Item 02: Leslie William Sutherland diary, 1 January-13 December 1916 - Page 41

[Page 41]

March 17, 1916 Friday

Had breakfast at 8.30 & then after being shunted up & down the lines for about an hour, started to get our stuff off, the day was now getting very warm, put our machines in a shed & had to hang about for transport at 2 oclock, 60 camels put in an appearance, after a terrible lot of talking on the niggers part we finally got the lot on & then set out for camp, finding half an hour later the rottenest camping ground yet we have been put on, its all hollow & has recently been a seed patch.A detachment of the camel corps is attached to us for transport duty. Went up the town for tea & twas quite a change to Minia.

March 18, 1916 Saturday

All hands up early so as to get as much done as possible before the heat of the day sets in, the first job was to get the tents up, this took us 1½ hrs to do, did nothing all day as it is far to hot to even breathe, when the sun went down we got on to the horse lines & by dark had succeeded in getting in half of em. The aeroplane people have erected their aerodrome two miles N of our camp & two planes came down from Assuit today.

New came through today that Bob has got the second Sig Tp & that Teddy is C.O. of the Squadron, good luck to both.

Our names were forwarded on to Mackworth today & with half an ounce of luck should get something.

Bed at 9.10.