X550/6/8/1901

War Diary for January 1919 1 Jan 1919 - Helmieh 0630-0730 Inspection parades and Interior Economy. Time being devoted to cleaning up the camp laying out Kit and generally preparing for main parade of the day 0930 Battalion Trial Cross Country Run organized for the purpose of selecting the best runners to represent the Battn in the Brigade Sports. The course selected for this run was about 5 miles and across undulating ground of gravelly sand. Their run lasted for about 1/2 hour when the run was finished & the men rubbed down & changed. Classes in Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, French and Shorthand were carried on. At this time the Classes were well attended but progress was slow owing to lack of accomodation [sic] and equipment. Owing to the possible departure of detachments it was not considered advisable to make any addition to the classes. A Physical training Class was started under a qualified instructor for the benefit of those entering for sports & intending post bellum soldiers. In the afternoon a platoon Football competition was held No 1 Platoon playing No 13. No 13 won this match 1-0. A Battalion Sports Committee met to decide the various sports to be taken up by the Battn. No 15 Platoon played No 10 winning 2-1. 2 Jan 1919 0630 inspection pde as usual & boundaries of the camp laid out by pioneers mud walls being erected. Classes were carried on as usual & an hour was devoted to Battalion Drill. The C.O. gave a lecture to the Battn on the Scheme of Demobilization explaining to them the scheme of dispersal & resettlement. 3 Jan 1919 This morning we devoted to Battn Route March. the march lasted for three hours & was along the road in the direction of CAIRO. The dress worn being Drill Order. In the afternoon the Battn Football Team played the 1/8th Hants Regt. On the whole it was a goog game & the teams seemed equally matched. The result of the match was 2-1 in favour of the hampshires. Preparations were made in the Battn area for the erection of a hut for Mens Messing 4 Jan 1919 Brigade duties were carried out by the Battn on this day and at 0900 the BGC made a tour of inspection of the Bde Camp. usual classes were carried on & one hour devoted to Coy Drill. Names were taken & forms filled up fpr the men who wished to have Technical Classes. 5 Jan 1919 Battn attended Bde Church parade on the sports area. the leave for Jerusalem have [sic] started one officer and 7 other ranks leaving at 0800. A warning Order was received for a detachment of 400 to hold themselves in readiness to proceed to MEADI at short notice to take over duties at Prisoner of War Camp 6 Jan 1919 Usual classes were carried on & a lecture given in the Bde Cinema on the Campaigns in East & West Africa. An hour was devoted to Battn Drill. The C.O. proceeded to Alexandria on a tour of inspection of the School of Cookery 7 Jan 1919 The morning until 1100 was devoted to clearing & marking out Football and Hockey grounds. At 1100 teh final of the Platoon Football Competition was held men being excused parade to attend this. The 2 Platoons engaged in this match were No 10 & 15. Both teams played a really 1st class game 7 No 15 won by scoring a goal 10 minutes before time wa scalled. The Battn Hockey Team which had been formed & had been training played its first match today against the 1/10 London Regt and considering this was the first match they had ever played they did exceptionally well by winning by one goal to nil. 8 Jan 1919 At 0800 a Battn Cross Country run was held for all under the age of 35 years t oenable the Sports Committee to select a team to represent the Battn in the Bde Sports. After the run the usual classes were carried on & the men engaged on these classes seem quite grateful for the opportunity of being able to brush up their education. A lecture was given in the Bde Cinema on The Making of England & about 300 ORs attended. In the afternoon the Battn Hockey Team played their 2nd match this time against the Imperial School of Instruction Section. Although the latter team had the best of the game & son by 6 goals to nil the battn team played quite well & had quite hard luck in not scoring 9 Jan 1919 Educational classes were carried on as usual & one hour devoted to Company Drill. His Eminence the R.C. Cardinal Bourne Archbishop of Westminster addresses all R.Cs of the 54th Divn in the Divnl Cinema Tent at 1100. 10 Jan 1919 This morning the weekly Battn Route March was carried out. the direction of the march was round HELIOPOLIS & lasted three hours the dress for this march being Drill Order. The Preliminary Round of the Inter Coy Football Competition took place at 1430. A Company played D Coy 1/11th London Regt. The game proved very interesting & even & at the conclusion of time no score had been made. An extra 1/2 hour was played resulting in a win for A Coy by one goal. The Dtums also played a match against the Drums of the 1/6th Essex & won by 2 goals to nil 11 Jan 1919 Classes carried on as usual & one hour was devoted to Coy Drill. In the afternoon the Bn Hockey Team played the 1/11th London regt & after a hard game the London Regt won by 2 goals to nil 12 Jan 1919 The Battn was on Bde Duty to day [sic] & also found Divisional Duties. Bde Church Parade at 0900. An Inter Coy Competition Football Match took place in the afternoon D Coy playing against D Coy of the 1/4th Northants Regt. the Battn Team won by on goal to nil. The C.O. accompanied by 3 other Officers proceeded to Alexandria in a tour of inspection of the Physical Training & Bayonet Fighting School 13 Jan 1919 Classes were held as usual & a lecture on Canada being given by Lieut Bond RA. in the Divnl. Cinema at 1030 & proved a very interesting & educational lecture. in the afternoon an Inter Coy Competition Football match was played. C Coy playing B Coy of the 1/11 London Regt in the 1st Round. The Londons won this match alfter a hard fight by two goals to one. 14 Jan 1919 Classes were carried on as usual & one hour devoted to Physical Training. Owing to the enthusiasm shown by the Bde in the Sports a considerable number of entries were made necessitating preliminary heats which were held at 1330. Orders were received for the detachment already warned to proceed by march route to Meadi & a detachment for Helouan to proceed by train on the following day. B & C Coys found the Detachments & arrangements were made to leave at 0800. 15 Jan 1919 Owing to Bde Sports being carried out no parades were ordered. the weather was quite warm & the sports were well attended by members of other Brigades. The Battn scored 2nd in the aggregate no of points gained in the events. The flat races were not this unit's strong point but the tug of war team won their event easily. the mule events were interesting - the Tug of war on mules was won also. The Detachments for MEADI & HELOUAN moved off at 0800 the Meadi Det going by road & the Helouan Det by rail. A Hot meal was provided en route for the Meadi Det & they arrived there at 1400 taking over from the Royal Irish Rifle Garr Bn. Numerous Gds had to be found over the Turkish & German Prisoners. The Helouan Det finding Guards for the Internment Camp which consists of civilians 16 Jan 1919 The Battn was on Bde Duty & classes were held as usual but owing to the detachments leaving some classes had to cease & others reduced. One hours company drill was carried out. An Inter Coy Football Competition match was played between B Coy & B Coy of the 1/10th London Regt, the London Team winning by three goals to nil. 17 Jan 1919 The G.O.C. Division visited the Battn Educational Classes at work & saw French Shorthand & Arithmetic classes at work. Very heavy rain started about 1100 & continued until 1700 - resulted in flooding the camp. the whole of the rain service was interrupted the line being washed away in places. This days rain was the heaviest rain that had fallen for over 7 years. In the evening it cleared up & a cold wind blew drying up the camp a little 18 Jan 1919 The flooding of the camp necessitated a lot of clearing up & drying clothes by the men. In the morning the C.O. talked to the men about Re enlisting & explained the benefits & terms of present re enlistment. A need having been felt for a library in the Batt the PRI having organised for supplying books &c opened one today & it was greatly appreciated by the Battn. In the afternoon the Battn football team played the 162 Bde HQ team & resulted in a win for the battn by 5 goals to one. 19 Jan 1919 Battn paraded for Bde Church Parade the service was conducted by the Right Rev The Bishop of Jerusalem who also held a Confirmation Service in the afternoon. The weekly Leave Party for Jerusalem left today at 0800. The first three men were attested for the Post Bellum Army & although it was a small number to start with a great many men had signified their intention of re enlisting after they had thought it over & had a talk with the C.O. on the matter 20 Jan 1919 The Battn was on Bde Duty to-day. Classes were carried o nas usual & one hour was devoted to Physical Training. Those of the sportsmen who were selected to run in the Bde Cross Country Race carried out a run of six miles. 21 Jan 1919 The Battn hockey ream played against the 1/4th Northampton Regt & lost by one goal to nil. Classes were held as usual & one hour devoted to Coy Drill. Boxing training carried on enthusiastically & preparing for the Bde Meeting on the 23 & 24th 22 Jan 1919 Classes carried on as usual. One hour being edvoted to Physical Training for the Sportsmen &c. 23 Jan 1919 The Battn carried out the weekly route march under Coy arrangements. The Bde Boxing Tournament was begun. We had a number of entries in each event but one of two of the best men had been ill recently & our best man was still in hospital. A certain amount of feeling was shewn by a number of the Bde against the Referee & the B.G.C who was present arose & informed the people concerned that the Referee was the middleweight Champion of the British Army & as such was quite capable of judging without the assistance of the spectators. After this their [sic] was very little comment & our Battn who were present in large number shewed themselves to be good sportsmen as they had never made any remark about the judging. The Battn finished the day by having the majority of entries for the finals. 24 Jan 1919 The Battn was on Bde Duty & performed Divisional Duties also. The finals of the Boxing Tournament were held at 1300. These went off excellently & great enthusiasm was shewn. Unfortunately one or two of our men did not shew up very well & we were just beaten on the total points. Bde theatre was opened & proved excellent attraction 25 Jan 1919 Classes were held as usual & one hour devoted tp physical Training. the Battn Hockey team played their 1st match in the Divisional Hockey Tournament against the 270 Bde R.F.A. The match was a very fast one & ended in a win for the Battn by 2 goals to nil. Battn Football Team played a friendly game against the 3rd/1st Fld. Amb. E.A. & won by 6 goals to nil 26 Jan 1919 Bde Church Pde was held in the Bde Theatre & was enjoyed more by the Battn being out of the Sun 27 Jan 1919 Usual Classes were held. One hour being devoted to Coy Drill. Battn Hockey Team played teh 1/4th Norfolk Regt in a friendly game & after a hard exciting game lost by one goal to nil. A detachment of 100 proceeded to TURA to take up duties at the Prisoners of War Camp. the det left by rail arrivinh there at 1130. 28 Jan 1919 Classes were held as usual & Physical training carried out. The C.O. talked to all ranks on the matter of Sports & Sportsmanship impressing on everybody the necessity for fair play & good sportsmanship in all games & sports whether now or when they were demobilised. 29 Jan 1919 Classes were held as usual. A Coy drill carried out. Bde CRoss Country Run took place at 1400. The Battn was well represented in the event & ran exceedingly well. Every entry completed the course & achieved a notable win for the Battn having 22 home in the first 40. Total points gained being 475 the next unit obtaining only 183. The course was about 6 1/8 miles - over desert & a part cultivated land. The first man completed the course in 34 1/2 min which was excellent time as soft sand was encountered in places. 30 Jan 1919 Classes were carried out as usual & one hour devoted to Physical Training. Battn Football Team played a match in the Bde Football League against the 1/10 London Regt after an excellent game the result was a draw 2 goals being scored by each team although the Battn had bad luck in not scoring in the latter half of the game. Orders were received for the Battn less 3 coys to proceed by march route to MEADI on the morning of the 31st. The C.O. held a Coy Comdr's Conference & arranged details for the move 31 Jan 1919 - Meadi The camp was struck & baggage loaded & battn paraded ready to move at 0830. A two hours halt was made en route to enable a hot dinner to be served out to the men which had been cooked on the road by the Travelling Kitchens. The Battn arrived at Meadi after a dusty march of 16 1/2 miles at 1500 & the move reported complete by 1530. Very little sickness has been occurring in the Battn during the past month & the Sports have undoubtedly done a great deal in keeping the men fit & free from sickness. About 50 men have been demobilized under various groups & categorys [sic] for demobilization

1-31 Jan 1919

From: 1919 To: 1919

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Brighten, Edgar William,
Hare, Steuart Welwood,
Mudge, Arthur,
Jerusalem, Rennie MacInnes, Bishop of,
Bourne, Francis (Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster)

prisoners of war, football, hockey, cross country running, boxing, 1st/5th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment, 1st/4th Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, Royal Field Artillery 270th Brigade, 1st/10th (Hackney) Battalion London Regiment, 1st/11th (Finsbury Rifles) Battalion London Regiment, 162nd Infantry Brigade, 54th (East Anglian) Division, curriculum reading, writing (curriculum), curriculum arithmetic, curriculum French, curriculum shorthand, 1st/8th (Isle of Wight) Battalion Hampshire Regiment, weather, church services, local flooding, food & drink, general Roman Catholic, Turks, Germans, theatres, 1st/4th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, 3rd/1st East Anglian Field Ambulance, Meadi, Helmieh, Cairo, Africa, Heliopolis, Alexandria, Helouan, Tura