Item 01: G. T. Birkbeck diary, 30 September 1915 - 23 April 1919 - Page 73

[Page 73]

noon for reorganisation purposes. Very short of men, as we have been on the move since 24th of last month & many have been wounded & evacuated sick. Got our bivvy sheets today & erected a "home". Rain has now ceased.

23: Four parcels today & the contents were repulsed with heavy losses by our mess. N.Z. mounted forced to retire after a hot scrap against a large enemy force at Wilhelmslia ( a Hun colony), infantry also suffered heavy casualties in this scrap.

27: Taubes dropped bombs on Aust. Div. at Ramle, causing heavy casualties amongst men & horses. Left Ezdud 8a.m. reaching Ayumkara (15 miles) at 2 p.m. Fine Jewish colony, but bread & jam very dear here, 1/- per small loaf. Town immediately placed out of bounds to men, though officers going in & out at their leisure. Taubes over using their machine guns at night, without doing any material damage.

29:

Heavy bombardment all this day on this flank, standing to arms each morning at 3 a.m.. Taubes visit our camps every night machine gunning the roads and transport of our column. In reserve to N.Z. mounted in trenches at Aalebbus.