desert is not so very terrible,
after all, and I knew
that as soon as daylight
came I would be able to 
find my way. However,
when we dismounted I
discovered that there were
wheeltracks just where we were
standing so decided to
follow them. After about
an hours riding we suddenly
came on a camp, so hitched
up our horses and lay down
for an hours sleep. At dawn
I found we were in the lines
of a neighbouring battalion, about
four miles from our own post,
So we saddled up and eventually

56
reached our camp about five
am. Today I was up
at 3 a.m (we stand to arms
at 3.30 here and remain standing
to until dawn, which is 
about 4.30 am). It makes a
long day, for I don't think
it is much use going to bed
again at 4.30 am, and it
gives me a good chance
to catch up my work.
There is no chance at
night, because we have
all lights out at 8.30 pm
and not even a match
is struck after that hour
until dawn.
I rode around the posts
this afternoon. The defences
are not one continuous
line of trenches such as we had
at Gallipoli. They are really
a series of outpost positions,
and in a well secluded position
covering some wady or other
ground likely to be selected
for the advance of troops.
The country here is all
soft sand, and very undulating.
Of course, there is not the same
elaborate system of trenches that
existed at Gallipoli either,
but still the positions are
very strong, and could be
held by a small body
of resolute men practically
as long as their ammunition and
food hung out. Information
has been received that the
Turks, who are some miles out

58
in fairly large numbers, intend
to attack some time this week,
but of course you can
never rely on information of
this sort. I hope it is true.
Meanwhile we are working
hard all day long
improving our defences, 
strengthening the trenches, clearing
out the sand that silts
in almost as soon as it
is shovelled out; and
protecting our front with
barbed wire entanglements
Our front covers about
three miles so we have
a fairly long line to inspect
every day. The CO,
Major Imlay and myself
take it in turns. Tomorrow
morning it is my turn.
Tuesday May 9th 1916
I was up at three again
this morning and off on my
inspection before half past.
Of course it is pitch dark
at 3.30, and it is a bit
difficult to strike the posts in
the dark. My horse, too, has
a habit of heading away 
to one side all the time,
which makes it hard to keep
your original direction. However,
I managed to find them all,
 and also rode out in front 
of the fusiliers to the sentry
groups and advanced posts.
Eventually  got back to ^H.Q camp
at about half past five.
This afternoon the C.O. Doctor

60
and self rode into Railhead
to our old camp to inspect
some details left there.
Part of the 13^th Brigade are now
in our old camp.
Wednesday 10^th
Major Imlay got kicked on
the shin by the Co's horse
a day or two ago, and his
leg is beginning to swell
badly, so he can't do any
more work at present. 
Consequently, Ray and I have
to do all the daily inspections
of posts. I don't mind it
at all though if it takes
me out in the open more
and I much prefer that
to sticking in my office.
Today a whole crowd
of officers from the 50^th Bn rode
out to go over the positions.
Most of them were old 10^th Bn
officers __Major Jacob, Fowler,
Clarke, Smith, and several others.
They are to act as reserve
battalion in the event of an
attack.
Thursday 11^th
Had to go into Serapeum for
the pay today, and also
to purchase some stores for
the boys, from the Canteen.
I took Perry in with me
for escort. We left at 9 am
and reached Railhead a little
after 10 am. I bought about
₤ 125 worth of stuff ___ tinned
food and fish etc. and,
of course, beer. What with

62
Pay and canteen stores I 
was a regular Father Christmas.
It was just our lunch time
by the time I had got it
all away on the limbers
so I went along to the
49^th Bn and had lunch
with Col. Lorenzo. After
lunch Perry and I continued
our journey to the Canal , got
the pay  (over £1500) and
then came home. It is
about 12 miles, I should say,
from the Canal to the trenches.
We left the Canal at 3.30
and arrived in camp at
about 5.30 p.m.
Tomorrow morning is the
expected time for the attack,
so we are all going to bed
in anticipation of a call out.
I had another very nice
parcel from Uncle Arthur today.
2 tins of shortbread and a tin
of delicious chocolate biscuits.
Friday May 12^th 1916 - midnight
This has been a most rotten
day in everything except
one ___ and that has made
up for all. I got a most
loving letter from you, and
also those photos of yourself
& Peg, and little Gwen. What
a lovely old girl your are
kiddie. I am so proud  to
show the photo round and
tell everyone that it is the
photo of my wife. You
are a lovely kid. And
the babies, too, dont they

64
look lovely! I've got them
stuck well up on my
dressing table in my hut,
and every time I go in
there I have a long gaze
at them.  But oh. kiddie,
it has made me so homesick.
Well, I suppose you
wonder what I'm doing
up at midnight seeing
that I was at at 3 am
this morning and have to
be up at 3 am again
tomorrow. Well, this
is all part of the rottennes
I spoke about.
This morning I got orders
to send in a number of
men for the training battalion
urgently. Well I got
them all together from the
various posts and was just
on the point of sending them
away when along came a 
message cancelling the
move. So the poor devils
had to trudge back to their
posts again; and its no
joke trudging for a mile
or so with full pack up
through this soft sand.
However, that was over . Then
I had a court martial,
a board of enquiry, and
had to arrange for the distribution
of canteen stores and
about eleventy other things
and every bally thing
seemed to go wrong. You
get days like that sometimes