Friday Jan 1st 1915

Training as above until
11 am. Sat on D.C.M. at
3 - 30 am to try private
Gilson on charges of theft
of public money and
attempted desertion. Accused
found guilty & sentenced page 58 (Recvd mail including letter
from Rita of Nov 3rd)
to 18 mths H.L. and dismissal
from the service.

Saturday Jan 2nd 15

Quiet morning in camp
afternoon attended races
at Khedivial Sporting Club
at Geizvirch grounds. Dined
at Shepheards and then ended
up at Kursaal Music Hall
where a very good programme
was shown.

Sunday Jan 3rd

Usual routine divine
service in morning. Afternoon
visited Mr Andrus at
Sharia Ayad Bay Cairo.
dined in town & returned
camp 9 - 30 pm.

Monday Jan 4 1915

Battalion training
commenced 8 am to 3 pm.
(Formations preliminary to battle)

Tuesday Jan 5th

Battalion training
2 pm to 10 pm. Marching
by day & night & protection

Wednesday Jan 6

Batt. Training.
(The attack) Miserable
day out as strong wind
rained clouds of dust
all over the desert.

Thursday Jan 7th

recv'd letter from Burl Chis.
of 14 Nov. & papers & show
cat. from Rita up to Nov 27.

Dust storm – parades off

Saturday Dec 9th

Fine day after showers
of rain through night &
which laid the dust
nicely. Inspection &
march past of N.Z.
Division before General
Maxwell & Hon. T McKenzie.
Address by latter on
brigade parade ground at
11 am — Usual half day.

Friday Dec 8th

W'gtn Batt'n marched to
2nd watch tower on Suez Road
via Heliopolis & was
inpected by Brigadier, in
full service kit. Left camp
8 am returned at 3 pm.

Sunday Jan 10-15

I left camp 8 am tram to
Cairo thence motor to Mena
and camels to Sakkhara on
tour of inspection. Very
fine day. Most enjoyable
outing. Visited tombs
of Sacred Bulls — Ramesis,
Tor etc returned via
Memphis to railway
thence train to Helmich
arrived in camp 7 pm

Monday Jan 11th

W'gtn Batt'n commenced
firing range practices
Table B part II regular
army course at Abassia
rifle range. Hon T Mckenzie
ret'd to London via Port Said.

Tuesday Jan 12-15

Continued range practice
at Abassia — Beautiful
weather. —

Wednesday Jan 13

Ditto. — I returned at
noon to camp to attend
D.C.M. in Otago lines
adjourned at 5.30 pm

Thursday Jan 14 - 15

Battalion at range.

I continued on D.C.M.
at 9 am & concluded at
12-30 pm.

From today all reg. officers
are to wear web equipment
the same as the men &
will discard belts & swords page 63 and carry revolvers. This
is on a/c of officers being
otherwise too conspicuous
in the field before the enemy.

Friday Jan 15-15

Company training in
bayonet fighting and
fire control

Saturday 16th

Lecture to officers on
Communications in the fields
by Capt. Edwards of Engineers.
Afternoon free. I dined
at Continental & stayed
to small dance.

Sunday Jan 17

Church parade 10 am.
Quiet day in camp.
Earthquake in Italy yesterday page 64 did tremendous damage
& very great number of
lives lost.

Monday Jan 18 - 15

Battalion training - (protection
& attack). 8 am to 4 pm

Tuesday Jan 19th 14

Training of battalion
suspended owing to the
effects of vaccination on
officers & men. I took
company scouts & observers
in theoretical instruction.

On Sunday evening
a party of us Major Hart.
Capt Home Mr & Mrs Andrews &
Maj Morris visited Luna Park
at Heliopolis. This is a page 65 sort of Wonderland with
great variety of amusements.
Scenic Railway & Whirligig
being especially interesting &
funny. Returned to Cairo for
supper with Mr. Andrews.

Two aeroplanes today
appeared over the city probably
military craft from Suez Canal.
Vaccination is “taking” to me
& I'm not too chirpy tonight.

Wednesday Jan 20th 1915
to Friday 22nd

Usual
routine in camp. The men
resting from hard training
owing to vaccination.

Saturday Jan 23rd

The GOC
met all N.Z officers at conference
in camp at Zeitoun and reviewed
the training programme etc page 66 Afternoon free. I visited the
Citadel and attended N.Z. & Australian
Boxing Tournament in Cairo in
the evening.

Sunday Jan 24/15

Visited Egyptian museum
with Major Hart. Afterwards to
tea at Mr. Andrews & went to
Luna Park in the evening.

Monday Jan 25

I am appointed Landing
Officer for N.Z. reinforcements &
proceeded to Suez by rail with
Col. Esson and others, arriving 5 pm.
At 7 pm received wire advising
N.Z. Infantry Brigade ordered
to Canal immediately & NZ
transports not due until 28th.

Tuesday Jan 26th

Stayed Hotel Sinai last
night. Left Suez 7 am for Ishmailia
arriving 9-30 am. Find that page 67 A'kland & Cant'y battalions
remain here & Wellington & Otago
go to Kubri near Suez. Saw several
military aeroplanes flying to
& from the direction of Turkish
advance. Joined N.Z. troop train
at Nefisha junction at 1.30 pm
& proceeded to El Kubri where
Wgtn & Otago batt'ns bivouaced
by railway for night. 1½m from
Canal. About 2 am we were
awakened by firing from the
canal a party of Turks having
attacked “El Kubri Post” at ferry.
Enemy retired about 3-30 am
without casualties either side.

Wednesday Jan 27th

Moved at 9 am into Trenches
on West bank of canal. Otago
batt'n remaining in reserve.
Indian cavalry patrol this
morning captured one of page 68 enemy's scouts. Canal is held here
by Gurkhas on our right and
Baluchis on our left with a
battery of English Terr. Artillery
in our line. I went out and
found enemy had been 2 to 300
strong & under cover of dark
had from cover in sand been
firing at 850 yards. They
discreetly retired before daybreak.

Jan 28th

No further appearance of
enemy. Our patrols are out
night & day. Mounted men in
daylight & Infantry at night
“Willochra's” NZ reinforcements
disembarked at Suez & proceeded
to Zeitoun camp. Other ships
Went on to Alexandria. Traffic
through the Canal is uninterrupted
& forms most interesting sight.

Several warships are lying
in the Canal at various points
ready to support us with gun
fire.

Friday Jan 29th

Usual routine of life in the
trenches but splendid weather
conditions rendered work pleasant.

Today 14 Aust & NZ transports
passed bound for Alexandria. Also
a submarine which escorted
them here. Strict censorship
is now being exercised on all
correspondence.

Saturday Jan 30th 15

Battalion assembled at 4 am
at El Kubri Ferry, but returned
to trenches at 6.30 am. We are
now daily improving earthworks &
constructing bomb proof shelters.
All ranks sleep by trenches & fully
dressed. My men have made me page 70 quite a nice dug out & I'm
perfectly comfortable during
this fine weather. Orient liner
“Orsova” & P&O. “Persia” passed
outward bound with large number
of passengers. Very cheering to the
troops who are now intensely
keen. Passing ships are of daily
occurrence. Thursday night a
hydroplane had mishap on the
Northern part of canal & unfortunately
when the French aviator & his companion
(a Ceylon officer) were returning to our
lines they were fired upon and
both killed. Same night a patrol
of ours had brush with Turks and
several casualties on both sides.

News of North Sea fight &
defeat of Germans. “Blucher” sunk.

Sunday Jan 31st.

This morning 4 am.
patrol of enemy fired upon page 71 our line held by West Coast
Coy. South of ferry. No casualties.

Divine Service in lines 8.30am
Continued entrenching all day.
Small engagement at Ishmalia.