Tuesday Dec 1st 14

Anchored at Suez 8 am.
Fine day northerly breeze.
Suez is pretty & picturesque

page 40

Orders received here to
proceed to Alexandria and
disembark. German prisoners
were transferred to HMS
Hampshire, which ship proceeds
to England. We entered the
canal at 1 pm followed
by other NZ ships then
the Australians. Disembarkation
orders from Lt. General Sir
Jas. Maxwell commanding
forces in Egypt received at
Suez. We go into camp at
Zeitun near Cairo and
Australians at Mena — a
few miles distant. One staff
officer from each brigade
proceeded by rail, Suez to
Cairo to arrange camps.

Canal is picqueted every
few miles mostly by page 41 Indian troops, who
exchanged greetings as we
passed. In consequence of
the recent disturbance by Turks
in vicinity of Canal we
have armed guards on duty
and an 18 pr Q.F. field gun
mounted on boat deck, besides
2 machine guns ready for action.
Bright moonlight for trip
through Canal, & pleasant passage
with possibility of being fired
upon just to make it interesting.

Each ship is fitted with a
searchlight in bow for navigating
the Canal, which is barely 100 yds
in width in many places.