Item 01: Eric Susman war diary, 1 January 1915-4 April 1916 - Page 102
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[Page 102]
Friday 19 March 1915
The work set down for to-day was exercise in moving camp at short notice. At nine o'clock the Battalion was ordered to be ready to move off by 10 a.m., accompanied by our complete transport section. In fact we had an hour to get ready for active service as it were. Blankets and waterproofs were rolled up and placed on the transport wagon, black kit bags, to be left at the base, were packed and securely tied, and the stipulated articles of clothing were packed in the valise. By 9.45, we we ready to move off, in full marching order. For convenience sake, tents were not struck, so it will be seen that we could have finished the complete job in just a little over an hour. Very satisfactory indeed for the first time.
The Battalion then moved out of camp and was afterwards inspected by the Colonel. This being finished we had lunch and returned to camp. At 5 p.m. I left camp to go on guard at the Palace Hotel, Heliopolis. Quite a change from camp life, even if it is only for twenty-four hours. And after sleeping on the cold sand, it's good to feel you are in barracks with a straw mattress to sleep on.