Major E.B. Sheppard’s Diary, 1st - 14th February, 1916 | The Diary of E. B. Sheppard, 1914 - 1916

February. 1st. Tuesday

H.Y. with main body. Uneventful trek. Road not nearly so bad as reported. Motor cycles had more trouble than anything. Nearly got bogged once myself. Arrived Gerawla 3 p.m. Camped inside a sort of Ramparts formed with idea of making a dam to hold up water & irrigation. Dam extends W. some way.

February 2nd. Wednesday.

Left Gerawla 9 a.m. Gerald’s¹ troop rear guard. Easy march of about 9 miles. Arrived Matruh 2 p.m. and met A. Part [Alfie Part] at entrance to perimeter. Found our camp 400 yds. away from “B” Squadron. Jack Leslie who is with motors came to see us. Saw Mangles of 20th. Hussars who is also with them. Had a very comfortable night in tent with no mules or horses gallopping round my head. “B” camp is just south of Salt Lake, which is about ½ a mile from Sea. “B” Squadron full of stories of fight of week before. They had 5 men wounded. Gen. Biscoe & Brig. Major’s account of fight make it appear very narrow squeak of a disaster. The latter said he thought the enemy mistook our transport for reinforcements so retired. If they had pushed on it must have gone hard with us.

February 3rd. Thursday

Busy getting settled in to Camp. Had great tussle with J. Wigan for the best camping ground, eventually halved it. Went for ride in afternoon to meet “A” Squadron with Alfie Part who had gone out on a reconnaissance W.

February 4th. Friday.

“A” Squadron went out to Jebel Medwa to search battlefield (No. 11) of 25th December, and to escort Lord Denbigh. Could not accompany them as arranging new Camp to join up with “B” Squadron.

February 5th. Saturday.

1 troop “B” Squadron went to Surrey Post. Settled into new Camp. Delightful situation on shores of Salt water inland lake. Dined with motor car people on Jack Leslie’s² invitation. Best dinner for weeks cooked by French chef. Rolls-Royce to take us there and back. Held wonderful cards afterwards in partnership with “Bend Or”. [Bendor, Duke of Westminster] Rode in afternoon to point commanding Harbour.

February 6th. Sunday.

Church parade behind camp. Bucks, Dorsets & selves. Tom Drake³ turned up much to my delight.

February 7th. Monday.

Inspected draft. Very pleased as they seem to be well trained. Lovely bathe in sea N. of camp.

February 8th. Tuesday.

Drove out with Hawkins in car 15 miles W. Met D. of Westminsters & several Armoured motor cars returning. Might have been Bath road! We were going out to see party sent to make Aerodrome 30 miles, but came into blinding storm, wind & rain so turned back. Aeroplanes sent to reconnoitre Bauani [Sidi Barani] came into same storm, so failed to reach their objective. Poured with rain at night.

February 9th. Wednesday.

Busy reorganizing Regt. into 3 Squadrons. “A” H.J. Wyld⁴ takes Arabs, “B” (Drake³) English Horses, “D” (Part) a mixture. Very difficult to see where we can get N.C.O.’s to fill all time expired old stagers.

February 10th. Thursday

Regt. Divided into 3 Sqdns. “A” Sqdn. O.C. Wyld⁴ (Arab Horses) “B” O.C. Drake³ English horses, “D” O.C. Part 1 Troop Arab Horses rest English. 12 men left for Alexandria to bring horses back. 6 Arabs got loose at night. One seemed quite mad going for everything. Got my revolver ready but he suddenly quieted down and was caught after being rather badly kicked.

February 11th. Friday.

Still busy sorting Squadrons. Rode in afternoon to Surrey Post where R. Faulconers troop was. Found horse was a good wall jumper. Met General Peyton.⁵

February 12th. Saturday.

Went over Monitor. The Skipper was friend of now G.O.C. T. Drake³. Most interesting as he had been off Ostend at one time. Very good concert in evening at Berks Camp.

February. 13th. Sunday.

Church parade. Motored out with Lord Hamden⁶ W. along road to arrange scheme. Self being O.C. Flagged enemy on Tuesday. Rode with Gerald¹ E. of harbour and bathed. Self & FitzGerald⁷ dined with Lord Denbigh C.R.A.

February 14th. Monday.

Composite Squadron Tom Drake³ O.C., Dinky 2 O.C. Gerald^1, Routledge⁸ (B) Cecil Bury⁹ (D) Flint (A)¹⁰ the latter arab troop went off 10 a.m. to meet convoy coming through from Dabaa at Baggush. Expected to be away 4 days. Royle (intelligence) dined. Most interesting as greatest expert about country.

Notes:

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)
John Leslie (26th August 1888 – 1st October 1965) Served 12th Lancers, Special Reserve and attached Machine Gun Corps and Tank Corps 1914 -1919 (2nd Lieutenant 4th September 1914
Tom Drake (17th May 1885 – January 1954) Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, Hertfordshire Yeomanry 10th September 1915 after service in the ranks of 14th London Regiment. Served 3rd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry October 1915 – March 1917 (M.B.E.); and machine Gun Corps (Cavalry) March 1917 – January 1919.
Hugh James Wylde (16th April 1880 – 1961) Appointed Major to command A Squadron 25th August 1913. Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry August 1914 – May 1916 (commanding A Squadron – Egypt; Dardanelles; Western Desert)
General Sir William Eliot Peyton (7th May 1866 – 14th November 1931) Career officer who served as military secretary to British Expeditionary Force 1916 – 1918. Commanded 2nd Mounted Division in Gallipoli followed by August – December 1915 and Western Frontier Force in Egypt 1916.
Thomas Walter Brand, 3rd Viscount Hamden (19th January 1869 – 4th September 1958.)
Eric Yarnold Fitzgerald. Served 3rd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry March – Novemebr 1915; 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry December 1915 – March 1916 (A Squadron – Western Desert.)
Either Myles Gilbey Routledge (16th May 1896 – 1983.) Served 2nd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1914 – July 1915; 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry July 1915 – April 1918 (B Squadron – Western Desert; France; Egypt/Palastine) or Vincent Routledge served 2nd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry January 1915 – October 1917 (T/Captain 23rd June 1916 – 27th June 1917.)
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.
George Gordon Flint (1889 – 1953?) Served 2nd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry September 1914 – October 1915; 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry October 1915 – August1916 (A Squadron – Egypt; Western Desert); 3rd/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry/ 6th Reserve Regiment of Cavalry December 1916 – 1918).