Mar 1
Troop drill again. Very refreshing!?
Mar 6
Got weekend leave to Villa Yasmin Sidi Sabe, Alexandria. Kept by 2 men Carllards. Lovely place. Bathing. Heat wave.
Mar 10
At polo hit WHH1 on the head and got my pony kicked on the stifle.
Next days various field days, dulling. Bayonet drill! Locusts. Remarkable sight.
Big inspection for casting. Got one for polo after the auctioneer had been given 5/- to stop the bidding. This was worked by Krachin [?] the horse dealer!
Mar 26
Inspection by Brig. I got some pepper corns (no ginger available) Put one up each horse. Got to end of stable. Looked back to see how it was working when up came Griffiths with tremendous salute. I asked him what he wanted, he said “The men want to know if you are going to treat them the same”!
Most days with quite ambitious short ‘field days’ & we managed to get polo in evenings.
Apr 2
Got leave and went to Luxor.
Australians got recalled from leave.
Apr 5
Splendid dragoman [?] Ahmeen arranged a shoot for me. “Jackals, quail” Beaters walked up some sugar cane out came a mangy fox which I shot! Got three quail. Not much of a gun with ‘smoke’ coming out between barrel & stock.
Apr 7
Riots in Cairo2. Duty troop had to go down. Australians at bottom of it. An article had appeared in an Australian paper “Beware mothers of your daughters when your syphilitic sons return from Egypt.” They went down to Red Blind St in Cairo and ran from house to house setting on fire the ones they knew contained venereal women.
Fire engines appeared and an enormous Australian Sergeant was very helpful in getting out the hoses. As soon as they were all out he produced an axe and cut the lot! Natives pouring out into the country to get away.
Church Parade
Apr 11 – 16
Both ill with “Egyptian tummy“. Castor oil seems to be all the Drs can think of.
Rob Faulconer3 arrived, attached to my troop which annoyed me because I had to find him two chargers.
Apr 19
Left for Bannage [?] 1.15 arrived 5.30.
Built up rope tied to trees & shakles behind. Bivouac on a lawn. Men seen by Goppis[?]! Mosquitoes bad.
The men all crossing on this raft made of straw wrapped up in tarpauline sheet. It carried about six men at a time & was pulled forward and backwards by men on each bank.
Apr 20
Men crossed Nile on tarpaulines filled with straw, horses on endless rope. Much surprised how well it went. Only 2 nearly drowned one of which died in the night.
Home on Apr 21.
Apr 27, 28
Night operations. Those in authority never let up for a moment.
Apr 30
News of landing at Dardenelles. We are to move to Kasr el Nil4 barracks which we did.
Notes
1 2nd Lieutenant Wilfred Holland- Hibbert (4th January 1893 – 18th February 1961) who was Thurston’s brother. Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry August 1914 – July 1915 (A Squadron Egypt) 3rd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1915 – March 1916; and in a Staff Appointment March 1916 – April 1918. (ADC to the Viceroy of India and Temorary Captain 17th March 1916)
2 The ‘Battle of the Wazzir’ when Australian & New Zealand men rioted in the Red light district of Cairo (mainly in the street ‘Haret el Wassir’) is reported to have occurred on 2nd April!
3 2nd Lieutenant Robert Cholmley Faulconer (1st July 1884 – 26th January 1959) Served 2nd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1914 – April 1915; 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry April – September 1915 (A Squadron – Egypt; Gallipoli); , February 1916 – February 1917 (D Squadron – Mesopotamia. Wounded M.C.) and March 1918 – June 1919 (A Squadron – Egypt/Palastine. Acting Captain while commanding squadron 23rd December 1918 -29th June 1919); and 6th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry October – December 1917.
4 In central Cairo
HALS Reference: D/EYO/2/131
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