Item 04: M.C. Evans war diary, 4 November 1916-16 June 1917 - Page 116
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[Page 116]
Here we are camped beside the railway & can hear the trains shunting at night – which is delightful after the eternal silence of the desert. I enjoyed the days in Cairo chiefly for the baths & cleanliness, in fact I garbed myself in clean silk under things. Vanitas vanitatum: omnia vanitas! [Vanity of vanities, everything (all) is vanity] But it was very pleasant all the same. It seems that we move out east again in about three weeks for a concerted attack upon Challal [possibly Shellal] where the turks are said to be dug in 15000 strong. We have any number of guns, six or eight "tanks" & plenty of infantry so it should be a success.
About March 8th
Lo & Behold it appears that immediately after Kut fell, the Turks evacuated Challal & Bir Saba!
I believe that it was touch & go whether we were to be moved out there at an hour's notice a couple of