Series 01: George Lillie war diary, 24 August 1914-24 April 1915 - Page 39

[Page 39]

was up all night loading Kits, stores, provisions etc & consequently did not leave Cairo until 5 A M on 1st march. There were a couple of trainloads of troops & goods etc. which left Cairo on the night of Feb 28. While we were camped at Mena we went through the whole of our training but were glad to get away from the sands of the desert as we used to go out on the sandy waste every day to the same place & see nothing except endless waste of sand & gravel.

The 3rd Brigade were the first to leave Mena Camp but the others They being chosen before the rest to undertake the work which they are now going on. We arrived at Alexandria on 1st March at 10.30 AM

1st March
We boarded the Ionian a troopship No 136 & such a dirty old tramp that she is. There are 2 Battalions