Item 01: Eric Susman war diary, 1 January 1915-4 April 1916 - Page 85
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[Page 85]
Tuesday 2 March 1915
The Battalion, this morning, left camp at an early hour, in full fighting order. The usual field work was carried out, in fact the morning was devoted to a recapitulation of previous days in the field. We got back to camp earlier than usual and I spent the evening in Cairo.
Our usual rendezvous is Shepheard's Hotel. This is a fine building furnished on a most lavish, luxurious scale. As might be expected, everything is of the best and is much appreciated by those who know oriental art furnishings. The billard-room and bar are wholly frequented by officers and soldiers, for there is hardly a single tourist in Egypt. And many are the humourous scenes that Shepheards has witnessed during the last month or two. The idea of a private entering the best hotel in the town, and paying 1/- for a drink is wholly foreign to the English "officah". And in spite of the monocled gaze of an Imperial Staff Officer, the Australian private, with that brazen effrontery typical of him, continues to drink his cocktails and liquers with the best of them. At the same time, a "Terrier" is spending his hard earnt piastre on a cheap beer somewhere in the slums.