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January 23, 1916 Sunday
The Day (NARS)
Revielle as usual, then the same old stables after stables we all cleaned up for church after which the General inspected the whole camp, he only rode up & down once or twice, after lunch Hal, Chas, Pard, Jack & myself went for a ride towards the Nile after negotiating innumerable canals we came to a beautiful stretch of sand on which we let our mokes go I woke up to find my gee in front of Charlies, had a few jumps then arrived at a villiage where we rested our horses under one of the trees before long a runner from the Head of the Villiage came down inviting us to take coffee with us, he met us halfway when we came to his house we were surprised to find such a home in a native villiage, got inside & were ushered into a living room, coffee followed then tea & sweets, he made me a present of a bonny fob & invited us to tea on Friday next.
Bed at 10.30
January 24, 1916 Monday
66 wks from home
Revielle as per usual
Went out for a ride this morning, but my mare is very stiff after yesterday, gave the boys plenty of troop drill, off saddling & then saddling up again against time. Hal had his crowd out & half of the horses came home on their own. Wrote letters home to Nell, Mother, Ken, Mrs Sargood, Mr Hope Cambell, Rosilie.
Found out many things concerning me & the troop, things I have been aware of for many months but which only wanted confirmation, it may come in handy if ever we get home. I was road making in the afternoon, had to go over to the canal to get a load of rushes then silt, the OC intends to go to Cairo tomorrow so our trip to 3rd Regt is postponed for another day, things are warming up there to some tune, linked up with A squadron of 1st Regt who are guarding the canal & Nile (7ft apart) from the Bedouins.
Bed at 9.15