Item 03: Gordon Macrae diary, 20 January 1917-18 April 1918 - Page 7

[Page 7]

January 1917

January 20 to 28th
The Regiment is still at Bayoud [Bir el Beyud] on the Southern flank still doing outpost patrols etc. The weather is fine & warm during the day & cool at nights with occasional sand storms lasting 2 or 3 days. On the 26th B Troop went to Hassaniya to prepare camp for the regiment On the 28th the Regt marched out, being relieved by the "Shropshire Yeomanry" We only expect to be at Hassaniya for a few days. On the 29th we got an Australian & English mail & I was surprised that I got nothing from Australia, but got one letter from Aunt Carrie.

30th Janry
Was sent to Port Said with Trooper Richardson to get some goods for the Colonel. We left camp at 1 oclock & rode to Khirba (4 miles) &amp caught a train at 3 oclock. The desert train is very rough & travels slow. To make things worse there was a sand storm & it was as much as the engine could do to pull the empty trucks. We caught the train at 10.10 pm to Port Said getting there shortly after11 & went to the Hotel de la Poste. Had a hot bath & a good clean up next morning & put