Item 04: Fred Harold Tomlins war diary, 19 December 1915-18 March 1916 - Page 88

[Page 88]

11-3-16
It is rumoured here that 60,000 Australian Infantry troops are going to France & some of them are on their way now; Leask told me that Maj.Mills had recommended him very strongly to Col.Cox for a commission as a Signalling Officer before Leask heard applications were called for , so both he & Traill should have a good chance of getting one as Col Meredith recommended Traill. Our Sigs are at every station where there is a telephone switch board so as we can do business on the same line as the Egyptians & it is very amusing at times to hear the Aus & Egyptians trying to make each other understand each other

Some Egyptians started a canteen going here for the Queenslanders & can buy chocolate, porridge, cigarettes, tobacco & beer, also tinned fruit, but as we have received no pay since leaving Wardon we cannot afford to buy too much