Diary of Trooper Ion Llewellyn Idriess-1915-1916-Part 7

to six feet behind it. I
had the unpleasant feeling
of a damned Bedouin
sneaking into those bushes,
and sticking a knife in
my back from behind. 3^rd
The aeroplanes that fly over
the oasis out on scouting
towards the Turkish base at
"stand to" (3.45 am) look like
great big beetles, as they fly in
the darkness overhead ...... An
aeroplane that flew with
others yesterday morning to
bomb the Turkish base has
not returned. One of the
aeroplanes came back to
camp with the aviator just
unconscious, from wounds.
March 1st. Desert sand storm blowing

all day. Camp covered in

clouds of sand. Horses eyes

filled up, mens eyes, ears, mouth,

nose filled up with sand and

disgust. Stew full of sand,

tea full of sand. All of us

completely "full up". 5^th March.

Still sand flying about. We 

heard big guns firing out

towards the Ismailia Lakes today

but hardly think the Turks are there.

General Birdwood was around

the lines this morning and with the old

Brig. 6^th March Monday. Right

up to dinner time this morning

we could hear plainly the

sound of big guns. A rumor

is about that early this

morning could plainly
 

6 p.m. A New Zealand

patrol met a Turkish camel

patrol this morning. A New

Zealander was shot through

the shoulder.... An Egyptian

engine driver was shot this

morning by a sniper.... Our

patrols so bring in small

parties of Bedouin women &

children and old men, and

occasionally young men with

sometimes small flocks of

goats, and odd camels. These 

wandering Bedouins have

their men folk fighting with 

the Turks. They watch our

patrols in the desert, and

give the Turks information

as to our movements...
be heard the rattle of
heavy rifle fire. But I
think that it is only a rumor.
It could only mean one
thing otherwise. The firing
ceased at dinner time and
all is now quiet. I do
not think there is anything
on, though there is a lot of
movements among troops.
It is interesting watching
things work out Heaven
help the Turks when they do
attack, they'll get absolutely
"SL - ed aid".....At night
we can plainly see the
search lights flashing
on the canal. 7th March We
heard a few guns in
the distance again today

There are very strong

forces of Turks round

about. We may be attacked

at any time. 7th May.

Blazing sun. Countless

flies One tiny slice of

accursed bacon fat for dinner.

No jam, but bread. Our usual

meal now. Yet there is a

continuous camel corp

running from here to Hill

70, (6 miles) These camels

brought us out tents and

horse rugs, only to take

them back again. That

is this ever lasting

accursed military Gawk

acts again. Of course

those camels could not
 It is very hot. We are carrying

on with ordinary Light

Horse drill. I wouldn't be

surprised if we move on

soon. We all pray so. 11^th

Dust and sand, heat and sand

and disgust. 15^th March, Last

night I suggested to Lieutenant

Orr that we should volunteer

to go and blow up the

Turkish ammunition supplies

or blow up and big bridge

on this line they are

supposed to be building

But it appears that the

obstacles in the way

are too great, and men

would only be throwing

their lives away in an
 

be employed carrying us

out a few cases of Jam.

We hear and read a lot of

the money being subscribed

for Australian soldiers,

but never a tin of Jam or

loaf of bread do we get

out of all the talk. 8th May,

We have just got confirmed

news of General Townsends

surrender with all his troops. 

And yet for months the

higher authorities have

kept a great army in Egypt,

doing nothing but Gawk

acts and a little training,

trudging through pitiless

sand, and Light Horsemen

cleaning horse lines and
undertaking which
would not be worth
while even should
it succeed. I am
beginning to think that
my thick wooden head
is too solid to think
out any workable scheme
17th March. We have to strike
tents twice a week for health
sake I suppose. The tents are
cleaned out thoroughly every
morning. The wretched fatigue
parties who are left in camps
on those two days, have to
be out in the blazing sun,
smothered with inhaling
fine dust, our eyes cut out
with the driving sand.
 

 

'shumming" saddles. An

army that was half mad

with the desire to fight,

grumbling, growling at

the monotonous, miserable

routine of camp life. And

All the time a strong weak, 

British force has been

ceaselessly fighting a far

superior force, and no

help sent to it. And the

Australian army doing

nothing and praying

for a fight. The war will 

last a very long time if

the heads do not wake 

up soon. ..... Was on patrol

duty last night, three

miles out on the top of 383
and try to eatt a miserable
meal that is covered over
with grit and dirt from
the horse lines. Al And all
this for healths sake. But
the officers tents, they never 
come down. What is
good for the goose is no
good to the gander. I can
hardly see to write this
for the sand that is blowing
on the paper. 18th A party of
us have recently been digging
trenches, to be used for us for
a special course of training
in bomb throwing. After
having done a lot of heavy
fatigue work, and almost
completed the work, we
are told to leave it alone,

the hilll rises to a razor

back of sand only two feet

wide, which falls directly

away to the flat country for

a depth of over 200 feet

sheer; on the other side of

this two foot neck the hill

falls abruptly for twenty

feet, then slopes steeply

on to flat country, a big

hill of fine soft sand.

From our tiny ridge it is

a magnificent f view, far 

up looking for miles

right over the land of the 

Turk and the wandering

Bedouin tribes. Fifteen

miles behind us the Suez

canal, where we could 

see the very distant.
because B&C squadron
are going off to the trenches
for a while, and A squadron
has to look after their horses
as well as their our own, and
do all our ordinary fatigue
works and night duties as
well. That is the way of the
military always Exhaust
the men with a work
and when it is half completed
give the whole thing up,
because the silly fools
can not see a fortnight
ahead..... It is another
cursed day. Us We in camp are
sitting down with bags
over our heads against
the sand. It is often
impossible to see the
 

momentary flash of a

search light. One thing

was good. On the Turks

side of the hill it was

impossible for them to

sneak up on us, it was

just a sheer wall of

floury sand. And yet if 

we ourselves stepped but

six inches too far off the

ridge, it meant a sudden

plunge deep down into

the sand, and a long

smothering roll to the

bottom. The first watch

passed spendidly. Cool a

low moon, just enough

light to see. The second

watch there was a fierce

cold wind, which f blew
length of horse lines
for flying sand. And we
are told that we most
likely have to stay here and
patrol the canal without
much prospect of a fight
No wonder the men are
deadly sick of rotten Egypt
... After all our weary
months of looking after
horses, here is B Squadron
going on away walking
The heads always say
they know a lot of things
then why didn't they turn
us into proper infantry
immediately we came
back from Anzac, then
we would be now
properly trained infantry
 

a fine sand strongly

into our face, blinding

the man on watch and

making him turn his back

to the wind and sand drift

making miserable the wretched

sleepy, dangerous small

hours before the dawn. ....

There is no damned bread or

jam either today. Pity they

wouldn't go right away out,

where a man would know

they couldn't get these things,

then he would be contented

and wouldn't growl. These

cold footed, base job

men who are responsible 

for keeping us supplied  in

the best food possible to

send us, ought to be taken
and the many thousands
of pounds spent on the
worthless horse would
have been saved, as
well as a great amount
of labour. But No. And
now the officers have
the cheek to tell us that we
are useless, as we are
mounted troops. 19th Yesterday
was the most awful
day we have put in yet
The flying sand was
so dense that often through
the day we could not
see the horses nor the
work we were working
at. And we were kept
working too, a lot of
unnecessary work. On

out into the desert and shot.

There would be keen competition

to be in the firing parties.

9^th For twenty one hours yesterday

B and C Squadrons, the sixth

and seventh regiments, and

some of the New Zealanders were

out in a reconnaissance in

force towards El Ab. EL AB was

the Turkish outpost, and our

great xxx heads got word

by aeroplane that the Turks

were evacuating it, so of

course the regiments went

out there. They could not

be sent out to attack 

while the Turks were in

it, and thus get some

recompense for the smash

up of the Tommy yeomanry
the evening I was coming
against the wind from
the canal with three horses.
it was impossible to see 
five yards ahead, and the
horses were prancing
about with the pain of
the driving sand in their
eyes. As time went on I
knew we must have
left the camp, and the
horses continually tugging
to the right I let them 
have their head. And
soon we pranced fair
into the sick horse lines.
Before that, the horses and
I were making straight
into the open desert.
Last night on picquet
 

at Quatia. The reconnaissance

regiments did not see

a Turk. It will take a very

long time for us to win the

war at this f rate. The

Turk has struck first

and struck hard, and been

allowed to get clean away,

....12.30p.m. We Understand

exactly now why we are

not allowed to go scouting on

long trips. I just went up to 

the Colonel and asked for the

four of us to be allowed to go

on a long scouting trip,

taking with us camels loaded

with food for ourselves

and horses. The reason is that

every oasis, where we would 

have to get water, is occupied
was dashed miserable.
The dust and wind 
kept blowing all night.
When I was awakened
to go on a second relief,
I had to crawl out to
the water bucket to
wash the dirt from my
eyes before I could
open them. The other 
men were the same. Just
before dawn it rained,
thanks to heaven, which 
sent the rain to lay the
dust. 19th On stables to-day.
no dust, thank goodness...
20th Yesterday was sunday.
I'm blessed if it wasn't
the day the Prince of Wales