Item 01: G. T. Birkbeck diary, 30 September 1915 - 23 April 1919 - Page 134

[Page 134]

which the Citadel is built. Close by is the parapet upon which the last of the Mamluks made his desperate bid for freedom & became the sole survivor of his class so treacherously murdered by Mohammed Ali. On the Mokattam Hills is the post which Napoleon built to command the city & a fine point to view the sights of the city. In the vicinity – to the east – is a beautiful garden island on which banks tradition has it that the infant Moses was found.

Alexandria

This is a pretty seaport town & by far the most enjoyable place to spend a holiday in Egypt. One meets scores of English people here & they treat soldiers better than Europeans in Cairo. At [indecipherable] is one of the Sultan's palaces & also the port which figures prominently in the bombardment of Alexandria during the Nile battle in 1798 when Nelson destroyed the French fleet in Aboukir Bay, thus securing for England the command of the Med. Sea. During October, 1916 I spent eight days in this town, where one can find dozens of ways to put in a pleasant holiday, also first class accommodation is obtainable at 12/- per day on the water front.

Port Said

This is a filthy town & very disappointing to a man on leave, as there is only one picture show & that is very poor; not a theatre of any description the only amusement to be obtained here is provided