Diary of Theodor Milton Pflaum, 1915-1916 - Part 2

Sunday 19/12/15 
Went up to Ismailia &
several of us took a carriage
to see the sights. Arabstown
is fearfully dirty beyond  
conception. The European  
quarters are very nice -  
saw some bonza French  
girls. Had dinner up  
there - some on them  
went on to Port Said.
An hour & half journey from  
here. 
  
Monday 20/12/15 
Painted our guns. Saw  
the Flyers go out on their  
observation works over the  
Canal. The Germans  
Austrians are coming  
down in large numbers. 
Got ready for the trenches. 
May leave tomorrow. So  
will get our baptism  
shortly.

Tuesday 21/12/15 
Had to wait for our rifles  
etc. Sent our kit bags  
on per Donkey transport  
to Infidam? Got to bed very  
late. 
  
Wednesday 22/12/15 
Had our tent down & packed by 
6.30am. Marched down to  
Ismailia wharf and embarked  
up the Canal in a Hopper. 
Things were a bit mixed  
Only 3 guns arrived - our  
waggons with our Sea Kits 
and accessories have not 
come on from Suez yet. 
Our transports went to Cairo in 
mistake but turned up  
last night. Saw 30th Batt 
as we came up the Canal  
Stationed a couple of miles  
from us towards Suez. Arrived  
at Elferdane where we relieved  
the Punjab troops. This is  
a fearfully sandy hole, but  
are right on the banks of the  
Canal so can was the sand off  
occasionally - fresh water can

only be had for drinking purposes  
so dont know how we are going  
to wash our clothes.  
Nos 1 & 2 guns had guard first  
night.  Our  
engineer was fired on a couple  
of miles out today. Haven't  
seen a paper for a fortnight. 
Our troops are digging in and  
making decent trenches. Easy  
digging but the sand almost  
blinds one - Cant keep anything  
free from it. Have got down  
to dog biscuits & bully beef & Expect  
that will be our Xmas dinner. 
The warboats are continually practising  
with their guns getting ranges etc.  
Have got crowds of natives on  
building light lines and roads. 

Thursday 23/12/15 
Wrote a couple of letters & had  
a swim - mounted guard  
at 4pm for 24 hours. Expect  
to have some practice in getting  
ranges with the guns tomorrow. 
Saw the Warilda go down bound

for Adelaide. Crowds of boats  
are continually passing - a  
great many troops go through  
bound for Persian Gulf - Guess  
there will be something doing  
directly. Have an Indian  
Camel Corps stationed here. 
Indian Lancers also go out  
from here on outpost duty. 
Longing to have a chip in. 
Had a terribly windy night  
last night - was sand from  
my feet to breakfast time. 

Friday 24/12/15 
On Guard till 4pm &  
wrote a couple of letters  
home in the evening. 
Got my first mail, one  
from J.S. & the other from  
M.TH. Both written before  
we left - Was rather  
disappointed at not getting  
any from home. 

Saturday 25/12/15 Xmas Day 
Had a good sleep after  
a swim in the Canal

Sat. Christmas Day 
Was awakened in a hurry  
at the news of a tribe of  
Arabs attacking our outposts - 
however it wasn't anything to  
warrant the excitement. 
   
Sunday 26/12/15 
On Guard all day & had  
to work at an emplacement. 
Am feeling pretty tired & up  
all night. Had a  
bite of Plum Pudding - just  
enough to make one hungry. 
Had my first mail, none from home. 
  
Monday 27/12/15 
Had a morning of Gun  
drill and mounted guard  
in the afternoon. Mjr Taplin  
& Col. Coghill returned from  
Ismailia - up there on business. 
Getting very cold here at night. 
Got my home mail - 9 letters. 
        
Tuesday 28/12/15 
On guard all day. Spend  
my spare time in writing reading  
my mail - It was just  
great to get the mail, but  
neither Ray nor I got

our Chronicles or Observers.
Had an Xmas parcel from 
Doss and also a long letter. 
Nace included a photo of she  
& Molly. 
  
Wednesday 29/12/15 
Had a big disappointment. 
Our sub section lost the toss  
and Nos 1 & 2 went out on  
outpost. Its sticking in  
my "gissard" pretty hard, but  
our luck will come later. 
The others moved off early and  
we had to pack the camels. 
Made one get down and when  
I got on, made him get up  
but. one of the crowd  
frightened him and in  
his hurry to rise threw  
me clean over his head. 
Its been the joke of the day. 
However got on again just  
for spite. Will be on  
guard every night now for  
a while - guess it will  
be pretty tiring. 
             
Thursday   30/12/15 
Went on guard, had cold night

Friday   31/12/15
Did a bit of belt filling  
and had a swim. Had  
the zonophone in the  
Dug Out and played the  
Old Year out & New Year  
in by using darning 
needles (filed down).  
  
Friday 1/1/16 

Tappy came in from out  
back & gave us the news. 
Had a look at the prisoners  
we took - a few Arabs. Got  
our second mail 6 letters. 
No papers have come to light yet. 

Saturday    Friday   1/1/16 
Had a swim in the morn  
and took the new Section  
for M.Gun work 

Sunday 2/1/16 
Was on guard till 6am. 
Saw Ray in the morn. Cleaned  
the Maxim and saw a  
camel fight. Very  
windy - any amount of  
sand about.

Monday 3/1/16 
Went out with the Reserve
section shooting - a fearful  
day - guns would hardly  
shoot at all - as soon as  
we opened the cover the sand  
would chock it up. On  
guard all night - very cold. 
  
Tuesday 4/1/16 
Nothing doing - wrote a letter  
home - can't give any where- 
abouts - they ought to conclude  
from my vague letters. 

Wednesday 5/1/16 
One of our lads shot through  
the knee last night, by  
accident. Canteen closed. 
Is being taken over by  
English employers. Had  
a ride on Tappy's horse. 

Thursday 6/1/16 
Terrible dust or at least  
sandstorm - worst up to  
date. Heard news of Geelong 
and Persia. Geelong laden 
with [cargos?], hence sunk.

Friday 7/1/16 
(Text written by someone else)
For one of my scrummiest boy pals 
                                                          Doss

_________________________________________
Fancy finding the above  
will leave it there for devilment.  
Cleaned our M.Guns -  a fair  
brute of a day - answered  
Dots letter. On guard all  
night - bitterly cold 
  
Saturday 8/1/16 
Tappy came in from  
Kedib Abu Aruk - we  
were on filling belts. 
  
Sunday 9/1/16 
Warboat anchored up  
the canal - acting as  
artillery for us - on Guard  
that night 
  
Monday 10/1/16 
Wake came back from  
Cairo - several boats  
laden with Soldiers passed  
through 
  
Tuesday 11/1/16 
Choat shot himself. 'C'  
Coy sent in an Arab spy  
Dog biscuits issued
 

Wednesday 12/1/16 
Out trench digging in the  
morn. Mooltan passed  
through. Developed some  
of Bas's photos. 
  
Thursday 13/1/16 
Got a couple of Xmas  
gifts. No billies - the  
contents were wacked up  
by the quartermaster Sgt.  
Enemy getting closer - Have  
been warned to be vigilent  
on outpost duty.  
Major Hughes arrived. 
  
Friday 14/1/16 
A pretty rotten day - 
Colonel Adjutant went  
to Cairo - several of  
the Jupiter sailors rowed 
 up here. We received  
our pay (£3.1.7) all pay  
is in Egyptian money.  
Our Infantry doing a deal  
of hard training - we  
had a game of Docker 
instead. Its hard work in  
the sand.

Saturday 15/1/16 
15 Bags of mail were sighted  
being carried across the  
Canal hence a good  
deal of excitement - Got  
13 letters and 3 papers and  
just enjoyed the afternoon  
reading same - First  
word I've had from Zab  
from Heliopolis. Got our  
pays £3.1.7 
  
Sunday 16/1/16 
Went for a swim and  
developed photos for Bas -  
Have sent several home  
to date - on guard Sunday  
night 
  
Monday 17/1/16 
A fearful day - the  
Jupiter took up her 
position after going on  
to Port Said - wrote a  
couple of letters 

Tuesday 18/1/16 
Orders for removal from  
here - are going to be  
Brigaded in a few days

that looks as if we won't see  
anything here - don't know  
where the Brigade Camp  
will be - The 16th Batt  
is relieving us here. 
  
Wednesday 19/1/16 
Had to start getting our  
guns and stuff together  
for removal. Went down  
before breakfast and "cadged"  
a bit of steak - enough  
for our tent - squared the 
cook to let me fry it - so  
gave our chaps fried steak  
to help the bacon down.  
Packed the waggons ready for  
moving off on Thursday.  
on guard all night. 
  
Thursday 20/1/16 
Reveille at 5am - dismounted 
at 6 guard at 6am - embarked  
at 9.30am from El Ferdane  
to Ismailia - In camp  
here with the 4th Brigade.  
Met Lee May - These  
Chaps all back from Gallipoli  
and are moving Friday

to Moaska. Bas stayed  
behind with lumber Waggons.  
Will be coming on tomorrow.  
Tommies relieved us at El Ferdane. 
  
Friday 21/1/16 
Had a spell - Bas & the 
1/2 Section from  
Kedib Abou Aruk. Another  
mail arrived - very short  
mail for me. 
  
Saturday 22/1/16 
Had a bit of work with  
the guns - the rest  
of the Section was  
resting after their march.  
Wrote a letter home to  
Mum - her birthday. 
  
Sunday 23/1/16 
Church Parade for the  
Battalion - Had a  
march past - Bas & I  
went across to the Ismailia  
station & struck a pal of  
Bas's on the Hospital Train.

Monday 24/1/16 
Went out with the  
Waggons and had to work  
out a scheme of action.  
It rained a good deal - was  
hard work in the sand.  
Max went into Hospital. 
  
Tuesday 25/1/16 
Started the Reserve Section  
on their work - No 1's  
& instructing - the rest of  
the Section out with  
Companies. Rained  
all day. 
  
Wednesday 26/1/15 
More rain - Had the  
Reserve men at Gun Drill.  
Stripped my gun and cleaned  
it thoroughly. Rations  
very poor. Buying most  
of our own. 
  
Thursday 27/1/15 
Very wet - no parade  
in the afternoon -  
sat in my tent and  
wrote letters.

Friday 28/1/16 
Very cold out on early  
parade. Had a good  
run round and got  
a bit warm. A 
mail in Ismailia hence  
a bit of anxiety. Reserve  
section going well - 2  
PAC Chaps and 2 Scotch  
College in my squad. 
  
Saturday 29/1/16 
A beautiful day - Mail  
arrived but only half  
sorted. Aeroplanes out  
all over the place. Looked  
as if the learners were  
having a go. Max out  
of hospital on furlough.  
Looking better. Tappy in  
bed all day with influ. 
  
Sunday 30/1/16 
Got a native to do a bit  
of washing. Had a bath  
(the first for a fortnight). Went  
for a bit of a ride on  
a camel. Kegan sentenced to  
14 days for a paltry affair.

Monday 31/1/16 
Had the Brigadier Nothing  
very exciting - were out  
with the Reserve Section. 
  
Tuesday 1/2/16 
Had the Brigadier here - (Col.  
Tivey). He was pleased with  
our appearance and turn out.  
Were paid in the afternoon. 
  
Wednesday 2/2/16 
Reserve Section had the  
Elementary tests in M.G work  
Got an issue of cigarettes  
and plum puddings. 
  
Thursday 3/2/15 
Went out on tactical schemes  
out in the desert somewhere 
Had our dinner out there  
and got in about 4pm.  
R.S.M rumoured as under  
arrest. About time the  
deserter. 
  
Friday 4/2/15 
Shooting with Reserve Section

Saturday 5/2/15 
Shooting with Reserve  
Section. Had some  
Races on transport 
Horses in the dinner hour  
Just in bed when orders  
came for us to carry our  
Kit bags across to Station in  
the pouring rain, & had  
to pack for shifting camp  
next day. 
  
Sunday 6/2/15 
Reveille 3.30am. The  
Colonel came & called us 
Breakfast at 4am & left  
at 6am. Marched to  
Moaskar about 1  1/2 miles &  
entrained from there to  
Tel El Kabir about 20 miles  
from Cairo. Arrived  
here about 11am but couldn't  
pitch our tents until late  
in the afternoon. Jolly  
big Camp. Rest of the  
Brigade here. We & the  
4 Brigade form 2nd Division. 
  
Monday 7/2/15 
Up at 6am for physical  
exercises - Got things a

bit straight. It is just  
like a township here. 
  
Tuesday 8/2/16 
(LMJ. moved from No 3 gun)  
No 1's were instructing their  
sections - Getting warm  
again. Went to the pictures  
Sunday & Monday nights.  
Splendid show run by French  
proprietors. 
  
Wednesday 9/2/16 
Had half a day off so went  
up to Y.M.C.A. & wrote some letters 
It poured all the afternoon. This is  
the wettest season ever known here. 

[*Had a mail*]
  
Thursday 10/2/16 
Have been trying to beat time  
down in O.C wa coming into  
action. O.C. gone to Cairo  
for 3 days. 
  
Friday 11/2/16 
Nothing very particular happened  
Are having good weather. Pull  
down our tents daily to let the  
Sun in. Bas & I went to  
the pictures tonight. 
  
Saturday 12/2/16 
Drilled all day and wrote letters  
at night in the Y.M.C.A.

Sunday 13/2/16 
Had a good wash. First  
decent bath for a while.  
Bas & I went up the lines for  
a walk - weighed ourselves  
on Fodder scales up at the A.S.C.  
Camp. Went 178 11lbs. Wrote letters  
at night. 
  
Monday 14/2/16 
Out with waggons all day.  
Pictures at night. 
  
Tuesday 15/2/16 
Usual drill during the day.  
A mail came in - only  
2 for me - expect the others  
will turn up. 32nd Batt  
gave a tip top concert at  
night 
  
Wednesday 16/2/16 
Couldn't get our leave for  
Cairo - had a good  
days drill and went to  
the pictures at night. 
  
Thursday 17/2/16 
Went to Cairo - visited  
the Pyramids, Sphinx, Mosques  
etc etc. Cairo fearful & wonderful

arrived broke and jolly tired  
at 2200 o'clock. I dont want  
to fill the diary so wont  
say anything further. 
  
Friday 18/2/16 
Tired but went out on  
tactical handling of the M Guns.  
Wrote letters re Cairo at night  
4th Brigade arrived here. 
  
Saturday 19/2/16 
Nothing much doing beyond 
the same old drill. 
  
Sunday 20/2/16 
Went to Church parade  
and had to shift our  
tents in the afternoon. 
  
Monday 21/2/16 
Drill again - I'm afraid  
if a chap ever gets tight  
when he gets back he'll  
be doing some military  
movement or other 
  
Tuesday 22/2/16 
Went out on a march into  
the desert - Unearthed skulls