Ward diary, 6 October 1914 - 28 July 1915 / Eric Harford Ward - Page 11

[Page 11]

April 2/15
Good Friday

The Battle of the Wasser
On April 2nd the day before leaving Mena I went to Cairo on leave. The greatest bit of fun since we have been in Egypt took place in the notorious Wasser.
About 5 o'clock the a disturbance started through a native & a soldier & developed into

a riot by night. The house in which it started was stripped of all its furniture & a bonfire was started in the middle of the street which was kept going up to 9 p.m. Beds, chairs, shutters &c. were piled on the fire. The trouble started through the Red Caps firing on the crowd. They then became furious & wrecked every shop & house