Bedfordshire Archives Service Catalogue
  • Reference
    X550/6/8/1604
  • Title
    War Diary for April 1916 1 Apr 1916 - Mena Camp, Cairo Usual routine and parades. C.O's inspection 2 Apr 1916 Church Parade at 0900 3 Apr 1916 Parades as usual 4 Apr 1916 Tents struck & baggage placed on dump ready for move to SHALUFA, CANAL ZONE 5 Apr 1916 - Cairo Left Camp at 1400 & marched 11 1/2 miles to CAIRO ABU EL ELA Station at 17.30. Men given tea and entrained. Train left at 1950. 6 Apr 1916 - Shalufa Arrived SHALUFA at 0330. Men given tea. Baggage transported across SUEZ CANAL. Batt marched to BDE Camp 1/2 mile E. of CANAL. Tents pitched. baggage manhandled to Camp from CANAL. 7 Apr 1916 Batt Route March. usual parades including bathing in CANAL. Line of outposts in half semicircle about 1000 yards from Bde Camp taken up 6 Posts Mounted at 1800 relieved at 0700. 8 Apr 1916 Parades as usual 9 Apr 1916 Church Parade at 0900 10 Apr 1916 Digging on Lunettes Nos 1 & 2. Column of 4 Officers & 100 O.R's (Capt JAMES in command) proceeded out E as escort to 3 squadrons of Yeomanry on reconnaissance towards BIR EL GIDDI & BIR EL TAWAL (Ref MAP EGYPT sheet C.19 1/100,000) 11 Apr 1916 Usual Parades. draft of 2 officers 80 O.R's under MAJOR CLUTTON arrived. 12 Apr 1916 Digging on Lunettes 1 & 2 C Subsection CANAL ZONE. 13 Apr 1916 Route March & Ordinary Parades 14 Apr 1916 Orders received for move to KUBRI 6 miles S. of SHALUFA. Baggage sent forward by lighter 15 Apr 1916 Marched at 0630 arrived KUBRI 0900. tents pitched & baggage brought up from wharf. Capt C.R.JAMES & party returned from Column work. 16 Apr 1916 Church Parade at 0900. 200 men warned to stand by for firing column work under CAPT MISKIN (A Coy & balance from B) 17 Apr 1916 Orders for column received from GEN TAYLOR for column [sic]. Lt Col. BRIGHTEN to command mixe dforce, 300 1/5 Bedf, 25 Camel Corps, 75 Yeomanry, R.A.M.C & Engineers sections and Camel Transport Convoy. Remainder of Batt. ordinary parades 18 Apr 1916 Trench digging on fortifications on E side of CANAL. 19 Apr 1916 Ordinary marching parades. CAPT E.V.ANDREINI rejoined. 20 Apr 1916 Fortification work. 21 Apr 1916 Church Parades at 0900 (Good Friday) 22 Apr 1916 Lt Col BRIGHTEN started on column. Copy of itinerary & diary attached 23 Apr 1916 Easter Sunday. Church parade 0900 24 Apr 1916 Whole Holiday. PRINCE OF WALES cheered while passing through Camp on his way to inspect Desert Posts with Lt Gen.Sir FRANCIS DAVIES IX Army Corps Commander 25 Apr 1916 Route March as usual 26 Apr 1916 Fortification work 27 Apr 1916 Lt Col BRIGHTEN'S column returned. Diary (copy) attached. Batt Route March as usual. 28 Apr 1916 Trench Digging 29 Apr 1916 Route March 30 Apr 1916 Church Parade 0700. Lt Col BRIGHTEN admitted to hospital from slight concussion after having been thrown by a horse. Major C.H.WOLFE takes over Command in his absence COLUMN REPORTS 10 Apr 1916 Infantry Escort consisting of 100 officers & OR's & Camel Convoy left SHALLUFA at 1630 & marched to DARB-EL-HAJ arrived 2000 where we bivouaced the night 11 Apr 1916 Escort & Convoy left DARB-EL-HAJ at 0500 to march to -EL in WADI-EL-HAGGE, halted at 0930 for midday halt, were joined by Middx Yeomanry at 1000, left at 1515 preceded by Yeomanry, arrived at destination at 1645 where we formed a Camp with the Yeomanry. A Camel Convoy arrived at 2000 12 Apr 1916 Yeomanry left Camp & went ahead, we completed our depositions for protection of the Camp. Empty camel convoy left for SHALLUFA at 0530. Full camel convoy arrived at Camp at 2030 13 Apr 1916 Yeomanry arrived back at Camp at 1900, three prisoners were handed over to us to guard, full camel convoy arrived at 1700. 14 Apr 1916 Escort & convoy left at 0500 to march to DARB-EL-HAJ, were halted by Yeomanry to water their horses at 0600, handed back prisoners, started again at 0800. Halted for lunch at 1200 started at 1300 arrived DARB-EL-HAJ at 1500 where we bivouaced night. Camel Convoy continued on to EL-KUBRI. 15 Apr 1916 Escort left at 0900 to march to EL-KUBRI arrived at 1100 22 Apr 1916 - Sheet 3 SINIA 1/250000 1745 - Column concentrated at the WADI EL HAJ about 1 mile S. of Triangulation Point 888. Yeomanry having marched From SHALLUFA - Bikanir Camel Corps from DARB EL HAJ post & the Infantry together with RE & RAMC Details from EL KUBRI A Post called A Post 1 Officer & 24 Infantry was established here to protect & work [?] the relays of Camel Convoys: A signal station was also established here in telephonic communication with DARB EL HAJ & a visual station in the neighbourhood of Triangulation Point 888. 23 Apr 1916 0430 The column marched to a point about 2 miles W. of RUINED CHAPEL in the triangular form of the Road leading to PT.146 & the WADI'S. 1145 Column arrived 1000 A Detachment consisting of 1 Troop Yeomanry; parts of RE with Lorton Tube Apparatus & a strong section of Infantry which had been sent forward to prospect for water, arrived in the neighbourhood of the RUINED CHAPEL. 1400 Patrols of Yeomanry were sent up W EL GEBAB & E EL TAWAL a Post of 1 Officer & 60 Infantry was established here called "B" Post for similar purposes as "A" Post. The party as already detailed for water prospecting was also based on this post for supplies, In consequence of Patrols Report that the WADI EL GEBAB was practically impassable I decided not to push further that night towards the entrance of the W. EL TAWAL, but to remain at the camp already established & march next day via PT1468. Attempts were made to obtain visual communication, but owing to the formation of the country this was found impossible. The distance of this march was considerable, more than appears from the map owing to the windings of the WADI, making going in advance & on the Flanks very slow & hard work for both horse & man owing to the undulating & drifted sand. 24 Apr 1916 0430 Column marched to a point in the angle of the W EL GEBAB & the W. UM MITLA 0630 The advance guard got in touch with the MITLA column. I consulted with O.C. MITLA Column & arranged if possible to send my Yeomanry & Bikanir Camel men to assist him in an effort to reconnoitre the pass towards HEITAN. At the same time we arranged to establish combined camp for both columns near the MITLA ROAD about a mile & a half SE of PT. 1880 A visual signal station was established in the neighbourhood of PT1790 This station called by Helio for about an hour in the morning & again about 2 hrs in the afternoon, but ws unable to obtain an answer from any other station. The prospecting party for water in the neighbourhood of RUINED CHAPEL continued its work all day. 25 Apr 1916 0400 Column marched to PT nea the EL of WADI E---L HAJ 1000 Column arruved 1500 Helio got in communication with PT888 1500 Yeomanry Patrols went[sic] sent to work round the W EL GEBAB, RUINED CHAPEL & W EL TAWAL 1630 A Patrol of Bikanir Camel men was sent on a wide sweep round both flanks. 1850 All patrols returned & reported no signs of enemy. 26 Apr 1916 0400 Column marched for Post A, where Yeomanry went straight to SHALLUFA, & I left the column & came on ahead in order to write up reports.
  • Date free text
    1-30 Apr 1916
  • Production date
    From: 1916 To: 1916
  • Level of description
    item
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