Diary of Lindsay Robert Turner, 1917-1918 (Vol. 2) - Part 1

 Book Cover

TRIPLICATE
MANIxxxxxx

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but it was necessary  to have some
[[?]] of the sort, so that the day’s
details could be arranged and
besides it ensures that everyone
is up in time for breakfast.
We had the whole reinforcement
on duty, with the exception of
4 men and other reinforcement’s.
had to supply some 200 men
to each hut, remove and
reerect  buildings and [[?]]
trenches. We soon arrived at
the conclusion that we weren’t
in a rest home as some had
imagined at first tho’ our days
are numbered for we have
heard rumours that we move
out tomorrow. There was a
Church parade in spite of the
few men available in an
ample space of ground
bereft of vegetation  of any kind.
 

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still  the sun was not hot tho the
glare from the sand has a peculiar 
effect on the eyes. Well it is that
theres little or no wind, the place
would be almost unbearable with the
north winds we have in Australia.I
escaped duty just for the afternoon 
to step across to the Hospital to see the
patients we have there but being in the
infections ward wasn’t allowed to be
there, still I was able per messenger

to assure them that they would follow
us to England and ultimately join
their comrades. I had another tour
thro’ this evil- smelling  town in the
capacity of officer in charge of the
Town picquet but as dinner wasnt
over until 8.30 and the picquet.
completed its labours at 9 my visit
was a brief one. [[?]] had the 
conceived the idea of riding back
to Camp on donkeys. so we hired
two and started off. It looks easy

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much like cruelty to dumb animals
so small are they but they seem quite
capable of carrying a heavy load and
have been used to it for some considerable
time. Anyway we threw discretion to 
the wind and rode the two miles
back to Camp in great style.
17/12/17. The first news that greeted us
this morning was information to
to effect that we were to entrain
for Alexandria during the evening
en route for Italy, France and
England. The rumours we had
heard the preceding day took the
sting out of our joy  at the prospect
for we were indeed grateful at
the good news. We had had enough
of Watour El Meya and its
surroundings. We know however
what such a departure involves
and commenced quite early to
get rid of our stores and prepare

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for the entrainment. Two hours are
to leave with an interval  of two
hours between. We are fortunate
in having the Railway,  Station just
on the edge of the Camp it means
we can just walk out carrying kits
etc. I would to view the camp from 
an aeroplane but the opportunity
didn't come along, some of
our fellows were fortunate enough
to get up. The afternoon we spent
getting kits on board the train
which was timed to leave at 8.30
All the troops were entrained
by 8 and to the accompaniment of
cheers from those going by the second 
train they moved off. Our
train was timed to leave at 10.30
We would all have preferred
to travel by day to see the
Canal and the Nile country in
all its beauty,  but for strategical
reason

5

We had to go by night. We had
gathered in a stack of provisions
as well as rugs and blankets
so intended to be comfortable even
if we couldn’t be anywhere.  We
got away punctually at 10.00 and
very soon turned in. Several
hours during the night. I heard hawkers 
at the various stations vending fruit
mostly oranges which convinced
me that some of the men at least 
were still on board.
18 12/17 This proved to be quite a
momentous day. I woke up finally
7 o’clock and looked out to
find stretching as far as the
eye could see plotupon plot of
Irrigated land. It was truly a
magnificent sight and wonderful
to think that such land was
just next to the largest desert of 
the world. I was sorry we hadn’t 

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the opportunity of seeing both the
Canal and the two streams from
the Delta of the Nike because just
after waking up we came to rather
a large town called Damanhur
over the Nile and some 35 miles
from Alexandria. The system of
irrigation is an excellent one. a
lake is drained  parallel to the
railway line and at regular
intervals smaller trains carrying 
the water from the Nile run
into the large one. There seems to be
no division between the various
blocks of land except drains 
an odd fence can be seen
in the immediate vicinity of
houses but beyond that fences
are apparently never used at all
as he approached Alexandria
we could now and again get a
whiff of the sea our old friend
of more than a months acquaintance.

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The first indication was seaweed
and other sea plank in the vicinity 
of the Railway line and then appeared
a lagoon with numbers of fishing
craft dotted here and there. The
Town of Alexandria is a large one
and from the account of shipping 
lying in the habour is apparently
flourishing. As our train drew
on to the Quay we had our first
glimpse  of the Troopship which
was to carry us across the
“danger zone” She is one of the
B.J.S.H. line called the  “Karoa”
and tho' considerably smaller than
the “Port Sydney” is much more
compact and as we hoped and
prayed a much faster boat.
We have an idea that we are
destined to land at Taranto in the
South of Italy and go overland
If so we should reach the end of
our sea trip on Friday morning.

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We got all the troops on board and
then commenced a repetition of
what happened the day we embarked
on the “Port Sydney” I would very much
to see the surroundings active
steamed out of the harbour at 2.30
but there was too much to do on
the troop deck and [[?]] I was
orderly officer for the day. As we
made our or way out to sea
two destroyers darted out from
nowhere  with full steam up
followed by another troop ship
and a third destroyer. We passed a
1^st Class Cruiser at anchor but
any [[?]] work to be done. She
was apparently content to leave to
the destroyers. Out ahead we saw
a fort which once guarded the
entrance to Alexandria but is
now practically in ruins. It was
a thrilling sight. Steaming out into
 

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the Mediterranean with a destoyer on 
either side. It looked as if it might 
be a rough night too and with the
possibility of meeting a submarine
or two it caused many of us as
we turned in to wonder what  the
next day or so would bring for the 
least said about our troubles
of the afternoon and [[?]] the
better. “Sufficient the day is the
evil thereof.”
19/12/17  I woke up this morning
feeling that this was a day well
worth remembering for two reasons
first for a purely family reason
and secondly because it was
the completion of our first
night in the danger zone and
we were still going strong.
Didn’t feel strong  back when
I first got up as the