Photostat copy of diaries of Benjamin Bennett Leane, 1915-1916 - Part 11

190

are moving tomorrow instead of

Tuesday as was at first

decided. Ray's promotion to

Lieut Col. came out in orders

this afternoon so I sent him

a wire to let him know.

Tuesday, March 28th - Mahsama.

Had a very busy day yesterday

cleaning up camp and getting

loaded up for the trek. We

had fifty camels allotted to us,

and on these had to go all

the blankets, cooking gear,

rations, and other stuff necessary

for a long trek across the

desert. We got away about

half past three. The route was

along the Sweet Water Canal

bank for about five miles,

and then we chuck out

 

across the desert. I can assure

you I am not sorry that I have

a horse to ride. As a matter of

fact I am afraid an adjutants

job on trek would be a well-nigh

impossible one without a horse,

for he has a lot of galloping

about to do - passing orders

back along the column, going

ahead with reports, pushing

on to camp ahead of the

battalion to arrange for the

bivouac etc.

We reached Kassassin about

8 pm. having covered about

twelve miles. We bivouacked

there for the night and pushed

on again at half past five

this morning, reaching Mahsama

about 7.30 am. We had breakfast

 

192

as soon as we got in, and have

just now finished lunch. We

are to move on again at

3.30 this afternoon.

We are a fairly big column 

- from battalion's of infantry,

a machine gun coy, signal

section, field ambulance, and

about 250 camels.

Wednesday March 29th - Moasca

Crumbs kiddie, this plugging

across desert is no sport. I can

tell you. We are now about

two miles from Somailia, and

about 9 miles from our destination.

But the going now is much

worse than it was at first.

It is just like the soft sand

at Glenelg all the way.

We did about ten miles

 

yesterday afternoon and bivouacked

in the desert at 8 pm. There

was a marshy swamp just near

the camp and all night

long we were pestered with

mosquitoes and tiny flies. And

by Jove they could bite.

This morning I was up at

a quarter to five, and we

moved off at six. The going

was solid the whole way. Ray

and I walked and led our

horses all but about two

miles. We got into camp

at half past nine this morning 

- or at least about two

thirds of us did; the others

have been coming in in

ones and twos. We lost

124 men on the march. Other

 

 

194

battalions lost even more.

Six miles across soft sand

on an empty stomach is too

much to ask any man to do.

I wonder at the Brigadier

ordering it.

It's hot as __________.

We are to move on again

at five o'clock tonight. Water

is very scarce, unfortunately.

Thursday March 30th - Serapeum

Jove, I didn't think when

I left here last January

that I'd be back again so

soon, and within a few yards

of the old camp too.

We didn't move at five

yesterday afternoon after all.

The Brigadier decided to give

the men a good rest and

 

finish the journey today. It was

frightfully hot all the afternoon

but the batmen fixed up a bit of

a shelter, and with a few bottles

of liquid refreshment, some

oranges, and a fly whisk, we

managed to survive. Towards

sunset a lot of us went down

to the salt water lake (Lake

Timsah) about 1 ½ miles away,

for a swim. It was good.

We passed about seven battalions

of New Zealanders coming back from

bathing parade, and fine fellows

they were too - well set frames;

strong, manly faces; clean chins

with a cleft in them; well posed

heads. Our chaps as a whole

are not in the same street.

Somebody broke out from one

 

196

party of New Zealanders and

was making a pump handle 

of my right arm before I knew

what had happened. It was

Guthrie, the sergeant who

was in the same ward with me

at Shetford hospital. He's got

his commission now too.

We had a very early

reveille this morning. I was

up at half past four; and

we had the camels over and

half loaded before daybreak

The Brigadier very wisely decided

to have breakfast before making

the march today. Consequently

not a man fell out although

it was a beast of a day

and over soft sand for a

great part of the way. I think

 

my poor old mare is beginning to

wish she wasn't an adjutant's horse.

She's had a pretty hard day today.

About half a dozen times I had

to push on ahead to report on

the track, and twice I had to

gallop after the Brigadier for about 

three miles and then back again

to the battalion. And then as

a finishing touch she had

to gallop over about four miles

of the worst sand I've yet

struck, across the canal on

the pontoon bridge, out to find the

new camp site, and then

back again as hard as she

could lick to meet the 

battalion and guide them in.

The battalion got in about

half past twelve, after having

 

198

covered about 14 miles of desert.

Fortunately all the tents were

already pitched, so all the

men had to do was to get

into them. We have left

let them spell this afternoon

and don't intend to work them

much tomorrow either.

Friday, March 31st 1916.

Getting square again, but only

temporarily. In two or three days

we are to move to another camp

about three miles away, near the

railhead. Perry has made my

tent very comfortable, too, with

rush mats, a home made

stretcher and table. It's all in

the game though.

This morning I got word that

a lot of our baggage was down

 

at the station, so I went along

and arranged for wagons to bring

it up. By jove the sun was

fierce; I had my sleeves

rolled up and my arms

are burnt red and sore. I had

a swim in the canal while I

was down there. Coming home

I had a good galop across

the sands; the mare is a real

pet, and a great goer.

I'm very grateful to Ray for

selecting her for me.

Saturday April 1st 1916.

April Fool's Day, and I've

had a very pleasant joke played

on me. My promotion to Captain

came out in A.I.F. orders today,

to date March 22nd. And

very nice too. Rode over to Div

 

200

Headqrs today, as I got word that the 

Field Cahier was coming down. Could

only coax £100 out of him. That

won't go far in a battalion.

Saw them dipping the niggers over

there. All the niggers who are

working about here have to be dipped

in carbolic or some other disinfectant

every now and then, and then clothes

fumigated. They strip to their skins,

hand their old rags over to the fumigator

men, and then have to go through

this bath. And don't they yell

when they come out. You can guess

how it would burn, It's very necessary

though for they are frightfully dirty.

Sunday April 2nd 1916.

Made up my mind to have a nice

quiet afternoon's letter writing. Just

got settled down about 3.30 and

in blew a new officer to report. Had

 

to have a drink with him.

Just got settled again when a

message came that I was wanted

at Brigade. Went over and

found 260 reinforcements waiting

for me. Took them over checked

their rolls, allotted them to

companies, fixed up for tentage

and rations, and by that

time it was dinner time.

So the letters remained unwritten.

Well Kiddie dear,

here's another volume finished,

and about as void of interest

as the last. I'll be glad

when we can get into the

mill again and have something

of interest to write about.

Bye bye dearest sewwthear.

These books take about three

months to write. I wonder how

many more I'll have to write

before I see your bonny face.

Yours

Ben

___________

 

No. 5.

 

Serapeum April 3rd/16

Dearest Girl,

I'm tired so you won't get

much tonight. I had an inspection 

of the new reinforcements (the 260

who came in yesterday, you remember)

at 6 a.m. and I've been going

ever since - nominal rolls,

rations, slates, about six sheets

of orders, and then to finish up

with, I got notice from Brigade

at 9 pm that there is to be a

Field General Court Marshal in our

lines at 10 am. tomorrow and

that I xx am Prosecutor. So I had

to set to, get all my witnesses

etc warned at once, and prepare

my case. And now I'm going to

bed as I have to be up early

tomorrow morning for Brigadier's inspection.

 

2

April 4th 1916                  12noon.

Brigadier's inspection this morning

quite satisfactory. The Court

marshal is just through now.

In this case I did my best to

secure a conviction, as the

fellow (a Coy [[?]]) is in my

opinion - and in the opinion

of most - a schemer and

a malingerer. He is always

trying to work points, but

on this occasion I fancy he

has overstepped himself.

April 5th 1916

As I remarked once before, the

soldier has no home. At one

o'clock today I received orders from

Brigade Headquarters to have all tents

struck by 3 o'clock this afternoon,

and stacked over at the railway

 

line for removal to new camp site.

We are to march to Railhead

tomorrow morning at seven. Railhead 

is about six miles further out from

the Canal. Camp is struck, and

our baggage is over at the line

under a guard ready for removal 

tomorrow. We bivouac where

we are for the night.

The results of the Court Marshal

came out this afternoon. The CQMS

was reduced to the rank of Sergeant.

I think the court was very lenient.

Our new padre came along

today. He is a RC - and

very Irish. I think he'll do, though

Capt Roberts received a cable today

to say that a little daughter has arrived,

so things are very jolly tonight. Our

little woman is nearly a year old now. I

must write you as soon as we get settled

 

4

in our new camp so that you

will get the letter in time for

her birthday. Night night sweetheart -

April 6th - Railhead - 10 pm

We've done a good day's work

today, and have not only

got ourselves and our baggage

all out here, but have

our camp pitched, all tents

up, cook lines and other

accessories built and everything

going along swimmingly as 

though we had not just

broken up one home and

established another. I suppose

the next move will be into

the trenches. The G.O.C.

told the CO yesterday that

in six weeks we leave for

France. May it be so.