Item 01: Eric Susman war diary, 1 January 1915-4 April 1916 - Page 153
Primary tabs
Transcription
[Page 153]
Sunday 9 May 1915
At about 11 a.m. this morning, we once more sighted Egypt – Egypt of dusty memories – so our short Mediterranean cruise was in a few hours to come to conclusion. Shortly after dinner, we slowed down, the pilot came on board and we were soon within the breakwater picking our way slowly through the maze of ships with which this harbour seems to be perpetually blessed. After a great deal of manoevring, we got alongside. Everything was deadly quiet just like that other Sunday in January last, when the Second Expeditionary Force put in an appearance.
Orders had been issued to disembark the patients as soon as possible. But there was a shocking amount of delay – no system, no method. Everyone gave orders but apparently nobody was keen on carrying out anybody else's dictions. But with his superior air, the infantryman, a disciplined fighting unit contented himself with the remark: "No explanation is needed – it's only the A.M.C. [Army Medical Corps]" However, they managed some of the worse cases on shore. Many were too bad to stand the train journey to Cairo so the Red Cross took them to an Alexandria hospital. One train load left for Cairo and the rest of us stayed on board.