Got our horses off and put them
in the horse boxes waiting for them at the railway just near warf then got our
belongings and packed them, said farewell to the good old Rangatiara and got in
carriages attached to the horse train.
We were packed like sardines couldn’t go to sleep for it was fairly cold
and some were singing others walking in and out of the doors letting cold air
in. Left Alexandria at 8.20 pm and got
to Cairo at 2.15 next morning. Got out
then untrucked horses. Took them to
barracks there and watered them then while some held the horses others had a
cup of cocoa and a bit of cheese and roll then we got two horses a man, and the
men that were over packed our baggage onto tram cars and went on to camp whilst
we led our horses out to camp 10 miles out of Cairo. Had a hell of a job with some of the horses
my two were fair brutes every camel they met they wanted to pull me over the
embankment. Reached camp at Pyramids at
about 10 am.
The 3rd Field Artillery Brigade disembarking at Alexandria, December 1914.
[Courtesy of National Library of Australia]
Disembarked 12-30pm + entrained 8-15pm
Loading horses & men aboard a train from Alexandria, similar
to the experience of the 7th Battery men, date unknown.
[Courtesy of Australian War Memorial - PS0387]
Moved into berth at 1 o’clock. Raising of Horse
brows and removal of Hospital patients prevented disembarkation commencing
before 2.15PM. Arranged for Head quarters, 7th Battery and A.M.C. to proceed by
first train. Loading of horses successfully carried out. Three men injured (not
seriously) from kicks. Train moved off at 8.20 PM. Unloading of vehicles and
stores continued to 9.30PM. Then gave general leave to remainder on board.
Interview with Major Gellibrand, Commander Parker and Captain re payment to men
for coaling. Arranged to refer to Captain who will minute the correspondence,
then I shall forward claim to Head Quarters for settlement. During the
afternoon a horse broke away, galloped a mile, then jumped into the harbour. He
was rescued with difficulty, but appeared uninjured. Foal was left on board and
given to the Chief Officer whose father has a farm in England. The Ship seems
deadly quiet. The town is very interesting especially the native quarter. An
enormous amount of shipping in port, including 22 German prizes. Good news
tonight of the sinking of the "Gneisenau", "Scharnhorst"
and "Dresden" by Admiral Sturdee’s squadron off the Falkland islands.
Sick A.M.C. horse shot. Letters received from Nell dated Oct 16th, and Nov 1st.
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