Item 01: J. E. Morrison diary, 13 October 1917-29 October 1918 - Page 19
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[Page 19]
tried to cross the cannal in pontoons which they brought over the desert. Supposed to be 20,000 of an army. The spot where the English soldiers were hiding on the opposite bank & Indians. How they let the Turks man their pontoons hundreds of them then, destroyers came along at high speed shelled same all those in the punts perished the Battleships opened fire with their 14 inch guns & killed thousands leaving behind all their camels & guns & ammunation. The Cannal is lined with barbed wire practically the whole length of it on the North side.
We arrived at Ismailia at 1 am & changed pilots.
Dec. 28
9.30 am we arrived at Port Said discharged our Egypt cargo & also all London & Italian cargo there. We moored opposite the Hydroplane headquarters & had the pleasure of seeing those birds fly & desend all day long. Whilst here we met the chief officer of an British Hydroplane steamer. A Kangaroo Island chap & went on board & had a good look at the Hydroplanes. They had some stowed on deck formally having been on the Palestine front (sea side) also through the Dardanelles. We invited him on board for dinner & some of the Hydroplane pilots one being Australian & the other New Zealand. They having about 12 Planes Lieut. on board & heard facts re the Dardanelles campaign & also re the Gaza bombardment.