December 20th. Monday.
Rode out with “A” Squadron about 10 miles and back to lunch. Country lovely for riding as going excellent. Satan made nothing of the 20 miles. Arranged with T. Pitt to take over smaller well for H.Y. Every sign of friction if we continued sharing one with the 2nd Squadron. Rode out 10 miles to meet “A” Squadron. Found the telegraphist had not taken anything to tap the wires, so all our energy wasted. Really think he ( a native) was probably in pay of enemy, and was also suffering from cold feet. Found “A” watering 10 miles away. It was a long job as only small bucket. I got back to camp 6 p.m., the Squadron at 7 p.m.
December 21st. Tuesday.
Nothing doing today. Lovely bathe in afternoon.
December 22nd. Wednesday.
Thick fog in morning. Rode along coast eastwards, hoping to find more eggs, but New Zealanders were before us. Snelling and Bimbashi Strange dined.
December 23rd. Thursday.
“A” Squadron drilled. Nasty sand storm midday S.E. Wind. A part[y] when [went] to Alexandria to do Xmas shopping. Gale from S.W. sprang up about midnight but I knew nothing about being in room facing N. Big mail in.
December 24th. Friday.
Strong S. E. wind, most unpleasant. Those in tents really buried in sand. Nothing doing. Strange Intelligence Officer says there are 600 Bedouins about 28 miles away. So may be attacked any day. Went up to Cemetery Post to take H.J.W. still there being torn to bits putting up wire entanglements.
December 25th. Saturday.
Wrote P.D.O.S.1 No. 5. Gerald2 arrived. Rode in morning with patrol under G. Charington3 to have a look at Jameima where Westminsters had camped and others. It certainly is a death trap unless long ridge on South can be held strongly. Also it can be shelled from sea being only about ¼ mile away. The difficulty of transport must be enormous as the sand is so deep. Received a number of Xmas presents from home brought by Gerald2, also delightful home news. Squadron on outpost duty, so postponed Xmas dinner. Westminsters had “sing song”. Very heavy storms of rain at night. Outposts had a bad time.
Barrack room decorated for Christmas meal.
December 26th. Sunday.
Men had Xmas dinner mid-day. Beef- Beer- Plum-pudding &c. Latter from “Comforts Fund” Herts Ladies. Gerald2 returned to Alexandria to collect his campaign Kit &c., so got no Xmas Dinner! Played football in afternoon. Officers & Sergts. v Men. About half time ball went down 90 ft. well. Hired a native for 5 piastres and lowered him down for it. Game ended in draw. I was in goal. Cheery dinner.
December 27th. Monday.
Men hard at work on Cemetery Post. Barbed wire entanglement completed but a lot still needed for trenches. Thought I was going to take over command of Section “B” i.e. cavalry camp from Pitt as he was to be O.C. Dabaa, but Colonel Stewart and New Zealanders still here. Had a most successful concert in the evening. Several of Westminster Officers came.
December 28th. Tuesday.
Received a lot more presents for the Men, in the way of chocolates, &c. Gerald2 never turned up as failed to get his Kit. Heard from Lt. Essex.
December 29th. Wednesday.
Road about 8 miles S. of Dabaa with patrol under Charington3. Country all covered with scrub and undulating for the first five miles or so. Am now O.C. “B” Squadron, which means Cavalry 6.8. our lot and Westminster Dragoons, as Pitt is now O.C. Dabaa. Heard to-day there was a fight at Matruh. We bagged about 200 Bedouins (Killed). Bobby Greenshields of D. L.O.Ys. slightly and Young of Buck seriously wounded. The latter did very well and I saw a good lot of him in Gallipoli.
December 30th. Thursday.
Rode out to see Squadron “A” at work in morning. Found it was a mistake in orders putting me O.C.4 Section “D” (Coastguard Station) am only O.C.4 Section “D” Cavalry Section. Weather mild and cloudy. A.S.C. officer at Dabaa dined. Great excitement about 6 p.m. as Intelligence Officer Strange had ordered an Orderly on a camel to go for the Omda of Dabaa (chief). On his way giving as his excuse he had left something behind Omda borrowed Orderly’s camel and made off. 3 patrols (Westminster Dragoons) and Ford Car with Maxim were sent off in the dark to try and capture him.
December 31st. Friday.
Patrols and Car returned without Omda. His brother and several other prisoners are collected just outside my door under a guard. The former has given his brother the Omda away and confessed that he had been sending provisions &c. to enemy at Narum.
Notes:
- Phyllis D’Oyly Sheppard (nee Noble), Edward’s wife.
- Gerald Arthur Sheppard (21st November 1867 – 1932?) Edward’s brother. Served 2nd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry June – September 1915; and 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1915 – November 1917 (Western Desert; B Squadron -France Egypt/Palastine)
- Guy Nicholas Charrington (17th January 1889 – 16th January 1938.) Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry August 1914 – December 1918 (Egypt; Dardanelles; A Squadron – Western Desert; B Squadron – France; Egypt/Palastine.)
- Officer Commanding
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