Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 55
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[Page 55]
in their lines. Had any offense been committed or negligence & carelessness been shown to warrant censure, the position would have been clearer, but nothing that the men were aware of could account for such a penalizing attitude being adopted, & so determined were the majority of the men of the second Company, to totally ignore the alteration that after breakfast a large body of men including NCOs march purposely past the higher officers tents with a fixed firm idea of spending the day as first intended. Evidently to save their faces, the officers marched all the remaining men out to enable them to attend the function provided for their pleasure & entertainment as enjoyed by the men of every other battalion in the camp.
The alteration of this order was hardly the right or proper way for officers to help the men to celebrate "Anzac Day" the day specially set apart to perpetuate the memories of those heroes who fought so well, & fell on the now historic hills of Gallipoli that Australia's fair name is raised so high on the records of fame that the whole world wondered.
While at Ferry Post apart from the tiresome drill, the life was fairly comfortable on account of being close to the Suez Canal. Every available opportunity was taken to have a "dip" in the water, its warm temperature enabled one to remain in it for quite an hour without any ill effect and the continual basking in the sun, soon tanned every mans skin, so that many would rival the "brown men" of Manly (Sydney)
Always on Route marches & during drill in full uniform, the excessive heat was keenly felt, perspiration would soak through the drill tunic at times when on a long march so very much that the tunic looked as if it had been dipped in water. In fact on most mens tunics there was a permanent stain made by the dye from the braces of the equipment where they crossed the back & over the shoulders.
But when attired in singlet & shorts the heat was scarcely noticed, & just before