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[Page 7]
date taken from diary
Oxford
Feb. 24th 1917
Dear Readers
I have been perusing the various articles I have written and notice that some of my statements are vague and misleading, but as they were written whilst in the trenches, under unenviable conditions, I trust that I shall be pardoned and will now make amends whilst lying in bed here, at the No. 3 Southern General Hospital, Oxford, England.
I shall commence from the time of leaving Egypt for Gallipoli. Marching orders were received at 9 oclock on the night of Aug./14/1915, and found myself picked with the advance guard to move out at 6 oclock the following morning, and when the time arrived, we were all in readiness, each man being presented with a serviceable clasp knife and tinopener combined, and the wire within our caps was taken out. After receiving a day's iron ration, which comprised a small tin containing tea, sugar, and two cubes of extract of meat, also a tin of bully beef and biscuits. We then filled our water bottles and marched through cheering crowds at Heliopolis and took a special train to Cairo.
There were fifty us in the advance guard, comprising two officers and twelve men including N.C.O.s from each of the four companies forming our battalion. The train was boarded bound for Alexandria, we passed through innumerable villages and well cultivated fertile fields of cotton and maize. Alexandria being reached, dinner was partaken of; then we marched through the streets and boarded the transport "Saturnia", making preparations for