Item 02: Henry Frederick Wallace Tucker diary, 1 January - 31 December 1916 - Page 47

[Page 47]

Thursday 20 January 1916
Regimental Parade. Col. Fuller in Camp all Day.
Concert at night in Recreation Hut.
Received Letters from Home.
These concerts are very well attended in fact the Recreation Hut is crowded out. Ladies & Gents from Cairo come & greatly assist the Boys in making the nights entertainment worthy. The Brigadier generally gives a whistling Song & a little speech besides. Lieu. Hogue takes charge of the arrangements, with the best results.

Friday 21 January 1916
Regimental Route March to Helouan. Went into Cairo for Col. Fuller Box (Wooden) for Capt. Anderson. Sent curios home. It has been found that more exercise is required to get the men qualified in packing up & moving away fully equipped within a specified time. These marches are becoming frequent & each time one sees great improvement. One gets confidence & knowledge as to how & what to take that will be of the greatest use.

Saturday 22 January 1916
Cleaning up in Camp today. Sent old Diary & note Book Home, also letters.
The Road to Helouan is a first Class one, built in Kitchener's time & is perfectly flat. As we pass through the different villages the women & Children watch us with great interest. The youngsters are taught to sing out for "Backsheesh" which covers everything from a cigarette end to a millene. The journey takes about 3 hours to do & unless we camp for the night there we boil our Quarts & rest a couple of Hours before returning to Maadi. It is a common sight to see the Civilian Prisoners going & returning from work. They are chained together with light chains & are escorted by Mounted Police (Egyptian) with loaded carbines. They look a hardened crowd & occupy their time in the Stone Quarries or making roads.
These are long sentenced men 8-10 15 & 20 years of duration.