Grants Australian Militaria - Fred Garretts WWI Diary

02/02/1916

C Squadron moved to El GAAR. Captain DOWNING and two men arrived from WARDAN on Triumph motor cycles and left again driving afternoon.

05/02/1916

Headquarters and Brigade moved out to El GAAR

06/02/1916

Transferred telephone line across from Papps to El GAAR.

07/02/1916

All messages being buzzed through to ZOI.
Word received that 50 hostile Arabs crossing our front 30 miles away. Got some sheep with them. When word came through Colonel was out and gallopers had to go out to find him. Despatch rider came through at about 11.00 a.m. with details. 2 Squadron got ready to move
out at a moments notice in case they would want a bit of rounding up. Two days feed for horse and man to be taken on saddle impossible to take more than 3 small feeds on saddle.

08/02/1916

One hundred, twelve gallon tanks and sixty camels arrived to move out and form depot to out expedition which has not gone yet and which has been reduced to two troops. Fifty of the tanks leaked and had to be repaired (fantasses). Ninety men of C Company 7th Cheshire arrived and are entrenching on a small hill about a mile south east of us

09/02/1916.

JEFFCOTT went away with mumps a day or two ago.
Last night at 11.00 p.m. shots were fired out ahead to test sentries at blockhouse

11/02/1916

Starting to make a well at El ZAWIA, six miles further up. Infantry are going to make another blockhouse out there.

12/02/1916

Brigade has left WARDAN for MINIA about 150 miles south of CAIRO.

13/02/1916

One company (D Company) Cheshires arrived at blockhouse (C Coy) EL GAAR.

Camel transport Officer (an Englishman) borrowed the adjutants horse, and it bolted about a mile into the swamp with rein and got bogged - great amusement.

14/02/1916

Cheshire arrived at EL ZAWIA today. One troop has gone with them and they are going to fortify the old walls . There were two wells there and a new well has been made. Cache of 30 small arms by grubbing Arabs and handed to sheik who wants his reward.

15/02/1916

A bore is being put down at ZAWIA. The bore we had here, was unsuccessful, and insufficient supply water.
The old Sheik is Mabrunk H. ZAMMONT

16/02/1916

Coming back from EL ZAWIA this afternoon the top strap of rifle back came undone and bucket and rifle swinging under the horse's belly caused him to bolt. Had a lively few minutes. Luckily the rifle came out of the bucket and by continually sawing I pulled Bob up. A couple of nasty punctures on coronet and a thoroughly scared horse the result.

Figure 2: "FRED AND BOB - MUTUAL ADMIRATION"

-WADI NATRON-

No roads in wadi. Chain of 10 or 12 salt lakes, little cultivation, very high reeds and teeming with wild fowl. Extends twenty miles or more. On either side the desert is broken and hilly. Egyptian Salt and Soda Company have concession big factory. For an enemy force advancing East it is the only watering place between MAGHARA and the Delta.
Monasteries 4; Deir Beramus; Deir Suriani; Deir Amba Bishai; Deir Makurius.
50 kilometres west of KATATBA, which is on the Tel el Barud line of the ESR and is connected with it by light railway, owned by the Company, extends NW to SE maximum width 9 kilometres at lowest part of valley 20 metres below Sea Level and North East side shallow salt lakes all but two or three dry in summer natron and salt.

Hin - spring water;
Beida - house,
Bir - water cistern,
Dar - house,
Dein - ancient building or monastery,
Garet - a hill,
Anersa - anchorage,
Omda - headman,
Sania - well fed by springs,
Tel - hill,
Wadi - water course,
Zawia - settlement or colony of Senussi of Medani confrater neties,
Kibli - south,
Sharki - east,
Bahari - north,
Gharli - west.

Horses and ponies accustomed to being watered once in every two days.
JARABUB - 85 miles north west of Siwi present HQ of Sennussi fraternity.
At ELZAWIA there is a mud walled building and a tiny garden walled in - also two wells and a building about 20 foot square which has evidently been used as a place of worship. There are the customary riches in the walls, one large one on the Mecca side extending inwards about a yard and beginning from the floor and extending about six feet high is alter 3 plain steps is the pulpit, This zawia was evacuated by order of the Military, no natives being allowed westwards of EL GAAR.
Some very old specimens of guns were found out there. Flintlocks of a very crude type, and I noticed several old pistol holsters lying among the litter about the place. Can't make out what the idea of leaving old native tents lying about on desert. Passed several Arab cemeteries. They usually bury the dead on a high flay piece of ground marking the grave by a mound of stones and couple of large ones marking head and feet, they always point Meccawards.
At ZAWIA there are lots of tombs lying around the mosque. The blockhouse there is well on its way to completion and is about and is about 50 yards west of the Zawai. 'A' Troop of L.H. under Lt. BIGG, are moving up there doing patrol work. They have their horse line outside the entanglement.
RAS EL SULIMANIA is a limestone peak about 10 or so miles from EL GAAR in the direction of MEGHARA.

27/02/1916

Telegram from one of our officers on leave in CAIRO to this effect,
"Can leave be extended another week not feeling to fit, reply Shepherto"
Reply, "Come back at once and recover."
Promotions, Captain Lance LEWIS and Charlie MILLS to be majors. Temporary Captain BELL DSO to be Captain.
KENYON and MacFARLANE are going into squadrons.
CHERRY paraded for stripes.
Romours we are returning to city, evidentially as soon as the blockhouse at El ZAWRIA and El GAAR are completed, our work is finished or maybe we are to be relieved for a spell. It will be very bad on horses out in this heat without any shade. Though enquiries have been made re construction of reed shelters. Cook houses have been put up made of timber and reeds.
Generals DALLAS and AYDE (latter I think is G.O.C. Southern Force) visited today. REES, who is telegrapher lent by Signal Service, relieved POTGOT horse picket last night. REES on counting horses found that instead of 34 there were 23. He went into POTGORT's (Scandinavian or Deutsche or something of the kind) tent to enquire but was met by abuse. Persisting POTGORT got up and hit him, poor Howard was very much taken back.

29/02/1916

Regiment indulging in sports of all kinds.
C Squadron held a gymnka of their own tonight. Running and walking principle events.. Walk twice around sand makes it pretty heavy going. The entanglements make a fine course, and the event was twice round and took about 15 minutes so I suppose it is somewhere in the reign of 1 ½ or 1 ¾ miles.
Letters from home. Clive still in Australia (24th January) and trying to get into the Aerial Corps. He possess a motor car. Uncle Ern is thinking of enlisting and is said to have written asking for his brother's advice. Frank looking for work. Hydraulic Engineers office and said to perhaps going to BLANCHE TOWN (site of Locks).
Action at AGAZIR on the 26th. NURI killed GAAFER prisoner, one M.G. captured low estimate 200 dead and wounded left on field, our casualties 10 officers 150 other ranks and our column proceeding to BARRANI.