Allsop Diary

[Top Left] December [Top Right] 12th Month 1916

building a heavy railway [Centre] 25 Monday - Christmas Day to Ishmailia from the main line which is only a few miles from the Canal. From this mail line there is going to be a light railway across the Canal and right over into Arabia also a heavy metal road for motor transport. [Centre] 26 Tuesday - Boxing Day This is to be continued out as far as possible to meet the Turk at their own game, and the metal road will cost £ 1 a yard. Aeroplanes go up from Ishmailia every day to survey the Turkish positions. Monday night 20th. Will soon be moving [Centre] 27 Wednesday to advanced position. Heard last night that Kitchner after visiting Balkans took a Battleship to Port Said then a hurried trip down the canal to Suez calling here & there. From Suez he had a Special train to Cairo arriving there on Sat afternoon or Sund. Morn and he ordered the Railway Com. to start work first thing Monday morning duplicating the Railway

[Top Left] 1916 31 Days [Top Right] December Heard from signallers that the Turks are from 50 to 60 mls [Centre] 28 Thursday away. Information secured viz Aeroplane shows that the enemy have two railways each line duplicated and also 2 metal roads. They have three camps one of 500 tents Another of 200 tents & a third of 100 tents. All this is under the direction of Gen Mackensen. There [Centre] 29 Friday are also five British warships on the canal one being the Powerful. Sunday 21st. Today we can hear the guns of monitors on the canal. We have just completed a trench & dug out. Indian mountain Battery arrived 2 guns. 8 more arriving this week Small portable gun scarried on mules [Centre] 30 Saturday range 4200 yds. [Yarning] with Yedsiah re Indian Religions. Indian Corporal speaking in praise of an English officers in the last campaign leading the Punjabi Lancers, 8 Brittish in left arm continued and captured the 8 guns at the point of [Centre] 31 Sunday - 1st after Christmas the lance. Turks driven back at great pace, Indians capturing 350 men. Indians & Aust get on very well but English [are] not altogether liked.

[Top Left] January [Centre] 1st Month - 31 Days [Top Right] 1916 Wednesday 22 December General Staff arrived this morning o select more advanced position, the result being that we have to move 2 miles further tomorrow. Event of the day here is the arrival of the Camel Corps every night. Sketch of present position :-

[ SKETCH ]

Colonel Grant in Command of all operations between Mediteranean & Suez.

Thursday. Struck Camp & marched 2 miles further on. Hot day. Sand Storm. Almost too hot to sleep. Capt North gave us tomatoes & Oranges. Saw Madge Costelloe's photo: Aubrty Wall & Roy Wooller

[Top Left] 1916 [Centre] 2d Month - 29 Days [Top Right] February

Friday 24th. Wrote to Nellie Digging dug out. Very Windy. Sand blowing about. Wondering how Xmas appears at home. Actually started to rain but verry little. Saturday 25th. Christmas Day. Lovely day. Digging Dug Out. Heard news of Dardanelles - evacuation with regret. Given packet cigaretts. 1/2 lb. plumb pudding, tin peaches between three, tin salmon between two. Australians now being transported to Suez Canal. Plum Pudding tins had small paper slips from West Aust Red Cross Society, with names of various subscribers. Bird cages being made on heights. O.C. read cable from Ms. Tibby in Aust sending greetings. Decent Xmas never to be forgotten.

[Top Left] March [Centre] 3rd Month - 31 Days [Top Right] 1916

Pineapples & Salmon anded round by Captain North. Very good days food. Meningitis broken out at Serapenum. Second mail arrived per Oranties. Recd one S.M. Herald with Sigindation Notice & Sydney Mirror with Picture Competition filled in. No letters to hand this mail. Bikaner Camel Corps arrived (Indian). Other Indians with us Hong Kong Singapore Royal Garrison Artillery, Queens Own Sappers & Miners. Our chaps having rides on Camels. British Aeroplanes flew over 9 a.m. Tobacco & Cigarettes arrived. Capt North didn't want to take money Monday 7th. Dec. 1915. Lice bad in camp. Sewing