15th. November. Monday.
Walked to South Pier. Blowing ½ a gale from S.W. Met Steam Pioneer from H.M.S. Agamnemnon1. Got some nasty seas into boat. Lunched with Captain Fyler2 on board. Very nice to have comfortable table cloth again and excellent lunch. F’s diary of first bombardment of Straits most interesting. About 14 or 15 shells came on board, one just by coning tower. She was 3 weeks afterwards at Malta repairing. Dined with Berks Yeo. Strong northerly wind at night.
16th. November. Tuesday.
Draft came over and joined us. Our mess now rather unwieldy, being 11 in all. Our Servants keep on going sick one after another. Pingree (mine) not at all well. Went round Hospital in afternoon with Dr. Saw about a dozen of our men all of whom were going on fairly well, most of the complaining of being very hungry, as diarrhoea and dysentery cases get practically nothing but milk.
17th. November. Wednesday.
Blustery day and colder. H.Daniell3 unwell again. Rode with T.Pitt on 2 very indifferent horses to Castro. Nearly blown away. Came back rather tired.
18th. November. Thursday.
Horrible night. Blew a gale from N.W. and turned very cold. H. Daniell3 went to Hospital. Afraid Pengree (my servant) will have to go. Tried an infantry attack with about 60 men charging with bayonets at finish. Draft performed rather well. Lunch with H. Reeve, at Roy. Irish Rifles Camp. His Col. Cox was C.O. Inniskilling Fusiliers and knew Vere well. Pengree to hospital.
19th. November. Friday.
Paraded as a Brigade for General Altham commonly called “Dog Face”. Walked with T. Pitt to Therma and had hot bath and tea. Lovely walk home mostly in moonlight.
20th November. Saturday.
Cold N.E. wind. H.Reeve came to lunch. T. Drake4 sent note to say, Valentine the parson who was so kind yo our men in Alexandria was going home to Aquitainia so could take my diary &c. These had been sent but I walked down to North Pier to meet T.D. at 2.30 but he never turned up. He had been stopped at last moment. Hope have got letters off all the same per H.R. Saw H. Daniell3 in Australian Hospital. Seems better but very depressed. Most uncomfortable night as it blew a cold N.E. gale. Every moment I expected tent to collapse, and everything, my mouth included, was covered with dust.
21st. November. Sunday.
Gale still blowing. No church as Recreation tent blown away in night. Walked to Condia alone and got South side of high hill. Had great difficulty in getting back. To my surprise found wagons laoding and 1 Regt. in marching order. Had real fright it might be ourselves but it was only the 1st Regt. who had received marching orders at 2 hours notice. This after telling us to be ready to move at 24 hours notice. After waiting about in the bitter wind for above 2 hours the 1st. Regt. was told they could not be embarked! The Staff work is beyond belief. The wretched men had to walk all the way back with their heavy equipment. We gave the starving officers tea, chiefly Gloucetser Yeo.
22nd November. Monday.
Still a most bitter N.E. wind, which perhaps was not so strong but much colder. The London Brigade this time were the victims and went down to the shore to embark but were told they could not be taken off. Walked with Cecil5 to Hospital. Saw H. Daniell3 and various men.
Notes:
- HMS Agamemnon was commissioned on 25th June 1908. as a Lord Nelson Class pre-dreadnaught battleship. It was decommissioned on 20th March 1919 and sold for scrap on 24th January 1927.
- Herbert Arthur Stevenson Fyler, C.B., D.S.O. (7 January, 1864 – 19 July, 1934) was captain of Agamemnon fro 1st January 1914 to 29th January 1917.
- Henry Charles Nugent Daniell (26th August 1869 – 13th July 1925.) Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, Hertfordshire Yeomanry 26th August 1914 after rpevious service with Hertfordshire Imperial Yeomanry. Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry August 1914 – May 1916 (Egypt, Dardanelles); 3rd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry May 1916 – February 1917; 6th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry February – November 1917.
- 1 Tom Drake (17th May 1885 – January 1954) Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, Hertfordshire Yeomanry 10th September 1915 after service in the ranks of 14th London Regiment.
- Probably Cecil Oliver Haigh Bury (16th November – 26th September 1967.) Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, Hertfordshire Yeomanry 2nd October 1912; Lieutenant 28th November 1916, with seniority 1st June 1916; captain 17th December 1917; resigned retaining rank 14th August 1920. Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry August 1914 – February 1919 in Egypt, Dardanelles, Western Desert & Mesopotamia.
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