Item 02: Leslie William Sutherland diary, 1 January-13 December 1916 - Page 61

[Page 61]

26 April, 1916 Wednesday

90 wks of soldiering

Revielle as usual

Jack Wills & I had to go to Shick Allam to try our lines of communications today, we left early on the bikes & everything went well for the first 15 miles. Shick Allam was reached in due course & as we got there so early, we decided to push on to Beit Khalef the going now for miles was frightful we got 1 puncture & 1 blow out on account of the holes, struck the squadron by chance Jack Wills then got another puncture I pushed on to the hill & set up the helio straight away called & they answered immediately, carried on for about an hour then left for home but I hadn't gone 200 yards when I got another blow out so I rode her on the rim for a mile, fixed her up & then off we set, put another 10 miles behind us [indecipherable] I went whof into another hole & still another blow out, the heat at this time

27 April, 1916 Thursday

Revielle as usual

[continuation from entry of 26 April]

was well on 190° in the sun & the tyres were too hot to hold fixed that up with the last bit of rubber we had left & got under way once more when about 2 miles out of here (Sohag) Jack W pulled up alongside me to tell that his tyre was again flat & in doing so got his bars caught in mine & didn't we come a beaut, nobody hurt & machines undamaged, he had to stop so I sent Watty out with a new tube. I got into camp at 2 oclock burnt to a cinder, the C O couldn't believe that we had been at Khalaf & when he was convinced was quite pleased at our doings. Horses went out as usual to the palms & Signalling class went on as usual. I was posted to take charge of Sig office at Bde H Qs so now am billeted in a brick house. Bed at nine thirty.

Mail tomorrow.