Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Keith J. Probert diary, 21 August-31 December 1914
MLMSS 2945/1

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[Cover]

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Presented to C.S.M. Probert
With Compliments
& best wishes of
12th Field Coy Engineers
Broken Hill
On his departure
with Australian
Expeditionary Force
to Europe
21st August 1914

London to Melbourne 11,070 miles

21st. Aug. 1914.
Left Broken Hill for Adelaide with Australian Expeditionary Force with Engineers.

22nd August 1914
Arrived in Adelaide at 8.30 a.m. Had breakfast & caught train for Morphetville at 9.40 a.m. Arrived at Morphetville camp & started fixing up latrines, soak pits & tents etc. Went to Glenelg (without tea) for a swim. Had tea (a big one too) & then went and saw Kernots. After we went for a stroll & walked back home to camp.

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Sunday 23rd Aug 14

Got up at 6 & fixed things up. Went to Adelaide in the afternoon. Saw Uncle Jack & got gold ring from him. Went on the river rowing. Had tea in town & pinched Knife, fork & spoon. Came back to Glenelg in the evening & got back in camp at 8.15.

29/8/14
Left Adelaide for Melbourne & arrived on Sunday morning.

Broadmeadows
30/8/14
Marched to Camp but was not expected so had to march back to station & then went back to Melbourne. Took Owens to Hospital (or FBM Hosp) went onto camp at Alexandra Avenue. Engineers Depot

3/9/14
Transferred from 3rd Field Coy to 2nd Field Coy as Quarter Master Sergeant.

23/9/14
Had a terrific fall came back as Corporal in No. 4 Section. Didn’t like it very much
Opened Banking account

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in Commonwealth S. Bank . Banked 1£

21st Oct 1914

Left Melbourne with transport for boat. Left Port Melbourne on Osterley Orvieto at 9 am. Very big crowd to see us off. Band played God Save the King [indecipherable]

26th Oct 1914
Reached Albany at 8 am. A good many transport boats in beside Melbourne. Rained very heavy in the morning.
Looked grand seeing land again after 5 days on water. Two big islands of rock just before coming into port. A light house & two houses on first one. Must be very lonely there.
Mothers birthday today.

27th Oct 1914.
New Zealand troops came into port in the afternoon

28th Oct 1914
Got inoculated for enterics in the morning & had a bad sore arm by dinner time.

29 Oct. 1914.
Strict censorship put on all letters post cards & telegrams. Place, & any information likely to let the enemy know whereabouts of troopships is strictly censored.
Arm inflamed & sore.

30th Oct. 1914
Nothing doing just ordinary life

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31st Oct 1914.
Very funny thing happened today. No parade in the afternoon & 4 of us were playing cards when one of the boys came in & through his white hat at one of us that went clean through the port hole without touching. Lost hat.

Sunday 1st Nov 1914.
Left Albany at 6 o’clock for England on the Sydney Menetor Menator in the lead & Orvieto following.
Church parade in the morning by Meth. Minister. Slept all afternoon after having a good read.
Caught Orderly Corporal at 6 o’clock for next day until 6 o’clock
Travelled 44 miles

Monday. 2nd. Nov 1914.
Orderly Corporal until 6 o’clock.
Sick in morning & again just after dinner. Had no dinner, but ate apples instead & of course got sick.
Travelled 241 miles

Tuesday 3rd. Nov. 1914
Didn’t go on parade but stayed in bunk. Went up about 11 & got inoculated again on right arm. Arm sore at night.
Travelled 216 Knots. very Rough.

Wed. 4th. Nov 1914.
Attended not any parades again.
Inoc. Went to neck & made it very sore.
Not a bad day. Big roll. Travelled 219 Knots. Bit tired of things in general to-day. Will attend parades tomorrow & break the monotony of things.
Had a very good concert in the Sergeants Mess in the evening. It was really A1. Went to bed at ¼ to 11 the latest since being on boat.

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Thursday: 5th Nov 1914
Have to start thinking about washing dirty clothes. Am getting a big pile. Lovely weather again, but a slight roll on boat.
Went on parade & did physical drill & Knotting lashing & splicing. Menator crossed on the port-side going back to the rear. Travelled 242 miles up to 12 o’clock “Osterly" passed up tonight at about 7.15PM. Full lights. She looked real well too. She is a sister ship to this.

Friday 6th. Nov. 1914.
Instead of going to physical drill at 6.30 washed clothes & had to go to office over it. Only got told to see that was there in future. Easy let off.
Very funny experience last night. A private from inf. Who was drunk came to our cabin (I suppose because our door was open) & was very sick at 3 in the morning. I woke up & thought it was one of our boys in the cabin but it wasn’t. Very nasty.
Travelled 253 miles yesterday & today.
Had a lifebelt inspection & a lecture on earthworks this afternoon. Everyone had to turn out with a life belt on. Came into the tropics today & it is getting real hot.
Went to Mjr. Brand’s lecture on “Ammunition supply in the Pula". It was very interesting.

Saturday. 7th. Nov 1914.
Got up & went to Physical Training.
Getting real hot now. Had a half holiday & No 1 & 2 Sections played cricket against G. Coy Inf. Had a washing day & washed sox.
Travelled 253 miles again today. Doing well now. Had a close crop Hair cut.

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Sunday 8th Nov 1914
Got bad news about the English cruisers at Valpariso. Menator came back though line at 6 AM & steamed away. Probably looking for Emden or other German Cruisers. The Melbourne came through the lines & took up the Menator position at 9 o’clock. Plenty of flying fish about.
Had a church parade in the morning.
The Euripedes had a funeral. One of the soldiers died at 20 to 4 this morning & was buried which we had our church parade. Travelled 234 miles.

Monday 9th Nov. 1914.
No physical Drill this morning.
The Sydney went away to the port side & Melbourne left off & took her place, then the Japenese Cruiser came from Starboard side & also went over to her port side.
Next we hear is that Sydney was engaged & made a German beach instead of being sunk. Good luck.
Travelled 239 Knots today up to 12 o’clock.
Copy of Message received later “Emden beached & done for “Good old Sydney.
Two more deaths today One again on the Euripedes & the other on the Afric. We heard that their disease was pneumonia.
Orderly Corporal again tonight.
Just got word through that the Sydney lost. 2 Killed & 13 wounded & was chasing the collier & the other War Lights went out at 7.30 & everyone was in darkness. No lights at all.

Tuesday 10th. Nov 1914.
Up at 5.30 ready for Orderly Corporal.
Very hot today. Got news about the Sydney. Captured by German collier took the men off & then sank her. Travelled 249 Knots today.

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Got word late tonight that the Sydney was coming back with the prisoners.

Wednesday 11th. Nov 1914
Got up at 7 o’clock. Nothing much doing. Only we stopped & all the centre line passed us & then we caught them all up. Expect the Sydney any time now. Travelled 240 Knots today. Doing real well. Attended 2 lectures in the afternoon & then rifle drill.

Thursday 12th. Nov 1914.
Nothing much doing. Travelled 260 Knots today. A big boat looms in sight. Can’t make out her name only see her color & has 3 funnels. Painted Grey. Got a message from the Jap (she is called Ibuki) saying that the grey boat was the Empress of Asia. She then sent a message saying “Good luck Australians. We sent back “Thank you". And everything passed alright. Another boat of her type is expected, she is the Hampshire. They are bound for Cocos to fix up the station. Had a lecture this afternoon. & it was stopped owing to a squall breaking in on us. Hampshire never arrived but the Empress of Russia did in her place. All the Sergeants on Deck had on the port side to had give up their cabins & make room for the Emdens prisoners. But when the Empress of Russia arrived she said she was going to take the prisoners. So of course it suited us.

Friday. 13th. Nov 1914.
Eary this morning the New Zealand moved ahead. Not going too fast as they took a good while coming up the lines. They will only get into Columbo a few hours before us. The Hampshire is a

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cruiser & arrived this morning & took up a position on the star. side. She sent over all the latest War news.
Been raining all the morning. Not much drill done. Only phy. exercise & signalling.
Travelled 248 Knots & just passed the equator. Been 37 min. over. it. Nothing much doing.
Nos 3 & 4 Sections on guard at 6. & I had to take Orderly sergeant.

Saturday 14th Nov 1914.
Orderly Sergeant today, nothing much doing. Had the drivers drilling them in physical exercise & signallings. Then they had a washing parade. Travelled 234 miles.
Had a half holiday & 1 & 2 sections played cricket against the Infantry. We won. I read & lied down & fell asleep. Have prickly heat pretty bad.

Sunday. 15th. Nov 1914.
Bugle band marched around at 6 am for the first time. Got up & saw land. then went to doctors at 6.30 for prickly heat. Told me to wash in salt water & gave me some zinc ointment.
Sydney & Empress of Russia passed this morning about ¼ to 6. Passed a big school of porpoises & a lot of birds hovering around some long fish like eels, which were close to the top of the water. Saw plenty of catamarans. Funny looking boats they are. They are very narrow but deep. Should think about 2’ or 1’6" wide & on one side they have 2 outriggers (bent pieces of wood with longer pieces floating in the water), for balancing the boat. They may have 2 masts on this is fastened a square

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sail more like a blanket than anything else. Travelled 244 miles up to 12 o’clock & only have 14 1/2 miles more to get to Columbo which we can easily see in the distance. Got in & anchored at ¼ to 2. Coming in noticed a very big brick building like a large Hotel, then saw the wireless plant & a lot of big houses. Mostly white. Plenty of ships in. the NZ & a few of ours besides a few cruisers & the Empress of Russia. The Sydney & Melbourne were in & the Sydney only received one shot. Plenty of green trees about right down to the water A big breakwater wall made of stone protects the ships. The country here is low but about an hour before anchoring it was hilly. There was a Russian 5 funnel cruiser in & just after we came she came out.
The Hampshire sent her pinnance over with their Capt. & a couple of motor boats with only natives in came out too. One bringing the Governor. Saw a couple of big schooners & a few more catamarans only this time without the outriggers. Well nothing much more happened today.

Monday 16th Nov 1914
A couple of tugs keep coming here. They are the Lady MacKay & Lady Inchcape both have only black men to manage them. The smaller craft (the motor boats) are all painted white. The boys threw money down & the niggers grabbed it well.
Two niggers climbed the masts by their toes to fix up the pulley – which one of the motor boats was trying to tie up here, One of the niggers from her fell in, but very

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quickly got out. The water boat came up alongside on the port side & it was the fun of the world watching them. They are manned wholly by niggers & they couldn’t tie up. One of the boats broke away & the tug had to pull it up again. Took them nearly all the morning to get them fixed. Our boys threw down money to them & they would let the ropes go & grab for the money.
The English cruiser “Yarmouth" came in this morning. The water boat men are real funny. Two of our boys went ashore & I ordered 6 silk handkerchiefs & a field manual of Engrs. The German prisoners from the Emden. 45 men 2 warrant officers, 2 Officers & the captain also a nephew of the Kaiser’s were the total strength of the prisoners. They came onboa aboard & the guard fixed bayonets & charged their rifles in front of the prisoners. They were put in the after end & they were stripped & all their clothing examined. Some had on their caps SMS Emden, others 4II Torpedo Division. & Scheiff Artillerie Scharez warz. The name of the nephew is Count Prince Franz Joseph of Hohenzollern. Nothing much else only watching the boats coming back with our men. We took on tea, & marrows.

Tuesday 17th. Nov 1914.
At 12.30 was awaked by the Kidlets here. The YMCA man had only just got back then bringing oranges, cocoanuts, & bananas. The boys bought & we ate. Got up at ¼ to 7 & felt very tired. It is real hot here in the daytime & cool in the morning & night.

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Left Columbo at 11.20 AM. Before going some natives came near & dived in for pennies thrown in by us. Could get them before they got 1 yard down. Travelled 4 miles up to 12 o’clock. Had a very interesting lecture from 3 till 4 by the war correspondent about the Emden & Sydney fight. The Sydney lost 3 Killed & 13 wounded of which 1 died. & the Emden lost 132 Killed & 52 53 wounded of which 1 officer & 4 men died. The Emden was a complete wreck when she surrendered & fired 1500 0 shots of which 15 took effect. The Sydney wasn’t damaged much at all & fired 650 0 shots of which 70 took effect. We took altogether about 150 prisoners. While we had this lecture the prisoners on board were being exercised. Lights were made very dull at 8 o’clock. Fell asleep in another cabin & woke up at 3.30. Went into my own bunk then.

Wednesday. 18th. Nov 1914.
No water on. It is getting scarce here. We only took on 100 gall. where we should have taken on 800. We believe our Escort fired 3 shots last night, challenging boats. Our escort is the Yarmouth & Hampshire only.
Travelled 250 miles to 12 o’clock. Went to another lecture on the Sydney Emden fight by Mr Bean the reporter. It was exactly the same.

Thursday 19th. Nov 1914.
Same old routine. Travelled 237 miles to day.
Went to a lecture in afternoon.

Friday 20th Nov 1914.
The Hampshire went to the stern this morning to meet the Jap “Ibuki".
Travelled 254 miles today. Can see smoke of the rest of the fleet in the distance. Other boats came up during the night

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Saturday 21st. Nov 1914.
Up early every day now on account of getting was to wash in issued & if not early only get a little. The late line of ships are away to the port side jumbled up & we heard had had a collision. Travelled 265 miles (the record so far). Just finished reading “Black Dwarf" & “A Legend of Montrose" by Sir W. Scott. Have started “Kenilworth". It had been rumoured that the Ascanius & Shropshire collided last night & has now been confirmed.
Orderly Corporal again tonight. Played cricket this afternoon & made / & got a couple of wickets. Real hot. Am real fat must weight a good deal now.
Reg Titford’s 25th Birthday & we all celebrated it (14 of us). They had beer, stout, lemonade,[indecipherable] & cake. Real good old time we had.

Sunday 22nd. Nov 1914
Up early being orderly Corp. The Suffolk has broken down again & the Hampshire went back to have a look at her. Travelled 257 miles today. Hampshire came along twice & is coming again at 5 o’clock to take on board provisions.

Monday. 23rd. Nov 1914.
Got up early & had physical training. Land in sight on port side & find out is island of Sokotra. Very hilly place & looks like if had been volcanic. Travelled 269 miles today. The island is very long & high. It has 12000 inhabitants.

Tuesday 24th. Nov 1914
Nothing much doing on sea is very calm & smooth. Travelled 271 miles. Calm lasted all day.

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Wednesday 25th Nov 1914.
Land in sight at 6.15 Am. Came in to Aden & dropped anchor at 7.30. Two larger promontories of nothing but rock to entrance. One on starboard side has 2 lighthouses & about 3 signalling stations. No trees or grass & no jetty or wharf. Travelled 295 miles. Natives came over to us from the shore selling tobacco, preserved fruit, post cards etc. Fired a blank off to frighten them away. A S.M. threw some water over them & nearly got thrown overboard for doing it. The place itself is placed near the shore & behind are the big rocky mountains. A clock is placed on a hill in the town & has only its [indecipherable]. Quite lonely it looks. It isn’t lit up at night either. A very good search light is used by the garrison stationed there. Have a headache & sore chest.

Thursday 26th. Nov 1914.
Left Aden at 5 AM & going straight to Port Said.
Plenty of news yesterday about war.
Travelled 66 miles up to 12 o’clock.
Land all along our starboard side & at 1 o’clock land on port side (Africa).
Passed the island of Parim at 4 o’clock. Very bare, has a lighthouse & a small town on it. also a couple of wrecks. Reread all letters from MG & mother tonight.

Friday 27th Nov 14.
Land in sight. only islands on star side. Travelled 262 miles. Both the Hampshire & the Geelong came along side for meat & take off her firemen.

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Sat. 28/11/14
News that we land & go into quarters at Cairo in Egypt as a garrison. Good. Everyone is excited over the news. Travelled 257 miles.

Sunday. 29th. Nov.
Had a marching order parade at 9 o’clock. & a church parade at 10. Opposite the Daedalus lighthouse at 11.45 which is 365 mile from Suez. A S. Ship is stationed there as a provision boat. Travelled 382 miles today. Opposite the Brothers Islands (two) at 6 PM. Lighthouse on one which has acetylene light. Got up at 11.30 PM. & got some eucalyptus & had it rubbed in. Very bad cold on chest & hurt when coughed.

Monday. 30th. Nov 1914.
Land in sight on both sides when got up. Landed in Suez at 10.30 & dropped anchor. Plenty of boats came alongside for selling goods but were sent away. Had a pay day & received 30/-
Suez looks a quiet city & town. All house are square & white. No verandahs. A couple of poppet heads whether for water or views I don’t know yet. Our boys on guard today on the prisoners. At 1 o’clock the relief came in & when easing springs one of them McMinn fired a cartridge off. It hit one of the guard in the arm but not seriously. Was standing about 5 yds away from them The Prins der Nederlanden a Dutch boat came in just after us. Received

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letter from Madge today. Posted on 27th. Oct. at Adelaide. Left Suez at 3 o’clock & started in the canal which is 89 miles long & about 2 chs wide. Passed some English Field Engineers on the track, Also. Egyptian & Indian Engineers guarding the Canal.

Tuesday. 1st Dec 1914
Finished the canal at 6.30 am & arrived at Port Said. Dropped anchor at 6.50 am. Two French cruisers & a couple of English in & an old vessel dismantled & all guns taken off her. A very big place. Plenty of niggers on coal boats. Coaled & took water. Coaling done by niggers with baskets. Got an old tin ring & some Egyptian money. Had a muster parade & a few missing. Had sneaked ashore & were all caught when coming back.

15 weeks on 4th from B. Hill

Wednesday 2nd. Nov 14.
N.Z. came in early. A. Coy. Inf. Went ashore to act as advance party or putting up tents etc. at Mena. An Arab funeral on shore. See the hearse painted black & gold
Raised anchor at 3.25 PM. & started for Alexandria. A few NZ & a couple of our boats went ahead. Got a letter & parcel from Wah gunyah. Saw a brawl & one nigger run in.

Thursday.3rd/ Nov 14.
Droppe When woke up were coming into Alexandria & was alongside wharf at 7 o’clock. All bustle in the morning bringing Kits up & putting them on train. Saw the native police give some of the niggers hidings with their canes.

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Changed £ 1 & got 97 ½ piastres Went up street for 2 hours & drove around Alexandria Had a real good look at the town. 500000 people live here & 800000 at Cairo. When came aboard was orderly corporal so went on duty. Very funny. Plenty of drunks & we sent out a patrol to bring in the drunks.

Friday 4th. Nov 1914.
Orderly Corporal. Plenty of work today. Had to parade a few of the drunks for duty in hold. Entrained at ¼ to 2 & left at 3.30 pm. Arrived at Cairo at 8.30 pm. The country is very well irrigated all the way & very green at present. Saw 3 or 4 cemetries. plenty of date palms.
Got out at a siding ¼ mile after Cairo. Picked up Stylo pen when getting out of train. Went to Mena in electric cars & camped at foot of pyramids in sand. Eat sand & drink it.

Saturday 5th Dec.
Went to have a look at pyramids from hill. Large one is 457 ft high. Altogether 9 of them & sphinz. Camped on edge of Saraha Desert. Windy & of course plenty of sand to eat. Put up tents all the morning. All meals on tin meat & dog biscuits so far. Plenty of donkeys here.

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Hard work today putting up tent for Head quarters. Went into Cairo in the night & saw some real sights. Dirty & clean both, but dirty predominantly Went right through the slums. Real funny there too. Got home at 12.30 & had a row with the cabby over his fare. Wanted 20 piastres & we only gave him 10 for two of us. Am learning Egyptian very slowly.

Sunday. 6th. Dec. 1914.
Parade as usual. Put up tents all day. & went into Cairo in the night Got some very small money & had a real good talk to an Egyptian who spoke English very well. Bought stamps & had a look at their fire station. Very up to date. 2 motors 2 pump & a man ladder besides horse ladders & a chemical pump. Went to Post Office & posted letters home etc. Bought a 1915 diary cost 15 piastre

Monday. 7th. Dec 1914.
Orderly Corporal again last night. Went to Cairo with mail & went to jeweller & bought a silver chain, identity disc. Have to call for photo on Thursday.
Was mail collector yesterday

Tuesday 8th. Dec 1914
Cold in the night. Wrote in the afternoon & went over the pyramids & sphinx in the night. The big pyramid is 451 feet high 75 ft square at base & 4731 BC. years old. Queen Harmakus & King Cheops were both

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buried in the pyramid. Saw the Queen’s burying chamber & the Kings also saw. his coffin. In the rear of the big pyramids there are 3 smaller (or rather more to the left than rear) The Kings 3 daughters were buried in these. In the rear of these there is again the place where King Mena was buried. He can’t be found. This place named after him because of it having been a city in his time. Saw the coffin or Sacaphagus where Mena’s daughter was buried. Saw the Sphinx. Nose was knocked off by Napoleon. Then alongside of Sphinx is the Temple of the Sphinx. The family of [indecipherable] was the only thing found in this. Rained all the time we were going over.

Wednesday 9th. Dec 14.
Rained all night & of course made it cold. First rain for a couple of years. Nothing much doing all day. Bill Adams came over and saw me.

Thursday.10th. Dec.14.
Posted more letters home. Nothing unusual. Went to Cairo & got [indecipherable] etc. & met a fellow who wants me to exchange stamps with him. Caught a car at 9.35 & got home at 12.

Friday 11th.Dec 14.
Broken Hill boys came during the night. Met most. of them in the morning. Went down to the infantry lines & made a rifle range.

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Went to the city & got [indecipherable] etc. Got a few stamps from a Maltese.

Saturday. 12th Dec 1914.
Put up tents & took notes from old papers I had. Got a tent for the corporals (only 7 of us). Got payed in the night. Collected £ 2 = 195 piastre

Sunday .13th. Dec 1914
Swimming parade & general leave from 1 P.M. till 10 PM. for us.
Orderly Corp. again tomorrow. Went into the city at 3.30. went around a bit & came home at 10. Was told off by Mr Dawkins.

Monday. 14th Dec 1914.
Things getting stirred up in the company. All the sergeants reported for neglect of duty, (for not reporting men absent.) Nothing much else doing so far. Went into the city & had a good feed of oranges.

Tuesday. 15th. Dec. 14.
Same as usual. Went down to the rifle range & worked all the morning & got hooked for corporal of the Quarter Guard. Had 9 men. On for 24 hours from 2 PM to 2 PM tomorrow. Stayed awake most of the night. Got a prisoner sent in. Saw the morning Star & a very pretty sunrise.

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Wednesday 16th Dec 1914
Very pretty sunrise. Nothing startling happened. Knocked off guard at 2 o’clock & went into the city at 3. Went out to Heliopolis. Very good & large stone buildings. Had a look all over Luna Park. Has tea & didn’t pay for it. Bought a fez (cap). Came home at 11 P.M.

Thursday. 17th. Dec 1914
Worked on Sergeants Mess all day. 4 of us went into city in the evening & bought & stole a few items. Payed 100 piastres for a shawls & 50 for others. Payed altogether 150 piastres for 4 silk shawls & 1 silk handkerchief. Am sending 1 to MG. & 3 home to mother & Chris & Madge. Got home at 11.

Friday. 18th. Dec 1914.
Worked on Sergeants Mess
Egypt made a British Protectorate & a 101 shots were fired as a salute from the citadel. All leave stopped for us on account of a man being absent in the city without leave. Tom Norton’s brother came over to see me.

Saturday. 19th. Dec 1914
Al leave was stopped yesterday because a sapper was away without leave.

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& we have to wait until he comes back before we get leave again. This morning a grave was made. It had a cross with a tomato on top & some green stuff. A couple of beer bottles with inscriptions on. Biscuits & a skull. The inscriptions were many but here is a couple.
“Specially erected for Sapper Fuller who departed from the lines. Deeply mourned by all Sappers"
“Here lies the body of Sapper Fuller who Killed general leave at Mena on 18th. Dec 1914.
A couple of notices on the board were. “Its nice to be full, but it will be rotten to be Fuller." £ 100 reward for sapper Fuller. Finder please return to No 3 Section"
Had a football match (scratch) in the afternoon. A very good game. Came home at 11. Met some French boys. one’s Sunday name was Morel too. Am going to meet them tomorrow. Received 2 letters from Nath & mother .

Sunday. 20th. Dec. 1914.
Went for a swimming parade & the water was too dirty so no one went in. Two of the French boys called in the morning & I took them into dinner in the Sergeants’ Mess. Went into the City, way up to the end of Mousky Street & went into a picture show at 5 & came

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out at 8.30. Came home at 11. Eygpt was proclaimed a British Protectorate too Plenty of new Eygptian flags kicking about. The flag has 3 crescents & 3 Stars on a red ground.

Monday 21st. Dec 1914.
NCOs marched up & down the hill all the morning. A route march in the afternoon & I got a blister on my heel.
Wrote 3 letters & went to bed early.

Tuesday 22nd. Dec.
Cold this morning.
Went for marching both in the morning & afternoon
went to city in the evening.

Wednesday 23rd Dec 1914
Cold again. Big marching order parade all day.
Went all over the desert
left at 9.30 & got back at 4.15. Went out to Sheeshara tonite. Some real lovely granite there. A big hole & all this granite in it.
Coming home saw the American & his party digging for the ancient mummies etc. Saw 2 lads climb the second pyramid. (Only a

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few have climbed it).
Passed the Sphinx & all the pyramids near Mena. Wrote some more on to the letters.

Thursday 24th Dec 1914.
Marching again this morning. Pay day this afternoon. Collected 10/6. or 51 piastre.
Went to see No 3 Coy. sapping & mining. Going to the city tonight. Went to the city & had a good time. Came home at 11.30 PM.

Friday 25th Dec 1914.
Christmas Day.
Had a check parade at 7 o’clock in the morning.
Went out towards the pyramids & met a lot of Egyptian students. Played football after saying prayers & singing etc. Came home after showing them the sappery & mining of No 3.
Had dinner at 1.30. & had for dinner. Geese & meat. potatoes & cabbage. Jellies, custard. pudding fruit (apples & oranges). almonds & raisins. Plenty of wine on the table too. In fact a very good Xmas dinner. Went to the Zoo in the afternoon

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& had a look round.
Lion & lioness with 3 cubs. Giraffe (terrible height), vultures, Australian parrots of all descriptions, hyena’s & Egyptian foxes. & many other natives of Egypt. Heard an Egyptian band, composed only of boys It was very good. Has a very bad heel & could hardly walk. Had to limp. Went into city & came straight back. Rode a bicycle home from the Armenue as heel was so bad. Got a letter from M.G. dated 4th

Saturday. 26th Dec 1914.
Boxing Day.
Went to doctor with foot & had the skin cut off from the blister. On light duty so am going to write letters. Got a letter from MG. dated 4th. Nov. saying she met Marj. Stayed home all the afternoon & went into the city in the night. Only walked about & came home at 11.00. Went in motor car & came home in one. Had a bosker race coming home

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Sunday 27th. Dec 1914.
Got up in 5 minutes was very nearly late. Went for a swim in the morning & played football. French boys came out & had their photo taken in our clothes.
Took a car into city in the afternoon & went with the french boys to their debating society. Everything was in french but I enjoyed it. They sang & recited in french. I sang. God Save the King & Tipperary for them. Went for a walk after & had tea. Left society at 7.15. After tea went for a walk towards the boy’s home. After leaving them went to Saults & had supper. Came home at 11.

Monday. 28th. Dec 1914
Took over duties from No 1.
Sent on to the lines repairing them. Very funny this morning. Detailed for line repairing – got taken off & told for guard. guard knocked in the head by the Comm. Enges. & then had to go as an escort for 4 prisoners.
Then waited for next job.
Was line rep. Went on it all day. Went for a run after tea

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& had a rub down. Had a lecture at 7 am Field work. Went to bed at 8.30.

Tuesday 29th Dec 1914
We started trenching & sapping. on the flat. before the camp. worked all day & after we had finished No 1 section came on shift. No 1 is also sinking 3 shafts & driving into each one. Went into the city & met the boys but came home early as they “had to go home" very early. Reg Titford was sent to Hospital with influenza

Wednesday 30th. Dec 1914.
False alarm for a parade. Yesterday told we had to parade at ¼ to 7, after getting up told it wasn’t till 8.30. Took sick to parade & when came back was detailed for orderly Corporal as the man detailed before was in the hospital with a bad back.
Did orderly corporal all day & at 5 PM had to go on trenching until 12 AM. Plenty of work. A march past by ½ this camp before Geo Reid.
Had a payday but I didn’t collect

[Page 28]
Thursday. 31st. Dec 1914.
Got up at 7.30 & had breakfast in pygamas. Then went back to bed. Got up at 11 for a lecture. Went to Geo Reid big parade at 2 o’clock. He spoke to us but we couldn’t hear much. We marched past him. The parade was very good. Went down & found Major Bennetts tent but he was at Mess, so couldn’t see him. Went to bed at 8 o’clock & asked to be awakened at 10.30 but woke up myself at 12.5. And so started the new Year.
Must start a new book now so good night or rather morning.

Finished

[Transcriber’s and proof-reader’s notes :
Pg. 7 Euripides spelt Euripedes
Pgs. 5,6,7 Minotaur spelt Menator
Page 14 Parim: Translators note: also known as Barim Island or Jazirat Mayyuun
Pg. 7 Valparaiso has been spelt Valpariso
Pg.7 Japanese has been spelt Japenese
Pgs.8, 10, 12 Colombo has been spelt Columbo
Pg. 10 pinnace has been spelt pinnance
Pg. 13 Socotra (also spelt Soqotra) has been spelt Sokotra
Pgs.16,17 diarist has written dates as 2nd.. Nov 14. 3rd Nov 14. 4th.Nov 1914. instead of December: transcribed as written.
Pg. 19 King Menes is spelt Mena
Pg. 19 sarcophagus is spelt Sacaphagus]

[Transcribed by Lynne Frizell, Paula Poropat for the State Library of New South Wales]