Major E.B. Sheppard's Diary, 25th - 28th September 1914

In Egypt

Entraining at Aexandria

 Friday 25th.

We got into Alexandria yesterday at 7 a.m. and were there all day. We had an awful job getting up everything ready into the train. At last we went on the Quay and they said we should start about 2 or 3 p.m. They had a big stack of coal just by which made us all look like coal heavers. The men worked like heroes some in the bottom of the hold in grilling heat. At last at 9 p.m. we started and after a terrible journey reached Abbasiych station about daylight. We marcher to barracks and arrived about five thirty a.m. finding the 3rd D. Ggs. still here. They were very good to us but the men had to be content with the varandahs.

We found about seven hundred horses tethered in the sand dying like flies. We were all pretty beat as we had practically no sleep. The 3rd D. Gds left two squadrons of Arabs. So two of our squadrons will be on them and one on our own if they survive. The only way was to toss who had which, so of course I lost and have to wait for our wretched quadrupeds or the remains of them. This means I shall probably not be able to do any work (mounted) for a month at least. This evening I believe there 1160 horses in the sand. No provisions had been made to see to them. It was heartrending to see the poor brutes ! They belong to all the different units. It was very hot with a strong wind blowing.

The barracks are very fine for one regiment but we are going to have two and one squadron of another.

Sat. 26th Sept.

My men not having any horses to look after were turned on to watering about 1000 horses at 12 noon. They say it was the hottest day of the year. How they stood it I don’t know. They finished at 3 p.m. At 4 p.m. I got an order to prepare for 1000 to 1200 more horses that were coming by train so had to turn out the men again, get bags which are filled with sand to tie the horses up to. We were finished about 7 p.m. I then told the Colonel my men were absolutely beat so it was arranged other units were to meet the horses. They arrived about 4 a.m. and I heard the tramp of hundreds of horses. There was a strong wind blowing all day which made the sand blow. It was almost unbearable!

Sunday 27 Sept.

I went out at day break to see the sight of about 2,000 horses in almost every stage of collapse. I have never seen such a pathetic sight. Someone ought to be shot for it ! The 3rd D. Gds. Left early in the morning. I have a very nice room and have just engaged a native servant Mahomet. He was very highly recommended by one of the 3rd D. Gds.

Thank Goodness all the horses have been moved off to Heliopolis and the dead taken away. One Squadron of Westminster Dragoons has just arrived (6.30 a.m.) and our mess ran out being completely disorganised. I had to go and meet the horse train. I recognised Satan poor old chap. He looked awfully bad.

Sunday 27th Sept.

It got dark before we got all the horses to stables and as they were all mixed up I was 19 short of mine. We found ten more to day. Where the others are I cannot say but I should think they are probably dead by now. They tell me where the horses are Heliopolis the sight is dreadful About 1 or 2000 horses slowly dying of starvation and thirst. We are in a ghastly muddle. They have just shoved troops and horses into Egypt quite regardless of whether there is any staff to run the Show. I saw General Maxwell1. He says there were 3500 troops in Egypt Now there are 17,000. They have taken all his staff except one man. I should think the end would be a ghastly catastrophe. In stead of having a mess here of twenty five we have about 60 odd.

J.Hay and Morrison Bell came in with the Westminster Dragoons. They had no stables told off to them so had to herd their horses as best they could. The horses really are wonderfully fit. Tom Howard, Douglas Pennant2 with Ralph Barnett3 in charge did wonders.

It is still infernally hot

Monday 28th Sept.

It is still infernally hot. There is an infernal muddle but gradually things are getting more settled. Gurney4 is having an awful time running the mess. The{re} was no bread for breakfast. I wonder if my letters etc. get censored. They tell me the dodge is to put my name on them as writer. The men cheered when they heard we were going to Egypt. I expect they would cheer up more if they heard we were going anywhere else now.

Notes:

1 General Sir John Grenfell Maxwell (11th July 1859 – 21st February 1929)  General Officer commanding British Troops in Egypt.  Troops under his command successfully defended the Suez Canal.

2 Hon. Archibald Douglas-Pennant (25th may 1881 – 3rd April 1971.) Appointed 2nd Lieutenant, Hertfordshire Yeomanry 26th March 1915 after service in ranks since August 1914 and service with Royal Scots 1898 – 1903. Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry March – August 1915; in Staff Appointments September 1915 – November 1917 (A.D.C. 22nd September 1915 – 15th July 1916; employed Ministry of Munitions July 1916 – November 1917); 6th Reserve Regiment of cavalry November 1917 – February 1919.

3 Ralph Frances Barnett (27th August 1883 – ) Appointed Lieutenant A Squadron, Hertfordshire Yeomanry, 1stFebruary 1914. Served 1st/1st Hertfordshire Yeomanry August 1914 – August 1918 (A Squadron – Egypt, Dardanelles, Temporary Captain 28th August 1915)

4 Major Samuel Gurney Sheppard (23rd March 1865 – 21st August 1915)  Killed in action 21st August 1915 in attack on Chocolate Hill, Gallipoli.  He had been raised to temporary Lt/Col when he replaced Lt/Co Harrison.  He was the older brotherof Edward and Gerald Arthur (21st November 1867 – ?) who also served.

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