Diary 4th Battalion AIF 1st January to 31st December 1915

9/3/1915: Reveille 6:30. Field firing today at “Happy Valley”. Third reinforcements arrived.

 

10/3/1915: Reveille 4.30. We did not march today as the Bn is on Divisional duty, detailed for Div Fatigue party 7am – 4pm very hazy and hot day. Pay day 65 pts 13.4. Letters from home in bed early tonight very tired.

 

11/3/1915: Reveille 3:30. Breakfast at 4. Fall in 4:30 mess [ ] today. We marched into desert and dig trenches until 9:30, very strong wind storm started 9 o/c all digging operations had to stop, under orders to be ready to march out in afternoon dust storm lasted all day, the worst storm we have ever had, no parades this afternoon owing to storm wrote letters home today, bed early.

 

12/3/1915: Marched to our trenches and dug out the sand that had blown in yesterday, owing to severity of storm returned to camp 11 o/c. Left camp again at 4.30 to occupy trenches all night carried our blankets slept in trenches all night, we were attacked at midnight, night operations ceased at 1.30.

 

13/3/1915: Left trenches at 5am. A coy reached camp first, worked for Brigade Headquarters Guard at 4.30 pm nothing doing for rest of day, mounted guard at 5pm reliefs 7 – 9 and 1 – 3.

 

14/3/1915: Sunday Guard duty all day Brigade […], Brigadier away all day in Cairo. We had a very quiet guard new peak caps issued today.

 

15/3/1915: No parade during day, stood to arms at 4.30 pm for a night march, marched out of camp at 5:30. The full Brigade attached the 2nd Brigade who were entrenched behind the Pyramids. Bivouac in front of Pyramids until midnight when we advanced against the 2nd Brigade and captured their trenches returning to camp 3 am next morning.

 

16/3/1915: Rained heavy today for the first time this year, parade postponed for 1 hour on account of the rain, we prepared to fill in old trenches etc, after our return granted leave to visit Cairo, returned to camp 11pm.

 

17/3/1915: Brigade attacked against the 2nd Brigade from 9am till 2pm, returning to camp 2.30 detailed for guard, mounted guard Bn quarter guard at 5.30 pm. I had no post – fatigue for the guard.

 

18/3/1915: Guard all day, no post acted as […] man retuned at 4.30 quiet day. Paid 65 pts =13/14.

 

19/3/1915: Holiday today muster parade 9am leave granted to visit Cairo 2pm till 9.30 returned to camp 11.30. Pay day 65 pts.

 

20/3/1915: Marched and drill today attacked A & B coys and C & D coys. Returned to camp 2.30pm.

 

21/3/1915: Sunday Attended church parade general leave granted to visit Cairo, did not go myself. Broke! So remained in camp and washed clothes etc, very quiet day.

 

22/3/1915: Parade today without rifles, marched out with full packs and shovels, worked hard digging trenches etc until 12 o/c when we returned to camp. All A coy wanted for […] mounted [ ] 4.30pm. Called out at 7.30 nos 1 and 2 platoons detailed to raid the gamblers at Brigade canteen they broke up many "Crown and Anchor boards”, “two up” schools etc and arrested 12 men after this were dismissed, rest of the night very quiet.

 

23/3/1915: Parade today, two hours close order drill on desert, where we were wanted for an all-night bivouac, fall in at 5am with g/sheet and overcoat was detailed as sentry mounted post 12 – 1. The Bn lay in reserve all night so we had nothing to do.

 

24/3/1915: Returned to camp 7.30 am, no parades today. Holiday all day, leave granted to visit Cairo. Did not go myself . Pay day 65 pts – 13/4

 

25/3/1915: Two hours parade and close order drill returned to camp 11am, worked for right […] we carry our overcoats only without g/sheets. Left camp 6pm, attacked barb wire entrapments and trenches near the Pyramids, returning to camp 2pm next morning. Kit inspection today on the Bn square, the whole Bn paraded, and everything had to be shown.

 

26/3/1915: Two hours parade today, rifle and bayonet inspection on the desert, short drill for about ½ hour then returned to camp for foot inspection everything ok. Spent afternoon washing and mending cloths. The night parade postpones and attended lecture at the YMCA on “Gordon at the siege of Khartoum”.

 

27/3/1915: Route march today to Giza, retuned to camp at 11:30am, no parade for the rest of the day attended lecture at the YMCA on Ceylon.

 

28/3/1915: Sunday attended church parade very severe dust storm in camp. Visited Cairo on the way back to camp the tramway service broke down we all had to walk over half way back to camp returned at 10 o/c.